System and method for monitoring and controlling energy usage

• US 7,135,956 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nxegen LLC (Nxegen Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Nxegen LLC (Nxegen Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Patel, Devang N., Bartone, Erik J., Mendenhall, Ernest L. Jr., McClutchy, John H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/682,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.9, 340/2.6, 340/870.02, 340/870.16, 340/870.12, 702/56, 702/62, 702/188, 700/295, 324/142
• US Class Current: 340/3.9
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A system and method for real time monitoring and control of energy consumption at a number of facilities to allow aggregate control over the power consumption. A central location receives information over a communications network, such as a wireless network, from nodes placed at facilities. The nodes communicate with devices within the facility that monitor power consumption, and control electrical devices within the facility. The electrical devices may be activated or deactivated remotely by the central location. This provides the ability to load balance a power consumption grid and thereby proactively conserve power consumption as well as avoid expensive spikes in power consumption. The present invention also includes a wireless network for communicating with the number of facilities, and which allows other information to be collected and processed.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and controlling power usage among a plurality of facilities, for reducing a real-time aggregate power load across said plurality of facilities, said method comprising:

providing a remotely controllable power control device on at least one power consuming device at each facility;

providing a wireless communication network including a plurality of two-way RF node components, wherein said two-way RF node components serve to both communicate with other ones of said two-way RF node components; and

to communicate within said facilities with said remotely controllable power control devices;

remotely monitoring power usage at each facility from one location using said wireless communication network, wherein said one location can control said remotely controllable power control devices using said wireless communication network; and

activating and deactivating said power consuming devices by said remotely controllable power control devices from said one location, based on said remotely monitored power usage among said plurality of facilities.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of monitoring power usage is performed by current sensing.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein an electric utility meter at one of said facilities is not affected by said monitoring of power usage at said facility.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of monitoring power usage is performed by voltage sensing.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein an electric utility meter at one of said facilities is not affected by said monitoring of power usage at said facility.

6. A system for monitoring and controlling power usage among a plurality of facilities, for reducing a real-time aggregate power load across said plurality of facilities, said system comprising:

a device controller coupled to at least one power consuming device at each facility, said device controller to control said at least one power consuming device;

a power measurement device within each facility, to measure power consumption by power consuming devices within said facility;

a communications network, in communication with said device controllers and said power measurement devices, said communications network including a plurality of two-way RF node components, wherein said two-way RF node components serve to both communicate with other ones of said two-way RF node components; and

to communicate with said device controllers and said power measurement devices;

a central location, in communication with said communications network, to remotely monitor power usage at each facility as measured by said power measurement device;

wherein said central location communicates with said device controllers over said communications network in order to individually control said at least one power consuming device at each facility.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said device controller controls said power consuming device by activating and deactivating said power consuming device.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said system monitors and controls power usage in order to limit power consumption by said plurality of facilities.

9. A system for controlling energy distribution to energy consumers comprising:

a centralized data center;

a plurality of device controllers in communication with said centralized data center through a communications network, said communications network including a plurality of two-way RF node components, wherein said two-way RF node components serve to both communicate with other ones of said two-way RF node components; and

to communicate with said device controllers;

a plurality of parameter measuring devices in communication with said centralized data center through said communications network;

wherein said centralized data center reads parameters from said parameter measuring devices, computes control signals according to efficient power control algorithms operating on said parameters, said algorithms for reducing a real-time aggregate power load across a plurality of said energy consumers, and communicates said control signals to said device controllers.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein efficient power control algorithms compute said control signals to minimize power consumption by computing cost optimized power distribution over time.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein said parameters are communicated in real time and wherein said control signals are constantly re-computed according to changes in said parameters.

12. The system according to claim 9 wherein said parameters include electrical power levels.

13. The system according to claim 9 wherein said measuring devices are deployed in electrical proximity to individual electrical loads and between said individual electrical loads and standard power distribution metering devices.

14. The system according to claim 9 wherein said device controllers are deployed in electrical proximity to individual electrical loads and between said individual electrical loads and standard power distribution metering devices.

15. The system according to claim 9 further comprising facility controllers in communication between said device controllers and said centralized data center.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein said centralized data center and said facility controller are in wireless communication.