Load control unit in communication with a fixed network meter reading system
First Claim
1. A method of reducing commodity consumption at a customer location, comprising:
- providing at the customer location a master controller in communication with a utility meter at the customer location, the utility meter being part of a fixed radio automated meter reading network comprising a collector and a plurality of utility meters that bi-directionally communicate wirelessly with the collector, each of the utility meters having a wireless communication path to the collector that is either a direct communication path to the collector or an indirect communication path through one or more other utility meters that serve as repeaters, and the collector receiving commodity consumption information from the plurality of utility meters;
providing at least one load control unit at the customer location;
transmitting from the collector of the fixed radio automated meter reading network to the master controller, via the utility meter at the customer location, configuration data defining loads to be interrupted; and
instructing, by the master controller, said load control unit to interrupt a load based on said configuration data.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A load control system that communicates with existing automated meter reading communications systems to interrupt and shed loads at a customer location. The system includes a master controller that listens to communications between a utility meter and the reading system. The controller receives tier and/or pricing information and will instruct a load control unit to interrupt certain loads based on the information. In addition, the system may be employed as a load shedding system where a command may be forwarded to the master controller to disconnect loads based on action levels. The command may be sent via a TCP/IP communications system to a node in the reading system and the forwarded via a radio network to the master controller to reduce latency. Predictive shedding may be performed based on forecast loads.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of reducing commodity consumption at a customer location, comprising:
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providing at the customer location a master controller in communication with a utility meter at the customer location, the utility meter being part of a fixed radio automated meter reading network comprising a collector and a plurality of utility meters that bi-directionally communicate wirelessly with the collector, each of the utility meters having a wireless communication path to the collector that is either a direct communication path to the collector or an indirect communication path through one or more other utility meters that serve as repeaters, and the collector receiving commodity consumption information from the plurality of utility meters; providing at least one load control unit at the customer location; transmitting from the collector of the fixed radio automated meter reading network to the master controller, via the utility meter at the customer location, configuration data defining loads to be interrupted; and instructing, by the master controller, said load control unit to interrupt a load based on said configuration data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of shedding commodity consumption at a customer location, comprising:
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providing at the customer location a master controller in communication with a utility meter at the customer location, the utility meter being part of a fixed radio automated meter reading network comprising a collector and a plurality of utility meters that bi-directionally communicate wirelessly with the collector, each of the utility meters having a wireless communication path to the collector that is either a direct communication path to the collector or an indirect communication path through one or more other utility meters that serve as repeaters, and the collector receiving commodity consumption information from the plurality of utility meters; providing at least one load control unit at the customer location; receiving at the master controller, from the collector of the fixed radio automated meter reading network and via the utility meter at the customer location, a command; and instructing, by said master controller, said load control unit to shed predetermined loads based upon receipt of said command. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A load control system for managing loads within a customer location, comprising:
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a fixed radio automated meter reading network comprising a collector and a plurality of utility meters that bi-directionally communicate wirelessly with the collector, each of the utility meters having a wireless communication path to the collector that is either a direct communication path to the collector or an indirect communication path through one or more other utility meters that serve as repeaters, and the collector receiving commodity consumption information from the plurality of utility meters, one of said utility meters being located at said customer location; a master controller at said customer location and in communication with the utility meter of the fixed radio automated meter reading network that is located at said customer location; and a load control unit that receives instructions from said master controller to remove predetermined loads based on communications received by said master controller from the collector of said fixed radio automated meter reading network via the utility meter at said customer location. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification