Device control modules for demand management systems

• US 8,995,105 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Fry, Charles David, Stephenson, Brian Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Leja, Ronald W
• Application Number:
  US13/829,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20140211362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 361/115
• US Class Current: 361/115
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/22 for supplying energising current for relay coil
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• 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 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A device control module for making a non-demand management system capable electrical device demand responsive to a demand management system includes a relay configured to be electrically connected to a power circuit of the electrical device to control power supply to a load device of the electrical device. The device control module includes a relay driver operated to open and close the relay and a controller operating the relay driver. The controller receives a demand state signal from the demand management system supplying power to the electrical device and operates the relay driver based on the demand state signal. The relay is configured to power off the load device of the electrical device irrespective of the main control operation of the electrical device.

Claims

1. A device control module for making a non-demand management system capable electrical device demand responsive to a demand management system, the device control module comprising:

a relay configured to be electrically connected to a power circuit of the electrical device to control power supply to a load device of the electrical device;

a relay driver operated to open and close the relay; and

a controller operating the relay driver, the controller receiving a demand state signal from the demand management system supplying power to the electrical device, the controller operating the relay driver based on the demand state signal;

wherein the relay is configured to power off the load device of the electrical device irrespective of the main control operation of the electrical device; and

wherein at least one of the relay, relay driver and controller are physically housed within an interior portion of an exterior shell of the electrical device.

2. The device control module of claim 1, wherein the relay is normally closed, the relay driver being operated to open the relay to shut off the power supply to the load device of the electrical device.

3. The device control module of claim 1, further comprising a communication module being demand management system compliant and configured to receive demand management system communication signals, the communication module communicating with the controller, the communication module generating the demand state signal based on the demand management system communication signals.

4. The device control module of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board, the controller, relay driver and relay being mounted to the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board configured to be coupled to the electrical device.

5. The device control module of claim 1, further comprising a faceplate assembly configured to be coupled to the electrical device, the controller, relay driver and relay being coupled to the faceplate assembly and mounted to the electrical device with the faceplate assembly.

6. The device control module of claim 1, further comprising a device connector configured to be coupled to an exterior of the electrical device and a communication module removably coupled to the device connector, the device connector defining a mating interface for the communication module to the electrical device.

7. The device control module of claim 1, wherein the relay is physically coupled to the power circuit of the electrical device within the electrical device.

8. The device control module of claim 1, further comprising a communication module being demand management system compliant and configured to receive demand management system communication signals, the communication module generating the demand state signal based on the demand management system communication signals, the controller being housed within the communication module, the communication module being coupled to a device connector mounted to the electrical device.

9. The device control module of claim 1, further comprising a device connector configured to be coupled to an exterior of the electrical device and a communication module removably coupled to the device connector, the controller being part of the communication module, wherein the power circuit is routed to the communication module through the device connector.

10. The device control module of claim 1, further comprising a communication module configured to receive demand management system communication signals from the demand management system and a printed circuit board configured to be mounted within the electrical device, the communication module, controller and relay driver being mounted to the printed circuit board, the communication module generating the demand state signals based on the demand management system communication signals.

11. The device control module of claim 10, wherein the relay is mounted to the printed circuit board.

12. The device control module of claim 10, wherein the demand management system communication signals relate to at least one of a voltage or a frequency of the power on the power circuit.

13. The device control module of claim 10, wherein the demand management system communication signals relate to at least one of demand on the demand management system, a load shed request from the demand management system, pricing information of electricity on the demand management system.

14. The device control module of claim 1, wherein the relay, relay driver and controller are retrofit to the electrical device to shut off power to the load device of the electrical device irrespective of the main control operation of the electrical device.

15. A device control module for making a non-demand management system capable electrical device demand responsive to a demand management system, the device control module comprising:

a relay configured to be electrically connected to a power circuit of the electrical device to control power supply to a load device of the electrical device;

a printed circuit board configured to be coupled to the electrical device, the printed circuit board being physically housed within an interior portion of an exterior shell of the electrical device;

a relay driver mounted to the printed circuit board, the relay driver operated to open and close the relay;

a controller mounted to the printed circuit board, the controller operating the relay driver based on a demand state signal from the demand management system supplying power to the electrical device; and

a device connector mounted to the circuit board, the device connector having a mating interface; and

a communication module coupled to the device connector, the communication module being demand management system compliant and configured to receive demand management system communication signals, the communication module communicating with the controller, the communication module generating the demand state signal based on the demand management system communication signals;

wherein the controller is configured to operate the relay to power off the load device of the electrical device irrespective of the main control operation of the electrical device.

16. The device control module of claim 15, wherein the relay is mounted to the printed circuit board.

17. The device control module of claim 15, wherein the device connector is positioned at an exterior of the electrical device, the communication module being mated with the device connector from an exterior of the electrical device.

18. The device control module of claim 15, further comprising a faceplate assembly configured to be coupled to the electrical device such that a portion of the faceplate assembly is accessible at an exterior of the electrical device, wherein the printed circuit board is held by the faceplate assembly with the device connector exposed exterior of the faceplate assembly and the communication module coupled to the device connector exterior of the faceplate assembly.

19. A device control module for making a non-demand management system capable electrical device demand responsive to a demand management system, the device control module comprising:

a faceplate assembly configured to be coupled to an exterior shell of the electrical device such that a portion of the faceplate assembly is accessible at an exterior of the electrical device and a portion of the faceplate assembly is positioned interior of the exterior shell of the electrical device;

a relay held by the faceplate assembly, the relay configured to be electrically connected to a power circuit of the electrical device to control power supply to a load device of the electrical device, the relay being physically positioned interior of the exterior shell of the electrical device;

a relay driver held by the faceplate assembly, the relay driver operated to open and close the relay;

a communication module held by the faceplate assembly, the communication module being demand management system compliant and configured to receive demand management system communication signals, the communication module generating a demand state signal based on the demand management system communication signals; and

a controller held by the faceplate assembly, the controller communicating with the communication module and receiving the demand state signal, the controller operating the relay driver based on a demand state signal, wherein the controller is configured to operate the relay to power off the load device of the electrical device irrespective of the main control operation of the electrical device.

20. The device control module of claim 19, further comprising a printed circuit board held by the faceplate assembly, wherein the controller, relay driver and relay are mounted to the printed circuit board.