CN100378893C - Controllable electronic switch and method of controlling power delivery - Google Patents

Abstract

A power management system and associated method includes a plurality of local wireless energy control units at remote sites for controlling power delivered to customer loads and a central station having a wireless transmitter for broadcasting commands to the wireless energy control units. The wireless control units each include a set of switches for controlling the power delivered to the electrical loads at each local site. The controllable switch preferably has a deformable bimetal element which is controlled by a heating coil to connect and disconnect the electrical contacts. Each wireless energy control unit may be preconfigured to specify an order or priority of electrical load disconnection in response to receiving a command from the central station to reduce power consumption. The central station may issue commands to reduce power consumption according to different priorities or alarm phases. The local wireless energy unit responds to the power reduction command by disconnecting one or more electrical loads according to the priority of the power reduction command and reduces the total power demand by their collective operation.

Description

Controllable electronic switch and method of controlling power delivery

technical field

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for controlling energy distribution at local sites.

Background technique

Electric utilities face particular challenges in meeting changing consumer load demands. There are at least two related reasons for these challenges. First, electricity demand can fluctuate significantly from day to day or hour to hour, making it difficult for utilities to ensure they have enough capacity to meet demand. These fluctuations in energy demand can be due to daily cyclical energy application patterns (such as peaks in the afternoon), or due to unexpected changes in the balance of energy supply and demand, such as a generator connected to the grid stops working, Large energy consumers go online or offline, or there is a failure in the distribution system.

A second element of the challenge facing utilities is that electricity consumption in localized areas tends to increase over time, gradually increasing the burden on utilities to meet growing demand. Because new power plants are expensive to build and must comply with various government regulations, a locality or even a large geographic area may find itself without the electrical capacity to supply its current or anticipated future needs.

A major challenge for utility companies is handling peak energy demands. This is because the energy supplied by the utility must be sufficient to meet the energy demand at different times, and the peak energy demand exerts the greatest pressure on the power distribution system. When energy demand exceeds available supply, disruptive events such as blackouts, brownouts or interruptions can occur. Such events not only cause considerable inconvenience to large numbers of people and businesses, but can also be dangerous or life threatening, such as a loss of power supply to a hospital or critical home care medical equipment.

Historically, when utilities serving an area faced a severe energy situation due to high demand, their options were extremely limited. For example, the electricity industry may ask customers to save energy, but not all customers heed such demands, and saving in no way provides a complete solution to energy supply problems. Utilities can try to meet peak demand by purchasing available energy from third-party energy sources connected to the grid, but such purchases, especially at times of peak demand, are very expensive, as energy supply companies usually charge extra when demand is high . Another option for the electricity industry is to build additional power plants, but building a power plant takes a long time and requires significant investment and requires approval from state and/or federal governments and user associations.

In order to reduce peak electricity demand and avoid the costs associated with new power plants and additional energy purchases, various attempts have been made to develop load management systems when it is necessary to temporarily switch off certain consumer loads in order to avoid blackouts or similar power interruptions, The load management system controls the peak demand on the energy generating equipment through this operation. Typically, the types of consumer loads regulated in this manner include non-critical electrical equipment such as air conditioners, electric heaters, and the like.

For example, one load management system uses ripple tone injection to send coded pulses on a common power line. This coded pulse can be applied to the common power line by an electromechanical ripple control transmitter consisting of a motor/alternator operated via a SCR static switch, or a step-up transformer via a bandpass circuit Selectively connected to the common power line, the bandpass circuit is tuned to the frequency of the encoded pulse signal. At the user, the receiver interprets the encoded pulses and performs the desired command function -- such as shutting down the user's load.

US Patent 4,264,960 describes an example of a specific system for load management. As described in the patent, under the control of the master control station, multiple substation injection units emit coded pulse signals on a common power line. A remote receiver located at the customer load controls the on and off state of the load by energizing the lockable single pole connection in response to receiving a signal from the substation injection unit on the common power line. Different types of loads are organized into load control groups (such as electric hot water heaters, air conditioner compressors, street lights, etc.). The master control station independently controls multiple loads of different types through different pulse control signals. Each remote receiver unit is precoded to respond to a unique pulse coded signal. In order to control different types of loads at the same location (such as hot water heaters and air conditioning compressors), individually coded remote receivers at that location are required. The master control station switches load banks on and off to implement the load management strategy determined by the system operator.

Conventional techniques for load management in large-scale power distribution systems suffer from various drawbacks and limitations. The main disadvantage is that the shutdown command from the utility to the remote user site travels over the same power line that carries the high voltage. Because a transformer is used to relay the electrical signal on the power line, it is difficult to transmit data (such as an interrupt command or other control signal) on the power line. And noise or interference may prevent the correct reception of the shutdown command or other control signal. The user Any inductance of the load can generate large harmonics which may easily match the control signal frequency and thus interfere with the control signal or may cause "false alarms". Simple household appliances such as electric stoves can damage power lines In a large area, because all loads will introduce noise into the power distribution system, the cumulative interference or the impact of noise is significant. Therefore, since there are many sources of noise and interference, the use of power Distributing control signals over wires can be quite problematic. Sophisticated digital signal processing techniques can be used to filter noise and interference and reconstruct control signals, but such techniques are complex and often require expensive receivers.

Another disadvantage of traditional techniques for load management is the lack of utility-level or consumer-level control. Utilities are forced to shut down power to one or more areas (e.g., through a rolling blackout) in order to prevent catastrophic outages or damage to power generation or distribution equipment due to peak demand, in which case there are usually few power consumers Controlled or uncontrolled load reduction. Of course, for users in the rolling blackout area, the situation of completely shutting down the user's power often occurs. Utilities have preconfigured customer lines to dynamically shed certain isolated loads (usually air conditioners or electric water heaters) during peak power moments, but even in this case, unless the customer lines are reconfigured, the utility and customer Neither can easily change the load reduction. Utilities can collectively shed certain types of loads (such as all air conditioners) only where consumer loads are collectively grouped into different load control groups, but this choice is usually made by utilities based on their overall power demand and management strategy made, the user has little or no control (instead of giving the utility permission to turn off a specific load before the utility pre-configures the line to control the specific load as part of a larger group of similar loads , such as an air conditioning unit).

Another problem not adequately addressed by traditional load management techniques is that temporary blackouts, brownouts, or blackouts often occur with little or no warning to power users. In certain situations where very high demand can be foreseen, the utility has been able to warn electricity customers that a blackout or temporary outage may occur at an imminent time period - for example in the next few hours, or in the next 24 hours or 48 hours within hours. However, temporary outages or outage warnings are often so broad and vague in practice that they are of limited or no value to power users who have no idea whether their power will go out, and if so, when. uncertain. Also, because temporary blackouts or blackout warnings are often broadcast by radio or television, users who are not listening to the radio or television can easily miss the warning and fail to realize that a temporary blackout or blackout is imminent.

Certain power management techniques have been proposed for controlling power consumption at specific local sites, such as factories, but such systems are usually isolated and independent of utility operations. An example of a power management system is described, for example, in US Patent 4,216,384. According to representative techniques described therein, multiple main power lines to an installation or site are monitored for energy usage and a control circuit selectively disconnects loads when the total energy drawn by the installation or site exceeds a specified maximum . While these types of power management systems significantly reduce the overall power consumption of the facility or facility, their disadvantage is that they can be relatively complex and expensive. For example, the power management system described in US Patent 4,216,384 utilizes a set of transformers to independently monitor multiple main power lines, a set of LED-triggered triacs (LED-triggered Triacs) to selectively connect multiple user loads, programmable control circuits , Automatic priority readjustment circuit and so on. Due to their relative cost and complexity, these types of localized power management systems are not well suited for large area use, especially for residential use and other cost sensitive applications. Also, their operation is very localized in nature and cannot be controlled from an isocentral location within the utility itself.

In addition to the aforementioned limitations and disadvantages, traditional power and load management strategies are limited by the circuits and switches available that are used in certain applications to control the actual power delivery at local sites. For example, a common type of power switch that connects and disconnects a power source from a load is a circuit breaker. Its function is that when the current limit is reached, the circuit breaker prevents excessive Current is drawn from the source or flows into the load. A typical circuit breaker has a bimetallic arm through which a power signal is carried from the source to the load. One end of the bimetallic arm is connected to a power signal line, while the other end of the bimetallic arm is connected to an electrical conductor through which power can be distributed to the load. When too much current flows through the bimetallic arm, the current heat causes the bimetallic arm to deform or bend in a predetermined manner, so that the contact between the bimetallic arm and the electrical conductor is broken, resulting in disconnection of the power signal and the load. In this way, the power supply and load are protected from excessive current damage.

While circuit breakers are useful in protecting against high current levels, they are generally passive circuit elements whose response is entirely determined by the amount of power drawn by the load. They generally do not provide active control of power signal lines. However, certain resettable circuit interrupters have been proposed, for example, which utilize a spring-operated mechanism to allow a remote operator to open or close the connection of the circuit interrupter. An example of such a circuit interrupter is disclosed in US Patent 3,883,781 to J. Cotton.

Other types of remotely controlled or operated circuit interrupters have also been described, such as US Patent 5,381,121 to Peter et al. and US Patent 4,625,190 to Wafer et al. These circuit interrupters include more elaborate mechanisms which, due to their complexity, are more expensive to manufacture and may be subject to mechanical wear or failure.

In addition to circuit interrupters, other types of circuits have been used to control power signals. However, these other types of circuits also have disadvantages. For example, solid state switches such as transistors or silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs) can be used as switches between the power source and the load in order to control the distribution of the power signal delivered to the load. However, transistors and SCRs generally have limited power ratings and can be damaged or shorted at high current levels. Also, high power rated transistors or SCRs are relatively expensive.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a load management system that overcomes one or more of the aforementioned problems, limitations, or disadvantages. There are further advantages in a load management system that provides utilities and/or consumers with greater flexibility, is immune to noise and interference caused by transmitting data on power lines, and does not require relatively expensive receivers. It would also be advantageous to provide load management systems using controllable electronic switches capable of selectively connecting and disconnecting power to loads, and in particular to provide reliable, durable and inexpensive switches capable of handling processes such as residential or relatively high power requirements such as commercial application requirements.

Contents of the invention

One aspect of the present invention is directed to systems and methods for managing or controlling power distribution at a local site.

In one aspect, the local energy control unit includes a set of controllable switches for controlling the delivery of power from a power line to a single electrical load. When external commands are received, the energy control unit preferably causes the controllable switches to connect or disconnect their respective loads in a configurable sequence. The energy control unit may be user configurable (eg, programmed) to prioritize load disconnection. In a preferred embodiment, the controllable switch is electrically connected in series (eg, in a top-down fashion) to a group of circuit breakers, and the controllable switch is preferably capable of selectively disconnecting or reconnecting electrical loads, such that Situations may arise, such as in commercial or residential electrical outlets, that draw little or no power when turned on.

In another aspect, an energy management system and related methods involve the use of remote energy control units at multiple customer sites to control energy distribution to customer loads. Each energy control unit preferably includes a set of controllable switches for controlling power delivered to a plurality of local electrical loads. Users can pre-configure the energy control unit to specify the order or priority of disconnecting electrical loads in response to commands to reduce energy consumption. A wireless command system allows the energy control unit to receive commands from a remote location such as a central transmitter or a geographically dispersed collection of transmitters. The central station can issue energy reduction commands or other similar messages according to different priority levels. The energy control unit responds to the energy reduction command by disconnecting one or more electrical loads according to the priority level of the energy reduction command. Through the overall operation of local energy control units at different remote locations, significant reductions in overall power can be achieved, eg especially at times of peak power demand.

In various embodiments, the local energy control unit may have additional features that enhance utility. For example, in some embodiments, the energy control unit may be configured with a programmable timer function, allowing the priority of actuating the controllable switches to be automatically adjusted based on a particular day of the week, a particular time of day, and so on. The energy control unit may also be configured with memory to record the state of the plurality of controllable switches over time, or other system parameters. The memory is only triggered to record after an event that caused one or more electrical loads to be disconnected.

