U.S. patent application number 13/448005 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-18 for system and method for single and multizonal optimization of utility services delivery and utilization.
This patent application is currently assigned to POWER TAGGING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.. Invention is credited to Henrik F. BERNHEIM, Jerritt H. HANSELL, Marcin R. Martin.
Application Number | 20120265355 13/448005 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46085684 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120265355 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BERNHEIM; Henrik F. ; et
al. |
October 18, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SINGLE AND MULTIZONAL OPTIMIZATION OF UTILITY
SERVICES DELIVERY AND UTILIZATION
Abstract
The present invention is directed to utility service delivery
wherein distributed intelligence and networking is used in the
optimization of the service delivery. The present invention employs
a network of data collection nodes and aggregation nodes located on
a power grid controlled by a controlling agency. The data
collection nodes comprise Intelligent Communicating Devices (ICDs)
and Communicating Devices (CDs), which transmit metrics they
collect over the power grid from locations near meters or service
transformers to the aggregation nodes. Commands, policies, and
program updates may be transmitted from a server at an aggregation
node to the ICDs and CDs. The ICDs are also capable of issuing
control commands to the CDs and grid management devices, acting
locally and/or in conjunction with other ICDs, CDs, aggregation
nodes, and central controlling agencies. Through these
communications and commands, utility services delivery and
utilization is optimized.
Inventors: |
BERNHEIM; Henrik F.;
(Denver, CO) ; HANSELL; Jerritt H.; (Boulder,
CO) ; Martin; Marcin R.; (Erie, CO) |
Assignee: |
POWER TAGGING TECHNOLOGIES,
INC.
Boulder
CO
|
Family ID: |
46085684 |
Appl. No.: |
13/448005 |
Filed: |
April 16, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61476083 |
Apr 15, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
700/286 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02J 50/10 20160201;
H01F 38/14 20130101; G05B 2219/2642 20130101; G05B 15/02 20130101;
G05B 13/021 20130101; H02J 50/80 20160201 |
Class at
Publication: |
700/286 |
International
Class: |
G05F 5/00 20060101
G05F005/00 |
Claims
1. A system for the optimization of utility service parameters
wherein measurements and actions can be independently and/or
collectively performed at a multiplicity of distributed intelligent
and/or control points at any level of hierarchy within said system,
said system comprising: at least one aggregation node comprising at
least one server and at least one receiver; and at least one
Optimization Zone containing at least one data collection node,
wherein the at least one data collection node comprises at least
one Intelligent Communicating Device (ICD) executing at least one
application agent, said agent being locally stored on a
non-volatile store in the ICD and determining the measurements,
transmissions, and actions taken at the ICD.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the server at the at
least one aggregation node stores the transmissions received from
the ICDs at said server, and may subsequently forward them to
client applications via a conventional wide-area network.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said measurements
and/or actions are selected from one or more of the following:
voltage, power, current, power factor, temperature, humidity,
partial pressure of gasses, asset protection, load management,
service rate changes, operational tolerance changes, outage and/or
recovery management, device charging, power storage, distributed
generation, water consumption, gas consumption, and/or predictive
failure analysis.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
application agent includes locally stored procedures, and wherein
policies and parameters governing said procedures act independently
in support of a goal or goals that can be stated by a controlling
agency.
5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said locally stored
procedures, policies, and/or parameters are configured to be
dynamically updated at any point in time.
6. The system according to claim 4, wherein communications between
nodes and controlling agency, in any combination of communication
topologies, are conducted over a power grid.
7. The system according to claim 6, wherein alternative
communication paths are used to augment communications over the
grid.
8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system further
comprises at least one data collection node comprising one or more
Communicating Devices (CDs) that are capable of measurement and/or
control.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein a collection of one or
more CDs combined with one or more ICDs defines an Optimization
Zone.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein there are one or more
Optimization Zones.
11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the Optimization
Zones are nested and/or aggregated.
12. The system according to claim 9, wherein each Optimization Zone
includes generation and/or consumption devices.
13. The system according to claim 4, wherein the operation of said
stored procedure(s) is informed by data describing the static
and/or dynamic schematic location(s) within said system of any or
all the points of measurement, control, generation, and/or
consumption.
