Energy controlling system for time shifting electric power use

• US 4,998,024 A
• Filed: 04/01/1988
• Issued: 03/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vaughn Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Vaughn Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Kirk, William J., Slonim, Lloyd R., Vaughn, James F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Application Number:
  US07/176,550
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 307/125, 307/34, 307/35, 307/36, 307/37, 307/38, 307/39, 307/40, 307/41, 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 340/310 CP, 364/492, 364/483, 364/493, 364/145, 236/46 R
• US Class Current: 307/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/54 according to a pre-established time schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

The disclosed system reduces power use during peak loads by automatically shifting the energization of the water heater to periods of off-peak power use. An energy controller maintains a calendar clock and controls the application of power to an electric water heater so that only on non-holiday weekdays, power to the water heater is interrupted during those periods of the day which have been predetermined to be the periods of peak power usage. The consumer whose water heater is controlled in accordance with the system is provided with an override button so that once a day the consumer may institute an override period to energize his water heater regardless of the peak power usage schedule. The energy controller contains in a microprocessor memory status data which includes the calendar time, a listing of the holidays, the schedule of peak power usage and the override interval. The energy controller is connected to an external module mounted outside the dwelling enclosure and by which a portable programming unit may be interconnected to the energy controller. By means of the portable programming unit, the accuracy of the status data can be verified or can be amended.

Claims

1. An energy controlling system for a dwelling having a dwelling enclosure said energy controller comprising an energy controller within said dwelling enclosure having means to store a schedule of daily peak power usage and to keep current time, and means responsive to the current time kept by said energy controller and the schedule of daily peak power usage stored by said energy controller to control electrical power equipment in accordance with the schedule stored by said energy controller, a communications module external to said dwelling enclosure connected to said energy controller, a portable programming unit adapted to be coupled to said external module, said portable programming unit having means to keep current time, means to store a schedule of daily peak power usage, and communication means operable when coupled to said external module to change the schedule of daily peak power usage stored in said energy controller and the time kept by said energy controller to correspond with the schedule of daily peak power usage stored in said portable programming unit and the time kept by said portable programming unit.

2. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said portable programming unit has means operable when said portable programming unit is coupled to said external module to compare the schedule of daily peak power usage stored in said energy controller with the schedule of daily peak power usage stored in said portable programming unit and to compare the current time kept by said energy controller with the current time kept by said portable programming unit and to indicate the results of the comparisons.

3. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said communications module has an external sidewall with a predetermined noncircular shape and wherein said portable programming unit has a recess shaped to fit with said predetermined shape of said external sidewall, said portable programming unit being coupled to said communications module when said communications module is inserted in said recess.

4. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 3, wherein said communications module and said recess define an infrared signal light communications interface when said communications module is received in said recess.

5. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said communications module includes a signal lamp and said energy controller comprises means to energize said signal lamp when said energy controller is operating.

6. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 3, wherein said communication means comprises first and second signal channels extending between said portable programming unit and said communications module and being spatially separated at the interface between said portable programming unit and said communications module.

7. An energy controlling system for a dwelling having a dwelling enclosure comprising an energy controller within said dwelling enclosure said energy controller having means keep current time, and means responsive to the current time kept by said energy controller and the schedule of daily peak power usage stored by said energy controller to control electrical power equipment in accordance with the schedule stored by said energy controller, a communications module external to said dwelling enclosure connected to said energy controller, a portable programming unit adapted to be coupled to said external module, said portable programming unit having means to keep current time, means to store a schedule of daily peak power usage, means operable when said portable programming unit is coupled to said external module to compare the schedule of daily peak power usage stored in said energy controller with the schedule of daily peak power usage stored in said portable programming unit and to compare the current time kept by said energy controller with the current time kept by said portable programming unit and to indicate the results of the comparisons.

8. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 7, wherein said communications module has an external sidewall with a predetermined noncircular shape and wherein said portable programming unit has a recess shaped to fit with said predetermined shape of said external sidewall, said portable programming unit being coupled to said communications module when said communications module is inserted in said recess.

9. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 8, wherein said communications module and said recess define an infrared signal light communications interface when said communications module is received in said recess.

10. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 7, wherein said communications module includes a signal lamp and said energy controller comprises means to energize said signal lamp when said energy controller is operating.

11. An energy controlling system as recited in claim 8, wherein said communication means comprises first and second signal channels extending between said portable programming unit and said communications module and being spatially separated at the interface between said portable programming unit and said communications module.

12. An energy controlling system comprising means to store a schedule of daily periods of peak power usage, computer program means keeping current time including interrupt means to immediately set a flag upon the expiration of each second, said computer program means repeatedly checking whether said flag is set and upon determining that said flag has been set, clearing said flag and then performing a series of steps to keep track of elapsed seconds and minutes, said series of steps upon the elapse of each minute including comparing the current time with said schedule, power interrupting means responsive to the comparison by said computer program means to interrupt an electrical power to an electrical appliance during said periods of peak power usage, said computer program means taking longer than a second but less than two seconds to complete said series of steps upon the elapse of some of said minutes.