4. DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

[001] The present disclosure generally relates to a field of energy management systems and methods. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for receiving demand requests from electrical loads and responding to the requests.

BACKGROUND

[002] Conventionally, the electrical power consumers often have to pay a maximum demand charge in addition to the usual charge for the number of units consumed. The electricity billing is usually based on maximum demand charge registered during month/billing period and corresponding rate utility, the energy consuming charges, power factor penalty or bonus rates, levied by most utilities, relate to the reactive power drawn from grid, time of day (TOD) rates like peak and non-peak hours are prevalent in tariff structure provisions of some utilities and also include a penalty for exceeding contract demand. The maximum demand charge often represents a large proportion of the total bill based on only one registered period of high power use. The consumers have concentrated their energy saving efforts in two areas one is reduction of kilowatt hour consumption and second is improving the electrical systems power factor for reducing the amount of utility bill.

[003] Typically, in order to meet the growing demand for electricity, electric utilities have employed demand side management strategies. Many utilities are currently experiencing a shortage of electric generating capacity due to increasing consumer demand for electricity. Currently utilities generally charge a flat rate but with increasing cost of fuel prices and high energy usage at certain parts of the day, utilities have to buy more energy to supply customers during peak demand. Consequently, utilities are charging higher rates during peak demand. If peak demand can be lowered, then a potential huge cost savings can be achieved and the peak load that the utility has to accommodate is lessened. In order to reduce high peak power demand, many utilities have instituted time of use metering and rates which include higher rates for energy usage during on-peak times and lower rates for energy usage during off-peak times. As a result, consumers are provided with an incentive to use electricity at off-peak times rather than on-peak times. Thus the consumer has to need a demand management by the reduction of consuming power, adjusting the new KW limit and avoiding the maximum demand penalties.

[004] In the light of aforementioned discussion there exists a need for an efficient and economic system and method for receiving demand requests from electrical loads and responding to the request.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[005] The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[006] For purposes of summarizing, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features have been described herein. It is to be understood that not all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment. Thus, the disclosed subject matter may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages without achieving all advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

[007] Exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed towards to a system for managing and receiving demand requests of electrical loads and responding to the requests. According to a first aspect, the system includes a monitoring unit configured to acquire an amount of energy consumed by an energy meter over a predetermined period of time for accessing and disseminating metering data to customers. The acquired energy data is validated, stored and analyzed by the monitoring unit for providing a predetermined threshold. The energy meter incorporated with a memory for storing the consumed energy data of the one or more electrical loads.

[008] According to the first aspect, the system includes an intelligence remote interface server enabled to communicate with the monitoring unit for storing the data acquired from the energy meter and to transmit the stored data to the customer through a remote interface. The data transmitted through the remote interface establishes a communication between the customer and the monitoring unit.

[009] According to the first aspect, the system includes a data communication gateway serving an interface between the intelligence remote interface server and the monitoring unit to provide the data related to the energy consumed in real time for empowering the customer to communicate with one or more electrical loads. The one or more electrical loads comprising at least one of: a critical load; and a non critical load. The advanced metering infrastructure configured to provide the energy consumed by the one or more electrical loads in real time for enabling the customer to modulate the one or more electrical loads.

[0010] According to the first aspect, a load controller electrically and electronically coupled to the energy meter for remotely monitoring and controlling the amount of energy consumed by the one or more electrical loads to modulate exceeding electrical demand to the predetermined threshold. The load controller configured to control the one or more electrical loads according to the predefined logical sequence set by the customer. The load controller configured to operate the one or more electrical loads according to the predetermined threshold provided by the monitoring unit. The one or more electric loads operated by the one or more control cards based on the predetermined threshold. The system also includes an alarm unit coupled with the monitoring unit provides an indication to the customer to control the exceeded predetermined threshold by disabling the respective one or more electrical loads. The alarm unit is also used to provide a continuous indicative sound to hear a response from the customer.

[0011] According to the first aspect, the system includes a home display unit configured to display the maximum electrical demand value along with the indicative sound for providing an indication to the customer.

[0012] According to a second aspect, a system for managing and receiving demand requests of electrical loads and responding to the requests is disclosed. According to the second aspect, the system includes a load controller electrically and electronically coupled to a monitoring unit for remotely monitoring and controlling an amount of energy consumed by one or more electrical loads to modulate exceeding electrical demand to a predetermined threshold. The load controller configured to control the one or more electrical loads according to a predefined logical sequence set by the customer.

[0013] According to a third aspect, a method for managing and receiving demand requests of electrical loads and responding to the requests is disclosed. According to the third aspect, the method includes acquiring an amount of energy consumed by a monitoring unit through an energy meter over a predetermined period of time for accessing and disseminating metering data to customers. The acquired energy data is validated, stored and analyzed by the monitoring unit for providing a predetermined threshold.

