Utility load control management communications protocol
First Claim
1. A method for managing a utility load by controlling electrical consumption of electrically powered devices, the method comprising:
- selecting at least one target for load control and assigning the at least one target at least one target address;
using a control system of a utility provider to form a single variable length load control message according to a communication protocol, wherein the load control message includes the at least one target address and a plurality of unique concatenated command messages as part of the single variable length load control message, each of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages being selected from the set consisting of a command message having a predetermined message type and a fixed length message defined for the predetermined message type and a command message having a predetermined message type and a variable length message corresponding to values in a command message control flag field defined for the predetermined message type; and
causing the load control message to be transmitted via a communication network to the at least one target for execution of all of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages by the at least one target corresponding to the at least one target address in the load control message.
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Abstract
A load control management protocol, system, and method that address many different customers, individually, in geographic groups, or in other predefined groups to control at least one or more electrical power consuming appliances are disclosed. The computer-implemented protocol provides wired and wireless communication schemes that enable a utility to quickly and efficiently communicate commands and messages to end user devices. Specific electrically powered appliances and certain uses of electricity can therefore be managed by communicating with the controllers of those appliances, providing management of a utility load during peak price and consumption periods to prevent delivery interruptions.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for managing a utility load by controlling electrical consumption of electrically powered devices, the method comprising:
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selecting at least one target for load control and assigning the at least one target at least one target address; using a control system of a utility provider to form a single variable length load control message according to a communication protocol, wherein the load control message includes the at least one target address and a plurality of unique concatenated command messages as part of the single variable length load control message, each of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages being selected from the set consisting of a command message having a predetermined message type and a fixed length message defined for the predetermined message type and a command message having a predetermined message type and a variable length message corresponding to values in a command message control flag field defined for the predetermined message type; and causing the load control message to be transmitted via a communication network to the at least one target for execution of all of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages by the at least one target corresponding to the at least one target address in the load control message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for managing electrical consumption of electrically powered device in communication with a control system of a utility provider, the method comprising:
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receiving at a controller of an electrically powered device in communication with a control system of a utility provider a single variable length load control message, the load control message including an address of the controller and a plurality of unique concatenated command messages as part of the single variable length load control message, each of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages being selected from the set consisting of a command message having a predetermined message type and a fixed length message defined for the predetermined message type and a command message having a predetermined message type and a variable length message corresponding to values in a command message control flag field defined for the predetermined message type; decoding the load control message into the plurality of unique command messages; and controlling the device with the controller so as to execute of all of the plurality of unique command messages, thereby managing consumption of electricity of the electrically powered device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method, comprising:
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providing a controller for controlling electrical consumption of an electrically powered device; and providing instructions on operating the controller in accordance with a communication protocol, wherein the instructions include the steps of; receiving at the controller in communication with a control system of a utility provider a single variable length load control message, the load control message including at least a plurality of unique concatenated command messages as part of the single variable length load control message, each of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages being selected from the set consisting of a command message having a predetermined message type and a fixed length message defined for the predetermined message type and a command message having a predetermined message type and a variable length message corresponding to values in a command message control flag field defined for the predetermined message type; decoding the load control message into the plurality of command messages; and controlling the device with the controller so as to execute of all of the plurality of unique command messages, thereby managing consumption of electricity of the electrically powered device. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for managing a utility load by controlling electrical consumption of an electrically powered device, comprising:
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means for selecting at least one target for load control and for assigning the at least one target at least one target address; means for forming a variable length load control message, the variable length load control message including; a start indicator field indicating a start of the variable length load control message; a variable length address field including a fixed bit-length portion identifying an address level, and a variable bit-length portion identifying a target address corresponding to the at least one electrically powered device; a plurality of unique concatenated command messages, each of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages being selected from the set consisting of a command message having a predetermined message type field and fixed length message field for a fixed length message defined by the predetermined message type, and a command message having a message type field for a predetermined message type and a variable length message field corresponding to values in a command message control flag field defined for a message type of the message type field; and a message terminator field indicating a termination of the variable length load control message; and means for interfacing with a communication network communicatively coupled to the at least one target device, such that the variable length load control message may be transmitted via the communication network to the at least one target device for execution of the plurality of unique command messages.
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34. An apparatus for managing a utility load by controlling electrical consumption of an electrically powered device, comprising:
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means for receiving a variable length load control message, the variable length load control message including; a start indicator field indicating a start of the variable length load control message; a variable length address field including a fixed bit-length portion identifying an address level, and a variable bit-length portion identifying a target address corresponding to the at least one electrically powered device; a plurality of unique concatenated command messages, each of the plurality of unique concatenated command messages being selected from the set consisting of a command message having a predetermined message type field and fixed length message field for a fixed length message defined by the predetermined message type, and a command message having a message type field for a predetermined message type and a variable length message field corresponding to values in a command message control flag field defined for a message type of the message type field; and a message terminator field indicating a termination of the variable length load control message; means for decoding the load control message into the plurality of unique command messages; and means for controlling the device with the controller so as to execute of all of the plurality of unique command messages, thereby managing consumption of electricity of the electrically powered device.
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Specification