Dynamic power allocation among points of energy consumption for attaining an objective

• US 10,102,594 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2013
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kritt, Barry A., Rakshit, Sarbajit K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US13/737,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: 700291-300
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing

Abstract

Mandatory and optional consumption points are identified to support management of power allocation. A mandatory consumption point is a consumption point required to function at a given time and an optional consumption point is a discretionary consumption point. The energy required for mandatory consumption points to complete their designated functions is calculated. An energy quota is designated for power allocation to the optional consumption points in response to the mandatory consumption point calculation, and the identification of available energy. Energy required for optional consumption points to complete their designated functions is calculated. The optional consumption points are dynamically prioritized and power is allocated to the optional consumption points responsive to this prioritization and with respect to the designated energy quota.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method using a processor, the method comprising:

identifying and distinguishing one or more mandatory consumption points from one or more optional consumption points, wherein;

a mandatory consumption point is a consumption point required to operate at a given time comprising at least one of transportation to a destination via at least one route and at least one energy consuming sub-device; and

an optional consumption point is a discretionary consumption point comprising at least one energy consuming sub-device;

calculating a first energy, including calculating a mandatory energy to reach a destination along a route, wherein the mandatory energy is an amount of energy required to operate the identified mandatory consumption points along the route;

determining an available energy;

in response to the first energy being less than or equal to the available energy;

designating an energy quota based on the first energy;

calculating a second energy, including calculating an optional energy to reach the destination along the route, wherein the optional energy is an amount of energy required to operate the one or more optional consumption points along the route;

dynamically prioritizing the one or more optional consumptions points based on metrics, wherein the metrics include;

frequency of use and required energy; and

autonomously allocating power in order of priority to at least one of the prioritized optional consumption points with respect to the energy quota; and

in response to the first energy exceeding the available energy, autonomously identifying a location for acquiring additional energy and re-directing the available energy to usage of the route.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting one of the optional consumption points as a preferred consumption point and autonomously identifying the location for acquiring additional energy when allocated power is removed from the preferred consumption point.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting one of the optional consumption points as a preferred consumption point, and in response to removing allocated power from the preferred consumption point, re-selecting the route to accommodate a required amount of optional energy for use by the preferred consumption point, and re-designating the energy quota responsive to the re-selected route.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-designating the energy quota in response to a consumption point change, wherein a consumption point change is selected from the group consisting of:

a mandatory consumption point changing to an optional consumption point, and an optional consumption point changing to a mandatory consumption point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the first energy comprises designating a quantity of reserve energy, and wherein designating the energy quota comprises calculating a difference between the mandatory energy and the reserve energy.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing allocated power from an optional consumption point of lowest priority responsive to exceeding the energy quota.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous power allocation is associated with the at least one energy consuming sub-device, the energy consuming sub-device having a finite energy supply, wherein the energy consuming sub-device comprises at least one of a fog light, a radio, an air-conditioner, a headlight, and a windshield wiper.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location requires a detour from the route.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the route in response to the location identification, and re-directing the available energy to usage of the changed route.

10. A computer program product for use with at least one consumption point, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having computer readable program code embodied thereon, which when executed causes a computer to implement the method comprising:

identifying and distinguishing one or more mandatory consumption points from one or more optional consumption points, wherein;

a mandatory consumption point is a consumption point required to operate at a given time comprising at least one of transportation to a destination via at least one route and at least one energy consuming sub-device; and

an optional consumption point is a discretionary consumption point comprising at least one energy consuming sub-device;

calculating a first energy, including calculating a mandatory energy to reach a destination along a route, wherein the mandatory energy is an amount of energy required to operate the identified mandatory consumption points along the route;

determining an available energy;

in response to the first energy being less than or equal to the available energy;

designating an energy quota based on the first energy;

calculating a second energy, including calculating an optional energy to reach the destination along the route, wherein the optional energy is an amount of energy required to operate the one or more optional consumption points along the route;

dynamically prioritizing the one or more optional consumptions points based on a metric selected from the group consisting of;

frequency of use and required energy; and

autonomously allocating power in order of priority to at least one of the prioritized optional consumption points with respect to the energy quota; and

in response to the first energy exceeding the available energy, autonomously identifying a location for acquiring additional energy and re-directing the available energy to usage of the route.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program code to select one of the optional consumption points as a preferred consumption point, and autonomously identify the location for acquiring additional energy when allocated power is removed from the preferred consumption point.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program code to select one of the optional consumption points as a preferred consumption point, and in response to removal of an allocated power from the preferred consumption point, re-select the route to accommodate a required amount of optional energy for use by the preferred consumption point, and re-designate the energy quota responsive to the re-selected route.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program code to re-designate the energy quota in response to a consumption point change, wherein a consumption point change is selected from the group consisting of:

a mandatory consumption point changing to an optional consumption point, and an optional consumption point changing to a mandatory consumption point.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein calculating the first energy comprises program code to designate a quantity of reserve energy, and wherein designating the energy quota comprises calculating a difference between the mandatory energy and the reserve energy.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program code to remove allocated power from an optional consumption point of lowest priority responsive to exceeding the energy quota.

16. A system comprising:

a processing unit in communication with memory; and

a functional unit in communication with the processing unit, the functional unit having tools to support autonomous power allocation, the tools comprising;

an identification manager to identify consumption points, including the identification manager to distinguish one or more mandatory consumption points from one or more optional consumption points, wherein;

a mandatory consumption point is a consumption point required to operate at a given time comprising at least one of transportation to a destination via at least one route and at least one energy consuming sub-device; and

an optional consumption point is a discretionary consumption point comprising at least one energy consuming sub-device;

a calculation manager in communication with the identification manager, the calculation manager to determine an available energy and calculate a first energy, including calculating a mandatory energy to reach a destination along a route, wherein the mandatory energy is an amount of energy required to operate the identified mandatory consumption points;

a quota manager in communication with the calculation manager, and in response to the first energy being less than or equal to the available energy, the quota manager to designate an energy quota based on the first energy;

the calculation manager to calculate a second energy, including calculating an optional energy to reach the destination along the route, wherein the optional energy is an amount of energy required to operate the one or more optional consumption points along the route;

a prioritization manager in communication with the identification manager, the prioritization manager to prioritize at least two optional consumption points based on metrics, wherein the metrics include;

frequency of use and required energy;

a power allocation manager in communication with the prioritization manager and the quota manager, the power allocation manager to allocate power in order of priority to at least one of the prioritized optional consumption points with respect to the energy quota; and

a location manager in communication with the calculation manager, and in response to the first energy exceeding the available energy, the location manager to autonomously identify a location for acquiring additional energy and re-direct the available energy to usage of the route.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a location manager in communication with the calculation manager, the location manager to select one of the optional consumption points as a preferred consumption point, and in response to the removal of allocated power from the preferred consumption point, re-select the route to accommodate a required amount of optional energy for use by the preferred consumption point, and the quota manager to re-designate the energy quota responsive to the re-selected route.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising the quota manager to re-designate the energy quota in response to a consumption point change, wherein a consumption point change is selected from the group consisting of:

a mandatory consumption point changing to an optional consumption point, and an optional consumption point changing to a mandatory consumption point.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising the quota manager to manually decrease the energy quota to conserve more energy for the mandatory consumption points.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising the power allocation manager to remove allocated power from an optional consumption point of lowest priority responsive to exceeding the energy quota.