14. A method for the optimization of utility service parameters
wherein measurements and actions can be independently and/or
collectively performed at a multiplicity of distributed intelligent
and/or control points at any level of hierarchy within a system,
said method comprising: providing at least one aggregation node
comprising at least one server and at least one receiver; providing
at least one Optimization Zone containing at least one data
collection node, wherein the at least one data collection node
comprises at least one Intelligent Communicating Device (ICD); and
executing at least one application agent, said agent being locally
stored on a non-volatile store in the ICD and determining the
measurements, transmissions, and actions taken at the ICD.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said measurements and
actions are derived from a set or sets of locally stored procedures
in the at least one application agent that are based upon globally
and/or locally available information.
16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said measurements
and/or action are selected from one or more of the following:
voltage, power, current, power factor, temperature, humidity,
partial pressure of gasses, asset protection, load management,
service rate changes, operational tolerance changes, outage and/or
recovery management, device charging, power storage, distributed
generation, water consumption, gas consumption, and/or predictive
failure analysis.
17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the locally stored
procedures and policies and parameters governing said procedures
act independently in support of a goal or goals that can be stated
by a controlling agency.
18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said locally stored
procedures, policies, and/or parameters are configured to be
dynamically updated at any point in time.
19. The method according to claim 17, wherein communications
between nodes and controlling agency, in any combination of
communication topologies, are conducted over a power grid.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein alternative
communication paths are used to augment communications over the
grid.
21. The method according to claim 14, further comprising providing
at least one data collection node comprising one or more
Communicating Devices (CDs) that are capable of measurement and/or
control.
22. The method according to claim 21, wherein a collection of one
or more CDs combined with one or more ICDs defines an Optimization
Zone.
23. The method according to claim 22, wherein there are one or more
Optimization Zones.
24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the Optimization
Zones are nested and/or aggregated.
25. The method according to claim 22, wherein each Optimization
Zone includes generation and/or consumption devices.
26. The method according to claim 15, wherein the operation of said
stored procedure(s) can be informed by data describing the static
and/or dynamic schematic location(s) within said system of any or
all the points of measurement, control, generation, and/or
consumption.
27. The method according to claim 14, wherein the application node
alters the behavior of at least one application agent by issuing a
one-time command or changing a policy.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present patent application claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/476,083, filed Apr. 15,
2011.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention is directed generally toward utility
service delivery and the use of distributed intelligence and
networking in the optimization of utility, especially electrical,
service delivery. Applications in this field are popularly
characterized as "Smart Grid" applications.
[0004] 2. Background of the Invention
[0005] The electrical grid in the United States and most other
areas of the world is historically divided into two networks: the
transmission grid, and the distribution grid. The transmission grid
originates at a generation point, such as a coal-burning or atomic
power plant, or a hydroelectric generator at a dam. DC power is
generated, converted to high-voltage AC, and transmitted to
distribution points, called distribution substations, via a highly
controlled and regulated, redundant, and thoroughly instrumented
high-voltage network which has at its edge a collection of
distribution substations. Over the last century, as the use of
electrical power became more ubiquitous and more essential, and as
a complex market in the trading and sharing of electrical power
emerged, the technology of the transmission grid largely kept pace
with the technological requirements of the market.
[0006] The second network, the distribution grid, is the portion of
the electrical grid which originates at the distribution
substations and has at its edge a collection of residential,
commercial, and industrial consumers of energy. In contrast to the
transmission grid, the technology of the distribution grid has
remained relatively static since the mid-1930s until very recent
years. Today, as concern grows over the environmental effects of
fossil fuel usage and the depletion of non-renewable energy
sources, electrical distribution technology is increasingly focused
on optimization of the distribution grid. The goals of this
optimization are energy conservation, resource conservation, cost
containment, and continuity of service.
[0007] To optimize electrical service delivery, the operators of
the network must be able to quantify and anticipate the demand for
power that the distribution grid is expected to provide. To achieve
the goals of conservation, cost containment, and continuity of
service, it is also necessary to be able to manage and sometimes
curtail that demand.
[0008] Historically, utilities acquired information about household
and commercial usage only when meters were read. Thus, load
profiles were based on historical data year to year and on trend
analysis as the characteristics of the loads changed. Because of
this paucity of information, the utilities have been forced to
over-deliver service, so that, for example, a standard outlet or
socket in a consumer residence might deliver 122V AC when the
loading devices used there are designed and rated to operate at as
low as 110 V AC. This disparity provides a substantial opportunity
for conservation, but the opportunity cannot be realized without
better information about the pattern of demand.
[0009] The earliest attempts at conservation voltage reduction were
made at the substation level, using instrumentation at the
substation and a load-tap changer on the substation transformer.
This coarse-grained method is effective for keeping voltages at the
load points within specifications, but, to keep some end points
from being under-served, requires a safety margin to be employed
that results in most end points being slightly over-served, as
described above. Finer-grained information is necessary to achieve
substantial improvements in conservation.
[0010] One well-known experiment in the prior art of conservation
voltage reduction involved attaching individual voltage regulators
to private residences at the metered point. This model provides
significant immediate benefits to individual residential accounts,
but utilities must wait for historical data to realize gains such
as reduced use of "peaker" plants and avoiding purchasing energy on
the spot market. Utilities require finer-grained load pattern data
in near-real time to achieve such gains during the first year of
operation of a CVR program.
[0011] One potential source of such fine-grained data is
communicating "smart meters" which can report voltages. This
approach has been piloted and yielded reductions in power usage up
to 3%. Because the effective bandwidth per meter of the typical
radio-based AMI mesh network does not permit every meter to report
its voltage fluctuations frequently in near-real-time throughout
the day, these solutions sample only a limited selection of load
points in real-time. The load projections and data thus obtained
can be used to drive demand management applications because the
smart meters are capable of two-way communications.
[0012] Another approach to the conservation problem has been the
use of in-facility displays of real-time energy usage, engaging the
consumer in the activity of reducing demand. While these techniques
are effective for commercial and industrial consumers with
automated facility management systems, efforts to engage
residential consumers in actively managing their own consumption
have met with limited success. Residential systems for energy
management are an application of Home Area Networking (HAN).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention employs a network of data collection
nodes, comprising Communicating Devices (CDs) and Intelligent
Communicating Devices (ICDs) which transmit the metrics they
collect directly over the power distribution grid from edge
locations at meters and/or service transformers to an aggregation
node. The aggregation node may be located where the controlling
agency for utility service applications resides, such as at a
distribution substation. The aggregation nodes consist of a
receiver that monitors each phase of one or more feeders at the
distribution substation, a computer server that receives and stores
transmissions from the ICDs and publishes them on a conventional
wide-area network attached to the computer server, and a
transmitter controlled by the computer server whereby commands,
policies, and program updates may be transmitted from the server to
the ICDs and CDs. The Communicating Devices are capable of two-way
communication with an ICD sited on the low-voltage side of the
service transformer powering the CD. The ICDs can aggregate and
cache data collected both locally and from CDs, and execute locally
stored programs which cause the collected data to be transmitted
using a long-range on-grid protocol to the substation or
aggregation nodes. The programs may be stored on a non-transitory
computer readable media. The ICDs can also issue control commands
to the CDs and to grid management devices co-located with the ICD,
such as reclosers, capacitor banks, and voltage regulators. In the
present invention, the receiver at the aggregation node can infer
schematic and topological information about the ICDs such as the
feeder and phase upon which the ICD is sited based on various
properties of each ICD's transmissions as detected on one or more
of the receiver's inputs. These properties may include signal
strength.
[0014] The stored programs on the ICDs can carry out control
activities for conservation and distribution automation without
waiting for orders from a central agency, thus reducing the latency
of action as well as the communications load on the network
substrate.
[0015] Unlike HAN solutions, the optimizations obtained via the
methods supported by the present invention are not restricted to
upper-end consumers who a) may be less in need of the benefits than
other consumers who cannot afford to install home-area networking
systems and who b) may therefore be less engaged in energy
management than is desirable.
[0016] Unlike HAN solutions and local-regulator solutions, the
optimizations indicated of the present invention may be applied to
aggregations of homes and businesses rather than individual homes
and businesses only.
[0017] Unlike primarily model-based systems, the present invention
provides fine-grained data from all measurement nodes in near-real
time rather than relying on a predictive model, whether or not
supplemented with a small sample of real-time data points.
[0018] Unlike centralized systems, the distributed intelligence in
the ICDs provides the ability for applications to react in
real-time to transient events such as power surges and sags
resulting from external events, load changes, and changes in the
distribution grid itself.
[0019] Unlike prior art systems based on wireless technologies, the
present invention does not require a separate network of wireless
towers for transmitters, receivers, collectors, and repeaters to be
built between the network edge and the final aggregation point. The
system of the present invention works wherever electrical power is
available. This provides an advantage over prior systems such as RF
and cellular solutions, which tend to work poorly in dense urban
areas, places where the electrical infrastructure is under ground,
and rural areas where cellular service is unavailable or inadequate
and the costs of building RF mesh networks are prohibitively
high.
[0020] The present invention reduces facilities and operational
costs associated with running other smart grid models because the
communications substrate (the distribution grid) is owned by the
utility and does not require the utility to pay service fees to a
wireless service provider.
[0021] The present invention improves the accuracy of models and
optimizations because it is sensitive to the schematic location of
the control points and affected load points, while data collection
networks and models based on wireless AMI networks must be chiefly
based only on geospatial location and are not sensitive to changes
in grid topology such as states of switches and reclosers.
[0022] Unlike prior art networks that use cellular wireless as all
or part of the data reporting path, backhaul of data does not have
to be restricted to off-peak hours.
[0023] The present invention, by virtue of being capable of
concurrently supporting more real-time reporting and minimizing
necessary two-way end-to-end interactions, supports multiple
concurrent distribution automation and optimization applications
including, but not limited to, conservation voltage reduction,
asset protection, demand-side load management, service theft
detection, service leakage/loss detection, outage boundary
identification, rapid fault isolation, safe recovery management,
service quality assurance, predictive failure analysis, restriction
of access to service, distributed generation and storage management
and optimization, and electric vehicle charging control. Most of
these applications may be supported by the same data reports, given
that the data can be reported with sufficient frequency and
continuity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a portion of an electrical distribution grid
including one substation of four feeders, the substation containing
a Server 105, a Transmitter 106, and a Receiver 104. Served by the
substation are a collection of nested Optimization Zones 101, 102,
and 103, where Zone 103 contains a Voltage Regular attached to an
ICD 111 and two Transformer Area Network (TAN) zones 101 and 102.
Zone 101 is served by transformer 107 and contains one ICD 109
sited at transformer 107 and a plurality of CDs sited at the
residences in the TAN zone 101. Zone 102 is served by transformer
108 and contains one ICD 110 sited at transformer 108 and a
plurality of CDs sited at the residences in the TAN zone 102.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows an Optimization Zone 201 having a Transformer
Area Network with an ICD 203 which provides for Electric Vehicle
Charge management, protecting the Service Transformer 202 against
the possibility of overloading due to random uncontrolled charging
events.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows an Optimization Zone 301 having a Transformer
Area Network with an ICD 302 which controls a multiplicity of
household appliances with embedded CDs as represented by the
refrigerators 303. In this configuration, the independent control
exerted by the ICD 302 over the embedded CDs 303 allows the ICD to
maintain a consistent load over the TAN by staggering the times at
which the CDs permit their appliances to engage in high-consumption
activities (e.g. cycling the ice-maker, running dishwashers,
self-cleaning ovens) while ensuring that all appliances operate
within their safety and convenience specifications (e.g.
refrigerators keep foods at the proper temperature, dishwashing
cycle requested by 10 pm is completed by 6 am the next day).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] The present invention is directed generally toward utility
service delivery and the use of distributed intelligence and
networking in the optimization of utility service delivery, wherein
it is beneficial and necessary to establish zones of optimization
based on electrical schematic proximity (versus geospatial
proximity) of loads on the electrical grid.
[0028] The invention comprises at least one data aggregation point,
as shown in FIG. 1, said aggregation point comprising at least one
server 105, at least one on-grid receiver 104, and an optional
transmitter 106, together with at least one optimization zone. An
optimization zone contains at least one intelligent communicating
device (ICD) (109, 110, and 111). An optimization zone may
additionally contain other optimization zones, a collection of one
or more communicating devices (CDs) residing on the low-voltage
side of the same electrical service transformer wherefrom said ICD
derives its power, and one or more control devices. ICDs may be
sited on service transformers at the edge of the grid, but also on
low-voltage transformers associated with medium-voltage grid
equipment such as voltage regulators, switches, and capacitor
banks, which low-voltage transformers may be installed for the
purpose of powering monitoring and control equipment including but
not limited to said ICD. Optimization zones may additionally
include generation sources such as solar arrays and windmills which
are monitored and/or controlled by means of CDs or ICDs.
[0029] A server 105 at an aggregation point is a standard
ruggedized computer server comprising one or more CPUs, RAM, a
non-volatile solid-state data store whereon reside programs to be
executed by the CPU and data, a local-area network connection by
means of which the server communicates with the at least one
receiver 104, the optional transmitter 106, and an optional interne
gateway. The receiver 104 monitors the SCADA lines attached to the
medium-voltage distribution lines leaving the substation or other
nodes of interest on the distribution grid by means of current
transformers clamped onto said SCADA lines or other points of
contact. A current transformer must be provided for each phase of
each feeder over which said receiver is expected to receive
transmissions from ICDs. Said server executes stored programs which
store and forward transmissions from ICDs to client applications on
the conventional wide-area network and which additionally may from
time to time issue policy changes, control commands, and software
updates to the ICDs via said transmitter 106.
[0030] The transmitter 106 at an aggregation point may use any of a
number of on-grid transmission methods for transmitting from a
higher voltage to a lower voltage which are well known in the art,
such as audio-frequency ripple control. Said transmitter 106 may
also employ an alternative broadcast medium.
[0031] An ICD consists of a central processor (CPU), a writable
non-volatile storage, volatile random-access memory (RAM), and at
least one transmitter subsystem enabling software executing on the
CPU to order the long-range transmission of messages over the power
grid that can be received by said server 105 via one or more said
receiver 104 present on at least one aggregation point. An ICD may
optionally contain a separate transceiver subsystem capable of
using a local, PLC-type on grid communications protocol such as
Prime and G3, which are well known in the art, for two-way
communication with CDs located on the low-voltage side of the same
transformer which supplies power to said ICD. An ICD may optionally
contain a receiver subsystem which may be separate from or combined
with the long-range transmission subsystem, capable of receiving
transmissions sent either over the grid or via some other medium by
a transmitter 106. An ICD may optionally contain inputs from
instruments for measuring quantities including but not limited to
current, voltage, power factor, temperature, and humidity, and
outputs for asserting a signal to a control device such as a
switch, such that a software agent executing on the CPU of said ICD
may read and store measurements and control said optionally
attached devices. Said software agents are stored on said writable
non-volatile storage, and may additionally store state information,
collected data, and policies on said writable non-volatile
storage.
[0032] A CD is defined as any device which is a) connected to the
electrical power grid at low voltage, and b) contains a transceiver
for engaging in two-way communication via a PLC-type local on-grid
communications protocol such as G3 or Prime. A CD may contain logic
or firmware capable of reading inputs from attached measurement
devices and writing commands to controllable devices attached to
the CD. CDs are typically embedded in other devices which may
include but are not limited to commercial and residential
electrical meters, household appliances such as HVAC systems,
refrigerators, dish washers, pool pumps, etc., electrical and
hybrid vehicles, and charging stations for electrical and hybrid
vehicles.
[0033] Applications are comprised of distributed intelligent
software agents in the form of software programs stored on the
nonvolatile writable stores of said ICDs and executing on the CPUs
of said ICDs (109, 110, and 111) sited at critical measurement and
control points on the grid. Said agents are capable of collecting
measurements from CDs in their TAN and from instruments attached to
the ICDs. These agents may follow a policy dictating that the agent
transmit the collected data or a summary or derivative thereof over
the electrical distribution grid to the server 105, or transmit
commands to CDs capable of adjusting demand at individual loads
(303) or to control locally-attached devices such as voltage
regulators (111) which impact the service for an entire zone or
collection of zones, said policies being stored on the nonvolatile
writable stores of said ICDs. Server 105 may react to transmissions
from any ICD by issuing commands via transmitter 106. Said commands
may be broadcast or multicast and may be addressed to a single ICD,
a collection of ICDs, or all ICDs reachable from said transmitter
106.
[0034] In the present invention, the substation receiver 104 infers
schematic information about the transmitting ICDs based on the
signal characteristics of the received messages on each of the
inputs to the receiver, and enhances said received messages with
said inferred information. Said inferred information can
subsequently be used by distribution automation client applications
for the purpose of identifying changes in grid topology, switch
states, zone boundaries, outage locations, and the like.
[0035] In one embodiment of the invention, an electrical
distribution service area is organized into optimization zones
based on the characteristics of the areas served by each schematic
sub-tree of a radial distribution grid. FIG. 1 illustrates such a
schematic sub-tree, comprising an outer zone 103 containing a
multiplicity of Transformer Area Network zones (101 and 102). In
this embodiment, demand data from the TANs is aggregated at server
105 and transmitted via a conventional wide area network to client
applications. Based on an analysis of the aggregated data,
distribution optimization equipment, such as capacitor banks,
voltage regulators, and switches, may be installed at a plurality
of the zones, but it is not a requirement of the invention that any
or all zones have optimization devices installed. As illustrated in
FIG. 1, a voltage regulator may be installed on the lateral serving
zone 103. In this embodiment, conservation of electrical power can
be achieved by lowering the voltage supplied by the substation to
all zones, and using some combination of capacitor banks and
voltage regulators to subsequently adjust the voltage in
high-demand or highly variable-demand zones such as zone 103.
[0036] In a typical embodiment of the invention, one or more ICDs
are deployed for every TAN on the low-voltage side of its service
transformer. The ICD may communicate with a multiplicity of CDs
powered via said service transformer in the TAN. Communications
among the ICDs and CDs typically do not propagate significantly
beyond said service transformer. As each ICD is installed on the
grid, it transmits a provisioning request on a designated on-grid
communication channel which is detected by the receiver 104. The
server 105 responds with a provisioning fulfillment message which
may be transmitted via transmitter 106 or via a hand-held wireless
device carried by the human installer of the ICD. The ICD will
re-transmit its provisioning request after a randomized delay if it
fails to receive a provisioning fulfillment message within a
configurable interval. The fulfillment message contains a plurality
of policies enabling resident application agents on the ICD, and
for each enabled agent a schedule of time slots when the agent has
permission to transmit a data report. In some embodiments of the
invention, agents may also transmit asynchronous emergency alerts
on the provisioning channel. In other embodiments, multiple
channels are dedicated to alerting. In some embodiments, ICDs do
not transmit on a schedule but only transmit event-driven alerts.
All combinations of scheduled and event-based transmission
protocols are within the scope of the present invention.
[0037] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the software
and firmware residing on the ICDs, comprising the operating system
of the host processors in the ICD, the device drivers for attached
instruments and controls, the communications protocol stacks for
communicating with locally attached instruments and controls, the
communications protocol stacks for communicating with CDs within
the TAN, the communications protocol stacks for transmitting and
receiving long-range communication over the distribution grid above
the TAN, and the software programs implementing the application
agents can all be individually and collectively updated over the
network. Said updates are broadcast to all ICDs from a central
distribution point via the transmitter 106. In the preferred
embodiment of the invention, the distribution grid is the
communications medium used by transmitter 106. In alternative
embodiments the transmitter 106 is permitted to be a wireless
network or any alternative network medium that is present. The
schematic-awareness aspect of the present invention requires that
ICDs must transmit messages on the electrical distribution grid,
but transmission on-grid from substation to edge ICDs is not
required for schematic awareness. In one embodiment of the
invention, transmitter 106 is absent and updates to the ICDs are
made by visiting the device or by means of an alternative network
path gated via the local ICD-CD communication channel.
[0038] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the rules,
policies, goals, and parameters that govern the behavior of the
distributed agents can be updated from a central distribution point
via the transmitter 106. Distribution of said rules, policies,
goals, and parameters is varied and limited by variations in the
transmission scheme in various embodiments of the invention in the
same manner as are software and firmware updates.
[0039] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate embodiments of the invention where
CDs are embedded in devices inside a served residence, business, or
other consumer. Said devices may include electrical or hybrid
vehicles or the charging stations associated with said vehicles. In
such embodiments, the ICD 203 can assess the added load that
charging an additional vehicle would have on the associated service
transformer. Based on the existing and anticipated load, the ICD
can grant permission to charge the vehicle or defer the charging of
the vehicle until a later date, or implement more complex charging
protocol whereby multiple requesting vehicles are served in a
round-robin fashion so as to ensure that all vehicles receive at
least a partial charge. Additionally, the ICD can report to the
central authorizing agency via the long-range on-grid transmission
medium the identity of the requesting vehicle, and can suspend the
charging process or alert the consumer if the vehicle is not
recognized as having permission to charge in that locale.
[0040] Using the same local on-grid communications mechanism, the
ICD 302 in FIG. 3 can limit the total load at zone 301 by managing
the power consumption of appliances with embedded CDs in the
residences in the zone, represented by the refrigerators 303.
[0041] This description of the preferred embodiments of the
invention is for illustration as a reference model and is not
exhaustive or limited to the disclosed forms, many modifications
and variations being apparent to one of ordinary skill in the
art.
* * * * *