System for utility demand monitoring and control
First Claim
1. A system for utility demand monitoring and control comprising:
- a host computer having access to power utility customers for receiving customer utility usage data;
a plurality of network interfaces, each network interface associated with at least one customer'"'"'s facility for relaying customer utility demand as collected from industrial equipment by a power monitoring unit;
a facility network connecting each power monitoring unit with a plurality of utility data collection units within said site for providing data on utility usage to the network interface associated with the facility; and
a distribution network, coupled to said host computer, interconnecting said plurality of network interfaces for transmitting utility usage data from said plurality of network interfaces to said host computer, said distribution network being implemented within one or more time slots of a time-division multiplexed data stream carried by a high-speed digital bus, said one or more time slots carrying data in packet form, all network interfaces of said distribution network sharing said one or more slots.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for electric power demand monitoring and control includes one or more data distribution networks interconnecting network interfaces or intelligent utility units located at customer sites with a host computer located in the utility company offices. A network within the site interconnects each intelligent utility unit or network interface with power consuming units for providing data on power usage and power control. A data distribution network interconnects the plurality of intelligent utility units or network interfaces to the host computer as a head end unit, the data distribution network providing downstream communication channels from the host computer to the plurality of intelligent utility units and network interfaces, and upstream communication channels from the plurality of intelligent utility units and network interfaces to the host computer. The communication channels are organized as frequency division multiplex channels in a frequency spectrum. A plurality of distribution networks can be provided for a larger utility environment with each distribution network associated with a power substation and customers served by the power substation.
197 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for utility demand monitoring and control comprising:
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a host computer having access to power utility customers for receiving customer utility usage data; a plurality of network interfaces, each network interface associated with at least one customer'"'"'s facility for relaying customer utility demand as collected from industrial equipment by a power monitoring unit; a facility network connecting each power monitoring unit with a plurality of utility data collection units within said site for providing data on utility usage to the network interface associated with the facility; and a distribution network, coupled to said host computer, interconnecting said plurality of network interfaces for transmitting utility usage data from said plurality of network interfaces to said host computer, said distribution network being implemented within one or more time slots of a time-division multiplexed data stream carried by a high-speed digital bus, said one or more time slots carrying data in packet form, all network interfaces of said distribution network sharing said one or more slots. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification