Energy interface system

• US 9,548,629 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milbank Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Milbank Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Siglock, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEBERADINIS, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US14/554,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20150084418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 307/65
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/08 requiring starting of a prime-mover
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• 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 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: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• 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 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 Energy storage units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/12 : Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/248 : UPS systems or standby or emergency generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, and the like, for an energy interface system for interfacing alternative energy sources with a utility power source on a premises. The energy interface system provides flexibility in the use and distribution of utility energy sources and alternative energy sources based on several measurements and criteria of the interface system. For example, the energy interface system may allow for the energy consumption to adapt to changing parameters, such as utility rate schedules, cost of alternative fuels and utility premiums for consumption or generation of energy at particular times. The energy interface system also allows for deferment of charging or other high-energy loads to be recognized by the system at otherwise low-energy times. In addition, the energy interface system allows for monitoring and communication with the system for ease of configuring the system based on one or more criteria or measurements.

Claims

1. An energy interface system comprising:

a control module;

a plurality of slave modules in wireless communication with the control module, each of the plurality of slave modules comprising a switching device;

a plurality of circuit breakers electrically connected to the plurality of slave modules and configured to provide an electrical junction between the switching device and an electrical system; and

an internal communication unit coupled to the control module configured to wirelessly transmit one or more control signals from the control module to at least one of the plurality of slave modules, wherein the control signals enable the switching device of at the least one of the plurality of slave modules to provide energy to the electrical system from an energy source connected to at least one of the plurality of circuit breakers.

2. The energy interface system of claim 1 wherein the control module further comprises:

an external communication unit configured to receive instructions from a remote computing device in communication with the external communication unit, wherein the instructions cause the control module to transmit the one or more control signals.

3. The energy interface system of claim 2 wherein the external communication unit comprises:

a network communication port for connecting to the Internet.

4. The energy interface system of claim 2 wherein the external communication unit comprises:

an antenna; and

a wireless communication port, wherein the antenna and wireless communication port are configured to wirelessly receive the instructions.

5. The energy interface system of claim 1 wherein at least one alternative energy source is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of circuit breakers.

6. The energy interface system of claim 1 wherein the energy source comprises a utility energy source.

7. The energy interface system of claim 5 wherein the energy source comprises the at least one alternative energy source.

8. A method for controlling energy to at least one electrical component, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a first control signal from an internal communication unit of a control module to a wireless transceiver of a first slave module, the first slave module comprising a first switching device disposed between a first energy source and a power bus and wherein the first control signal opens the first switching device causing the energy from the first energy source to un-energize the power bus; and

wirelessly transmitting a second control signal from the internal communication unit of the control module to a wireless transceiver of a second slave module on the communication bus, the second slave module comprising a second switching device disposed between a second energy source and the power bus and wherein the second control signal closes the second switching device causing the energy from the second energy source to energize the power bus;

wherein the first energy source is a utility energy source and the second energy source is an alternative energy source.

9. The method for controlling energy to at least one electrical component of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving at least one instruction from a remote computing device on an external communication unit and, in response to receiving the at least one instruction, transmitting the first control signal and the second control signal.

10. The method for controlling energy to at least one electrical component of claim 9 further comprising:

transmitting at least one received measurement associated with the first slave module to a remote computing device utilizing an external communication unit.

11. The method for controlling energy to at least one electrical component of claim 9 further comprising:

storing a user profile in a computer-readable medium and wherein wirelessly transmitting the first control signal and wirelessly transmitting the second control signal is based at least on the stored user profile.

12. The method for controlling energy to at least one electrical component of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a voltage measurement of the power bus from a first voltage sensor associated with the second slave module; and

receiving a voltage measurement of the second energy source from a second voltage sensor associated with the second slave module.

13. The method for controlling energy to at least one electrical component of claim 8 further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a third control signal from the internal communication unit of the control module to a wireless transceiver of the second slave module, wherein the third control signal opens the second switching device.

14. The method for controlling energy to at least one electrical component of claim 8 further comprising:

maintaining a date and time and wherein wirelessly transmitting the first control signal and wirelessly transmitting the second control signal is based at least on a time of day.

15. A system for interfacing a plurality of energy sources comprising:

a control module;

a plurality of slave modules in wireless communication with the control module, each of the plurality of slave modules comprising a switching device, wherein at least one of the slave modules is electrically connected between a transformer device and a residential electrical system; and

an internal communication unit coupled to the control module configured to wirelessly transmit one or more control signals from the control module to the at least one of the plurality of slave modules, wherein the control signals enable the switching device of the at least one of the plurality of slave modules to provide energy to the residential electrical system from the transformer device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the control module further comprises:

a processing device; and

a computer readable medium configured to store executable instructions, that when executed by the processing device, cause the control module to transmit the one or more control signals to enable switching the device.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the control module further comprises:

an external communication unit configured to receive instructions from a remote computing device in communication with the external communication unit, wherein the instructions cause the control module to transmit the one or more control signals.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one of the plurality of slave modules further comprises:

a first voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage at the transformer device and wherein the at least one of the plurality of slave modules is configured to transmit the voltage measurement at the first voltage sensor to the control module.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a second voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage at a line side of at least one of the plurality of slave modules and to transmit the voltage measurement at the voltage sensor to the control module.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one of the plurality of slave modules further comprises:

a metering circuit configured to measure a voltage and current of the at least one of the plurality of slave modules and provide electrical power metering capabilities based on the measured voltage and current of the at least one of the plurality of slave modules.

21. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

at least one circuit breaker electrically connected to the at least one of the plurality of slave modules and configured to provide an electrical junction between the switching device and the residential electrical system.

22. The system of claim 15 wherein the switching device of the at least one of the plurality of slave modules is configured to disconnect the transformer from the residential electrical system in response to at least one command from the control module.