[0014] According to the third aspect, the method includes storing the data acquired from the energy meter in an intelligence remote interface server and to transmit the stored data to the customer through a remote interface. The data transmitted through the remote interface establishes a communication between the customer and the monitoring unit.

[0015] According to the third aspect, the method includes providing the data related to the energy consumed in real time by a data communication gateway for empowering the customer to communicate with one or more electrical loads. The data communication gateway serves an interface between the intelligence remote interface server and the energy meter to communicate with one or more electrical loads comprising at least one of a critical load and a non critical load.

[0016] According to the third aspect, the method includes remotely monitoring and controlling the amount of energy consumed by the one or more electrical loads by a load controller to modulate exceeding electrical demand to the predetermined threshold. The load controller electrically and electronically coupled to the energy meter configured to control the one or more electrical loads according to the predefined logical sequence set by the customer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been used to designate like elements, and wherein:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system for remotely monitoring and controlling electrical loads by receiving demand requests and responding to the corresponding requests.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a system for automatic control of electrical loads.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a system for manual control of electrical loads.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a system for controlling the energy consumed by the electrical loads by using the load controllers.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for managing and receiving demand requests of electrical loads and responding to the requests.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION

[0023] It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0024] The use of "including", "comprising" or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms "a" and "an" herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. Further, the use of terms "first", "second", and "third", and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

[0025] Figure 1 is a diagram 100 illustrating a system for remotely monitoring and controlling electrical loads by receiving demand requests and responding to the corresponding requests. According to a non limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system includes an energy meter 102 coupled with multiple electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c through a monitoring unit 104. The electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c are further coupled with corresponding load controllers 108a, 108b and 108c to control the electrical loads and also the monitoring unit 104 may be integrated with a data communication gateway 110 or externally coupled to establish a remote communication with the intelligence remote interface server 112 and also with the data communication device 114 of the customer. For convenience the present disclosure discusses only about the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c coupled with the monitoring unit 104. However, it should be understood that in practise there may be any number of electrical loads as similar as the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c coupled with the monitoring unit 104. Therefore the present disclosure is not limited in the number of devices electrical loads 106a, 106ba dn 106c coupled with the monitoring unit 104 that may be included and/or supported by an energy meter with the disclosed embodiments.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the monitoring unit 104 in communication with the energy meter 102 acquires an amount of energy consumed over a predetermined period of time for accessing and disseminating meter data to customers. The acquired energy data is validated, stored and analyzed by the monitoring unit 104 for providing a predetermined threshold levels. The monitoring unit 104 in communication with the intelligence remote interface server 104 configured to store the data acquired from the energy meter 102 and transmits the stored data to the customer through a remote interface. The remote interface establishes a communication between the customer and the monitoring unit 104 for transmitting the metering data of the energy meter 102 to the customer.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the data communication gateway 110 which may include but not limited to general packet radio service, global system for mobile communication and the like are used to serve as an interface between the intelligence remote interface server 112 and the energy meter 102. The intelligence remote interface server 112 is enabled to provide the data related to the energy consumed in real time for empowering the customer and establish a communication with the multiple electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c which may include but not limited to a critical load, non critical load and the like. The real time data provided by the intelligence remote interface server 112 is used to remotely monitor and control the amount of energy consumed by the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c by using the corresponding load controllers 108a, 108b and 108c. The load controllers 108a, 108b and 108c electrically and electronically coupled with the energy meter 102 is used to modulate the exceeded electrical demand to the predetermined threshold level by controlling the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c according to the predefined logical sequence set by the customer. The electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c are controlled by disabling the load controllers 108a, 108b and 108c according to the predetermined threshold level provided by the monitoring unit 104. The load controller 108a, 108b and 108c are used to enable and disable the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c electrically and electronically coupled with the energy meter 102.

[0028] Further as shown in Figure 1, the intelligence remote interface server 112 in communication with the monitoring unit 104 through the data communication gateway 110 is used to remotely monitor and control the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c from a remote station. Also the customer is enabled to remotely monitor and control the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c by an authenticated data communication device 114 through the data communication gateway 110. Further, the system includes a home display unit 116 in communication with the energy meter 102 for providing a display of the amount of energy consumed real time to the customer.

