Enhanced communication infrastructure for hierarchical intelligent power distribution grid

• US 9,641,026 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Boardman, Ethan Clair, Roy, Sumit, Venkata, Subrahmanyam Saraswati
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saavedra, Emilio J
• Application Number:
  US13/155,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,155 Days
• Field of Search: 700286, 340 271
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• 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: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

The subject specification comprises enhanced communication infrastructure for a multi-tier hierarchical smart distribution grid (SDG). The SDG comprises a specified number of distribution network node controller (DNNC) components employed to desirably control communications and power distribution between respective tiers of the SDG to facilitate efficient power distribution. When communication between the a DNNC in one tier and another DNNC in another tier, is desired, the DNNC can identify available communication channels and respective communication conditions of the available communication channels, and can dynamically select a subset of available data and preferred communication channel, based at least in part on predefined control criteria, to control data transmission loads in the network and facilitate real time control of the SDG. Data can be communicated via the selected communication channel. Respective DNNCs can desirably control power distribution for respective tiers, minimizing upper tier involvement in lower tier power distribution.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first power distribution node that is configured to distribute first power to a set of consumer consumption nodes (CCNs), wherein the first power distribution node and the set of CCNs are located in a lower tier in a multi-tier electrical distribution network (EDN), wherein the lower tier is lower in the multi-tier EDN than a higher tier in the multi-tier EDN, and wherein the first power distribution node comprises a distribution transformer; and

a first node controller component that is configured to be interfaced with the first power distribution node, control the distribution of the first power by the first power distribution node to the set of CCNs, and control communication of data between the first node controller component and at least one other node controller component, in accordance with at least one defined control criterion, wherein the at least one other node controller component comprises a second node controller component that is interfaced with a second power distribution node comprising a power sub-station, the second node controller component and the second power distribution node are located in the higher tier of the multi-tier EDN,

wherein the first node controller component is further configured to determine a first communication channel from a set of communication channels to use to communicate a subset of the data to the second node controller component, based at least in part on respective communication conditions of respective communication channels of the set of communication channels, a priority level associated with communication of the subset of the data to the second node controller component to enable control of power distribution by the power sub-station, and at least one defined control criterion relating to a communication channel determination for inter-tier data communications,

wherein the first node controller component is further configured to determine that communication of the subset of the data to the second node controller component via the first communication channel has a higher cost than communication of the subset of the data to the second node controller component via a second communication channel of the set of communication channels, and determines the subset of the data is to be communicated to the second node controller component via the first communication channel instead of the second communication channel, even though the communication of the subset of the data via the first communication channel results in the higher cost, based at least in part on the priority level associated with the communication of the subset of the data being determined to satisfy a defined priority threshold level that indicates the higher cost is to be incurred,

wherein the first node controller component is further configured to determine whether an amount of power collectively requested by the set of CCNs at a given time exceeds a defined amount of power that the first power distribution node is able to supply and, in response to determining the amount of the power collectively requested by the set of CCNs at the given time exceeds the defined amount of power, allocate respective amounts of power to respective CCNs of the set of CCNs to enable the defined amount of power to not be exceeded to enable the control of the distribution of the first power in the lower tier, and

wherein, in response to detecting a power interruption in supplying second power to the first power distribution node by the second power distribution node located in the higher tier of the multi-tier EDN, the first node controller component is further configured to;

determine whether third power is available from a local power distribution source of a CCN of the set of CCNs, and

