Systems and methods to implement demand response events

• US 9,125,010 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Digital Holdings LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Meyerhofer, Mark Joseph, Schmid, James Joseph, Massey, Jerry Steven, Sierra, Jaime Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US13/283,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20130109410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 700/295
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A computing device for use with a demand response system is provided. The computing device includes an interface for receiving customer data that includes at least a location for each customer and/or a preference selection made by each customer associated with at least one demand response program. A processor coupled to the interface and programmed to select a plurality of participants from the customer data to receive a plurality of signals representative of at least one demand response event. The processor selects the participants based at least in part on the customer location and/or the preference selection associated with each customer.

Claims

1. A device for use with a demand response system, said computing device comprising:

an interface for receiving consumer data from an associated consumer including at least one of a geographic location for each consumer and a preference selection made by each consumer associated with at least one demand response program; and

a processor coupled to said interface and programmed to, for each of a plurality of demand response events, select a plurality of participants from the consumer data to receive a plurality of signals representative of a current demand response event of the plurality of demand response events, said processor;

(i) organizes the plurality of participants into a hierarchy based on the current demand response event, at least in part on at least one of the consumer geographic location and the preference selection associated with each consumer, and a type of the at least one demand response program being at least one of a direct load control program, a peak pricing program, a rebate-based program, and a time of use program; and

(ii) incrementally transmits each of the plurality of signals based on the hierarchy.

2. A computing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to incrementally transmit the plurality of signals to the plurality of selected participants such that each participant receives at least one signal of the plurality of signals.

3. A computing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor selects the plurality of participants based at least in part on the preference selection for at least one of a direct load control program, a peak pricing program, a rebate-based program, and a time of use program.

4. A computing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor selects the plurality of participants based at least in part on the preference selection made by each consumer associated with the at least one demand response program to implement for at least one machine within a building.

5. A computing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor selects the plurality of participants based at least in part on a geographic location, a location on a network for each consumer, and a utility asset location associated with each consumer.

6. A demand response system comprising:

a computing device comprising;

an interface for receiving consumer data from an associated consumer including at least one of a geographic location for each consumer and a preference selection made by each consumer associated with at least one demand response program; and

a processor coupled to said interface and programmed to, for each of a plurality of demand response events, select a plurality of participants from the consumer data to receive a plurality of signals representative of a current demand response event of the plurality of demand response events, said processor (i) organizes the plurality of participants into a hierarchy based on the current demand response event, at least in part on at least one of the consumer geographic location and the preference selection associated with each consumer, and a type of the at least one demand response program being at least one of a direct load control program, a peak pricing program, a rebate-based program, and a time of use program, and (ii) incrementally transmits each of the plurality of signals based on the hierarchy; and

at least one user notification device coupled to said computing device to enable each participant to receive at least one signal of the plurality of signals.

7. A demand response system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said at least one user notification device is at least one of a phone, a computer system, and a smart device.

8. A demand response system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a data management system coupled to said computing device for transmitting the consumer data to said computing device and for storing the consumer data.

9. A demand response system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said processor is further programmed to incrementally transmit the plurality of signals to the plurality of selected participants such that each participant receives at least one signal of the plurality of signals.

10. A demand response system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said processor selects the plurality of participants based at least in part on the preference selection for at least one of a direct load control program, a peak pricing program, a rebate-based program, and a time of use program.

11. A demand response system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said processor selects the plurality of participants based at least in part on the preference selection made by each consumer associated with the at least one demand response program to implement for at least one machine within a building.

12. A demand response system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said processor selects the plurality of participants based at least in part on a geographic location, a location on a network for each consumer, and a utility asset location associated with each consumer.

13. A method for implementing demand response events, said method comprising:

receiving, by a processor coupled to a memory, consumer data from an associated consumer that includes at least one of a geographic location for each consumer and a preference selection made by each consumer associated with at least one demand response program;

for each of a plurality of demand response events, selecting, by a processor coupled to a memory, a plurality of participants from the consumer data to receive a plurality of signals that are representative of a current demand response event of the plurality of demand response events; and

organizing the plurality of participants into a hierarchy based on the current demand response event, at least in part on at least one of the consumer geographic location and the preference selection associated with each consumer, and a type of the at least one demand response program being at least one of a direct load control program, a peak pricing program, a rebate-based program, and a time of use program.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising transmitting incrementally the plurality of signals to the plurality of selected participants such that each participant receives at least one signal of the plurality of signals.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising transmitting, incrementally, the plurality of signals to the plurality of selected participants based on the hierarchy.

16. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein receiving consumer data further includes receiving consumer data that includes at least one of a location for each consumer and a preference selection made by each consumer for at least one of a direct load control program, a peak pricing program, a rebate-based program, and a time of use program.

17. A computing device in accordance with claim 13, wherein receiving consumer data further comprises receiving consumer data that includes at least one of a geographic location for each consumer, a location on a network for each consumer, and a utility asset location for each consumer.