Systems and methods for remote power management using 802.11 wireless protocols

• US 7,451,019 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SmartSynch Incorporated (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodgers, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp; Chad
• Application Number:
  US12/028,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: 700/291, 700295-298, 702 60- 62, 705/412, 703/18
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for using 802.11 based wireless protocols in various energy management applications wherein a host controller uses various types of communication networks to distribute information to an on-premise processor that in turn uses 802.11 based wireless protocols to communicate with various types of end devices, such as utility meters. Various forms of communication are defined between the end device, the on-premise processor, and the energy management host for accomplishing power load control, including determining when to activate or deactivate a load, requesting permission to activate a load, reading usage data, activating or deactivating a meter, and determining rate schedules. A flexible scheme allows control to be shifted to be resident in various entities. The architecture is applicable not only for power load control, but other control type and metering devices.

Claims

1. The method to control the activation of a power load comprising:

receiving at an on-premise processor a power restriction status indicator transmitted over a distribution network from a load management host processor and storing the power restriction status indicator in a memory of the on-premise processor;

receiving a load authorization request communicated using an 802.11X-based wireless protocol transmitted from a power load controller co-located with the power load, the load authorization request received by the on-premise processor;

retrieving the power restriction status indicator data stored in the memory and determining a restriction status;

generating a response message authorizing or denying activation of the power load based on the value of the restriction status, the response message including an address associated with the power load controller; and

communicating the response message using the 802.11X-based wireless protocol from the on-premise processor to the power load controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power restriction status indicator comprises a first value and a second value, the second value associated with a time duration.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording in the memory a time associated with the generating of the response message authorizing or denying activation of the power load.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-premise processor is contained in a power meter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the power load controller controls is at least one of an air conditioning unit, an induction motor, or a heating load.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution network is one from the group of paging network, digital cellular network, telephone network, power line carrier network, Internet, and 802.11X-based LAN.

7. A method to control activation of a power load, comprising:

receiving at an on-premise processor a power restriction indication communicated from a load management host using a distribution network, the power restriction indication stored in a memory of the on-premise processor;

receiving at the on-premise processor a first authorization request to activate the power load communicated using an 802.11X-based wireless protocol from a power load controller controlling the power load;

determining in the on-premise processor a power restriction status based on the power restriction indication data stored in the memory of the on-premise processor;

communicating a first response from the on-premise processor to the power load controller using the 802.11X-based wireless protocol authorizing power load activation if the power restriction status is a first value;

communicating a second authorization request from the on-premise processor to the load management host processor using the distribution network indicating an address of the on-premise processor if the power restriction status is a second value;

receiving a second authorization response from the host processor at the on-premise processor using the distribution network indicating an authorization or a denial of activation of the power load; and

sending a third authorization response from the on-premise processor using the 802.11X-based wireless protocol to the power load controller, the third authorization response message either authorizing activation of the power load if the second authorization response authorizes activation of the power load, or denying activation of the power load if the second authorization response denies activation of the power load.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the power restriction indication further comprises a time duration.

9. The method of claim 7, where the step of determining in the on-premise processor a power restriction status further comprises processing a time indication.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving at the on-premise processor a second power restriction indication communicated from the load management host using a distribution network, the power restriction indication stored in the memory of the on-premise processor.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the power load comprises at least one of a heating load, air conditioning load, or induction motor load.

12. A method to control a power load comprising:

receiving at an on-premise processor a first authorization request message to activate a power load, the first authorization message sent from a power load controller operatively connected to the power load;

sending a second authorization request message transmitted from the on-premise processor using a distribution network to a host processor indicating an address associated with the power load controller;

receiving a first authorization response message at the on-premise processor transmitted using the distribution network from the host processor indicating authorization on denial of activating the power load;

generating in the on-premise processor a second authorization response message indicating an authorization or denial of activating the power load; and

sending the second authorization response message using the 802.11X-based wireless protocol from the on-premise processor to the power load controller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second authorization message further comprises a time duration.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of recording an indication of a time associated with the sending of the second authorization response message.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving an acknowledgment message using the 802.11X-based wireless protocol from the power load controller at the on-premise processor in response to sending the second authorization response message.

16. A method to control a power load comprising:

sending a first notification message from a host processor to an on-premise processor indicating a request for controlling a power load;

determining a first address in the memory of the on-premise processor;

communicating a first power control request message using an 802.11X-based wireless protocol incorporating the first address to a power load controller associated with the first address;

deactivating the power load by the power load controller in response to the power control request message;

receiving a first acknowledgement message communicated using the 802.11X-based protocol from the power load controller to the on-premise processor; and

receiving a second acknowledgement message at the host processor, the second acknowledgement message sent by the on-premise processor in response to receiving the first acknowledgement message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the content of the first acknowledgement message includes in part the content of the second acknowledgement message.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

recording a time and address of the on-premise processor associated with the sending of the second acknowledgment message from the on-premise processor.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the power control request message further comprises a time duration.

20. A method to control a power load, comprising:

sending a first notification message of an impending power control request message to an on-premise processor from the power control host processor using an 802.11X-based protocol;

receiving a first acknowledgement message at a power control host processor from the power load controller using the 802.11X-based protocol;

sending a power control request message to the on-premise processor from the power control host processor using the 802.11X-based protocol requesting deactivation of the power load;

receiving a second acknowledgement message from the on-premise processor acknowledging deactivation of the power load wherein the message is communicated using an 802.11X-based protocol; and

recording in the power control host processor a load deactivation indication in a data structure associated with the on-premise processor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the power control request message comprises a time duration.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

activating the power load after the time duration.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the 802.11X-based protocol includes at least one of the group of 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.