[0029] Also further as shown in Figure 1, if the predetermined threshold provided by the monitoring unit 104 exceeds due to the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c, a request is transmitted to a data communication device 114 of the customer through the remote interface. Thus based on the request received by the customer, the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c are operated by the authorized data communication device 114 which may include but not limited to a hand held mobile communication device, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer operated in a secured web environment and the like. Further, the monitoring unit 104 includes a customer relationship management server which is used to analyze the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c operated by the data communication device 114. The monitoring unit 104 also includes an application server, a billing server, data base server, load profiling server, CRM server and other servers. The load profiling server of the monitoring unit 104 is used to communicate with the corresponding load controllers 108a, 108b and 108c for operating the electrical loads 106a, 106b and 106c based on the predetermined threshold level.

[0030] Figure 2 is a diagram 200 illustrating a system for automatic control of electrical loads. According to a non limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system includes an energy meter 202 coupled with multiple electrical loads 206a, 206b and 206c through a monitoring unit 204. The system also includes multiple load controllers 208a, 208b and 208c coupled with the corresponding multiple electrical loads 206a, 206b and 206c.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the monitoring unit 204 in communication with the energy meter 202 acquires an amount of energy consumed over a predetermined period of time for accessing and disseminating meter data to customers. The acquired energy data is validated, stored and analyzed by the monitoring unit 204 for providing a predetermined threshold levels. The monitoring unit 204 in communication with the multiple electrical loads 206a, 206b and 206c is used to monitor the amount of energy transmitted by the electrical loads 206a, 206b and 206c. Further, the load controllers 208a, 208b and 208c electrically and electronically coupled with the energy meter 202 is used to modulate the exceeded electrical demand to the predetermined threshold level by controlling the electrical loads 206a, 206b and 206c according to the predefined logical sequence set by the customer. The electrical loads 206a, 206b and 206c are controlled by disabling the corresponding load controllers 208a, 208b and 208c according to the predetermined threshold level provided by the monitoring unit 204.

[0032] Further as shown in Figure 2, the load controllers 208a, 208b and 208c are used to enable and disable the electrical loads 206a, 206b and 206c electrically and electronically coupled with the energy meter 202. The predetermined threshold levels set by the monitoring units are used to automatically switch off the respective electrical load 206a, 206b and 206c based on the priority provided to the corresponding load controllers 208a, 208b and 208c by the customer or the user at remote station. The priority is provided to the load controllers 208a, 208b and 208c based on the peak hours and non peak hours of the usage of the electrical loads 206a, 206b and 206c.

[0033] Figure 3 is a diagram 300 illustrating a system for manual control of electrical loads. According to a non limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system includes an energy meter 302 coupled with multiple electrical loads 306a, 306b and 306c through a monitoring unit 304.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the monitoring unit 304 in communication with the any of the energy meter / measuring unit 302 acquires an amount of energy consumed over a predetermined period of time for accessing and disseminating meter data to customers. The acquired energy data is validated, stored and analyzed by the monitoring unit 304 for providing a predetermined threshold levels. The monitoring unit 304 in communication with the multiple electrical loads 306a, 306b and 306c is used to monitor the amount of energy transmitted by the electrical loads 306a, 306b and 306c. Further, the system also includes an alarm and alert unit in communication with the monitoring unit 304 or integrated with it to provide an indication as a sound to the customer, when the energy consumed by the electrical loads 306a, 306b and 306c exceeds the predetermined threshold level. The indication provided by the alarm unit sounds continuously until the customer provides a response. The customer will respond to the alarm by manually disabling the respective electrical load 306a, 306b and 306c based on the required priority.

[0035] Figure 4 is a diagram 400 illustrating a system for controlling the energy consumed by the electrical loads by using the load controllers. According to a non limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system includes an energy meter 402, multiple load controllers 408a, 408b and 408c coupled with the corresponding multiple electrical loads 406a, 406b and 406c. The energy meter 402 electrically and electronically coupled with the multiple electrical loads 406a, 406b and 406c for monitoring the amount of energy consumed. The energy meter 402 is incorporated with the memory for storing real time energy data and the data related to the amount of energy consumed. The load controllers 408a, 408b and 408c are used for empowering the customer and establishing a communication with the electrical loads 406a, 406b and 406c to remotely monitor the energy consumed at each electrical load 406a, 406b and 406c and used to operate the multiple electrical loads 406a, 406b and 406c. The remote monitoring of electrical loads 406a, 406b and 406c can be through wireless and wired gateways which may include but not limited to wifi, global system for mobile communications, global positioning system and the like or through cable or connectors.

[0036] As shown in Figure 4, if the energy consumed by the electrical loads 406a, 406b and 406c exceeds the predetermined threshold provided by the monitoring unit, a request is transmitted to a data communication device of the customer through the data communication gateway. Thus based on the request received by the customer the electrical loads 406a, 406b and 406c are operated by the authorized data communication device through a mobile application downloaded in the corresponding data communication device or through the computer or laptop or any portable device. Further, the multiple load controllers 408a, 408b and 408c are used to operate the corresponding electrical loads 406a, 406b and 406c according to the predefined logical sequence set by the customer.

