System, method, and data packets for messaging for electric power grid elements over a secure internet protocol network

• US 8,983,669 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Causam Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Causam Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Forbes, Joseph W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US14/290,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 700/22, 700/286, 700/291, 700/293, 700/295, 700/297, 713/300, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/0012 Contingency detection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/128 involving the use of Internet protocol

Abstract

Systems, methods, and messages of the present invention provides IP-based messages associated with the grid elements, wherein each IP-based message includes an internet protocol (IP) packet that is generated autonomously and/or automatically by the grid elements, intelligent messaging hardware associated with the grid elements, at least one coordinator, and/or a server associated with the electric power grid and its operation, energy settlement, and/or financial settlement for electricity provided or consumed, transmitted, and/or curtailed or reduced. The IP packet preferably includes a content including raw data and/or transformed data, a priority associated with the IP-based message, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network.

Claims

1. A system for communication of IP-based messages within an electric power grid network comprising:

at least one grid element having a processor operatively coupled with a memory, constructed and configured for electrical connection and network-based communication via a network;

at least one coordinator constructed and configured for electrical connection and network-based communication via the network;

an IP-based message associated with the at least one grid element, the IP-based message including an internet protocol (IP) packet that is generated autonomously and/or automatically by transforming a raw data into a transformed content, wherein the raw data corresponds to the at least one grid element participation in an electric power grid;

wherein each of the at least one grid elements has a functionality and/or participation within the electric power grid, and wherein the functionality of grid elements determines at least one of;

a priority associated with the IP-based message, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network, and wherein the priority is based upon factors associated with the electric power grid following a hierarchy of priority including grid reliability factors, grid stability factors, energy market-based factors, billing determinants, energy settlement factors, financial settlement factors, transmission factors, and revenue grade metrology.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the IP packet includes at least one of:

a priority associated with the IP-based message, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the IP packet includes a composition, a priority for transmission via the network, a payload, headers, a destination address, a source address, application layers, and a presentation relating to the participation of the at least one grid element based upon near-real-time requirements of the electric power grid, including factors for determining the priority and the presentation based upon the dynamic priority of the electric power grid at any given time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the IP packet is generated by the at least one grid element in response to a poll and/or a request sent from the coordinator via the network and received by the at least one grid element.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a settlement processor comprising a server and/or a processor operatively coupled with a memory, database, constructed and configured for electrical connection and network-based communication via the network with the coordinator and/or a translator constructed and configured in network-based communication with the coordinator and with at least one legacy system for financial settlement processing.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transformed content further includes a settlement grade content used for determining market-based financial settlement corresponding to the participation in an electric power grid by the at least one grid element.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transformed content includes at least one of any level of kilowatt packet (KWP) units, power supply value (PSV) units, and/or power trading block (PTB) units.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the network includes a managed IP-based network.

9. An energy system operable for managing energy and for communicating IP-based messages comprising:

an internet protocol (IP) packet that is generated automatically by transforming a raw data content into a transformed data content, wherein the raw data content corresponds to at least one grid element participation in an electric power grid, and wherein the transformed content includes factors relating to the near-real-time requirements and/or conditions of the electric power grid, selected from the group consisting of a grid reliability, a grid stability, energy market conditions, billing determinants, a grid energy settlement, a market-based financial settlement, revenue grade metrology, and transmission factors, and wherein each of the at least one grid elements has a functionality and/or participation within the electric power grid, and wherein the functionality of grid elements determines at least one of;

a priority associated with the IP-based message, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network, and wherein the priority is based upon factors associated with the electric power grid following a hierarchy of priority including grid reliability factors, grid stability factors, energy market-based factors, billing determinants, energy settlement factors, financial settlement factors, transmission factors, and revenue grade metrology.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the IP packet is constructed and configured for transmission over an IP-based network used for energy management and/or financial settlements communications for an electric power grid.

