Methods, apparatus, and media for controlling supply of a utility service to a load

• US 7,774,282 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seismotech IP Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smart Disaster Response Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Baraty, Mohammad Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin; Evens J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kamal; Shahid
• Application Number:
  US12/399,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 705 51- 63, 700/286, 700/291, 700/293, 700/295, 340/635
• US Class Current: 705/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/24 Identification of individual loads, e.g. by analysing current/voltage waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and media for controlling supply of a utility service to a load are disclosed. Generally, the embodiments may involve receiving representation of utility service supply to a load, receiving and storing in a computer data storage device a usage range representation comprising at least one expected value of utility input to the load and/or at least one expected value of output from the load, and producing a control signal for use by a utility service supply controlling device when usage is outside of usage range representation. Control signal can be operable to cause the utility service supply controlling device to restrict or interrupt the supply of the utility service to the load.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the supply of at least one utility service to at least one load at a consumer site, the method comprising:

communicating from an ID chip, information to a computer system about each of a plurality of different loads, wherein each ID chip communicates for its load, a first usage range representation;

controlling the utility services supplied to each of the loads with a utility supply control device for each load, wherein each utility supply control device communicates with the computer system;

measuring with at least one measurement device of the group comprising;

at least one input measurement device that measures an input value of a utility supplied to each load, and at least one output measurement device that measures an output value of at least one product produced by each load;

wherein the computer system at the consumer site has at least one processor for accessing computer readable instructions and at least one data storage device for storing computer readable instructions;

communicating, with a communications device, with the computer system at the consumer site, with the utility supply control device for each load, with at least one entity not located at the consumer site, and with the ID chip of each load;

storing in the computer system, with respect to each load, a response value, wherein the response value indicates whether the utility service used by a load is preventable or restrictable;

receiving in the computer system, with respect to each load, from the ID chip the first usage range representation;

receiving in the computer system, with respect to each load, from a second source a second usage range representation wherein the second usage range representation is different than the first usage range representation for at least one time period;

generating and storing in the computer system a third usage range representation which comprises a third range of usage of the first utility service by that load that falls within one or both of the first and second usage representations;

generating a supply control signal by the computer system when the response value indicates that at least one utility service used by a load is preventable or restrictable, wherein the supply control signal is further based on a comparison among the measured input value of the load, the measured output value of the product produced by the load, and the third usage range representation for the load; and

communicating the supply control signal to the utility supply control device of the load to restrict or prevent the supply of the utility to the load.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the usage range representations is based on the time, price or cost of the utility service supplied to each load.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the usage range representations is based on the response to demand for the utility service.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the usage range representations is based on the output of the load.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a status indicator to indicate whether the supply of a utility to a load may be prevented or restricted by the utility supply control device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system receives at least one usage range representation from the consumer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system receives a signal from the ID chip.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system receives a plurality of usage range representations from remote entities.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the computer system generates the third usage range representation from the plurality of usage range representations.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the computer system receives a plurality of usage range representations from the ID chip.

10. An apparatus located at a consumer site for controlling the supply of at least one utility service to at least one load at a consumer site, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of different loads located at a consumer site;

an ID chip that communicates information about each of the loads, wherein each ID chip communicates for its load, a first usage range representation;

a utility supply control device for each of the loads that communicates with a computer system and controls the utility services supplied to each of the loads;

at least one of the group of measurement devices comprising;

input measurement devices and an output measurement devices, wherein one or more of the input measurement devices measure at least one measured input value of at least one utility service supplied to each load, and wherein one or more of the output measurement devices measure the output value of at least one product produced by each load;

the computer system at the consumer site having at least one processor for accessing computer readable instructions and at least one data storage device for storing computer readable instructions,

a communications device that communicates with the computer system at the consumer site, with the utility supply control device of each load, with at least one entity not located at the consumer site, and with the ID chip of each load;

wherein the computer system, with respect to each load, stores a response value, wherein the response value indicates whether the utility service supplied to a load is preventable or restrictable;

wherein the computer system, with respect to each load, receives from the ID chip the first usage range representation

wherein the computer system, with respect to each load, receives from a second source, a second usage range representation, wherein the second usage range representation is different than the first usage range representation for at least one time period;

wherein the computer system, with respect to each load, generates a third usage range representation which comprises a third range of usage of the first utility service by that load that falls within one of or both of the first and second usage range representations;

wherein when the response value indicates that at least one utility service used by a load is preventable or restrictable, the computer system generates a supply control signal based on a comparison of the measured input value of the load;

the measured output value of the product produced by the load; and

the third usage range representation for the load; and

wherein the computer system communicates the supply control signal to the utility supply control device of the load to prevent or restrict the supply of the utility to the load.