in response to determining the third power is available from the local power distribution source of the CCN, allocate the third power to one or more other CCNs of the set of CCNs based at least in part on respective priority levels of the respective CCNs of the set of CCNs.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first node controller component is further configured to collect a first portion of a set of the data from at least one CCN of the set of CCNs, the first power distribution node or at least one sensor in the lower tier, analyze at least the first portion of the set of the data resulting in analysis data that is a second portion of the set of the data, and control the distribution of the first power to the set of CCNs based at least in part on the set of the data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first node controller component is further configured to comprise at least one custom control component that calculates an average value or a mean value of a power-condition-related parameter associated with the first power distribution node over a defined number of sample values of the power-condition-related parameter, determines the subset of the data, comprising the average value or the mean value of the power-condition-related parameter, from the set of the data based at least in part on the at least one defined control criterion that comprises a defined data selection criterion relating to selection of data usable by the second node controller component to enable control of power distribution for the higher tier and the lower tier, and communicate the subset of the data to the second node controller component, wherein the set of the data comprises the subset of the data and a second subset of the data, and the second subset of the data is not communicated to the second node controller component in accordance with the defined data selection criterion, and wherein an application programming interface is utilized to create the at least one custom control component to facilitate data communication control and the control of the power distribution in the multi-tier EDN.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first node controller component is further configured to filter the set of the data to enable the determination of the subset of the data to facilitate control of an amount of the data communicated in the multi-tier EDN and control of the distribution of the first power to the set of CCNs or distribution of the second power associated with the higher tier in the multi-tier EDN, wherein the subset of the data is determined to be usable to enable the control of the power distribution for the higher tier and the lower tier, in accordance with the defined data selection criterion, and the second subset of the data is determined to not satisfy the defined data selection criterion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of communication channels comprises a wireless communication channel and a wireline communication channel, and wherein the first node controller component associated with the distribution transformer is further configured to determine whether to communicate the subset of the data to the second node controller component associated with the power sub-station via the wireless communication channel or the wireline communication channel based at least in part on the priority level of the subset of the data and a quality-of-service level associated with the wireless communication channel, in accordance with the at least one defined control criterion.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the set of communication channels comprises at least one of a digital subscriber line (DSL)-type communication channel, a cable communication channel, an Ethernet-type channel, a broadband-type communication channel, a Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) communication channel, a power line carrier (PLC) communication channel, a distribution line carrier (DLC) communication channel, a cellular communication channel, a communication channel based at least in part on an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11-type protocol, a communication channel based at least in part on an IEEE 802.16-type protocol, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax)-type communication channel, a femtocell communication channel, or a satellite communication channel.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of CCNs comprises a first CCN and a second CCN, and wherein the first node controller component is further configured to control the first power distribution node to receive a portion of the first power from the first CCN and transfer the portion of the first power to the CCN, without involvement of the second power distribution node, to supply at least some power to be used by the second CCN to enable a reduction of transfer of the second power from the second power distribution node of the higher tier of the multi-tier EDN to the first power distribution node of the lower tier, wherein the first CCN is configured to include or be associated with a local power source that has the portion of the first power available for transfer to the second CCN.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-tier EDN comprises three tiers including the lower tier, the higher tier, and a top tier that is higher in the multi-tier EDN than the higher tier, wherein the at least one other node controller component further comprises a third node controller component, wherein the lower tier comprises the first node controller component and the first power distribution node, the higher tier comprises the second node controller component and the second power distribution node, and the top tier comprises the third node controller component and a third power distribution node that are respectively configured to be interfaced with each other, and wherein the third power distribution node comprises a power generation plant that generates at least a portion of the first power for distribution throughout at least a portion of the multi-tier EDN, including the higher tier and the lower tier.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first node controller component is further configured to identify an electrical device of a consumer entity, based at least in part on device identifier data detected from the electrical device by the first node controller component, in response to the electrical device being connected to an electrical outlet associated with a remote CCN of the set of CCNs to receive a portion of the first power from the first power distribution node, to enable billing of an account of the consumer entity, by the first node controller component, for another cost associated with the portion of the first power received by the electrical device, wherein the remote CCN is operated by an entity other than the consumer entity and a utility provider entity that operates the power sub-station.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein, in response to the determining the amount of the power collectively requested by the set of CCNs at the given time exceeds the defined amount of power that the first power distribution node is able to supply, the first node controller component is further configured to transmit a request to at least one CCN of the set of CCNs to request the at least one CCN to reduce power consumption in order to facilitate preventing the first power distribution node from being damaged.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor component comprising one or more sensors that are configurable to be distributed at various locations throughout the multi-tier EDN, wherein at least a portion of the one or more sensors are located in the lower tier and are communicatively connected to the first node controller component to enable communication of at least a portion of the power-related data relating to power conditions associated with the lower tier to the first node controller component to enable the control of the distribution of the first power in the lower tier.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one defined control criterion comprises at least one of at least one defined communication channel selection criterion, at least one defined data selection criterion, or at least one defined power distribution criterion,

wherein the at least one defined communication channel selection criterion relates to at least one of an amount of the data to be communicated, a type of the data to be communicated, a priority level of the data to be communicated, respective communication conditions of respective communication channels, respective costs of communication of the data for the respective communication channels, current availability of the respective communication channels, or time of day of communication of the data,

wherein the at least one defined data selection criterion relates to at least one of a destination address of the subset of the data, a type of the data available for selection, an amount of the data specified to be receivable at the destination address, the priority of the data, respective hierarchy levels of the first node controller component and the at least one other node controller component, or communication conditions associated with the first communication channel to be used to communicate the subset of the data, and wherein the at least one defined power distribution criterion relates to at least one of improvement relating to net consumption of the first power at the lower tier of the multi-tier EDN, a reduction of an amount of second power to be transferred from the higher tier in the multi-tier EDN to the lower tier, a defined amount of power that is receivable by a power distribution source (PDS) at a given time, the defined amount of power that is distributable at a given time by the PDS, a defined upper limit on an operating temperature of the PDS, power distribution control information or a rule received from the higher tier in the multi-tier EDN, an amount of available local power from the local power distribution source in the lower tier, a predicted amount of power usage in the lower tier, or a consumer agreement relating to power distribution for the CCN of the set of CCNs in the lower tier.

