Methods and apparatus for energy demand management

• US 8,271,147 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Beal, Jacob S., Bachrach, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US12/394,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 700/20, 700/22, 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 713/300, 713/320
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/60 Planning or developing urban green infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems for managing energy demand of one or more appliances. In one example, an appliance controller apparatus is provided, comprising a user interface configured to receive a user input indicative of a demand flexibility associated with an appliance, a communication interface configured to receive a control input indicative of a request to modify a power demand of the appliance, and a processor programmed to determine whether the power demand of the appliance is to be modified based on the user input and the control input. In a further aspect, a meter controller apparatus is provided, comprising a communication interface configured to receive a message from an appliance controller apparatus coupled to an appliance, the message comprising information regarding a power demand of the appliance and a demand category associated with the appliance. The meter controller apparatus may further comprise a processor programmed to compute an updated meter controller model based on the message received from the appliance controller apparatus and a present meter controller model.

Claims

1. An appliance controller apparatus for controlling a first power demand of at least one first appliance, the appliance controller apparatus comprising:

a user interface configured to receive, from a consumer that requires power, a user input indicative of a first demand flexibility associated with the at least one first appliance;

a communication interface configured to receive a control input indicative of a request to modify the first power demand of the at least one first appliance; and

at least one processor programmed to determine whether the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is to be modified based at least in part on the user input and the control input;

wherein the appliance controller apparatus is a first appliance controller apparatus, and wherein;

the communication interface is further configured to receive at least one message from a second appliance controller apparatus, the at least one message comprising second information regarding a second power demand of at least one second appliance coupled to the second appliance controller apparatus and a second demand flexibility associated with the at least one second appliance; and

the first appliance controller apparatus further comprises a storage medium, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to store in the storage medium summary information based at least in part on;

first information regarding the first power demand and the first demand flexibility; and

the second information regarding the second power demand and the second demand flexibility.

2. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to modify the first power demand of the at least one first appliance based at least in part on the user input and the control input.

3. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control input comprises information indicative of a degree to which a reduction in the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is requested, and wherein the at least one processor is programmed to determine whether the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is to be reduced based at least in part on the user input and the control input.

4. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a multi-setting switch for specifying the first demand flexibility.

5. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a dial for specifying the first demand flexibility.

6. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one message from the second appliance controller apparatus is a first message, and wherein the communication interface is further configured to transmit a second message comprising the summary information.

7. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 3, wherein the user input and the control input are both numerical values, and wherein the at least one processor determines that the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is to be reduced when the user input exceeds the control input.

8. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an override interface configured to receive an override input, wherein, when the override input is received, the at least one processor determines that the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is not to be modified, regardless of the user input and the control input.

9. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first demand flexibility associated with the at least one first appliance includes a plurality of levels of the first demand flexibility; and

the user interface specifies respective levels of the plurality of levels of the first demand flexibility.

10. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the user interface includes a multi-setting switch to specify the respective levels; and

the respective levels are associated with different colors indicated via the multi-setting switch.

11. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 10, wherein the different colors are selected to be suggestive of demand flexibility categories represented by the respective levels so as to make the user interface intuitive for a consumer using the appliance controller apparatus.

12. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the different colors include black, yellow, red and green;

a critical demand flexibility category represented by the respective levels is associated with black;

an important demand flexibility category represented by the respective levels is associated with red;

a flexible demand flexibility category represented by the respective levels is associated with yellow; and

an optional demand flexibility category represented by the respective levels is associated with green.

13. The appliance controller apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first demand flexibility associated with the at least one first appliance includes varying levels of the first demand flexibility; and

the user interface specifies the varying levels of the first demand flexibility on a continuous scale.

14. A method for controlling a first power demand of at least one first appliance, the method comprising:

A) receiving, via a user interface of a first appliance controller, from a consumer that requires power, a user input indicative of a first demand flexibility associated with the at least one first appliance;

B) receiving, via a communication interface of the first appliance controller, a control input indicative of a request to modify the first power demand of the at least one first appliance; and

C) determining whether the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is to be modified based at least in part on the user input and the control input;

wherein the appliance controller is a first appliance controller, and wherein the method further comprises;

D) receiving, via the communication interface, at least one message from a second appliance controller, the at least one message comprising second information regarding a second power demand of at least one second appliance coupled to the second appliance controller and a second demand flexibility associated with the at least one second appliance;

wherein the first appliance controller further comprises a storage medium, and wherein the method further comprises;

E) storing, in the storage medium, summary information based at least in part on;

first information regarding the first power demand and the first demand flexibility; and

the second information regarding the second power demand and the second demand flexibility.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising modifying the first power demand of the at least one first appliance based at least in part on the user input and the control input.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

in B), the control input comprises information indicative of a degree to which a reduction in the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is requested; and

C) comprises determining whether the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is to be reduced based at least in part on the user input and the control input.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the user input and the control input are both numerical values, and wherein C) comprises:

determining that the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is to be reduced when the user input exceeds the control input.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first demand flexibility associated with the at least one first appliance includes a plurality of levels of the first demand flexibility; and

A) comprises receiving the user input indicative of respective levels of the plurality of levels of the first demand flexibility.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the user interface includes a multi-setting switch to specify the respective levels;

the respective levels are associated with different colors indicated via the multi-setting switch , and

the different colors are selected to be suggestive of demand flexibility categories represented by the respective levels.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first demand flexibility associated with the at least one first appliance includes varying levels of the first demand flexibility; and

A) comprises receiving the user input indicative of the varying levels of the first demand flexibility on a continuous scale.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein:

in D), the at least one message from the second appliance controller is a first message; and

the method further comprises;

F) transmitting, via the communication interface, a second message comprising the summary information.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

D) receiving an override input; and

E) in response to D), determining that the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is not to be modified, regardless of the user input and the control input.

23. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a plurality of instructions that, when executed, perform a method for controlling a first power demand of at least one first appliance, the method comprising acts of:

receiving, via a user interface of a first appliance controller, from a consumer that requires power, a user input indicative of a first demand flexibility associated with the at least one first appliance;

receiving, via a communication interface of the first appliance controller, a control input indicative of a request to modify the first power demand of the at least one first appliance; and

determining whether the first power demand of the at least one first appliance is to be modified based at least in part on the user input and the control input;

wherein the appliance controller is a first appliance controller, and wherein the method further comprises;

receiving, via the communication interface, at least one message from a second appliance controller, the at least one message comprising second information regarding a second power demand of at least one second appliance coupled to the second appliance controller and a second demand flexibility associated with the at least one second appliance;

wherein the first appliance controller further comprises a storage medium, and wherein the method further comprises;

storing, in the storage medium, summary information based at least in part on;

first information regarding the first power demand and the first demand flexibility; and

the second information regarding the second power demand and the second demand flexibility.