11. The system of claim 9, further including a priority associated with the IP-based message, a security, and/or a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network, each of which are automatically determined based upon factors relating to the at least one grid element functionality, requirements and/or conditions of the electric power grid, selected from the group consisting of a grid reliability, a grid stability, energy market conditions, billing determinants, a grid energy settlement, a market-based financial settlement, transmission factors, and revenue grade metrology.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the IP packet is routable through the network by a coordinator.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the IP packet is automatically generated by the at least one grid element.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the transformed content includes at least one of any amount of kilowatt packet (KWP) units, power supply value (PSV) units, and power trading block (PTB) units.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the transformed content includes a settlement grade content for determining a financial settlement corresponding to participation in an electric power grid by the at least one grid element.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the transformed data content corresponds to at least one kilowatt packet (KWP) unit of participation in the electric power grid by the at least one grid element.

17. A method for IP-based message communications in an electric power grid comprising:

providing at least one grid element having a processor operatively coupled with memory, the at least one grid element constructed and configured for electrical connection and network-based communication with a server, a coordinator, and/or at least one other grid element;

the at least one grid element collecting, generating, sensing, detecting, storing and/or measuring raw data associated with a predetermined function within the electric power grid that is performed by the corresponding grid element;

automatically transforming the raw data into transformed data associated with the corresponding grid element;

generating an IP packet including the transformed data for communication as an IP message; and

transmitting the IP message via a communications network to the server, the coordinator, and/or the at least one other grid element;

wherein each of the at least one grid elements has a functionality and/or participation within the electric power grid, and wherein the functionality of grid elements determines at least one of;

a priority associated with the IP-based message, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network, and wherein the priority is based upon factors associated with the electric power grid following a hierarchy of priority including grid reliability factors, grid stability factors, energy market-based factors, billing determinants, energy settlement factors, financial settlement factors, transmission factors, and revenue grade metrology.

18. The method of claim 17, further including indicating a priority associated with the IP-based message.

19. The method of claim 17, further including providing a security for the IP-based message and its communication over the network.

20. The method of claim 17, further including designating or identifying a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network.

21. A system for communication of IP-based messages within an electric power grid network comprising:

at least one grid element and a server having a processor operatively coupled with a memory, constructed and configured for electrical connection and network-based communication via a network;

the server constructed and configured for electrical connection and network-based communication via a network;

at least one coordinator constructed and configured for electrical connection and network-based communication via the network;

an IP-based message associated with at least one of the grid elements, the IP-based message including an internet protocol (IP) packet that is generated autonomously and/or automatically by transforming a raw data content into a transformed content, wherein the raw data content corresponds to the at least one grid element participation in an electric power grid;

wherein each of the at least one grid elements has a functionality and/or participation within the electric power grid, and wherein the functionality of grid elements determines at least one of;

a priority associated with the IP-based message, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network, and wherein the priority is based upon factors associated with the electric power grid following a hierarchy of priority including grid reliability factors, grid stability factors, energy market-based factors, billing determinants, energy settlement factors, financial settlement factors, transmission factors, and revenue grade metrology.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the IP packet is generated by the at least one grid element in response to a poll and/or a request sent from the coordinator and/or the server via the network and received by the at least one grid element.

23. The system of claim 21, further including an intelligent network appliance operatively connected with the at least one grid element and/or constructed and configured within the housing of the at least one grid element, the intelligent network appliance operable to automatically and/or autonomously perform the functions of:

translation of the raw data content within the IP packet, generation of priority flags associated with the IP packet, and/or inspection of the IP packet.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the intelligent network appliance automatically generates and sends the IP packet and/or receives the IP packet associated with its corresponding grid element.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the IP packet is routed through a coordinator, or bypasses the coordinator, if the intelligent network appliance has many routes to other grid elements or grid subsystems.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the intelligent network appliance is operable to transform legacy grid elements into active intelligent grid elements, including updated functionality of the at least one grid elements for IP packet communication.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the network includes a managed network or hybrid managed network.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the IP packet received by the at least one grid element modifies the performance and/or updates the function of the at least one grid element based upon dynamic requirements of the electric power grid network, including factors of:

a grid reliability, a grid stability, energy market conditions, billing determinants, a grid energy settlement, a market-based financial settlement, transmission factors, and/or revenue grade metrology.