Multi-utility energy control system with dashboard

• US 6,122,603 A
• Filed: 06/10/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Powerweb Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Powerweb Incorporated
• Inventors: Budike, Lothar E. S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): ASSOUAD, PATRICK J
• Application Number:
  US09/095,730
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702/187, 702/188, 702/61, 702/62, 364/528.21, 364/528.26, 705/400, 705/412, 96/422, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

A multi-utility energy control system has control center computer(s) connected to various utility consuming systems and software that formats pertinent systems'"'"' energy data, stores, retrieves, diagnoses and acts in response to changes and includes a multi-utility master meter device and a plurality of sensors. The system includes at least one dashboard screen as a control screen, and a plurality of interconnected utility related subscreens. The meter device and sensors monitor consumption of a plurality of different utilities and will generate selected information, including recognition of surges, of increase in usage versus historical data. The master meter has a CPU, visual display means, programming controls and a power source connection. The sensors connections transmit real time rates to the master meter central processing unit. The control center computer(s) identify consumption, changes in consumption, changes in facility individual system consumption and identify and correct for surges, gaps, peak demands and other data, with reports as desired.

Claims

1. A multi-utility energy control system for monitoring consumption, and cost of resource generation, for a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter and for monitoring and controlling individual utility systems within a facility, for determining possible utility cost adjustments to enhance cost effectiveness, which comprises:

(a) at least one central control computer being connected to a multi-utility master meter device, and both being located within a single facility, said at least one central control computer having sufficient software adapted to receive utility consumption rate data from said master meter and for storing, presenting, analyzing and reporting from said data sufficient information to monitor consumption rates and to compare such information to theoretical and/or historical data to identify unexpected changes in consumption and to identify peak demands, surges and sags, said computer also being connected to a plurality of individual utility consuming systems within a facility, said software also being adopted to control said utility consuming systems by adjusting actual utility consumption in response to predetermined parameters set for each of said utility consuming systems, said software further including at least one dashboard screen and a plurality of utility subscreens relating thereto, said at least one dashboard screen including one which provides a plurality of utility type icons for selection of a utility from said icons, and an interface gateway for selection of other utility related data, and said software further including a plurality of subscreens for presenting (i) selectable utility information from said utility type icons and (ii) selectable utility related data from said interface gateway;

(b) a multi-utility real time master meter for monitoring consumption of a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter, which includes a central processing unit, visual display means connected to the central processing unit, programming controls, a power source connection and a plurality of meter sensor connections; and

,

(c) a plurality of utility meter sensors connected to said master meter, at least a portion of said utility meter sensors being retrofit sensors attachable to existing utility meters for sensing real time rates from said existing utility meters, and transmitting said real time rates to said central processing unit, said plurality of utility meter sensors including utility meter sensors having means to sense real time rates from electromechanical utility meters which are attachable to outside surfaces of electromechanical utility meters by measuring magnetic flux caused by motion within said electromechanical utility meters as said electromechanical utility meters move during consumption.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said dashboard screen includes icons for at least two utilities selected from the group consisting of electric, oil, gas, water and steam.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for screens, wherein said screens include screens for a fire and sprinkler system, for power quality, for HVAC, for electrical and for lighting.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for screens for at least fire and sprinkler system, power quality, HVAC, electrical and lighting.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for a screen for a demand center.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said multi-utility real time master meter central processing unit includes means for receiving real time utility meter consumption rates data from said sensors, means for storing said data, means for presenting said data on display via said visual display means in accordance with a preprogrammed sequence and in preprogrammed time frames, means for converting said data to averages over longer periods of time based on preprogrammed parameters, and means for presenting both real time consumption rate data and converted data to a computer in a predetermined computer language format.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired directly to said master meter central processing unit within said housing.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired to a signal transmission device for transmitting signals through an alternating current line to said master meter central processing unit and said master meter central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving said signals from said alternating current line and inputting said signals to said master meter central processing unit.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said meter sensors are current transformers which transmit from about 0 to about 5 milliamps to measure electricity characteristics.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one central control computer contains software adapted to receive and update alternative utility company competitive pricing information.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein said central control computer software is adapted to provide short term utility contracts for purchase of alternative utility company competitively priced utilities.

12. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least one central control computer contains software adapted to receive and update alternative utility company competitive pricing information.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said central control computer software is adapted to provide short term utility contracts for purchase of alternative utility company competitively priced utilities.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said master meter includes a main housing which is physically separate from said at least one central control computer.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said software further includes a plurality of multi-site consolidation screens and supporting software to enable a user to coordinate utility information for multiple locations in real time.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of utility subscreens includes at least a portion of said subscreens having specific real time utility data and at least a portion of said subscreens having the same utility type icons as said dashboard screen to provide interconnection capability from utility to utility.

