Methods and systems for requesting compliance with a requirement over a network

• US 9,118,207 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2012
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr Technology, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Landis+Gyr Innovations Incorporated (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Shudark, Jeffrey B., Neill, Mark M., Bishop, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ouellette, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US13/363,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20130197921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 700/295, 219/490, 320/109, 340/870.02, 705 11-912
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that can be used to broadcast or otherwise send load shed and other requirements over a network to recipients. One exemplary embodiment involves sending a first broadcast message to a first group of recipients. The first broadcast message requests compliance with a requirement but does not require a synchronous reply from the first group of recipients. The first group of recipients are each configured to automatically comply with the requirement in response to receiving the first broadcast message. The exemplary embodiment further involves determining, for example, based on actual load determination, to send a second broadcast message to a second group of recipients different from the first group of recipients and sending the second broadcast message to the second group of recipients, the second broadcast message requesting compliance with the requirement.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a first broadcast message to a first group of recipients, the first broadcast message requesting compliance with a requirement and not requiring a synchronous reply from the first group of recipients, wherein the requirement requests that recipients reduce electric consumption, wherein, based on the first group of recipients previously agreeing that compliance is not optional, the first group of recipients automatically complies with the requirement by reducing electric consumption in response to receiving the first broadcast message;

based on a measurement of load on an electric grid identifying that a load shed target has not been satisfied after expected compliance with the requirement by the first group, determining, by a processor, to send a second broadcast message to a second group of recipients different from the first group of recipients;

sending the second broadcast message to the second group of recipients, the second broadcast message requesting compliance with the requirement, wherein compliance with the requirement for at least some recipients of the second group is optional; and

receiving asynchronous replies from the first group, wherein each recipient of the first group asynchronously replies by including a reply in an already-scheduled information message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the requirement requests recipients adjust a controllable element of a home area network controlling one or more appliances or devices located in a home.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the already-scheduled information message is a message reporting consumption of electric by each respective recipient.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining to send the second broadcast message occurs independent of receiving the replies from the first group, wherein determining to send the second broadcast message is based upon measurements made by devices that are not associated with the first group of recipients.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second group of recipients can individually opt out of complying with the requirement in response to receiving the second broadcast message.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein an incentive is provided to the first group of recipients for agreeing to automatically comply with received requirements, wherein the incentive is not provided to the second group of recipients.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein:

a first incentive is provided to the first group of recipients for agreeing to automatically comply with received requirements, wherein the first incentive is not provided to the second group of recipients; and

a second incentive is provided to the second group of recipients based upon compliance with individual compliance requests.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining to send a third broadcast message to a second group of recipients different from the first group of recipients and different from the second group of recipients; and

sending the third broadcast message to the third group of recipients, the third broadcast message requesting compliance with the requirement; and

wherein different compliance incentives are provided for compliance to each of the first group, the second group, and the third group.

9. A method comprising:

sending a first broadcast message to a first group of electric consumption recipients, the first broadcast message requesting compliance with a load shed requirement and not requiring a synchronous reply, wherein at least some of the recipients in the first group previously agreed that compliance is not optional and are configured to automatically comply with the load shed requirement by reducing load in response to receiving the first broadcast message and to not send a synchronous reply to the first broadcast message;

after waiting for a period of time for expected compliance, measuring load on an electric grid providing electric to the first group of electric consumption recipients to determine whether realized load shed on the electric grid satisfies a load shed target for the electric grid;

determining, by a processor, based on the measuring, to send a second broadcast message to a second group of recipients different from the first group of recipients;

sending the second broadcast message to the second group of recipients, the second broadcast message requesting compliance with the load shed requirement, wherein the second group of recipients can individually opt out of complying with the requirement in response to receiving the second broadcast message; and

receiving asynchronous replies from the first group, wherein each recipient in the first group asynchronously replies by including a reply in an already-scheduled information message,

wherein the sending and measuring are performed by a processor executing stored instructions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the already-scheduled information message is a message reporting consumption of electric by each respective recipient.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein determining to send the second broadcast message occurs independent of receiving the replies from the first group.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein:

a first incentive is provided to the first group of recipients for agreeing to automatically comply with received requirements, wherein the first incentive is not provided to the second group of recipients; and

a second incentive is provided to the second group of recipients based upon compliance with individual compliance requests.

13. A system comprising:

a control system a processor configured to execute instructions to access recipient information, identify load shed events, and initiate sending of broadcast messages to address load shed events, wherein, in response to identifying an occurrence of a load shed event, the processor of the control system configured to execute instructions to;

identify a first group using the recipient information;

initiate sending of a first message to the first group requesting compliance with a load shed requirement;

determine, based on a measurement of load on an electric grid providing electric to the first group after expected compliance by the first group with the load shed requirement, whether realized load shed on the electric grid satisfies a load shed target for the electric grid, and

determine, based on whether the realized load shed on the electric grid satisfies the load shed target for the electric grid, whether to send a second message to a second group, the second group different from the first group;

a command center configured to send the broadcast messages via a mesh network; and

recipients connected via the mesh network to the command center, the recipients comprising the first group, wherein, based on the first group of recipients previously agreeing that compliance is not optional, recipients of the first group are configured to receive broadcast messages, automatically comply with messages requesting compliance with load shed requirements by reducing electric consumption, and asynchronously reply by including a reply in an already-scheduled information message.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system and command center are integrated at a head end device.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the recipient information comprises storage of meter reading data.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is further configured to access historical load information and use historical load information to determine whether to send the second message.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is configured to identify which recipients are in the first group using the recipient information by using recipient class information in the recipient information to identify recipients that previously agreed to automatically comply with requests in exchange for receiving an incentive.