Electric utility demand limiting device and method
First Claim
1. An electrical power demand limiting device for controllably disconnecting a local load extraneous the device from a power source comprisingsignal generating means for generating a first signal representative of the electrical power consumption of the load,comparing means responsive to the signal generating means for comparing the first signal to a preset electrical power consumption limit,receiving means for receiving a remote control signal from a power production source responsive to conditions at said power production source for providing an enable output in response thereto to enable the operation of the device,disconnecting means responsive to the comparing means and to the enable output of the receiving means for disconnecting the said extraneous local load entirely from the power source when the first signal exceeds the preset limit and when the receiving means has enabled the device, andresetting means for resetting the disconnecting means to reconnect the local load to the power source such reconnected load being the entire initial load or a locally selected portion of said initial load.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electric utility demand limiting device and method for disconnecting and reconnecting a load, such as a residential customer load, from a utility company power system. The device may include a preset demand limit against which power consumption is compared when the device is remotely enabled in response to a remote control signal from the utility company. The demand limit may be variable.
76 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An electrical power demand limiting device for controllably disconnecting a local load extraneous the device from a power source comprising
signal generating means for generating a first signal representative of the electrical power consumption of the load, comparing means responsive to the signal generating means for comparing the first signal to a preset electrical power consumption limit, receiving means for receiving a remote control signal from a power production source responsive to conditions at said power production source for providing an enable output in response thereto to enable the operation of the device, disconnecting means responsive to the comparing means and to the enable output of the receiving means for disconnecting the said extraneous local load entirely from the power source when the first signal exceeds the preset limit and when the receiving means has enabled the device, and resetting means for resetting the disconnecting means to reconnect the local load to the power source such reconnected load being the entire initial load or a locally selected portion of said initial load.
-
2. An electrical power demand limiting device for controllably disconnecting a local load extraneous the device from a power source comprising
signal generating means for generating a first signal representative of the electrical power consumption of the load, comparing means responsive to the signal generating means for comparing the first signal to a preset electrical power consumption limit, receiving means for receiving a remote control signal a power production source responsive to conditions at said power production source for providing an enable output in response thereto to enable the operation of the device, disconnecting means responsive to the comparing means and to the enable output of the receiving means for disconnecting the said extraneous local load entirely from the power source when the first signal exceeds the preset limit and when the receiving means has enabled the device wherein said disconnecting means further includes timing means for disconnecting the entire load from the power source after the first signal has exceeded the preset limit for a predetermined period, and resetting means for resetting the disconnecting means to reconnect the local load to the power source such reconnected load being the entire initial load or a locally selected portion of said initial load.
-
5. An electrical power demand limiting device for controllably disconnecting a local load extraneous the device from a power source comprising
signal generating means for generating a first signal representative of the electrical power consumption of the load, comparing means responsive to the signal generating means for comparing the first signal to a preset electrical power consumption limit, receiving means for receiving a remote control signal from a power production source responsive to conditions at said power production source for providing an enable output in response thereto to enable the operation of the device, said receiving means includes timing means for providing the enable output for a predetermined period of time in response to the remote control signal, disconnecting means responsive to the comparing means and to the enable output of the receiving means for disconnecting the said extraneous local load entirely from the power source when the first signal exceeds the preset limit and when the receiving means has enabled the device, and resetting means for resetting the disconnecting means to reconnect the local load to the power source such reconnected load being the entire initial load or a locally selected portion of said initial load.
-
8. An electrical power demand limiting device for controllably disconnecting a local extraneous the device load from a power source comprising
signal generating means for generating a first signal representative of the electrical power consumption of the load, comparing means responsive to the signal generating means for comparing the first signal to an adjustable preset electrical power consumption limit, receiving means for receiving a remote control signal from a power production source responsive to conditions at said power production source for providing an enable output in response thereto to enable the operation of the device, disconnecting means responsive to the signal generating means and to the receiving means for disconnecting the said extraneous local load entirely from the power source when the first signal exceeds the preset limit and the receiving means has enabled the device, said disconnecting means including timing means for disconnecting the entire load from the power source after the first signal has continuously exceeded the preset limit for a predetermined period of time, and resetting means for resetting the disconnecting means to reconnect the local load to the power source, said resetting means being operated manually or when the enable output is not present from the receiving means, and such reconnected load being the entire initial load or a locally selected portion of said portion of said initial load.
-
13. An electrical power demand limiting device adapted for installation at a utility customer site for controllably disconnecting the utility customer from a utility power service comprising
signal generating means for generating a first signal representative of the electrical power consumption of the utility customer, comparing means responsive to the signal generating means for comparing the first signal to a preset electrical power consumption limit, said preset limit being adjustable by the utility company, receiving means for providing an enable output to enable the operation of the device and for terminating the enable output, at least said enable output being provided in response to a control signal from the utility company, disconnecting means responsive to the comparing means and to the receiving means for disconnecting the load from the utility power service when the first signal exceeds the preset limit and the enable output is present, said disconnecting means including timing means for delaying said disconnection until at least the first signal has exceeded the preset limit for a predetermined length of time, reset means operable at the utility customer site for generating a reset signal, means responsive to the reset signal and responsive to the receiving means for resetting the disconnecting means when either the reset signal is present or the enable output is not present to reconnect the utility customer to the utility power service to thereby restore the utility power service to the utility customer, and said device being housed in a housing having an adaptor including first connector means for plugging into a utility meter socket and second connector means for receiving a utility meter and said disconnecting means includes switch means for connecting or disconnecting said first connector means and said second connector means.
