11458results about "Control using feedback" patented technology

A power subsystem is actively optimized to improve total subsystem efficiency in a way that is responsive to changes in load requirements, power supply variations, and subsystem temperature variations. Detailed, multidimensional power loss models are developed for constituent devices which are then combined into a power subsystem containing a controller and circuity for measuring device operating parameters such as input and output voltage, output current, and temperature. Operating parameters are continually monitored, and set points are correspondingly changed based on the detailed power loss models to achieve maximum overall efficiency for the instantaneous operating state of the system.

An improved building automation system is provided which is modular in design thus minimizing the amount of instruction necessary to affect control of a particular building system. A relatively small set of interprocess control commands define an interprocess control protocol which is utilized in relatively high level scripts and control applications. The improved building automation system operates to translate control instructions in one particular control protocol to control instructions in a second control protocol. A text parsing program routes interprocess communication commands between modular communication programs to affect control over the automated building systems. The text parsing program includes executable instructions which allow for conditional communication of interprocess control commands depending upon system events.

A business methodology for optimizing energy procurement energy demand (usage) and energy supply for a facility or complex. After ascertaining a baseline model, energy consumption is monitored and adjusted to reflect dynamic economic factors of operations. With the accumulation of data, contract negotiations with energy suppliers may provide further energy savings. Over time and patterns of usage determined further savings and optimization in energy, equipment, staffing and other operational areas are obtained. Remote access provides efficient monitoring of established systems.

Methods and systems are provided for optimizing the control of energy supply and demand. An energy control unit includes one or more algorithms for scheduling the control of energy consumption devices on the basis of variables relating to forecast energy supply and demand. Devices for which energy consumption can be scheduled or deferred are activated during periods of cheapest energy usage. Battery storage and alternative energy sources (e.g., photovoltaic cells) are activated to sell energy to the power grid during periods that are determined to correspond to favorable cost conditions.

An energy distribution may include a server and one or more databases. The system may communicate with an energy provider to receive energy provider data, at least one information collector to receive information collector data such as individualized energy usage data, customer preferences, and customer or location characteristics, and the one or more databases for receiving data for optimization. The system may calculate a cost of service or avoided cost using at least one of the individualized energy usage data and a system generation cost at a nearest bus. The system may also forecast individualized demand by end-use, individualized demand by location, energy prices, or energy costs. The system may optimize energy distribution, energy use, cost of service, or avoided cost using the forecasted individualized demand by end-use, the forecasted individualized demand by location, the forecasted energy prices, and the forecasted energy costs.

Systems and methods for providing energy management utilize wireless wide-area network broadcast signals and a decentralized receiver architecture to allow customers to make informed choices with regard to energy consumption and load shedding for particular appliances. A receiver assembly embedded within an appliance receives a broadcast signal, e.g., an FM subcarrier signal, including tariff data and other electrical grid data. A processor coupled with the receiver controls the appliance in accordance with the received data and in accordance with user-defined preferences. In some embodiments, a transceiver assembly is embedded in one or more appliances in a household. Each transceiver is configured to receive broadcast signals regarding grid data, and to communicate with other appliances and / or a usage meter over a wireless personal area network. Meter data from one or more households may be aggregated and uplinked back to the energy provider or other entities.

Methods and systems are provided for optimizing the control of energy supply and demand. An energy control unit includes one or more algorithms for scheduling the control of energy consumption devices on the basis of variables relating to forecast energy supply and demand. Devices for which energy consumption can be scheduled or deferred are activated during periods of cheapest energy usage. Battery storage and alternative energy sources (e.g., photovoltaic cells) are activated to sell energy to the power grid during periods that are determined to correspond to favorable cost conditions.

Systems and methods for energy optimization may receive receiving energy provider data, near-real time individualized energy usage data for each of a plurality of end-uses or near-real time individualized whole premise energy usage data, customer preferences, and near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may forecast, for a selected time period, individualized energy usage for each of the plurality of end-uses or individualized whole premise energy usage data for a customer location using: (1) the energy provider data, (2) the near-real time individualized energy usage data, (3) the customer preferences, and (4) the near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may optimize, for the selected time period, energy usage at the customer location using (1) the individualized energy usage, (2) the energy provider data, and (3) the customer preferences.

Disclosed is a computerized method for dispatching energy from distributed resources in a discharge event so that the energy stored in individual devices is levelized, or so that an operator request is met. Evaluation of event parameters may be deferred. The method may be utilized to dispatch energy from plug-in electric vehicles. Systems and methods to account for electricity dispatched to or from electric vehicles are disclosed. Systems and methods for incentivizing consumers to participate in a dispatch event or curtail energy use are disclosed.

A smart grid gateway which includes a onboard computer programmed to provide load measurement and control of at least one local resource or asset. At least one metrology module is configured to provide metering of the at least one local resource or asset. At least one LAN module is configured to communicate with the at least one local resource or asset. At least one WAN module is configured to communicate with a network operations center.

A wireless base unit communicates with one or more wireless load manager units to receive power measurements for one or more loads connected to the wireless load manager. In response to dynamic variables, such as the changing price of electricity, the wireless base unit transmits commands to the wireless load manager to shut off or reduce power consumed by the one or more loads. In one variation, a wireless adapter also receives commands from the wireless base unit and converts the commands into a vendor-specific format used to control other devices such as a photovoltaic (PV) inverter.

There is provided a power transmission device including a communication part that performs communication with an external power transmission device that transmits power, a power transmission part that transmits power to a power receiving device that receives the transmitted power in a non-contact manner, a determination part that determines whether power can be transmitted, based on external power transmission information received by the communication part indicating a start of power transmission by the external power transmission device, and a power transmission control part that controls the power transmission part to selectively transmit power based on a determination result from the determination part.

A context-aware smart home energy management (CASHEM) system and method is disclosed. CASHEM dynamically schedules household energy use to reduce energy consumption by identifying contextual information within said household, selecting a comfort of service preference, wherein said comfort of service preference is based on different said contextual information, and extracting an appliance use schedule for maximum energy savings based on said contextual information in light of said comfort of service preferences, by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus. CASHEM correlates said contextual information with energy consumption levels to dynamically schedule said appliance based on an energy-saving condition and a user's comfort. Comfort of service preferences are gathered by CASHEM by monitoring occupant activity levels and use of said appliance. CASHEM can also recommend potential energy savings for a user to modify comfort of service preferences.

Systems, methods, and apparatus embodiments for electric power grid and network registration and management of active grid elements. Grid elements are transformed into active grid elements following initial registration of each grid element with the system, preferably through network-based communication between the grid elements and a coordinator, either in coordination with or outside of an IP-based communications network router. A multiplicity of active grid elements function in the grid for supply capacity, supply and / or load curtailment as supply or capacity. Also preferably, messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and / or grid operators.

There is provided a power transmitting apparatus including a power transmission side communication unit for communicating with one or more power receiving apparatus for receiving transmitted power; a power transmission unit for transmitting power to the one or more power receiving apparatus in a non-contact manner; an allocating unit for dividing transmission of power from the power transmission unit to the power receiving apparatus to a plurality of dividing periods for every predetermined period, and allocating the one or more power receiving apparatus to one of the dividing periods; and a power transmission control unit for selectively transmitting power to the one or more power receiving apparatus for every dividing period based on the allocation result in the allocating unit.

A wireless power infrastructure for delivering wireless power from a wireless network to mobile devices. The infrastructure includes a plurality of power transmission hubs, each hub having: a first capacitor for transmitting a signature frequency for a defined range; and a set of second capacitors, each for transmitting resonant wireless power within the defined range at a selectable frequency. A mobile device for obtaining wireless resonant the plurality of power transmission hubs is also described, and includes: a first variable capacitor for detecting a signature frequency associated with a proximately located power transmission hub; a second variable capacitor for receiving wireless resonant capacitor from the proximately located power transmission hub; and a synchronization system for setting the second variable capacitor to a frequency that is synchronized with a wireless resonant power transmission of the proximately located power transmission hub.

Methods and systems are disclosed for controlling energy consumption at a facility, or a group of facilities, using current and future energy prices, and seasonal and environmental information to control a load shedding scheme.

A system for managing consumption of power supplied by an electric utility to power consuming devices includes at least one client device and a server. Each client device operates at least partially responsive to control messages received from the server and controls operation of one or more controllable devices. Each controllable device selectively enables and disables a flow of power to one or more of the consuming devices. The server stores information, on a per client device basis, relating to power consumed by the consuming devices. When a power reduction is requested by the utility, the server selects, based on client device information stored in the database, at least one client device to which to issue a power reduction message that indicates at least one of an amount of power to be reduced and an identification of a controllable device to be instructed to disable a flow of power.

A system and method for calibrating a set-point for climate control includes a sensor network having a plurality of sensors configured to report a climate condition. A database is configured to receive reports from the sensors and generate one or more profiles reflecting at least one of historic climate control information and occupant preferences. A controller is configured to receive information from the profiles to generate a set-point based upon an optimization program. The optimization program is implemented to balance competing goals to generate the set-point for controlling climate control equipment in accordance with the set-point.

A method comprises collecting utilization data for a resource, and predicting by a power management system, based on the collected utilization data, future utilization of the resource. The method further comprises controlling, by the power management system, power to the resource, based at least in part on the predicted future utilization of the resource. In one embodiment, the utilization data is collected for a plurality of resources that are operable to perform tasks, and the method further comprises determining, by the power management system, how many of the resources are needed to provide a desired capacity for servicing the predicted future utilization of the resources for performing the tasks. The method further comprises configuring, by the power management system, ones of the resources exceeding the determined number of resources needed to provide the desired capacity in a reduced power-consumption mode.

Thermostatic HVAC and other energy management controls that are connected to a computer network. For instance, remotely managed load switches incorporating thermostatic controllers inform an energy management system, to provide enhanced efficiency, and to verify demand response with plug-in air conditioners and heaters. At least one load control device at a first location comprises a temperature sensor and a microprocessor. The load control device is configured to connect or disconnect electrical power to the an attached air conditioner or heater, and the microprocessor is configured to communicate over a network. In addition, the load control device is physically separate from an air conditioner or heater but located inside the space conditioned by the air conditioner or heater.

Systems and methods for managing power supplied over an electric power grid by an electric utility and / or other market participants to multiplicity of grid elements and devices for supply and / or load curtailment as supply, each of which having a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with its energy consumption and / or reduction in consumption and / or supply, and wherein messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements and devices, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and / or grid operators.

A power transmission method used in a high-power wireless induction power supply system consisting of a power-supplying module and a power-receiving module is disclosed. The power-supplying module regulates its output energy by means of frequency modulation and driving power adjustment, enabling the energy to be received by the power-receiving module and transmitted through a power-receiving coil array and a primary resonant capacitor and a secondary resonant capacitor of power-receiving resonance circuit, a synchronizing rectifier, a low-power voltage stabilizer, a high-frequency filter capacitor, a first power switch, a low-frequency filter capacitor and a second power switch of a filter circuit for output to an external apparatus.

A system uses an intelligent load controller for managing use of a consumable resource at an associated load. The controller has a resource measuring component for measuring the rate of use of the resource by the associated load, including measuring at least one of an instantaneous usage rate and a usage rate over an integration period and a load status component for receiving load status data for the associated load. The controller also has a communication component for receiving control messages from and sending load status messages to other associated controllers; a memory for storing a load control goal set; and a load control computer program responsive to the resource measuring component, the load status component, the control messages from other associated controllers and the load control goal set, to determine a load operating level for, and provide control commands to, the associated load.

An intelligent network demand control system provides a system and method for controlling demand in an energy delivery system. Various embodiments of the intelligent network demand control system employs a transceiver network with a plurality transceivers coupled to meters and appliances residing at a plurality of customer premises. Control room operators instruct a customer premises (CP) energy management controller to implement a reduction in system demand. A demand reduction control signal is relayed out to a predefined group of transceivers to bring their respective controlled generators on line. The predefined transceivers, identified by their identification codes, are specified in the demand reduction control signal. The actual demand reduction is metered and relayed back to the CP energy management controller. In some embodiments, the total demand reduction is aggregated into a single number and then communicated to the operators.

There is provided a power transmitting apparatus including a power transmission side communication unit for communicating with a power receiving apparatus, a power transmission unit for transmitting power to the power receiving apparatus in a non-contact manner, a transmission power information deriving unit for increasing discretely a first transmission power to transmit from the power transmission unit to the power receiving apparatus, and deriving information related to power transmission for determining a second transmission power corresponding to power desired by the power receiving apparatus based on reception of received power information transmitted from the power receiving apparatus at the power transmission side communication unit, indicating that a received power level meet a predetermined level, and a transmission power determining unit for determining the second transmission power to transmit to the power receiving apparatus based on information related to power transmission derived by the transmission power information deriving unit.

An electric power management system includes a monitor for the total power usage of a facility that monitors a history of power consumption during a set time interval of a distribution system having at least one electric load. Predictions of available power are generated through out the time interval by comparing the history of power consumption to a set allocation. Available power predictions are transmitted to the at least one electric load. The at least one load control receives the power capability predictions and controls the energy usage of the at least one electric load such that the total energy usage of the facility does not exceed the set allocation.

A control method for optimizing or enhancing an operation of a power plant that includes thermal generating units for generating electricity. The power plant may include multiple possible operating modes differentiated by characteristics of operating parameters. The method may include tuning a power plant model so to configure a tuned power plant model. The method may further include simulating proposed operating modes of the power plant with the tuned power plant model. The simulating may include a simulation procedure that includes: defining a second operating period; selecting the proposed operating modes from the possible operating modes; with the tuned power plant model, performing a simulation run for each of the proposed operating modes whereby the operation of the power plant during the second operating period is simulated; and obtaining simulation results from each of the simulation runs.

Systems and methods are disclosed for using 802.11 based wireless protocols in various energy management applications wherein a host controller uses various types of communication networks to distribute information to an on-premise processor that in turn uses 802.11 based wireless protocols to communicate with various types of end devices, such as utility meters. Various forms of communication are defined between the end device, the on-premise processor, and the energy management host for accomplishing power load control, including determining when to activate or deactivate a load, requesting permission to activate a load, reading usage data, activating or deactivating a meter, and determining rate schedules. A flexible scheme allows control to be shifted to be resident in various entities. The architecture is applicable not only for power load control, but other control type and metering devices.