VARIABLE ENERGY PRICING IN SHORTAGE CONDITIONS

• US 20100161146A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Sand, Anne R., Doran, James R.
• Application Number:
  US12/342,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161146A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

This disclosure enables energy providers and users to establish variable pricing or maximum thresholds for individual components (aka appliances) or groups of components. The consumer (individual or business) defines a usage policy for each device or component which defines limits the consumer is willing to pay in a supply shortage. The usage policy also defines safety parameters as well as energy limiting capabilities of the appliance or component. Energy suppliers use this usage policy to determine which devices get managed or powered off in a shortage situation. With the detailed consumer supply and demand data available from this invention, energy providers may use economic analysis to better understand customer price sensitivity. This information will enable the provider to run simulations of different energy shortage scenarios.

Claims

1. A method for variable energy pricing, comprising:

detecting an energy shortage;

accessing a set of usage policies for a set of objects, the set of usage policies comprising listings and grouping of the set of objects, and price sensitivities for the set of objects; and

managing optimization of energy consumption of the set of objects based on the price sensitivities policy priority, and a severity of the energy shortage.

2. The method of claim 1, the set of usage policies further comprising:

energy limiting capabilities for the set of devices; and

an indication for any of the set of objects that is determined to be critical.

3. The method of claim 1, the set of usage policies being received pursuant to registration of the set of objects.

4. The method of claim 1, the price sensitivities comprising maximum price thresholds per object or group of objects.

5. The method of claim 1, the price sensitivities comprising variable pricing settings per object or group of objects.

6. The method of claim 1, the set of policies being updatable in real-time.

20. The method of claim 1, the set of usage policies further comprising:

energy limiting capabilities for the set of devices; and

an indication for any of the set of objects that is determined to be critical.

7. A system for variable energy pricing, comprising:

a module for detecting an energy shortage;

a module for accessing a set of usage policies for a set of objects, the set of usage policies comprising listings and grouping of the set of objects, and price sensitivities for the set of objects; and

a module for managing optimization of energy consumption of the set of objects based on the price sensitivities policy priority, and a severity of the energy shortage.

8. The system of claim 7, the set of usage policies further comprising:

energy limiting capabilities for the set of devices; and

indication for any of the set of objects that is determined to be critical.

9. The system of claim 7, the set of usage policies being received pursuant to registration of the set of objects.

10. The system of claim 7, the price sensitivities comprising maximum price thresholds per object or group of objects.

11. The system of claim 7, the price sensitivities comprising variable pricing settings per object or group of objects.

12. The system of claim 7, the set of policies being updatable in real-time.

13. A computer readable medium containing a program product for variable energy pricing, the computer readable medium comprising program code for causing a computer system to:

detect an energy shortage;

access a set of usage policies for a set of objects, the set of usage policies comprising listings and grouping of the set of objects, and price sensitivities for the set of objects; and

manage optimization of energy consumption of the set of objects based on the price sensitivities policy priority, and a severity of the energy shortage.

14. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 13, the set of usage policies further comprising:

energy limiting capabilities for the set of devices; and

an indication for any of the set of objects that is determined to be critical.

15. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 13, the set of usage policies being received pursuant to registration of the set of objects.

16. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 13, the price sensitivities comprising maximum price thresholds per object or group of objects.

17. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 13, the price sensitivities comprising variable pricing settings per object or group of objects.

18. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 13, the set of policies being updatable in real-time.

19. A method for deploying a system for variable energy pricing, comprising:

deploying a computer infrastructure being operable to;

detect an energy shortage;

access a set of usage policies for a set of objects, the set of usage policies comprising listings and grouping of the set of objects, and price sensitivities for the set of objects; and

manage optimization of energy consumption of the set of objects based on the price sensitivities policy priority, and a severity of the energy shortage.