-
16. A method for controllably limiting power demand from a power source by a local extraneous load including the steps of
generating remotely a first signal at a power production source responsive to conditions at said power production source to enable the power demand limiting, generating a second signal representative of electrical power consumption by the load, comparing the electrical power consumption to a preset electrical power consumption limit, receiving the first signal from said power production source and providing an enable output in response thereto, disconnecting the said extraneous local load entirely from the power source when the electrical power consumption exceeds the consumption limit and the enable output is present, and reconnecting the local load to the power source in response to reset means or when the enable output is no longer present, such reconnected load being the entire initial load or a locally selected portion of said initial load.
-
17. A method for controllably limiting power demand from a power source by a local extraneous load including the steps of
generating remotely a first signal at a power production source responsive to conditions at said power production source to enable the power demand limiting, generating a second signal representative of electrical power consumption by the load, comparing the electrical power consumption to a preset electrical power consumption limit, receiving the first signal from said power production source and providing an enable output in response thereto, disconnecting the said extraneous local load entirely from the power source when the electrical power consumption exceeds the consumption limit and the enable output is present, wherein the disconnecting step further includes delaying disconnecting the load from the power source until the electrical power consumption has exceeded the preset limit for a continuous predetermined time period, and reconnecting the local load to the power source in response to reset means or when the enable output is no longer present, such reconnected load being the entire initial load or a locally selected portion of said initial load.
-
19. A method for controllably limiting power demand from a utility power source at a utility customer site including the steps of
generating a first signal remotely at said utility power source to enable the power demand limiting, generating a second signal representative of electrical power consumption at the utility customer site, comparing the electrical power consumption to an adjustable preset electrical power consumption limit, receiving the first signal from said utility power source and providing an enable output in response thereto, disconnecting the utility customer site from the utility power source when the electric power consumption exceeds the consumption limit and the enable output is present, said disconnecting being delayed until the electrical power consumption has exceeded the preset limit for a continuous predetermined time period, and reconnecting the utility customer site to the utility power source in response to reset means operated at the utility customer site or when the enable output is no longer present.
-
21. A method for controllably limiting the power demand from a utility power source at a utility customer site including the steps of
generating a first signal remotely at said utility power source to enable the power demand limiting, generating a second signal representative of electrical power consumption at the utility customer site, comparing the electrical power consumption to an adjustable preset electrical power consumption limit, receiving the first signal from said utility power source and providing an enable output in response thereto, applying a third signal to bistable switch means to disconnect the utility customer site from the utility power source when the electrical power consumption exceeds the consumption limit and the enable output is present, said disconnecting being delayed until the electrical power consumption has continuously exceeded the preset limit for a predetermined time period, and applying a fourth signal to the bistable switch means to reconnect the utility customer site to the utility power source in response to reset means operated at the utility customer site or when the enable output is no longer present.
-
22. An electrical power demand limiting device adapted for installation at a utility customer site for controllably limiting power demand from a utility power source comprising
signal generating means for generating a first signal representative of the electrical power consumption of the utility customer, comparing means responsive to the signal generating means for comparing the first signal to a preset electrical power consumption limit, said preset limit being adjustable by the utility source, receiving means for providing an enable output to enable the operation of the device and for terminating the enable output, at least said enable output being provided in response to a control signal from the utility source, disconnecting means responsive to the comparing means and to the receiving means adapted for disconnecting load from the utility power source when the first signal exceeds the preset limit and the enable output is present, said disconnecting means including timing means for delaying said disconnection until at least the first signal has exceeded the preset limit for a predetermined length of time, reset means operable at the utility customer site for generating a reset signal, means responsive to the reset signal and responsive to the receiving means for resetting the disconnecting means when either the reset signal is present or the enable output is not present to reconnect the utility customer to the utility power source to thereby restore utility power to the utility customer, and said device being housed in a housing having an adapter including first connector means for plugging into a utility meter socket and second connector means for receiving a utility meter.
-
25. A method for controllably limiting power demand from a utility power source at a utility customer site including the steps of plugging into a meter utility socket an adapter for receiving a meter at the end remote from the socket,
generating a first signal representative of the electrical power consumption of the utility customer, generating a second signal remotely from said power utility source to enable the power demand limiting, comparing the first signal to a preset electrical power consumption limit, said preset limit being adjustable by the utility company, receiving the second signal and providing an enable output in response to the second signal from the utility company, disconnecting load from the utility power service when the first signal exceeds the preset limit and the enable output is present, said disconnecting being delayed until at least the first signal has exceeded the preset limit for a predetermined length of time, generating a reset signal at the utility customer site, and reconnecting load when either the reset signal is present or the enable output is not present thereby to reconnect the utility customer to the utility power source and restore utility power to the utility customer.
Specification