Electronic device with paging for energy curtailment and code generation for manual verification of curtailment

• US 7,009,493 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Harper, William R. Jr., Howard, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/887,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.1, 340/7.2, 340/3.7, 340/3.71, 340/3.9, 340/870.07, 379/102.5, 379/106.01, 700/256, 700/286, 700/276, 700/277, 700/278, 370/204, 705/10, 236/47, 236/51, 380/51, 702/130, 455/12.1, 455/420, 455/557
• US Class Current: 340/7.1
• 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 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• 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 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• 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

A curtailment module is disclosed for enabling an energy provider to send a request to curtail energy use to a user. The curtailment module includes an interface for electronic communications with a temperature control device. A paging module is used to receive the request from the energy provider through a paging network. The curtailment module also includes a processor in electronic communication with the paging module for receiving the request from the paging module. Memory is also included and is in electronic communication with the processor.

Claims

1. A curtailment module for enabling an energy provider to send a request to curtail energy use to a user, the curtailment module comprising:

an interface for electronic communications with a temperature control device;

a paging module for receiving the request from the energy provider through a paging network;

a processor in electronic communication with the paging module for receiving the request from the paging module; and

memory in electronic communication with the processor, the memory storing history data, and the memory being programmed with verification instructions to generate a verification code to be used by a user to manually verify whether the request was followed, wherein the history data is not the same as the verification code.

2. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1 wherein the memory is further programmed with instructions to cause the curtailment module to receive the request from the energy provider.

3. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1 wherein the memory is further programmed with instructions for communicating with the temperature control device.

4. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1 further comprising a display.

5. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1 further comprising an input device for enabling the user to enter a user input.

6. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1 wherein the history data relates to the temperature control device and wherein the memory is further programmed with instructions to cause the processor to store the history data in the memory.

7. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1, wherein the verification instructions use a device ID in generating the verification code.

8. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1, wherein the verification instructions use a device ID and the history data in generating the verification code.

9. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1, wherein the verification instructions use a device ID, the history data and a curtailment message in generating the verification code.

10. The curtailment module as defined in claim 1, wherein the verification instructions further display the verification code on a display after generating the verification code.

11. A curtailment module for enabling an energy provider to send a curtailment message to a remote structure, the curtailment module comprising:

an interface for electronic communications with a temperature control device;

a paging module for receiving the curtailment message from the energy provider through a paging network;

a processor in electronic communication with the paging module for receiving the curtailment message from the paging module;

memory in electronic communication with the processor, the memory storing history data, and the memory being programmed with verification instructions to generate a verification code to be used by a user to manually verify whether the curtailment message was followed, wherein the history data is not the same as the verification code;

a display for outputting information to a user; and

an input device for enabling the user to enter a user input.

12. The curtailment module as defined in claim 11 wherein the memory is programmed with communication instructions for communicating with the temperature control device and for monitoring settings of the temperature control device.

13. The curtailment module as defined in claim 12 wherein the history data relates to the temperature control device and wherein the memory is programmed with history instructions for storing the history data.

14. The curtailment module as defined in claim 13 wherein the verification instructions use the history data and the curtailment message and a device ID.

15. The curtailment module as defined in claim 14 wherein the memory is programmed with display instructions to display the verification code on the display.

16. A curtailment module for enabling an energy provider to send a curtailment message to a remote structure, the curtailment module comprising:

means for interfacing the curtailment module with a temperature control device;

means for receiving the curtailment message from the energy provider through a paging network;

means for processing, the processing means being in electronic communication with the receiving means for receiving the curtailment message;

memory in electronic communication with the processing means, the memory storing history data, and the memory being programmed with verification instructions to generate a verification code to be used by a user to manually verify whether the curtailment message was followed, wherein the history data is not the same as the verification code;

means for displaying information to a user; and

means for inputting by the user, the inputting means enabling the user to enter a user input.

17. The curtailment module as defined in claim 16 wherein the memory is programmed with communication instructions for communicating with the temperature control device and for monitoring settings of the temperature control device.

18. The curtailment module as defined in claim 17 wherein the history data relates to the temperature control device and wherein the memory is programmed with history instructions for storing the history data.

19. The curtailment module as defined in claim 18 wherein the verification instructions use the history data and the curtailment message and a device ID.

20. A method for requesting that energy use be curtailed at a structure and for verifying curtailment, the method comprising:

creating a curtailment message to send to the structure;

sending the curtailment message to the structure through a pager network;

receiving the curtailment message by a curtailment module at the structure;

displaying the curtailment message at the structure;

monitoring a temperature control device in electronic communication with the curtailment module;

saving history data that relates to settings from the temperature control device;

generating a verification code to be used by a user to manually verify whether the curtailment message was followed, wherein the history data is not the same as the verification code; and

displaying the verification code at the structure for the user.

21. The method as defined in claim 20 further comprising using the history data, the curtailment message and a device ID in generating the verification code.

22. A combination temperature-control curtailment module for enabling an energy provider to send a curtailment message to a remote structure, the temperature-control curtailment module comprising:

a temperature control module for controlling the temperature of the remote structure;

a paging module for receiving the curtailment message from the energy provider through a paging network;

a processor in electronic communication with the paging module for receiving the curtailment message from the paging module;

memory in electronic communication with the processor, the memory storing history data, and the memory being programmed with verification instructions to generate a verification code to be used by a user to manually verify whether the curtailment message was followed, wherein the history data is not the same as the verification code;

a display for outputting information to a user; and

an input device for enabling the user to enter a user input.

23. The temperature-control curtailment module as defined in claim 22 wherein the memory is programmed with communication instructions for communicating with the temperature control module and for monitoring settings of the temperature control module.

24. The temperature-control curtailment module as defined in claim 23 wherein the history data relates to the temperature control device and wherein the memory is programmed with history instructions for storing the history data.

25. The temperature-control curtailment module as defined in claim 24 wherein the verification instructions use the history data and the curtailment message and a device ID.

26. The temperature-control curtailment module as defined in claim 25 wherein the memory is programmed with display instructions to display the verification code on the display.