[0037] Figure 5 is a flow diagram 500 illustrating a method for managing and receiving demand requests of electrical loads and responding to the requests. According to a non limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the method starts at step 502 by acquiring an amount of energy consumed by an energy meter over a predetermined period of time through a monitoring unit for accessing and decimating metering data to customers. Next at 504, the acquired data is validated, stored and analyzed by the monitoring unit for providing a predetermined threshold.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, at 506 an intelligence remote interface server is enabled to communicate with the monitoring unit for storing the data acquired from teh energy meter. Next at 508 the stored data is transmitted to the customer through a remote interface by establishing a communication between the customer and the monitoring unit. At 510, the data related to the consumed in real time by a data communication gateway, which serves an interface between the intelligence remote interface server and the monitoring unit for empowering the customer to communicate with the electrical loads. Further at 512, a load controller electrically and electronically coupled to the energy meter is used to remotely monitor and control the amount of energy consumed by the electrical loads to modulate exceeding electrical demand to the predetermined threshold. The electrical loads are controlled by the load controller according to the predefined logical sequence set by the customer.

[0039] While specific embodiments of the disclosure have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the disclosure may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

5. CLAIMS:

What is claimed is

1. A system for managing and receiving demand requests of electrical loads and responding to the requests, the system comprising:

a monitoring unit configured to acquire an amount of energy consumed by an energy meter over a predetermined period of time for accessing and disseminating metering data to customers, whereby the acquired energy data to be validated; stored; and analyzed by the monitoring unit for providing a predetermined threshold;

an intelligence remote interface server enabled to communicate with the monitoring unit for storing the data acquired from the energy meter; and to transmit the stored data to the customer through a remote interface, whereby the data transmitted through the remote interface establishes a communication between the customer and the monitoring unit;

a data communication gateway serves an interface between the intelligence remote interface server and the monitoring unit to provide the data related to the energy consumed in real time for empowering the customer to communicate with one or more electrical loads, whereby the one or more electrical loads comprising at least one of: a critical load; and a non critical load; and

a load controller electrically and electronically coupled to the energy meter for remotely monitoring and controlling the amount of energy consumed by the one or more electrical loads to modulate exceeding electrical demand to the predetermined threshold, whereby the load controller configured to control the one or more electrical loads according to the predefined logical sequence set by the customer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the load controller configured to operate the one or more electrical loads according to the predetermined threshold provided by the monitoring unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy meter incorporated with a memory for storing the consumed energy data of the one or more electrical loads.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical loads operated by the
one or more control cards based on the predetermined threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data communication gateway configured to provide the energy consumed by the one or more electrical loads in real time for enabling the customer to modulate the one or more electrical loads.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein an alarm unit coupled with the monitoring unit provides an indication to the customer to manually control the exceeded predetermined threshold by disabling the respective one or more electrical loads.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the alarm unit configured to provide a continuous indicative sound to hear a response from the customer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a home display unit configured to display the maximum threshold value along with the indicative sound for providing an indication to the customer.

9. A system for managing and receiving demand requests of electrical loads and responding to the requests, the system comprising:

a load controller electrically and electronically coupled to a monitoring unit for remotely monitoring and controlling an amount of energy consumed by one or more electrical loads to modulate exceeding electrical demand to a predetermined threshold, whereby the load controller configured to control the one or more electrical loads according to a predefined logical sequence set by the customer.

10. A method for managing and receiving demand requests of electrical loads and responding to the requests, the method comprising:

acquiring an amount of energy consumed by an energy meter over a predetermined period of time for accessing and disseminating metering data to customers through a monitoring unit, whereby the acquired energy data to be validated; stored; and

analyzed by the monitoring unit for providing a predetermined threshold;

storing the data acquired from the energy meter in an intelligence remote interface server by enabling a communication with the monitoring unit; and to transmit the stored data to the customer through a remote interface, whereby the data transmitted through the remote interface establishes a communication between the customer and the monitoring unit;

providing the data related to the energy consumed in real time by a data communication gateway for empowering the customer to communicate with one or more electrical loads, whereby the data communication gateway serves an interface between the intelligence remote interface server and the energy meter to communicate with one or more electrical loads comprising at least one of: a critical load; and a non critical load; and

remotely monitoring and controlling the amount of energy consumed by the one or more electrical loads by a load controller to modulate exceeding electrical demand to the predetermined threshold, whereby the load controller electrically and electronically coupled to the energy meter configured to control the one or more electrical loads according to the predefined logical sequence set by the customer.