SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANIPULATING CONTROLLED ENERGY USING DEVICES TO MANAGE CUSTOMER BILLS

• US 20100198713A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr Technology, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Consert, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Moore, Roy, FORBES, JOSEPH W. JR., Webb, Joel L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A control system and method to create an Internet Protocol (IP) enabled automatic gain control loop for encasing a desired cost value in a utility derived consumer controlled pricing envelope. A customer uses a web browser to view billing estimates for the current month as well as related months. The customer can set limits on the actual billing amount for the upcoming month and make adjustments to this amount if it seems unrealistic in the coming month. Control event actions are carried out to limit power usage within preferences set by the customer.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a power-consuming device at a service point to manage a customer'"'"'s electrical bills using a communications network between a server in communication with an electric utility and a client device at the service point, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a plurality of customer bill management settings to the server from the client device at the service point including at least a target energy usage for a specified billing period;

storing the plurality of customer bill management settings in a database for use in energy usage control events;

determining a current meter reading by the client device at the service point;

scheduling an energy usage control event for the power-consuming device at the service point based on the current meter reading and the target energy usage;

sending the energy usage control event to the power-consuming device at a scheduled time to control an energy usage at the service point;

determining the energy usage at the service point during a specified time interval;

comparing a projected energy usage, based on the energy usage during the specified time interval, with the target energy usage for the specified billing period; and

determining if the projected energy usage exceeds the target energy usage during the billing period.

2. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising sending incremental adjustments to a temperature-based power-consuming device if the projected energy usage exceeds the target energy usage during the billing period.

3. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a duty-cycle based power-consuming device at the duty cycle indicated in the energy usage control event if the projected energy usage exceeds the target energy usage during the billing period.

4. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a temperature-based power-consuming device at a set point included in the bill management settings if the projected energy usage is less than the target energy usage during the billing period.

5. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a duty-cycle based power-consuming device at a specified duty cycle if the projected energy usage is less than the target energy usage during the billing period.

6. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising providing a user interface to enable the customer to enter and revise the plurality of customer bill management settings.

7. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 6 wherein the plurality of customer bill management settings includes an action for the power-consuming device to initiate in the energy usage control event.

8. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 7 wherein the action for the power-consuming device to initiate in the energy usage control event includes an adjustment varying from a minimal adjustment to maintain a maximum comfort level for the customer to a maximum adjustment to maximize an energy savings for the customer.

9. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 8 wherein each of the optional adjustment actions to initiate in the scheduled energy usage control event includes an associated temperature range for a temperature-based power-consuming device.

10. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 8 wherein each of the optional adjustment actions to initiate in the scheduled energy usage control event includes an associated duty cycle for a duty-cycle based power-consuming device.

11. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising dynamically reporting an accumulated energy usage for the billing period and a projected energy usage for the billing period to the server in communication with the electric utility.

12. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising receiving an alert from the server in communication with the electric utility if the projected energy usage exceeds the target energy usage during the billing period.

13. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the target energy usage by a safety margin to account for unexpected weather conditions or energy usage events affecting energy usage at the service point.

14. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 13 wherein the safety margin comprises a safety percentage and a safety time.

15. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 14 wherein the safety percentage is a percentage of the target energy usage for use in scheduling and sending the energy usage control event.

16. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 14 wherein the safety time comprises a number of days before the end of the billing period that the safety percentage is no longer in effect.

17. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising receiving from the server in communication with the electric utility at least one of the following:

a management mode indicator;

a temperature threshold for a temperature-based power-consuming device based on customer bill management settings;

a duty cycle for a duty-cycle based power-consuming device;

a target energy usage for the specified time interval; and

a schedule of control events based on customer bill management settings.

18. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 6 further comprising providing the customer with a current bill summary via the user interface, herein the bill summary includes at least one of a current billing cycle month, an estimated bill for the current month, an estimated bill for a next month, and a bill mount for a same month in a preceding year.

19. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 1 further comprising enabling the customer to obtain energy credits and to select the power-consuming device to which the energy credits are applied.

20. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 19 further comprising enabling the customer to create a bucket plan of energy use for the selected power-consuming device wherein the bucket plan is constrained by the utility based on at least one criterion.

21. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 20 wherein the at least one bucket plan constraint criterion includes at least one of a time of day use, a peak hours use, and an off-peak hours use.

22. The method for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 19 further comprising receiving an accumulated energy credit usage data from the electric utility via the server in communication with the electric utility.

23. A system for controlling a power-consuming device at a service point to manage a customer'"'"'s electrical bills using a communications network between a server in communication with an electric utility and a client device at the service point, comprising:

a memory storing a database for use in energy usage control events containing a plurality of customer bill management settings including at least a target energy usage for a specified billing period;

a processor, cooperative with the memory, and configured for managing the customer'"'"'s electrical bills using the communications network by;

determining a current meter reading by the client device at the service point;

scheduling an energy usage control event for the power-consuming device at the service point based on the current meter reading and the target energy usage;

sending the energy usage control event to the power-consuming device at a scheduled time to control an energy usage at the service point;

determining the energy usage at the service point during a specified time interval;

comparing a projected energy usage, based on the energy usage during the specified time interval, with the target energy usage for the specified billing period; and

determining if the projected energy usage exceeds the target energy usage during the billing period.

24. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for sending incremental adjustments to a temperature-based power-consuming device if the projected energy usage exceeds the target energy usage during the billing period.

25. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for maintaining a duty-cycle based power-consuming device at the duty cycle indicated in the energy usage control event if the projected energy usage exceeds the target energy usage during the billing period.

26. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for maintaining a temperature-based power-consuming device at a set point included in the bill management settings if the projected energy usage is less than the target energy usage during the billing period.

27. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for maintaining a duty-cycle based power-consuming device at a specified duty cycle if the projected energy usage is less than the target energy usage during the billing period.

28. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for providing a user interface to enable the customer to enter and revise the plurality of customer bill management settings.

29. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 28 wherein the processor is further configured for initiating an action for the power-consuming device to perform in the energy usage control event.

30. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 29 wherein the action for the power-consuming device that the processor is further configured for initiating in the energy usage control event includes an adjustment varying from a minimal adjustment to maintain a maximum comfort level for the customer to a maximum adjustment to maximize an energy savings for the customer.

31. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 29 wherein the adjustment action includes an associated temperature range for a temperature-based power-consuming device.

32. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 29 wherein the adjustment action includes an associated duty cycle for a duty-cycle based power-consuming device.

33. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for reporting an accumulated energy usage for the billing period and a projected energy usage for the billing period to the server in communication with the electric utility.

34. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for receiving an alert from the server in communication with the electric utility if the projected energy usage exceeds the target energy usage during the billing period.

35. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for adjusting the target energy usage by a safety margin to account for unexpected weather conditions or energy usage events affecting energy usage at the service point.

36. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 35 wherein the safety margin comprises a safety percentage and a safety time.

37. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 36 wherein the safety percentage is a percentage of the target energy usage for use in scheduling and sending the energy usage control event.

38. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 36 wherein the safety time comprises a number of days before the end of the billing period that the safety percentage is no longer in effect.

39. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 28 wherein the processor is further configured for receiving from the server in communication with the electric utility at least one of the following:

a management mode indicator;

a temperature threshold for a temperature-based power-consuming device based on customer bill management settings;

a duty cycle for a duty-cycle based power-consuming device;

a target energy usage for the specified time interval; and

a schedule of control events based on customer bill management settings.

40. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 28 wherein the processor is further configured for providing the customer with a current bill summary via the user interface, herein the bill summary includes at least one of a current billing cycle month, an estimated bill for the current month, an estimated bill for a next month, and a bill mount for a same month in a preceding year.

41. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured for enabling the customer to select the power-consuming device to which an energy credit is applied.

42. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 41 wherein the processor is further configured for enabling the customer to create a bucket plan of energy use for the selected power-consuming device wherein the bucket plan is constrained by the utility based on at least one criterion.

43. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 42 wherein the at least one bucket plan constraint criterion includes at least one of a time of day use, a peak hours use, and an off-peak hours use.

44. The system for controlling a power-consuming device of claim 41 wherein the processor is further configured for receiving an accumulated energy credit usage data from the electric utility via the server in communication with the electric utility.