Systems, methods and apparatus for overall load balancing by scheduled and prioritized reductions

• US 10,048,712 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weaver, Jason C., Kayton, Bradley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chu, Alan
• Application Number:
  US14/528,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20150058064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 700289-295, 700276, 705 722
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• 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 2130/20 Sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34306 Power down, energy saving
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1927 using a plurality of sensors G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 : User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 : Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 : The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 : Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 : by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 : Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 : Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• 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 12/2829 : involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 : using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 : using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 : for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 : Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• 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: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/82 : Energy audits or management systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

Accessing an energy management policy for a plurality of devices is described, wherein the devices are coupled with a first structure. The energy usage of the devices is monitored. An energy usage rule and energy usage is then compared. The energy management policy and energy usage is also compared. Based on the comparing, an instruction is generated to modify an energy usage profile of said device to correlate with the energy usage rule associated with the devices and the energy management policy, thereby enabling efficient energy management.

Claims

1. A system for reducing an overall energy load of a plurality of enclosures, comprising:

one or more computer servers configured to;

receive task information for the plurality of enclosures, the task information indicating;

a first energy-consuming task for a first enclosure scheduled to be performed during a first time interval in the future and capable of being performed at one or more alternative times; and

a second energy-consuming task for a second enclosure scheduled to be performed during a second time interval in the future, wherein the first time interval overlaps with the second time interval;

receive energy consumption information for the plurality of enclosures, the energy consumption information indicating;

a first amount of energy consumed by the first energy-consuming task for the first enclosure; and

a second amount of energy consumed by the second energy-consuming task for the second enclosure; and

generate an overall energy plan for the plurality of enclosures based on the task information and the energy consumption information for the plurality of enclosures, the overall energy plan including a schedule for performing energy consuming tasks for the plurality of enclosures wherein;

the first energy-consuming task has been rescheduled to no longer overlap with the second energy-consuming task; and

the overall energy plan reduces a combined peak energy usage of the plurality of enclosures;

cause a first energy-control module in the first enclosure to operate a first device capable of performing the first energy-consuming task in accordance with the overall energy plan; and

cause a second energy-control module in the second enclosure to operate a second device capable of performing the second energy-consuming task in accordance with the overall energy plan.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of energy measurement modules communicatively coupled to the one or more computer servers, each energy measurement module corresponding to an enclosure from the plurality of enclosures and being configured to;

measure an energy consumption amount of a device capable of performing the first energy consuming task for the first enclosure, and

transmit the energy consumption information indicating the first amount of energy consumed by the first energy-consuming task for the first enclosure to the one or more computer servers.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of energy control modules communicatively coupled to the one or more computer servers, each energy control module corresponding to an enclosure from the plurality of enclosures and being configured to;

receive an instruction from the one or more computer servers, and

in response to receiving the instruction, operate devices capable of performing energy-consuming tasks for the enclosures according to the overall energy plan.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of energy management modules communicatively coupled to the one or more computer servers, each energy management module corresponding to an enclosure from the plurality of enclosures and being configured to;

receive user input indicating the first energy-consuming task for the first enclosure, and

transmit the task information for the first enclosure to the one or more computer servers.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user input is a temperature setpoint indicating a desired temperature for the first enclosure, and wherein the energy consuming task is a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) task.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the energy management module includes a native mobile user interface.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the energy management module includes a web user interface.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a messaging module communicatively coupled to the one or more computer servers and configured to;

transmit a message for each of the plurality of enclosures indicating a time for performing the first energy-consuming task, the message being at least one of an email message and a short message service (SMS) message, the message being transmitted to a user account associated with the first enclosure.

9. A method for balancing an overall energy load of a plurality of enclosures, comprising:

receiving task information for the plurality of enclosures, the task information indicating;

a first energy-consuming task for a first enclosure scheduled to be performed during a first time interval in the future and capable of being performed at one or more alternative times; and

a second energy-consuming task for a second enclosure scheduled to be performed during a second time interval in the future, wherein the first time interval overlaps with the second time interval;

receiving energy consumption information for the plurality of enclosures, the energy consumption information indicating;

a first amount of energy consumed by the first energy-consuming task for the first enclosure; and

a second amount of energy consumed by the second energy-consuming task for the second enclosure; and

generating an overall energy plan for the plurality of enclosures based on the task information and the energy consumption information for the plurality of enclosures, the overall energy plan including a schedule for performing energy consuming tasks for the plurality of enclosures wherein;

the first energy-consuming task has been rescheduled to no longer overlap with the second energy-consuming task; and

the overall energy plan reduces a combined peak energy usage of the plurality of enclosures;

causing a first energy-control module in the first enclosure to operate a first device capable of performing the first energy-consuming task in accordance with the overall energy plan; and

causing a second energy-control module in the second enclosure to operate a second device capable of performing the second energy-consuming task in accordance with the overall energy plan.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving occupancy information for each of the plurality of enclosures, the occupancy information indicating a number of occupants inside the enclosure,

wherein the overall energy plan is generated further based on the occupancy information for each enclosure.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing a history of occupancy information for each of the plurality of enclosures, the history of occupancy information indicating a number of occupants inside the corresponding enclosure at specific times of a day; and

identifying a daily occupancy pattern for each enclosure using the history of occupancy information,

wherein the overall energy plan is generated further based on the daily occupancy pattern for each enclosure.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting times for performing energy-consuming tasks to mobile devices for each of the plurality of enclosures.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing an incentive to each enclosure for performing energy-consuming tasks according to the overall energy plan.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving total energy consumption information for each of the plurality of enclosures, the total energy consumption information indicating a total amount of energy consumed by the corresponding enclosure,

wherein the overall energy plan is generated further based on the total energy consumption information for each enclosure.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing a history of energy consumption information for each of the plurality of enclosures; and

determining an expected future energy consumption for each enclosure based on the history of energy consumption information,

wherein the overall energy plan is generated further based on the expected future energy consumption for each enclosure.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining an energy consumption trend for each enclosure based on the history of energy consumption information,

wherein the expected future energy consumption for each enclosure is determined based on the energy consumption trend.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

arranging the plurality of enclosures into a plurality of enclosure groups,

wherein a schedule for performing energy-consuming tasks of each enclosure specifies a time for each enclosure group.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of enclosures are arranged into the enclosure groups according to geography, such that each enclosure group is a neighborhood.

19. A system for balancing an overall energy load of a plurality of enclosures, comprising:

means for receiving task information for the plurality of enclosures, the task information indicating;

a first energy-consuming task for a first enclosure scheduled to be performed during a first time interval in the future and capable of being performed at one or more alternative times; and

a second energy-consuming task for a second enclosure scheduled to be performed during a second time interval in the future, wherein the first time interval overlaps with the second time interval;

means for receiving energy consumption information for the plurality of enclosures, the energy consumption information indicating;

a first amount of energy consumed by the first energy-consuming task for the first enclosure; and

a second amount of energy consumed by the second energy-consuming task for the second enclosure; and

means for generating an overall energy plan for the plurality of enclosures based on the task information and the energy consumption information for the plurality of enclosures, the overall energy plan including a schedule for performing energy consuming tasks for the plurality of enclosures wherein;

the first energy-consuming task has been rescheduled to no longer overlap with the second energy-consuming task; and

the overall energy plan reduces a combined peak energy usage of the plurality of enclosures;

means for causing a first energy-control module in the first enclosure to operate a first device capable of performing the first energy-consuming task in accordance with the overall energy plan; and

means for causing a second energy-control module in the second enclosure to operate a second device capable of performing the second energy-consuming task in accordance with the overall energy plan.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for calculating a cost savings associated with performing the energy consuming task of each enclosure according to the overall energy plan; and

means for communicating the cost savings to a user.