Energy management system and method
First Claim
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1. An energy management system comprising:
- at least one energy consuming device; and
an energy controller supplying energy to the at least one energy consuming device and configured to transmit a class-specific energy curtailment signal for a predetermined class of energy consuming device in response to an energy over-consumption condition;
wherein the at least one energy consuming device comprises a device controller coupled to the energy controller to receive the class-specific energy curtailment signal, determine whether the at least one energy consuming device is within the predetermined class, and to curtail energy consumption when the at least one energy consuming device is within the predetermined class.
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Abstract
An energy management system comprises at least one energy consuming device and an energy controller. The energy controller supplies energy to the energy consuming device and transmits an energy curtailment signal in response to an energy over-consumption condition. In one embodiment, the curtailment signal can be directed to a predetermined class of energy consuming device. In another embodiment, the energy consuming device can determine whether to curtail energy consumption in response to the curtailment signal. The energy controller can be in the form of a power strip.
153 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An energy management system comprising:
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at least one energy consuming device; and an energy controller supplying energy to the at least one energy consuming device and configured to transmit a class-specific energy curtailment signal for a predetermined class of energy consuming device in response to an energy over-consumption condition; wherein the at least one energy consuming device comprises a device controller coupled to the energy controller to receive the class-specific energy curtailment signal, determine whether the at least one energy consuming device is within the predetermined class, and to curtail energy consumption when the at least one energy consuming device is within the predetermined class. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A power strip comprising:
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an inlet electrical connector configured to be plugged into a wall socket to receive an input of electricity; a plurality of outlet electrical connectors coupled to the inlet electrical connector for receiving the electricity and configured to receive an electrical plug of an energy consuming device for transmission of the electricity from the inlet electrical connector to the energy consuming device; and a controller controlling the input of electricity from the inlet electrical connector to the outlet electrical connectors and configured to transmit, in response to an energy over-consumption condition, a class-specific energy curtailment signal for a predetermined class of energy consuming device to the outlet electrical connectors and thereby any energy consuming devices plugged into the outlet electrical connectors, wherein upon receipt of the class-specific energy curtailment signal by a device controller of an energy consuming device plugged into one of the outlet electrical connecters, the device controller determines whether the energy consuming device is within the predetermined class and curtails energy consumption when the energy consuming device is within the predetermined class. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An energy management system, comprising:
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a plurality of energy consuming devices; an energy controller supplying energy to the plurality of energy consuming devices and configured to transmit a class-specific energy curtailment signal for a predetermined class of energy consuming device in response to an over-consumption condition; a device controller provided in at least some of the plurality of energy consuming devices and coupled to the energy controller to receive the class-specific energy curtailment signal, determine whether the energy consuming device is within the predetermined class, and to curtail energy consumption when the at least one energy consuming device is within the predetermined class; wherein the energy controller is further configured to curtail the energy supplied to at least one of the plurality of energy consuming devices not in the predetermined class if the energy over-consumption condition exists following transmission of the energy curtailment signal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification