Controlling virtual power circuits
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a number of circuits across a boundary in an electrical power grid, the method comprising:
- monitoring a number of parameters in the number of circuits in the electrical power grid, wherein each circuit in the number of circuits comprises a plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid and a number of lines connected to the plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid, wherein the number of lines is configured to carry electrical power, wherein the plurality of nodes is configured to control the electrical power carried in the number of lines, and wherein a number of agent processes associated with the plurality of nodes is configured to communicate with each other using a communications network, configure the plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid into the each circuit, and control a delivery of the electrical power through the each circuit to a number of loads;
receiving information from a number of sensors associated with the plurality of nodes and the number of circuits in the electrical power grid, the number of sensors receiving information from the number of circuits such that the number of sensors and the number of lines cross an organizational boundary, the boundary preventing coordinated power management by the sensors between a first portion of the electrical power grid and a second portion of the electrical power grid separated by the boundary;
communicating the information from a first agent process in a first portion of the electrical power grid to a second agent process in the second portion of the electrical power grid;
determining whether to make a change to the number of circuits based on the number of parameters and a policy based on the information received from the number of sensors associated with the number of circuits in the electrical power grid; and
responsive to a determination to make the change to the number of circuits across the boundary, changing the number of circuits using the policy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling circuits in an electrical power grid. Parameters in the circuits are monitored. Each circuit comprises nodes in the electrical power grid and a number of lines connected to the nodes in the electrical power grid. The number of lines is configured to carry electrical power. The nodes control the electrical power in the number of lines. A number of agent processes associated with the nodes communicate with each other using a communications network, configure the nodes in the electrical power grid into a number of circuits, and control a delivery of the electrical power through the number of circuits to loads. A determination is made as to whether to make a change to the number of circuits based on the number of parameters and a policy. The circuits are changed using the policy in response to a determination to make the change.
32 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a number of circuits across a boundary in an electrical power grid, the method comprising:
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monitoring a number of parameters in the number of circuits in the electrical power grid, wherein each circuit in the number of circuits comprises a plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid and a number of lines connected to the plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid, wherein the number of lines is configured to carry electrical power, wherein the plurality of nodes is configured to control the electrical power carried in the number of lines, and wherein a number of agent processes associated with the plurality of nodes is configured to communicate with each other using a communications network, configure the plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid into the each circuit, and control a delivery of the electrical power through the each circuit to a number of loads; receiving information from a number of sensors associated with the plurality of nodes and the number of circuits in the electrical power grid, the number of sensors receiving information from the number of circuits such that the number of sensors and the number of lines cross an organizational boundary, the boundary preventing coordinated power management by the sensors between a first portion of the electrical power grid and a second portion of the electrical power grid separated by the boundary; communicating the information from a first agent process in a first portion of the electrical power grid to a second agent process in the second portion of the electrical power grid; determining whether to make a change to the number of circuits based on the number of parameters and a policy based on the information received from the number of sensors associated with the number of circuits in the electrical power grid; and responsive to a determination to make the change to the number of circuits across the boundary, changing the number of circuits using the policy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus comprising:
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a number of circuits in an electrical power grid, wherein each circuit in the number of circuits comprises a plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid and a number of lines connected to the plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid wherein the number of lines is configured to carry electrical power;
wherein the plurality of nodes is configured to control the electrical power carried in the number of lines;a number of sensors associated with the plurality of nodes and the number of circuits in the electrical power grid, the number of sensors configured to monitor a number of parameters in the number of circuits in the electrical power grid and the at least a portion of the agent processes configured to receive information from the number of sensors, the number of sensors is attached to the number of lines such that the number of sensors and the number of lines cross a boundary, the boundary preventing coordinated power management by the number of sensors between a first portion of the electrical power grid and a second portion of the electrical power grid separated by the boundary; and a number of agent processes associated with the number of circuits, a first agent process in a first portion of the electrical power grid communicating the information with a second agent process in the second portion of the electrical power grid, wherein at least a portion of the agent processes is configured to monitor a number of parameters in the number of circuits in the electrical power grid, determine whether to make a change to the number of circuits based on the number of parameters and a policy, and change the number of circuits across the boundary using the policy in response to the determination to make the change to the number of circuits. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for controlling power in an electrical power grid across a boundary, the method comprising:
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selecting a plurality of nodes and a number of lines connected to the plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid to send electrical power from a number of sources to a number of loads based on a capacity to send the electrical power through the plurality of nodes and the number of lines; configuring the plurality of nodes and the number of lines into a circuit to carry the electrical power from the number of sources to the number of loads using the plurality of nodes; monitoring parameters for the number of lines in the circuit; receiving information from a number of sensors associated with the circuit in the electrical power grid, the number of sensors associated with the number of lines and the plurality of nodes, the number of sensors and the plurality of nodes positioned so as to manage power distribution across a boundary, the boundary preventing coordinated power management by the sensors between a first portion of the electrical power grid and a second portion of the electrical power grid separated by the boundary; communicating the information from a first agent process in a first portion of the electrical power grid to a second agent process in the second portion of the electrical power grid; determining whether the parameters exceed threshold tolerances; and responsive to a determination that the parameters exceed threshold tolerances, adjusting a configuration of the plurality of nodes. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus comprising:
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an electrical power grid comprising nodes and lines; agent processes associated with the nodes in the electrical power grid, the number of agent processes configured to exchange information across a boundary, wherein at least a portion of the agent processes are configured to select a plurality of nodes in the nodes and a number of lines in the lines connected to the plurality of nodes in the electrical power grid to send electrical power from a number of sources to a number of loads based on a capacity to send the electrical power through the plurality of nodes and the number of lines;
configure the plurality of nodes and the number of lines into a circuit to carry the electrical power from the number of sources to the number of loads using the plurality of nodes;
monitor parameters for the number of lines in the circuit;
determine whether the parameters exceed threshold tolerances; and
adjust a configuration of the plurality of nodes in response to a determination that the parameters exceed the threshold tolerances; anda number of sensors associated with the nodes and lines in the electrical power grid, wherein in monitoring the parameters for the number of lines in the circuit, the at least a portion of the agent processes are configured to receive information from the number of sensors, the number of sensors is attached to the number of lines such that the number of sensor and the number of lines cross an organizational boundary, the boundary preventing coordinated power management by the sensors between a first portion of the electrical power grid and a second portion of the electrical power grid separated by the boundary, wherein a first agent process in a first portion of the electrical power grid communicates information from the sensors with a second agent process in the second portion of the electrical power grid so as to adjust the configuration. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification