Systems, apparatus and methods for managing demand-response programs and events

• US 9,595,070 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Yoky, Fadell, Anthony Michael, Roger, Matthew Lee, Sloo, David, McGaraghan, Scott A., Kortz, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Kenneth M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Yuhui R
• Application Number:
  US13/842,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/278, 700/291
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/00 Control or safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/50 Load
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 : Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 : Wireless
• 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

Apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for managing demand-response programs and events. The systems disclosed include an energy management system in operation with an intelligent, network-connected thermostat located at a structure. The thermostat acquires various information about the residence, such as a thermal retention characteristic of the residence, a capacity of an HVAC associated with the residence to cool or heat the residence, a likelihood of the residence being occupied, a forecasted weather, a real-time weather, and a real-time occupancy. Such information is used to manage the energy consumption of the structure during a demand-response event.

Claims

1. A method for carrying out a demand response event via an intelligent, network-connected thermostat in a structure, comprising:

controlling the operation of a cooling system associated with the structure for a characterization period according to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) schedule for the thermostat;

receiving, for the characterization period, information for determining a plurality of physical parameters associated with the structure that are at least partially determinative of a suitability of the structure for participation in a demand response event;

determining said plurality of physical parameters using the information, wherein said plurality of physical parameters includes;

a cooling capacity of the cooling system relative to a volume of the structure to be cooled by the cooling system; and

a thermal retention characteristic of the structure;

receiving at least one user input characterizing a user amenability to demand response load shifting;

receiving a notification of a demand response event interval defined by the demand response event;

receiving a weather forecast indicating a predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval;

determining an occupancy probability profile for the demand response event interval;

jointly processing information derived from said HVAC schedule, said cooling capacity of the cooling system said thermal retention characteristic, said user amenability to demand response load shifting, said weather forecast, and said occupancy probability profile to (a) determine whether said structure is qualified to participate in said demand response event, and (b) determine, if said structure is qualified to so participate, a demand response event implementation profile associated with participation in the demand response event; and

controlling, in the event that said structure is determined to be qualified to participate in said demand response event, the cooling system according to said demand response event implementation profile during said demand response event interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling the operation of the cooling system according to said HVAC schedule, said receiving at least one user input characterizing the user amenability, said receiving the demand response event interval, said receiving the weather forecast, said jointly processing information, and said controlling the cooling system according to said demand response event implementation profile are carried out by said intelligent, network-connected thermostat.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes one or more of:

a direct load control profile, a precooling profile, a temperature setback profile, and a temperature snapback profile.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes the precooling profile when the predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval is mild to moderate and the thermal retention characteristic of the structure indicates the structure is medium to well-sealed.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes the temperature setback profile when:

the predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval is mild to moderate, the cooling capacity of the cooling system relative to the volume of the structure is medium to oversized, the thermal retention characteristic of the structure indicates the structure is medium to well-sealed, and the weather forecast indicates a predicted humidity at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval as being low to moderate.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes the direct load control profile when:

the predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval is hot, the cooling capacity of the cooling system relative to the volume of the structure to be cooled is undersized, or the weather forecast indicates a predicted humidity at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval as being high.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes the temperature snapback profile when said notification of the demand response event indicates that an expected or actual aggregate energy load on an electrical grid servicing the structure may be excessive during a post-event interval immediately subsequent to said demand response event interval.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user input characterizing the user amenability to demand response load shifting is received at a user interface associated with said network-connected thermostat in the form of a user selection of an operating point along a user interface slider tool that ranges from a maximum load shifting setting at one end to a maximum comfort setting at the other end.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at a user interface associated with said network-connected thermostat, at least one user input during said demand response event interval indicative of a user choice to deviate from a currently active setpoint temperature indicated by said demand response event implementation profile;

computing a predicted change in achieved load shifting that would occur if said choice to deviate is implemented;

displaying at said user interface information associated with said predicted change in achieved load shifting to the user;

requesting a confirmation from said user at said user interface of said user choice to deviate; and

operating according to said user choice to deviate upon receiving a positive confirmation from the user at said user interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said displaying information associated with said predicted change in achieved load shifting includes displaying warning information indicative of a disqualification condition related to a demand response participation benefit.

11. A network-connected thermostat for carrying out a demand response event for a structure, the thermostat comprising:

one or more memory devices storing a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) schedule for the thermostat;

one or more interfaces configured to receive;

information, for a characterization period, for determining a plurality of physical parameters associated with the structure that are at least partially determinative of a suitability of the structure for participation in a demand response event;

at least one user input characterizing a user amenability to demand response load shifting;

a notification of a demand response event interval defined by the demand response event; and

a weather forecast indicating a predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response event interval; and

one or more processors that are programmed to perform operation comprising;

controlling the operation of a cooling system associated with the structure for the characterization period according to the HVAC schedule;

determining said plurality of physical parameters using the information, wherein said plurality of physical parameters includes;

a cooling capacity of the cooling system relative to a volume of the structure to be cooled by the cooling system; and

a thermal retention characteristic of the structure;

determining an occupancy probability profile for the demand response event interval;

jointly processing information derived from said HVAC schedule, said cooling capacity of the cooling system, said thermal retention characteristic, said user amenability to demand response load shifting, said weather forecast, and said occupancy probability profile to (a) determine whether said structure is qualified to participate in said demand response event, and (b) determine, if said structure is qualified to so participate, a demand response event implementation profile associated with participation in the demand response event; and

controlling in the event that said structure is determined to be qualified to participate in said demand response event, the cooling system according to said demand response event implementation profile during said demand response event interval.

12. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes one or more of:

a direct load control profile, a precooling profile, a temperature setback profile, and a temperature snapback profile.

13. The thermostat of claim 12, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes the precooling profile when the predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval is mild to moderate and the thermal retention characteristic of the structure indicates the structure is medium to well-sealed.

14. The thermostat of claim 12, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes the temperature setback profile when:

the predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval is mild to moderate, the cooling capacity of the cooling system relative to the volume of the structure is medium to oversized, the thermal retention characteristic of the structure indicates the structure is medium to well-sealed, and the weather forecast indicates a predicted humidity at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval as being low to moderate.

15. The thermostat of claim 12, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes the direct load control profile when:

the predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval is hot, the cooling capacity of the cooling system relative to the volume of the structure to be cooled is undersized, or the weather forecast indicates a predicted humidity at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval as being high.

16. The thermostat of claim 12, wherein said demand response event implementation profile includes the temperature snapback profile when said notification of the demand response event indicates that an expected or actual aggregate energy load on an electrical grid servicing the structure may be excessive during a post-event interval immediately subsequent to said demand response event interval.

17. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein the at least one user input characterizing the user amenability to demand response load shifting is received at a user interface associated with said network-connected thermostat in the form of a user selection of an operating point along a user interface slider tool that ranges from a maximum load shifting setting at one end to a maximum comfort setting at the other end.

18. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein;

the one or more interfaces are further configured to receive at least one user input during said demand response event interval indicative of a user choice to deviate from a currently active setpoint temperature indicated by said demand response event implementation profile;

the one or more processors are further programmed to compute a predicted change in achieved load shifting that would occur if said choice to deviate is implemented;

the one or more interfaces are further configured to display at said a user interface information associated with said predicted change in achieved load shifting to the user, and to request a confirmation from said user at said user interface of said user choice to deviate; and

the one or more processors are further programmed to operate the thermostat according to said user choice to deviate upon receiving a positive confirmation from the user at said user interface.

19. The thermostat of claim 18, wherein said displaying information associated with said predicted change in achieved load shifting includes displaying warning information indicative of a disqualification condition related to a demand response participation benefit.