Flexible, secure energy management system
First Claim
1. A system for energy management comprising:
- one or more control units, wherein each control unit is paired to a particular energy consuming device, energy storage device, or energy source, wherein each control unit receives an input data, including at least a power flow data, from, and directs a power flow through, the particular energy consuming device, energy storage device, or energy source;
a system management unit comprising a first processing system, a first network interface, a first encryption and decryption engine, one or more first non-transitory computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the one or more first non-transitory computer readable storage media that direct the first processing system to;
determine an energy model for a time period based on;
a total power demand calculated from the input data received from the one or more control unit,a current utility energy price received from a smart meter or a web service,a current local energy generation capacity, anda cost model for energy storage;
receive a predicted value of an energy management system parameter from a forecasting module comprising an artificial neural network through a system gateway unit and further enhance the determined energy module, the predicted value being overwritten at each and every time of the calculating of a next predicted value of the energy management system parameter for a next prospective time period; and
modify, in accordance with the energy model for the time period, at least one ofan energy consumption activity for one or more energy consuming device,an energy storage activity for one or more energy storage device, andan energy draw activity for one or more energy source,the modifying being performed by sending an instruction set to a particular one of the one or more control unit that is paired to the particular energy consuming device, energy storage device, or energy source; and
the system gateway unit for facilitating communication between the system management unit, one or more control units, the smart meter, and the web service,the system gateway unit comprising a second processing system, a second network interface, a second encryption and decryption engine, one or more second non-transitory computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the one or more second non-transitory computer readable storage media that direct the second processing system to;
transmit a message, via the second network interface, between the system management unit and the one or more control units, the smart meter, or the web service;
encrypt the message through the first encryption and decryption engine of the system management unit; and
decrypt the message through the second encryption and decryption engine of the system gateway unit, the message containing a request, the input data, or the instruction set.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and techniques are disclosed for flexible, secure energy management that enable control of individual devices in a customer site'"'"'s energy infrastructure, which can allow optimization (e.g., by minimizing energy cost or usage) across the infrastructure. A system management component may centralize optimization and control capabilities across the energy infrastructure by determining an energy model and directing consumption, storage, and energy draw activities for the totality of the energy infrastructure devices. Systems may include modular, secure terminal devices that can be attached to or paired with the devices in an energy infrastructure in order to provide input data such as power load metrics, as well as to control the operation of the devices. A dynamic, adaptive prediction of system parameters, such as future demand, cost, generation capacity, and other metrics, may be provided. Dynamic, adaptive prediction may be performed without detailed historical usage data. A system gateway device may centralize communications between the system devices so that energy customer privacy is maintained.
25 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A system for energy management comprising:
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one or more control units, wherein each control unit is paired to a particular energy consuming device, energy storage device, or energy source, wherein each control unit receives an input data, including at least a power flow data, from, and directs a power flow through, the particular energy consuming device, energy storage device, or energy source; a system management unit comprising a first processing system, a first network interface, a first encryption and decryption engine, one or more first non-transitory computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the one or more first non-transitory computer readable storage media that direct the first processing system to; determine an energy model for a time period based on; a total power demand calculated from the input data received from the one or more control unit, a current utility energy price received from a smart meter or a web service, a current local energy generation capacity, and a cost model for energy storage; receive a predicted value of an energy management system parameter from a forecasting module comprising an artificial neural network through a system gateway unit and further enhance the determined energy module, the predicted value being overwritten at each and every time of the calculating of a next predicted value of the energy management system parameter for a next prospective time period; and modify, in accordance with the energy model for the time period, at least one of an energy consumption activity for one or more energy consuming device, an energy storage activity for one or more energy storage device, and an energy draw activity for one or more energy source, the modifying being performed by sending an instruction set to a particular one of the one or more control unit that is paired to the particular energy consuming device, energy storage device, or energy source; and the system gateway unit for facilitating communication between the system management unit, one or more control units, the smart meter, and the web service, the system gateway unit comprising a second processing system, a second network interface, a second encryption and decryption engine, one or more second non-transitory computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the one or more second non-transitory computer readable storage media that direct the second processing system to; transmit a message, via the second network interface, between the system management unit and the one or more control units, the smart meter, or the web service; encrypt the message through the first encryption and decryption engine of the system management unit; and decrypt the message through the second encryption and decryption engine of the system gateway unit, the message containing a request, the input data, or the instruction set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for energy management comprising:
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receiving an input data from one or more control unit; receiving a current utility energy price from a smart meter or a web service; determining, by a system management unit, an energy model for a time period based on a total power demand calculated from the input data, the current utility energy price, a current local energy generation capacity, and a cost model for energy storage; receiving a predicted value of an energy management system parameter from a forecasting module comprising an artificial neural network through a system gateway unit and further enhancing the determined energy module, the predicted value being overwritten at each and every time of the calculating of a next predicted value of the energy management system parameter for a next prospective time period; modifying, by the system management unit, in accordance with the energy model for the time period, at least one of an energy consumption activity for one or more energy consuming device, an energy storage activity for one or more energy storage device, and an energy draw activity for one or more energy source; encrypting, by a system management unit, a message; transmitting the message between the system management unit and the one or more control unit through the system gateway unit; and decrypting, by the system gateway unit, the message. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification