Method and apparatus for implementing enablement state decision for energy consuming load based on demand and duty cycle of load

• US 7,580,775 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Encycle Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Regen Energy Inc.
• Inventors: Kerbel, Mark, Kulyk, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett; Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US11/484,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20080015742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 700/296
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• 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 3/144 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A method for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads and a method for managing the group of energy consuming loads. The method includes generating sets of load state data from the loads, making enablement state decisions for one or more loads independently of the other loads using the sets of load state data, and implementing the enablement state decisions. An apparatus for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads, including a transmitter for transmitting a set of load state data generated from the load, a receiver for receiving sets of load state data from other loads, a processor for processing the sets of load state data to make an enablement state decision for the load, and a controller for implementing the enablement state decision.

Claims

1. A method for managing a group of energy consuming loads comprising a plurality of loads, the method comprising:

(a) generating a set of load state data from each of the loads in the group of loads, wherein at least one of the loads in the group of loads is comprised of a discretionary load, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has a duty cycle, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an energy demand and wherein the duty cycle for at least one of the discretionary loads is less than 100 percent;

(b) making an enablement state decision for each of the loads using the sets of load state data from the loads, wherein each of the enablement state decisions reflects an enablement state of a corresponding load in the group of loads, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein each of the enablement state decisions is made independently of the enablement state decisions for the loads other than the corresponding load, wherein the enablement state decisions are made with a goal of achieving a target system equilibrium for the group of loads, and wherein the target system equilibrium is equal to a sum for all of the loads in the group of loads of a product of the energy demand of one of the loads and the duty cycle of the one of the loads; and

(c) implementing the enablement state decisions.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads is an electrical load.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle and wherein the enablement state decisions are constrained by the enablement needs of the loads.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the enablement state decisions for the group of loads are made in a decision making sequence.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle and wherein the decision making sequence is dependent upon the enablement need of each of the loads.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the decision making sequence is further dependent upon the energy demand of each of the loads.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the decision making sequence is dependent upon the energy demand of each of the loads.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising repeating (a), (b) and (c) in accordance with a schedule.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the schedule is comprised of at least one period.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the period is comprised of a plurality of segments.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the enablement state decisions for the group of loads are made in a decision making sequence.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle, wherein the decision making sequence is dependent upon the enablement need of each of the loads, and wherein the enablement need of each of the loads is defined by a remaining number of segments in the period during which the load must be in the load enabled state in order to achieve its duty cycle.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the decision making sequence is further dependent upon the energy demand of each of the loads.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the decision making sequence is dependent upon the energy demand of each of the loads.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising assigning the duty cycle to each of the loads in the group of loads.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle, and wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is comprised of an enablement need indication of the enablement need of the load and an energy demand indication of the energy demand of the load.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is further comprised of a duty cycle indication of the duty cycle of the load.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is further comprised of a load identifying indication identifying the load and a time indication of a time to which the set of load state data relates.

20. A method for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads comprising the load and a plurality of other loads, the method comprising:

(a) generating a set of load state data from the load, wherein the load is comprised of a discretionary load, wherein the load has a duty cycle and wherein the duty cycle for the load is less than 100 percent;

(b) compiling the set of load state data generated from the load with sets of load state data generated from the other loads;

(c) making an enablement state decision for the load using the compiled sets of load state data, wherein the enablement state decision reflects an enablement state of the load, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the enablement state decision is made independently of the other loads, wherein the enablement state decision is made with a goal of achieving a target system equilibrium for the group of loads, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an energy demand and wherein the target system equilibrium is equal to a sum for all of the loads in the group of loads of a product of the energy demand of one of the loads and the duty cycle of the one of the loads; and

(d) implementing the enablement state decision for the load.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads is an electrical load.

22. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the load has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle and wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

23. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the enablement state decisions for the group of loads are made in a decision making sequence.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle and wherein the decision making sequence is dependent upon the enablement need of each of the loads.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein the decision making sequence is dependent upon the energy demand of each of the loads.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the decision making sequence is dependent upon the energy demand of each of the loads.

27. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising repeating (a), (b), (c) and (d) in accordance with a schedule.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the schedule is comprised of at least one period.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the period is comprised of a plurality of segments.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the enablement state decisions for the group of loads are made in a decision making sequence.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle, wherein the decision making sequence is dependent upon the enablement need of each of the loads, and wherein the enablement need of each of the loads is defined by a remaining number of segments in the period during which the load must be in the load enabled state in order to achieve its duty cycle.

32. The method as claimed in claim 20 further comprising assigning the duty cycle to the load.

33. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle, and wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is comprised of an enablement need indication of the enablement need of the load and an energy demand indication of the energy demand of the load.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is further comprised of a duty cycle indication of the duty cycle of the load.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34 wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

36. The method as claimed in claim 34 wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is further comprised of a load identifying indication identifying the load and a time indication of a time to which the set of load state data relates.

37. A computer readable medium providing computer readable instructions for directing a processor to make an enablement state decision reflecting an enablement state of an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads comprising the load and a plurality of other loads, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, the instructions comprising:

(a) generating a set of load state data from the load;

(b) compiling the set of load state data from the load with sets of load state data from the other loads; and

(c) processing the compiled sets of load state data in order to make the enablement state decision independently of the other loads, wherein the enablement state decision is made with a goal of achieving a target system equilibrium for the group of loads, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an energy demand, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has a duty cycle, and wherein the target system equilibrium is equal to a sum for all of the loads in the group of loads of a product of the energy demand of one of the loads and the duty cycle of the one of the loads.

38. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 37 wherein the load has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle and wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

39. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 38 wherein the instructions are further comprised of directing a controller to implement the enablement state decision for the load.

40. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 37 wherein the enablement state decision is made in accordance with a schedule, wherein the schedule is comprised of at least one period, wherein the period is comprised of a plurality of segments, wherein the load has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle, wherein the enablement need of the load is defined by a remaining number of segments in the period during which the load must be in the load enabled state in order to achieve its duty cycle, and wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

41. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 37 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle and wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is comprised of an energy demand indication of the energy demand of the load, a duty cycle indication of the duty cycle of the load and an enablement need indication of the enablement need of the load.

42. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 41 wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

43. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 41 wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is further comprised of a load identifying indication identifying the load and a time indication of a time to which the set of load state data relates.

44. An apparatus for making an enablement state decision reflecting an enablement state of an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads comprising the load and a plurality of other loads, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, the apparatus comprising a processor programmed to:

(a) generate a set of load state data from the load;

(b) compile the set of load state data from the load with sets of load state data from the other loads; and

(c) process the compiled sets of load state data in order to make the enablement state decision independently of the other loads, wherein the processor is programmed to make the enablement state decision with a goal of achieving a target system equilibrium for the group of loads, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an energy demand, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has a duty cycle, and wherein the target system equilibrium is equal to a sum for all of the loads in the group of loads of a product of the energy demand of one of the loads and the duty cycle of the one of the loads.

45. The apparatus as claimed in claim 44 wherein the load has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle and wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

46. The apparatus as claimed in claim 45 wherein the processor is programmed to direct a controller to implement the enablement state decision for the load.

47. The apparatus as claimed in claim 44 wherein the enablement state decision is made in accordance with a schedule, wherein the schedule is comprised of at least one period, wherein the period is comprised of a plurality of segments, wherein the load has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle, wherein the enablement need of the load is defined by a remaining number of segments in the period during which the load must be in the load enabled state in order to achieve its duty cycle, and wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

48. The apparatus as claimed in claim 44 wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has an enablement need in order to achieve its duty cycle and wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is comprised of an energy demand indication of the energy demand of the load, a duty cycle indication of the duty cycle of the load and an enablement need indication of the enablement need of the load.

49. The apparatus as claimed in claim 48 wherein the enablement state decision is constrained by the enablement need of the load.

50. The apparatus as claimed in claim 48 wherein each of the sets of load state data from the group of loads is further comprised of a load identifying indication identifying the load and a time indication of a time to which the set of load state data relates.