13. A method, comprising:

controlling, by a system comprising a processor, distribution of power to a set of consumer consumption nodes (CCNs) in a level of a multi-level power distribution network (PDN), wherein the multi-level PDN comprises the level and at least one other level that is higher than the level in the hierarchy of the multi-level PDN;

determining, by the system, whether an amount of power collectively requested by the set of CCNs at a particular time exceeds a defined amount of power that the distribution transformer in the level is able to supply;

in response to determining the amount of the power collectively requested by the set of CCNs at the particular time exceeds the defined amount of power, apportioning, by the system, the power among respective CCNs of the set of CCNs to enable the defined amount of power not to be exceeded to facilitate the controlling of the distribution of the power in the level;

in response to identifying an interruption in supplying of second power to a distribution transformer located in the level by a power sub-station located in the at least one other level, determining, by the system, whether third power is available from a local power source associated with a CCN of the set of CCNs;

in response to determining the third power is available from the local power source associated with the CCN, allocating, by the system, the third power to at least one other CCN of the set of CCNs based at least in part on respective priority levels of the respective CCNs of the set of CCNs;

controlling, by the system, communication of data between a first network node controller component located in the level and at least one other network node controller component in the at least one other level to enable controlling the distribution of the power to the set of CCNs in the level, wherein the distribution of the power and the data communications are respectively controlled in accordance with at least one defined control criterion, and wherein the first network node controller component is associated with the distribution transformer in the level and the at least one other network node controller component is associated with the power sub-station in the at least one other level; and

to enable the controlling of the communication of the data, determining, by the system, a first communication channel from a set of communication channels to use to communicate a subset of the data to the at least one other network node controller component, based at least in part on respective communication conditions of respective communication channels of the set of communication channels, a priority level associated with communication of the subset of the data to the at least one other node controller component to enable control of power distribution by the power sub-station, and the at least one defined control criterion relating to a communication channel determination for inter-level data communications,

wherein the determining the first communication channel to use to communicate the subset of the data to the at least one other network node controller component further comprises;

determining that the communication of the subset of the data to the at least one other node controller component via the first communication channel has a higher cost than the communication of the subset of the data to the at least one other node controller component via a second communication channel of the set of communication channels, and

determining that the subset of the data is to be communicated via the first communication channel instead of the second communication channel, notwithstanding the communication of the subset of the data via the first communication channel resulting in the higher cost, based at least in part on the priority level associated with the communication of the subset of the data being determined to satisfy a defined priority threshold level that indicates the higher cost is to be incurred, in accordance with the at least one defined control criterion.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring, by the system, power conditions associated with the level of the multi-level PDN to enable the controlling of the distribution of the power; and

controlling, by the system, the distribution of the power to the set of CCNs in the level at least in part by transferring local power available from the local power source located in the level to at least one CCN of the set of CCNs to reduce an amount of power transferred from the at least one other level in the multi-level PDN to the level.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, a set of the data, wherein the set of the data comprises at least one of power-related data relating to power conditions or communication-related data relating to the respective communication conditions, associated with the level;

filtering, by the system, the set of the data to enable generating the subset of the data that comprises a portion of the set of the data that is less than all of the power-related data or the communication-related data contained in the set of the data to enable the communicating of the subset of the data to the at least one other network node controller component, in accordance with the at least one defined control criterion relating to selection of data usable by the at least one other network node controller component to enable control of power distribution for the level and the at least one other level, wherein the at least one other network node controller component is located in at least one of a middle level of the hierarchy of the multi-level PDN or a top level of the hierarchy of the multi-level PDN; and

communicating, by the system, of the subset of the data to the at least one other network node controller component via the first communication channel.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring, by the system, communication conditions associated with the first network node controller component;

identifying, by the system, one or more available communication channels of the set of communication channels associated with the first network node controller component at a specified time in connection with communication of a message, wherein the one or more available communication channels comprise at least one of a wireline communication channel or a wireless communication channel;

applying, by the system, at least one defined control rule to communication-related data relating to the one or more available communication channels, wherein the communication related data comprises information relating to the respective communication conditions of the one or more available communication channels;

determining, by the system, an available communication channel from the one or more available communication channels for use in communicating the message, in accordance with the application of the at least one defined control rule; and

transmitting, by the system, the message to at least one of the at least one other network node controller component or a CCN of the set of CCNs to enable the controlling of the communication of the data and the controlling of the distribution of the power to the set of CCNs in the level of the multi-level PDN.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring, by the system, security-related conditions associated with at least one of the first network node controller component, the at least one other network node controller component, or at least one power distribution source, wherein the at least one power distribution source comprises the power sub-station or the distribution transformer;

detecting, by the system, a breach in security of at least one of the first network node controller component, the at least one other network node controller component, or the at least one power distribution source, based at least in part on information relating to the security-related conditions; and

performing, by the system, one or more security actions in response to the detecting of the breach in security.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the performing the one or more security actions in response to the detecting of the breach in the security, further comprises:

isolating, by the system, the at least one of the first network node controller component, the at least one other network node controller component, or the at least one power distribution source from another component in the multi-level PDN to reduce a risk of a breach in security in the other component; and

routing, by the system, a portion of the power via an alternate power channel or a portion of the subset of the data via an alternate communication channel, wherein the routing of the portion of the power via the alternate power channel facilitates distributing of the portion of the power and the isolating of the at least one power distribution source.

19. A system, comprising:

means for controlling distribution of power to a set of consumer consumption nodes (CCNs) in a first tier of a multi-tier electrical distribution network (EDN) at the first tier, wherein the multi-tier EDN comprises the first tier and a second tier that is higher than the first tier in the hierarchy of the multi-tier EDN;

means for determining whether an amount of power requested by the set of CCNs at a given time exceeds a defined amount of power that the first power distribution node is able to supply, wherein the means for controlling the distribution of the power further comprises means for allocating respective amounts of power to respective CCNs of the set of CCNs to enable the defined amount of power to not be exceeded to enable the controlling of the distribution of the power in the first tier;

means for determining whether third power is available from a CCN of the set of CCNs in response to determining an interruption in supplying of second power to a distribution transformer located in the first tier by a power sub-station located in the second tier, wherein the means for controlling further comprises means for allocating the third power to at least one other CCN of the set of CCNs, based at least in part on respective priority levels of the respective CCNs of the set of CCNs, in response to determining the third power is available from the CCN;

means for controlling communication of the data between a first network node controller component located in the first tier and a second network node controller component located in the second tier in the multi-tier EDN to enable the controlling of the distribution of the power in the first tier, wherein the distribution of the power and the communication of the data are respectively controlled in accordance with at least one defined control criterion, and wherein the first network node controller component is associated with the distribution transformer located in the first tier and the second network node controller component is associated with the power substation located in the second tier; and

means for determining a first communication channel from a set of communication channels to use to communicate a subset of the data to the second network node controller component, based at least in part on respective communication conditions of respective communication channels of the set of communication channels, a priority level associated with communication of the subset of the data to the second node controller component to enable control of power distribution by the power sub-station, and the at least one defined control criterion relating to a communication channel determination for inter-tier data communications,

wherein a determination is made that first communicating the subset of the data to the second network node controller component via the first communication channel has a higher cost than second communicating the subset of the data to the second network node controller component via a second communication channel of the set of communication channels, and

wherein the means for determining the first communication channel comprises means for determining that the subset of the data is to be communicated to the second network node controller component via the first communication channel instead of the second communication channel, overriding that the first communicating of the subset of the data via the first communication channel results in the higher cost, based at least in part on the priority level associated with the first communicating the subset of the data being determined to satisfy a defined priority threshold level that indicates the higher cost is to be incurred.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for sensing power conditions or communication conditions associated with the first tier of the multi-tier EDN to enable generating power-related data or communication-related data;

means for receiving a at least a portion of a set of the data from the means for sensing, wherein the set of the data comprises the power-related data relating to power conditions or the communication-related data relating to communication conditions, associated with the first tier;

means for determining the subset of the data from the set of the data, wherein the subset of the data comprises a first portion of the set of the data that is determined to satisfy a defined data selection criterion for data communication to the second network node controller component and excludes a second portion of the set of the data that is determined to not satisfy the defined data selection criterion to enable the communication of the subset of the data to the second network node controller component, in accordance with the at least one defined control criterion, to enable the control of the communication of the data and the control of the distribution of the first power to the set of CCNs in the first tier of the multi-tier EDN, wherein the second network node controller component is located in at least one of a middle tier of the hierarchy of the multi-tier EDN or a top tier of the hierarchy of the multi-tier EDN; and

means for communicating the subset of the data to the second network node controller component via the first communication channel.