Plug arrangements for alleviating peak loads
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- providing an electrical load scheduling mechanism;
placing the electrical load scheduling mechanism in communication with an appliance;
the electrical load scheduling mechanism comprising an object which is separable from the appliance and which transmits electrical power between an electrical grid and the appliance, wherein the appliance plugs into the electrical load scheduling mechanism and wherein the electrical load scheduling mechanism connects to the electrical grid;
assessing electrical grid load conditions from the electrical load scheduling mechanism;
accepting user input at a user interface of the electrical load scheduling mechanism, wherein said user input comprises at least one user-specified time constraint related to a time frame of delivery of electrical power to the appliance and user-specified time windows associated with at least one alternative energy source, wherein the at least one alternative energy source is different than the electrical grid; and
scheduling delivery of electrical power to the appliance via the electrical load scheduling mechanism from the at least one alternative energy source;
said scheduling comprising altering a predetermined delivery of electric power to the appliance based on the assessed electrical grid conditions and on the accepted user input.
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Abstract
Methods and arrangements for load-shifting time deferrable devices. An electrical load scheduling mechanism is provided, and this is placed in communication with an appliance. Electrical grid load conditions are assessed, and delivery of electrical power to the appliance is scheduled via the electrical load scheduling mechanism. The scheduling includes altering a predetermined delivery of electric power to the appliance based on the assessed electrical grid conditions.
22 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing an electrical load scheduling mechanism; placing the electrical load scheduling mechanism in communication with an appliance; the electrical load scheduling mechanism comprising an object which is separable from the appliance and which transmits electrical power between an electrical grid and the appliance, wherein the appliance plugs into the electrical load scheduling mechanism and wherein the electrical load scheduling mechanism connects to the electrical grid; assessing electrical grid load conditions from the electrical load scheduling mechanism; accepting user input at a user interface of the electrical load scheduling mechanism, wherein said user input comprises at least one user-specified time constraint related to a time frame of delivery of electrical power to the appliance and user-specified time windows associated with at least one alternative energy source, wherein the at least one alternative energy source is different than the electrical grid; and scheduling delivery of electrical power to the appliance via the electrical load scheduling mechanism from the at least one alternative energy source; said scheduling comprising altering a predetermined delivery of electric power to the appliance based on the assessed electrical grid conditions and on the accepted user input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising; computer readable program code configured to accommodate an electrical load scheduling mechanism; computer readable program code configured to placing the electrical load scheduling mechanism in communication with an appliance; the electrical load scheduling mechanism comprising an object which is separable from the appliance and which transmits electrical power between an electrical grid and the appliance, wherein the appliance plugs into the electrical load scheduling mechanism and wherein the electrical load scheduling mechanism connects to the electrical grid; computer readable program code configured to assess electrical grid load conditions from the electrical load scheduling mechanism; computer readable program code configured to accept user input at a user interface of the electrical load scheduling mechanism, wherein said user input comprises at least one user-specified time constraint related to a time frame of delivery of electrical power to the appliance and user-specified time windows associated with at least one alternative energy source, wherein the at least one alternative energy source is different than the electrical grid; computer readable program code configured to schedule delivery of electrical power to the appliance via the electrical load scheduling mechanism from the at least one alternative energy source; computer readable program code configured to schedule via altering a predetermined delivery of electric power to the appliance based on the assessed electrical grid conditions and on the accepted user input; and computer readable program code configured to control, based on the computer readable program code configured to schedule, delivery of electrical power.
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12. A computer program product comprising:
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a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising; computer readable program code configured to accommodate an electrical load scheduling mechanism; computer readable program code configured to placing the electrical load scheduling mechanism in communication with an appliance; the electrical load scheduling mechanism comprising an object which is separable from the appliance and which transmits electrical power between an electrical grid and the appliance, wherein the appliance plugs into the electrical load scheduling mechanism and wherein the electrical load scheduling mechanism connects to the electrical grid; computer readable program code configured to assess electrical grid load conditions from the electrical load scheduling mechanism; computer readable program code configured to accept user input at a user interface of the electrical load scheduling mechanism, wherein said user input comprises at least one user-specified time constraint related to a time frame of delivery of electrical power to the appliance and user-specified time windows associated with at least one alternative energy source, wherein the at least one alternative energy source is different than the electrical grid; computer readable program code configured to schedule delivery of electrical power to the appliance via the electrical load scheduling mechanism from the at least one alternative energy source; computer readable program code configured to schedule via altering a predetermined delivery of electric power to the appliance based on the assessed electrical grid conditions and on the accepted user input; and computer readable program code configured to control, based on the computer readable program code configured to schedule, delivery of electrical power. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification