METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING CONSUMPTION

• US 20150167998A1
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC), Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, Khalifa University Of Science, Technology & Research
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC), Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, Khalifa University of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Shackleton, Mark, Saffre, Fabrice, Hildmann, Hanno, Nicolas, Sbastien Matthieu Ren
• Granted Patent: US 9,651,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving

Abstract

This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling 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 methods and systems which probabilistically limit the aggregated power load of a plurality of climate control appliances in a building to a selected value, whilst seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building. The embodiments of the invention propose distributed decision-making by individual devices based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity.

Claims

1. A method of controlling power consumption in a plurality of climate control appliances, each of which is connected to a plurality of neighbouring appliances and has a running cycle of predetermined length, the method including the steps of:

setting a cap for the power consumption of each group of appliances comprising an appliance and its neighbours;

setting a threshold value for a climate parameter separating values for said parameter into a preferred direction and a non-preferred direction; and

when a first of said climate control appliances reaches the end of its running cycle;

measuring a climate parameter associated with the area around said first climate control appliance;

the first climate control appliance determining whether being inactive for the following running cycle will result in said climate parameter falling on the preferred side of said threshold value;

if so, said first appliance being placed in an inactive state for its next running cycle;

if not, the first appliance;

causing each of its neighbouring appliances which is currently active to determine the climate parameter associated with the area around that appliance at the end of its current running cycle if the appliance was to become inactive;

determining a subset of the first appliance and the currently active neighbouring appliances which should be active, the subset being those appliances for which the determined climate parameter is least preferred and the number of appliances in said subset being selected so as to ensure that said cap is not exceeded.

2. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of placing all appliances in said group which are not in said determined subset in an inactive state.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of causing involves the sub-step of:

the first climate control appliance sending a message to each of its neighbouring appliances,

and the step of determining involves the sub-steps of;

each neighbouring appliance which is currently active sending the results of its determination to the first appliance; and

the first appliance communicating an instruction to become inactive to any currently active appliance which is not in said subset.

4. A method according to claim 1, further including the steps of:

determining the occupancy of an area served by at least one of said climate control appliances; and

setting said cap for the group of appliances comprising said at least one climate control appliance based on said determination of occupancy.

5. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of:

adjusting said cap for one or more of said groups of appliances or removing said cap for one or more of said groups of appliances by incrementally increasing said cap over a predetermined period of time.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cap is dynamically adjusted to match the demand level of said plurality of climate control appliances to a time-varying power supply level.

7. A climate control appliance which is connected to a plurality of neighbouring climate control appliances and has a running cycle of predetermined length, the climate control appliance having a processor which is arranged to:

when said climate control appliance reaches the end of its running cycle;

measure a climate parameter associated with the area around said climate control appliance;

determine whether being inactive for the following running cycle will result in said climate parameter falling on the preferred side of a predetermined threshold value for said climate parameter which separates values for said parameter into a preferred direction and a non-preferred direction;

if so, place said appliance in an inactive state for its next running cycle;

if not;

communicate with each of its neighbouring appliances which is currently active to cause those appliances to determine the climate parameter associated with the area around that appliance at the end of its current running cycle if the appliance was to become inactive; and

determine a subset of said appliance and the currently active neighbouring appliances which should be active, the subset being those appliances for which the determined climate parameter is least preferred and the number of appliances in said subset being selected so as to ensure that a predetermined cap for the power consumption of the group of appliances comprising said appliance and its neighbours is not exceeded.

8. A climate control appliance according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

send and receive messages to/from each of the neighbouring appliances, said messages including;

an instruction for the neighbouring appliance to determine the climate parameter associated with the area around that appliance at the end of its current running cycle if the appliance was to become inactive;

the results of such a determination; and

an instruction to a selected a currently active appliance which is not in said subset to become inactive.

9. A climate control appliance according to claim 7, wherein the appliance further includes an occupancy determination sensor which is arranged to determine the occupancy of an area served by said climate control appliance, and wherein the processor is further arranged to set said cap for the group of appliances comprising said climate control appliance based on said determination of occupancy.

10. A climate control appliance according to claim 7, wherein the processor is arranged to receive an instruction from an external controller to adjust said cap to a new level, or to remove said cap, and to respond to said instruction by incrementally increasing said cap over a predetermined period of time.

11. A climate control appliance according to claim 7, wherein the cap is dynamically adjusted to match the demand level of said plurality of climate control appliances to a time-varying power supply level.

12. A building management system comprising a plurality of climate control appliances each of which is connected to a plurality of neighbouring appliances and having a running cycle of predetermined length, each climate control appliance having a processor which is arranged to:

when said climate control appliance reaches the end of its running cycle;

measure a climate parameter associated with the area around said climate control appliance;

determine whether being inactive for the following running cycle will result in said climate parameter falling on the preferred side of a predetermined threshold value for said climate parameter which separates values for said parameter into a preferred direction and a non-preferred direction;

if so, place said appliance in an inactive state for its next running cycle;

if not;

communicate with each of its neighbouring appliances which is currently active to cause those appliances to determine the climate parameter associated with the area around that appliance at the end of its current running cycle if the appliance was to become inactive; and

determine a subset of said appliance and the currently active neighbouring appliances which should be active, the subset being those appliances for which the determined climate parameter is least preferred and the number of appliances in said subset being selected so as to ensure that a predetermined cap for the power consumption of the group of appliances comprising said appliance and its neighbours is not exceeded.

13. A building management system according to claim 12, wherein all appliances in said group which are not in said determined subset are placed in an inactive state.

14. A building management system according to claim 12, wherein the processor of each device is further arranged to:

send and receive messages to/from each of the neighbouring appliances, said messages including;

an instruction for the neighbouring appliance to determine the climate parameter associated with the area around that appliance at the end of its current running cycle if the appliance was to become inactive;

the results of such a determination; and

an instruction to a selected a currently active appliance which is not in said subset to become inactive, and wherein;

a first climate control appliance which has reached the end of its running cycle is arranged to send a message to each of its neighbouring appliances;

each neighbouring appliance which is currently active is arranged to send the results of its determination to the first appliance; and

the first appliance is arrange to communicate an instruction to become inactive to any currently active appliance which is not in said subset.

15. A building management system according to claim 12, wherein each appliance further includes an occupancy determination sensor which is arranged to determine the occupancy of an area served by said climate control appliance, and wherein the processor is further arranged to set said cap for the group of appliances comprising said climate control appliance based on said determination of occupancy.

16. A building management system according to claim 12, further including a controller for said climate control appliances, wherein the processor of each appliance is arranged to receive an instruction from an external controller to adjust said cap to a new level, or to remove said cap, and to respond to said instruction by incrementally increasing said cap over a predetermined period of time.

17. A building management system according to claim 12, further including a controller for said climate control appliances, wherein said controller is arranged to dynamically adjust said cap to match the demand level of said plurality of climate control appliances to a time-varying power supply level.