17. A multi-utility energy control system for monitoring consumption of a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter and for monitoring and controlling individual utility systems within a facility, which comprises:

(a) at least one central control computer being connected to a multi-utility master meter device, and both being located within a single facility, said at least one central control computer having sufficient software adapted to receive utility consumption rate data from said master meter and for storing, presenting, analyzing and reporting from said data sufficient information to monitor consumption rates and to compare such information to theoretical and/or historical data to identify unexpected changes in consumption and to identify peak demands, surges and sags, said computer also being connected to a plurality of individual utility consuming systems within a facility, said software also being adopted to control said utility consuming systems by adjusting actual utility consumption in response to predetermined parameters set for each of said utility consuming systems, said software further including at least one dashboard screen and a plurality of utility subscreens relating thereto, said at least one dashboard screen including one which provides a plurality of utility type icons for selection of a utility from said icons, and an interface gateway for selection of other utility related data, and said software further including a plurality of subscreens for presenting (i) selectable utility information from said utility type icons and (ii) selectable utility related data from said interface gateway;

(b) a multi-utility real time master meter for monitoring consumption of a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter, which includes a central processing unit, visual display means connected to the central processing unit, programming controls, a power source connection and a plurality of meter sensor connections; and

,

(c) a plurality of utility meter sensors connected to said master meter, at least a portion of said utility meter sensors being integrally connected to utility meters for sensing real time rates from said utility meters, and transmitting said real time rates to said central processing unit, said plurality of utility meter sensors including utility meter sensors having means to sense real time rates from electromechanical utility meters which are attachable to outside surfaces of electromechanical utility meters by measuring magnetic flux caused by motion within said electromechanical utility meters as said electromechanical utility meters move during consumption.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said dashboard screen includes icons for at least two utilities selected from the group consisting of electric, oil, gas, water and steam.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for screens, wherein said screens include screens for a fire and sprinkler system, for power quality, for HVAC, for electrical and for lighting.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for screens, wherein said screens include screens for a fire and sprinkler system, for power quality, for HVAC, for electrical and for lighting.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for a screen for a demand center.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein said master meter central processing unit includes means for receiving real time utility meter consumption rates data from said sensors, means for storing said data, means for presenting said data on display via said visual display means in accordance with a preprogrammed sequence and in preprogrammed time frames, means for converting said data to averages over longer periods of time based on preprogrammed parameters, and means for presenting both real time consumption rate data and converted data to a computer in a predetermined computer language format.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired directly to said central processing unit within said housing.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired to a signal transmission device for transmitting signals through an alternating current line to said central processing unit and said central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving said signals from said alternating current line and inputting said signals to the central processing unit.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired to a signal transmission device for transmitting signals through an alternating current line to said central processing unit and said central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving said signals from said alternating current line and inputting said signals to the central processing unit.

26. The system of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of said utility meter sensors are located within said utility meters.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired to a signal transmission device for transmitting signals through an alternating current line to said central processing unit and said central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving said signals from said alternating current line and inputting said signals to the central processing unit.

28. The system of claim 17 wherein said at least one central control computer contains software adapted to receive and update alternative utility company competitive pricing information.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said central control computer software is adapted to provide short term utility contracts for purchase of alternative utility company competitively priced utilities.

30. The system of claim 17 wherein said master meter includes a main housing which is physically separate from said at least one central control computer.

31. The system of claim 17 wherein said software further includes a plurality of multi-site consolidation screens and supporting software to enable a user to coordinate utility information for multiple locations in real time.

32. The system of claim 17 wherein said plurality of utility subscreens includes at least a portion of said subscreens having specific real time utility data and at least a portion of said subscreens having the same utility type icons as said dashboard screen to provide inter capability from utility to utility.

33. In a system for multi-utility energy control for monitoring consumption and cost of resource regeneration for a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter and for monitoring and controlling individual utility systems within a single facility, which system includes a central control computer and sensing meters, said system having software to receive utility consumption rate data and to store, present and analyze report and adjust and control utility consumption, said software including a main screen and subscreens, which comprise:

(a) a dashboard screen having a plurality of utility type icons for selection of a utility from said icons and an interface gateway for selection of other utility related data; and

,

(b) a plurality of subscreens for presenting (i) selectable utility information from said utility type icons and (ii) selectable utility related data from said interface gateway.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein said dashboard screen includes icons for at least two utilities selected from the group consisting of electric, oil, gas, water and steam.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for screens, wherein said screens include screens for modules for a fire and sprinkler system, for power quality, for HVAC, for electrical and for lighting.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for screens, wherein said screens include screens for modules for a fire and sprinkler system, for power quality, for HVAC, for electrical and for lighting.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for a screen for a demand center.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein said software further includes a plurality of multi-site consolidation screens and supporting software to enable a user to consolidate and coordinate utility information for multiple locations in real time as well as aggregate load demand for regions.

39. The system of claim 33 wherein said plurality of utility subscreens includes at least a portion of said subscreens having specific real time utility data and at least a portion of said subscreens having the same utility type icons as said dashboard screen to provide interconnection capability from utility to utility.

40. The system of claim 33 wherein said interface gateway includes selection indicia for modules for security and backup generation of electricity.