METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LIMITING CONSUMPTION
First Claim
1. A method of limiting power consumption in a plurality of climate control appliances, each of which is communicably coupled to a controller, the climate control appliances having a running cycle of predetermined length, the method including the steps of:
- setting a cap for the total power consumption of the appliances;
setting a set point for a climate parameter for each climate control appliance; and
before the end of each running cycle, each climate control appliance;
measuring a climate parameter associated with the area around said climate control appliance;
predicting whether said appliance being active for the next running cycle will result in the climate parameter being closer to the set point for said appliance than if said appliance is inactive for the next running cycle; and
if it is predicted that said appliance being inactive results in the climate parameter being closer to the set point, maintaining said appliance in an inactive state for the next running cycle;
if it is predicted that said appliance being active results in the climate parameter being closer to the set point, said appliance communicating with the controller to request permission to be in an active state for the next running cycle;
the controller;
selecting some or all of said appliances which have requested permission to be active for the next running cycle such that said cap is not exceeded and taking account of the predicted deviation of each appliance from its set point if it is not activated; and
communicating with said selected appliances to cause them to be active for the next running cycle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to methods and systems for limiting consumption, particularly power consumption, more particularly by appliances in a building, and is generally suitable for integration with building management systems. Embodiments of the invention provide arrangements in which the aggregated power load of a plurality of appliances is capped to a selected value (which may be arbitrary, or may be dictated by conditions) whilst seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building through a combination of distributed decision making by the appliances themselves and centralized orchestration, which may be informed by real-time sensor readings and/or known properties of the building. The distributed decision-making by individual devices may be based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity but with a central controller which determines which devices should be switched on.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of limiting power consumption in a plurality of climate control appliances, each of which is communicably coupled to a controller, the climate control appliances having a running cycle of predetermined length, the method including the steps of:
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setting a cap for the total power consumption of the appliances; setting a set point for a climate parameter for each climate control appliance; and before the end of each running cycle, each climate control appliance; measuring a climate parameter associated with the area around said climate control appliance; predicting whether said appliance being active for the next running cycle will result in the climate parameter being closer to the set point for said appliance than if said appliance is inactive for the next running cycle; and if it is predicted that said appliance being inactive results in the climate parameter being closer to the set point, maintaining said appliance in an inactive state for the next running cycle; if it is predicted that said appliance being active results in the climate parameter being closer to the set point, said appliance communicating with the controller to request permission to be in an active state for the next running cycle; the controller; selecting some or all of said appliances which have requested permission to be active for the next running cycle such that said cap is not exceeded and taking account of the predicted deviation of each appliance from its set point if it is not activated; and communicating with said selected appliances to cause them to be active for the next running cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A climate control appliance which is communicably coupled to a controller and has a running cycle of predetermined length, the climate control appliance having a processor which is arranged to:
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store a set point for a climate parameter associated with said appliance; before said climate control appliance reaches the end of each running cycle; measure a climate parameter associated with the area around said climate control appliance; predict whether said appliance being active for the next running cycle will result in the climate parameter being closer to the set point for said appliance than if said appliance is inactive for the next running cycle; and if it is predicted that said appliance being inactive results in the climate parameter being closer to the set point, maintain said appliance in an inactive state for the next running cycle; if it is predicted that said appliance being active results in the climate parameter being closer to the set point, communicate with the controller to request permission to be in an active state for the next running cycle and receive from the controller a communication regarding the activation of the appliance for the next running cycle and set the status of the appliance for that running cycle accordingly. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A building management system comprising a plurality of climate control appliances communicably coupled to a controller, each of the climate control appliances having a running cycle of predetermined length and a processor which is arranged to:
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store a set point for a climate parameter associated with said appliance; before said climate control appliance reaches the end of each running cycle; measure a climate parameter associated with the area around said climate control appliance; predict whether said appliance being active for the next running cycle will result in the climate parameter being closer to the set point for said appliance than if said appliance is inactive for the next running cycle; and if it is predicted that said appliance being inactive results in the climate parameter being closer to the set point, maintain said appliance in an inactive state for the next running cycle; if it is predicted that said appliance being active results in the climate parameter being closer to the set point, communicate with the controller to request permission to be in an active state for the next running cycle and receive from the controller a communication regarding the activation of the appliance for the next running cycle and set the status of the appliance for that running cycle accordingly, and wherein the controller is arranged to; store a cap for the total power consumption of the appliances; select some or all of said appliances which have requested permission to be active for the next running cycle such that said cap is not exceeded and taking account of the predicted deviation of each appliance from its set point if it is not activated; and communicate with said selected appliances to cause them to be active for the next running cycle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification