Electricity management using modulated waveforms

• US 9,954,365 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Liu, Jie, Janous, Brian, McKnight, Gregory Joseph, James, Sean, Bianchini, Ricardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tang, Minh N
• Application Number:
  US14/675,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20160013647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0001 using modification of a parameter of the network power signal
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/58 The condition being electrical
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/02 using a single network for simultaneous distribution of power at different frequencies; using a single network for simultaneous distribution of ac power and of dc power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• 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: 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 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

This document relates to electricity management using modulated waveforms. One example modulates electricity to obtain modulated electricity having at least two different alternating current frequencies including a first alternating current frequency and a second alternating current frequency. The example delivers the modulated electrical power having the at least two different alternating current frequencies to multiple different electrical devices, including a first electrical device configured to utilize the first alternating current frequency and a second electrical device configured to utilize the second alternating current frequency. The modulated electricity can be delivered at least partly over an electrical line shared by the first electrical device and the second electrical device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a filter configured to;

receive modulated electricity having at least two different alternating current frequencies over an electrical line, the at least two different alternating current frequencies including a first alternating current frequency and a second alternating current frequency, and

attenuate the second alternating current frequency of the modulated electricity to obtain filtered modulated electricity that is predominantly of the first alternating current frequency; and

a meter configured to meter energy consumption at the first alternating current frequency separately from energy consumption at the second alternating current frequency.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second filter configured to;

receive the modulated electricity having the at least two different alternating current frequencies over the electrical line, and

attenuate the first alternating current frequency of the modulated electricity to obtain second filtered modulated electricity that is predominantly of the second alternating current frequency;

a first electrical device configured to operate on the filtered modulated electricity; and

a second electrical device configured to operate on the second filtered modulated electricity.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a switch; and

a processor configured to;

receive an instruction to stop drawing power at the first alternating current frequency; and

control the switch to stop the first electrical device from drawing power at the first alternating current frequency while the second electrical device continues to draw power at the second alternating current frequency.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the instruction is received over a computer network or over the electrical line.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

another electrical line that carries the filtered modulated electricity to the first electrical device; and

a further electrical line that carries the second filtered modulated electricity to the second electrical device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the meter is deployed on the electrical line over which the modulated electricity is received.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the meter comprises a first meter deployed on the another electrical line and a second meter deployed on the further electrical line.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining, on an electrical line, modulated electricity having at least two different alternating current frequencies including a first alternating current frequency and a second alternating current frequency;

using a filter, attenuating the second alternating current frequency of the modulated electricity to obtain filtered modulated electricity that is predominantly of the first alternating current frequency; and

using a meter, metering energy consumption at the first alternating current frequency separately from energy consumption at the second alternating current frequency.

9. The method claim 8, further comprising:

powering a first electrical device with the filtered modulated electricity that is predominantly of the first alternating current frequency.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

using another filter, attenuating the first alternating current frequency of the modulated electricity to obtain second filtered modulated electricity that is predominantly of the second alternating current frequency; and

powering a second electrical device with the second filtered modulated electricity that is predominantly of the second alternating current frequency.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the meter is placed on the electrical line and the electrical line carries the modulated electricity before the first alternating current frequency and the second alternating current frequency are attenuated.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

metering the energy consumption using a first meter placed on another electrical line that carries the filtered modulated electricity and a second meter placed on a further electrical line that carries the second filtered modulated electricity.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

modulating renewably-sourced energy at the first alternating current frequency;

modulating fossil fuel-sourced energy at the second alternating current frequency; and

providing the modulated electricity on the electrical line, the electrical line carrying both the renewably-sourced energy at the first alternating current frequency and the fossil fuel-sourced energy at the second alternating current frequency.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

powering the first electrical device predominantly using the renewably-sourced energy, the first electrical device being powered by another electrical line carrying the filtered modulated electricity.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

powering the second electrical device predominantly using the fossil fuel-sourced energy, the second electrical device being powered by a further electrical line carrying the second filtered modulated electricity.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending an instruction over a network to control a switch, the instruction causing the switch to open and thereby prevent the second filtered modulated electricity from being provided to the second electrical device.

17. A system comprising:

an electrical line configured to carry modulated electricity having at least two different alternating current frequencies including a first alternating current frequency and a second alternating current frequency;

a meter configured to meter energy consumption at the first alternating current frequency separately from energy consumption at the second alternating current frequency; and

a switch configured to control power consumption on the first alternating current frequency.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a computing device configured to power cap the first alternating current frequency separately from the second alternating current frequency by instructing the switch to open.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

detect a shortage of power for an electrical grid carrying the modulated electricity; and

instruct the switch to open responsive to detecting the shortage of power.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

one or more first pieces of electrical equipment configured to draw current at the first alternating current frequency; and

one or more second pieces of electrical equipment configured to draw current at the second alternating current frequency,

the switch controlling power delivery to the one or more first pieces of electrical equipment.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a filter placed between the switch and the one or more first pieces of electrical equipment, the filter being configured to filter the modulated electricity to obtain first filtered electricity that is predominantly of the first alternating current frequency by attenuating the second alternating current frequency, the one or more first pieces of electrical equipment being powered by the first filtered electricity.