SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING PEAK AND OFF-PEAK ELECTRICITY DEMAND BY MONITORING, CONTROLLING AND METERING HIGH INTENSITY FLUORESCENT LIGHTING IN A FACILITY

• US 20090248217A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Verfuerth, Neal R., Wang, Jun, Potts, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

A method of reducing electricity usage during peak demand periods includes the steps of establishing predetermined load reduction criteria representative of a desire by a power provider to reduce loading on an electricity supply grid, and coordinating with a facility having HIF lighting equipment to permit the power provider to turn-off one or more of the HIF lighting equipment by sending instructions to a master controller at the facility in response to the predetermined load reduction criteria, and establishing a list of HIF lighting equipment to be turned-off in response to the instructions, and configuring the master controller to send an override control signal to the HIF lighting equipment to implement the instructions, and configuring the HIF lighting equipment to send a response signal to the master controller providing a status of the HIF lighting equipment.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring, controlling and metering HIF lighting fixtures in a facility, the method comprising:

controlling operation of the HIF lighting fixtures by transmitting a time-based control signal to one or more of the HIF lighting fixtures according to a time-based control scheme;

modifying the time-based control scheme by transmitting a demand-based control signals to one or more of the HIF lighting fixtures;

overriding the time-based control signals and the demand-based control signals by providing an override signal to one or more of the HIF lighting fixtures; and

quantifying a reduction in power obtained by controlling the HIF lighting fixtures with any one or more of the time-based control signal, the demand-based signal and the override signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the override signal is provided in response to override instructions received by a power provider.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising sending a confirmation signal to the power provider in response to the override instructions, the confirmation signal including data representative of an identity of the one or more HIF lighting fixtures and a status of the one or more HIF lighting fixtures that received the override signal.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing a master controller operable to send the time-based signal and the demand-based signal and the override signal and to receive the override instructions.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising providing a local transceiver unit on one or more of the HIF lighting fixtures;

the local transceiver unit having a unique address recognized by the master controller, and operable to implement the time-based signal and the demand-based signal and the override signal, and to send a signal representative of a status its corresponding HIF lighting fixture to the master controller.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing one or more sensors operable to monitor one or more parameters in an interior space of the facility and provide a sensor signal representative of the parameter, and generating the demand-based control signal in response to the sensor signal representative of the parameter.

7. A system for monitoring, controlling and metering HIF lighting fixtures in a facility, the system comprising:

at least one sensor operable to measure a parameter within an interior space of the facility and to send a sensor signal representative of the parameter to a master controller;

a plurality of local transceiver units in communication with the master controller, each local transceiver unit configured for installation on each of the HIF lighting fixtures;

the master controller in communication with the sensor and the local transceiver units, and operable to;

(a) provide a control signal to the local transceiver units to control operation of the HIF lighting fixtures according to a time-based scheme;

(b) process the sensor signal and provide a control signal to control operation of one or more of the HIF lighting fixtures according to a demand-based scheme;

(c) receive and process override instructions and provide an override control signal to control operation of one or more of the HIF lighting fixtures according to an override-based scheme;

(d) receive a signal from the local transceiver units representative of a status of the HIF lighting fixtures associated with the transceiver units;

(d) quantify a reduction in power usage achieved by the demand-based scheme and the override-based scheme; and

(e) transmit data representative of the reduction in power usage to a user.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the override instructions are provided by a power provider.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the power provider is an independent system operator.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein a status of the HIF lighting fixtures in response to the override instructions is reported substantially instantaneously by the master controller to the power provider.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the data representative of the reduction in power usage comprises an identification of the HIF lighting fixture, and a status of the HIF lighting fixture, and a time duration corresponding with the status of the HIF lighting fixture.

12. A system for monitoring, controlling and metering a plurality of HIF lighting fixtures in a facility, the system comprising:

at least one sensor operable to measure a parameter within an interior space of the facility and to send sensor signals representative of the parameter to a master controller;

a plurality of local transceiver units configured for installation on the plurality of HIF lighting fixtures;

the local transceiver units operable to receive control signals from the master controller to operate an associated HIF lighting fixture and to send response signals to the master controller;

the master controller in communication with the sensor and the local transceiver units, and operable to;

(a) provide a control signal to the local transceiver units to control operation of the HIF lighting fixtures according to a predetermined control schedule;

(b) provide a demand-based control signal to operate the HIF lighting fixtures in response to the sensor signals representative of the parameter;

(c) define actual power reduction data associated with control of the HIF lighting fixtures by the demand-based control signal; and

(d) transmit the power reduction data to a user.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the local transceiver units are uniquely addressed and have two or more switches and are configured to plug into the HIF lighting fixtures.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the local transceiver units communicate with the master controller at a frequency of approximately 915 MHz.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the parameters are at least one of light level and motion.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein at least one of the local transceiver units is configured as a repeater unit.

17. A method of reducing electricity usage during peak demand periods, comprising;

establishing one or more load reduction criteria that are representative of a desire by a power provider to reduce loading on an electricity supply grid;

coordinating with a facility having a plurality of HIF lighting equipment to permit the power provider to turn-off one or more of the HIF lighting equipment by sending instructions to a master controller at the facility in response to an occurrence of one or more of the load reduction criteria;

establishing a list of one or more of the HIF lighting equipment to be turned-off in response to the instructions;

configuring the master controller to send an override control signal to the one or more of the HIF lighting equipment to implement the instructions; and

configuring the one or more of the HIF lighting equipment to send a response signal to the master controller providing a status of the HIF lighting equipment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the instructions are initiated automatically in response to the occurrence of one or more of the load reduction criteria.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the load reduction criteria include one or more of an amount of loading on the grid, and a capacity of the grid ,and a rate of increase of loading on the grid, and a rate of reduction of capacity on the grid.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the master controller is programmed with a list of the HIF lighting equipment to be turned-off in response to the instructions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the list of the HIF lighting equipment to be turned-off are arranged in a predetermined hierarchy.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of monitoring parameters representative of the load reduction criteria.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the HIF lighting equipment includes a local transceiver configured to receive the override control signal and to turn-off one or more associated HIF lighting equipment.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the local transceiver is configured to send the response signal providing the status of the one or more associated HIF lighting equipment.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of quantifying an amount of electricity usage reduction achieved during a peak demand period by turning-off the one or more HIF lighting equipment in response to the predetermined load reduction criteria.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein the override control signal and the response signal are transmitted wirelessly.