SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RANDOM-ACCESS POWER MANAGEMENT USING PACKETIZATION

• US 20150380936A1
• Filed: 03/01/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Vermont & State Agricultural College
• Original Assignee: University of Vermont & State Agricultural College
• Inventors: FROLIK, Jeff, HINES, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,256,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributing electric energy in discrete power packets of finite duration are presented. Systems may include an aggregator for providing power packets to one or more nodes. An aggregator may receive requests for power packets from nodes. In other embodiments, an aggregator may transmit status broadcasts and nodes may receive power packets based on the status broadcasts.

Claims

1. A system for providing electrical power, comprising:

an aggregator in electrical communication with an electrical power source, the aggregator configured to provide electrical power from the electrical power source as a plurality of discrete power packets each power packet having a finite duration; and

one or more nodes in communication with the aggregator, each node configured to request a power packet during a time interval.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregator is configured to:

receive requests from the one or more nodes;

determine whether to grant or deny each request based on the availability of the electrical power; and

provide a power packet to each node according to the corresponding request determination.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregator is configured to broadcast a status, and the one or more nodes are configured to request a power packet by receiving the aggregator status broadcast.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more nodes are configured to obtain power according to the received aggregator broadcast status.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each node is configured to request a power packet during the time interval according to a first request probability.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more nodes has a first state and a second state, the first state having a first request probability, P₁, and the second state having a second request probability, P₂.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first request probability, P₁, is greater than the second request probability, P₂.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more nodes in the second state is configured to change from the second state to the first state based upon a granted request.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more nodes in the first state is configured to remain in the first state based on a granted request.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more nodes in the second state is configured to remain in the second state based on a denied request.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more nodes in the first state is configured to change from the first state to the second state based on a denied request.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein a node of the one or more nodes further comprises a third state, the third state having a third request probability, P₃, which is lower than the second request probability, P₂.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the node having a third state comprises a selector for selecting a power priority.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the node having a third state further comprises a sensor, and the selector is configured to automatically select the power priority according to a signal received from the sensor.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network sensor in communication with the aggregator.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the network sensor is configured to measure one or more of an ambient temperature, a temperature of a portion of the system, a weather condition, or a current load on the electrical power source.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an upstream aggregator in electrical communication with the electrical power source, the upstream aggregator configured to provide electrical power from the electrical power source as a plurality of upstream power packets, each upstream power packet having a finite upstream duration; and

at least one additional aggregator in communication with the upstream aggregator, each of the aggregator or the at least one additional aggregator configured to request an upstream power packet during an upstream time interval according to an aggregator probability.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the upstream aggregator is configured to:

receive requests from the aggregator and the at least one additional aggregator;

determine whether to grant or deny each request based on the availability of the electrical power source; and

provide an upstream power packet to the aggregator or the at least one upstream aggregator according to the corresponding request determination.

19. A method for providing electrical power, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a node for a power packet of a finite duration;

determining whether to grant or deny the request based on the availability of electrical power; and

providing a power packet to the node based on a granted request.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of transmitting a response to the node.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of providing a power packet to the node is performed by authorizing the node to obtain power.

22. A method for requesting electrical power from a distribution network, comprising the steps of:

determining a request state as a first state, with a first request probability, or a second state, with a second request probability;

determining whether or not to request a power packet having a finite duration, during a time interval, based on the determined request state and the corresponding first or second request probability that a request should be sent; and

requesting, based on the request determination, a power packet having a finite duration.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of requesting a power packet is performed by receiving a broadcast state from an aggregator.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of requesting a power packet is performed by transmitting a request to an aggregator.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a response to the request; and

changing the request state based upon the received response.

26-29. -29. (canceled)