System and method for selective disconnection of electrical service to end customers

• US 8,260,470 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr Technology, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Consert, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Forbes, Joseph W. Jr., Webb, Joel L., Moore, Roy, Shaw, David
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US12/702,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20100145544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700291-298, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A system and method for selective disconnection of electrical service to a customer via commands transmitted on a communications network between a server in communication with an electric utility and a client device at a customer service point. A customer profile is generated including at least connection information for a plurality of controllable devices within the service point. A request is received from the electric utility to generate a selective disconnect event at the service point based on the customer profile. The selective disconnect event is communicated to the client device at the service point. The selective disconnect event is sent to at least one controllable device at the service point.

Claims

1. A method for selective disconnection of electrical service to a customer via commands transmitted on a communications network between a server in communication with an electric utility and a client device at a customer service point, comprising the steps of:

generating a customer profile including at least connection information for a plurality of controllable devices within the service point and association of the connection information of each controllable device with the customer;

receiving a request from the electric utility to generate a selective disconnect event at the service point based on the customer profile;

communicating the selective disconnect event to the client device at the service point; and

generating and sending the selective disconnect event to at least one of the controllable devices at the service point.

2. The method for selective disconnection of claim 1 wherein the selective disconnect event communicated to the client device based on the customer profile comprises a command to reduce power to, or remove power from, the at least one of the controllable devices at the service point.

3. The method for selective disconnection of claim 1 wherein the customer profile connection information comprises at least one of information about controllable devices within the service point that can receive a control event, information about controllable devices that may adversely affect the customer in a disconnect event, and a priority of service for the customer.

4. The method for selective disconnection of claim 1 further comprising sending a control event to the service point to remove power to at least one of the plurality of controllable devices selectively.

5. The method for selective disconnection of claim 4 wherein at least one of the plurality of controllable devices is switch controlled.

6. The method for selective disconnection of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of controllable devices provides two way reporting to the client device.

7. The method for selective disconnection of claim 1 wherein the plurality of controllable devices comprises at least one climate-controlled device.

8. The method for selective disconnection of claim 7 wherein the at least one climate-controlled device comprises at least one of a thermostat, a water heater, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and a pool pump.

9. The method for selective disconnection of claim 7 further comprising sending a control event to at least one climate-controlled device to raise or lower a temperature setting to a predetermined set point, and holding the setting of the at least one climate-controlled device at the predetermined set point.

10. The method for selective disconnection of claim 1 further comprising communicating the selective disconnect event from a master event manager operable with the server in communication with the electric utility to a device control manager application operable with the client device.

11. The method for selective disconnection of claim 1 further comprising communicating the selective disconnect event from a selective disconnect application operable on the server in communication with the electric utility to a customer dashboard application operable with the client device via a web browser application.

12. The method for selective disconnection of claim 1 further comprising enabling the customer to obtain energy credits and to select the power-consuming device to which the energy credits are applied.

13. The method for selective disconnection of claim 12 further comprising enabling the customer to create a bucket plan of energy use for the selected power-consuming device wherein the bucket plan is constrained by the utility based on at least one criterion.

14. The method for selective disconnection of claim 13 wherein the at least one bucket plan constraint criterion includes at least one of a time of day use, a peak hours use, and an off-peak hours use.

15. The method for selective disconnection of claim 12 further comprising receiving an accumulated energy credit usage data from the electric utility via the server in communication with the electric utility.

16. A system for selective disconnection of electrical service to a customer via commands transmitted on a communications network between a server in communication with an electric utility and a client device at a customer service point, comprising:

a memory storing a database containing a plurality of customer profiles wherein each customer profile includes at least connection information for a plurality of controllable devices within the associated service point and association of the connection information of each controllable device with the customer; and

a processor, cooperative with the memory, and configured for selective disconnection of electrical service to a customer at the service point by;

receiving a request from the electric utility to generate a selective disconnect event at the associated service point based on the customer profile; and

communicating the selective disconnect event to the client device for sending to at least one of the controllable devices device at the associated service point.

17. The system for selective disconnection of claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured for sending a command to the client device based on the customer profile contained in the database to reduce power to, or remove power from, the at least one of the controllable devices at the service point.

18. The system for selective disconnection of claim 16 wherein the customer profile contained in the database comprises at least one of information about controllable devices within the service point that can receive a control event, information about controllable devices that may adversely affect the customer in a disconnect event, and a priority of service for the customer.

19. The system for selective disconnection of claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured for sending a control event to the service point to remove power to at least one of the plurality of controllable devices selectively.

20. The system for selective disconnection of claim 16 wherein at least one of the plurality of controllable devices is switch controlled.

21. The system for selective disconnection of claim 16 wherein at least one of the plurality of controllable devices provides two way reporting to the client device.

22. The system for selective disconnection of claim 16 wherein the plurality of controllable devices comprises at least one climate-controlled device.

23. The system for selective disconnection of claim 22 wherein the at least one climate-controlled device comprises at least one of a thermostat, a water heater, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and a pool pump.

24. The system for selective disconnection of claim 22 wherein the processor is further configured for sending a control event to at least one climate-controlled device to raise or lower a temperature setting to a predetermined set point, and holding the setting of the at least one climate-controlled device at the predetermined set point.

25. The system for selective disconnection of claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured for communicating the selective disconnect event from a master event manager operable with the server in communication with the electric utility to a device control manager application operable with the client device.

26. The system for selective disconnection of claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured for communicating the selective disconnect event from a selective disconnect application operable on the server in communication with the electric utility to a customer dashboard application operable with the client device via a web browser application.

27. The system for selective disconnection of claim 26 wherein the processor is further configured for enabling the customer to select the power-consuming device to which an energy credit is applied.

28. The system for selective disconnection of claim 27 wherein the processor is further configured for enabling the customer to create a bucket plan of energy use for the selected power-consuming device wherein the bucket plan is constrained by the utility based on at least one criterion.

29. The system for selective disconnection of claim 28 wherein the at least one bucket plan constraint criterion includes at least one of a time of day use, a peak hours use, and an off-peak hours use.

30. The system for selective disconnection of claim 27 wherein the processor is further configured for receiving an accumulated energy credit usage data from the electric utility via the server in communication with the electric utility.