In a preferred embodiment, the controllable electronic switch comprises a deformable element such as a bimetallic element or an arm, wherein the controllable electronic switch can be used in various embodiments of an energy control unit having a set for active A controllable electronic switch for selectively deactivating local electrical loads, the deformable element is fixed at one end and is controllably in contact with an electrical conductor at the other end. The input power wire is connected to the bimetal element near the electrical conductor contact point. A heating element, such as a coil, is coupled to the bimetal element and is controlled by a switch control signal. When the switch control signal is not activated, the heating element is inactive and power is delivered across the ends of the bimetal element through the input power lead to the electrical conductors, from where power can be further distributed from the electrical conductors to the load. When the switch control signal is activated, the heating element heats the bimetal, bending it until it breaks contact with the electrical conductor. The electrical path from the input power line to the electrical conductor (and thus to the load) is broken. As long as the switch control signal is activated, the heating element continues to remain bimetallic bent and the electrical path disconnected.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a controllable electronic switch comprising: deformable element means for controllably connecting an input power line to an electrical conductor, when the deformable element means is connected to the electrical conductor, said power cord electrically connected to said electrical conductor; means for heating said deformable element means to cause deformation of said deformable element means until it is disconnected from said electrical conductor; and signaling means , different from the input power line, for energizing and de-energizing the means for heating.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a controllable electronic switch is provided, comprising: a bimetallic element having a first end and a second end, the bimetallic element is fixed on the first end, and two ends in contact with an electrical conductor; an input power cord, said second end near said electrical conductor being connected to said bimetallic element when said bimetallic element is in contact with said electrical conductor , said input power line is electrically connected to said electrical conductor; a heating element coupled to a bimetallic element; and a switch control circuit connected to said heating element, thereby causing said heating element to heat to a sufficient The temperature of the bimetal element is bent such that when the switch control circuit sends a switch control signal, the connection between the second end of the bimetal element and the electrical conductor is broken.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling power delivery comprising the steps of: securing a first end of a bimetallic arm; positioning the bimetallic arm such that a second end thereon, when the bimetallic arm is in an ambient state is in contact with an electrical conductor and bends away from the electrical conductor when the bimetallic arm is heated; connect the input power wire to the bimetallic arm at the second end of the bimetallic arm near the electrical conductor so that when the bimetallic arm is in contact with the electrical conductor , a power signal on said input power line having an electrical path through an electrical conductor to a remote load; coupling said heating element to said bimetal arm; connecting a switch control signal to said heating element; and selectively The switch control signal is applied and removed to control the heating of the heating element, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the bimetal arm.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a controllable electronic switch is provided, comprising: a deformable element having a first end and a second end, the deformable element is fixed at the first end, and two ends in contact with an electrical conductor; an input power cord connected to said deformable element at said second end near said electrical conductor, when said deformable element is in contact with said electrical conductor, said input power wire is electrically connected to said electrical conductor; a heating element in the vicinity of the deformable element; and a signal wire connected to said heating element, said signal wire carrying a switch control signal to said heating element .

Further embodiments, changes and improvements are also disclosed herein.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a power management system according to one embodiment disclosed herein.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a local energy control system, for example used in the power management system according to Fig. 1 or other power management systems.

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the physical placement of elements used in one embodiment of a localized energy management system.

Figure 4 is a conceptual view of a bimetal based circuit breaker known in the art.

Figure 5-1 is a diagram illustrating an example of current flow when the circuit breaker in Figure 4 is closed (normal operation), and Figure 5-2 is a diagram illustrating how the bimetal of the circuit breaker disconnects the circuit when an overcurrent condition occurs example view.

Figure 6 is a diagram of a controllable electronic switch that may be used with various embodiments of the power management system disclosed herein.

Fig. 7-1 is a view illustrating an example of current flow when the electronic switch in Fig. 6 is closed, and Fig. 7-2 is a view illustrating an example of how the bimetal of the electronic switch in Fig. 6 breaks the circuit connection to activate in response to a control signal .

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of a controllable electronic switch that may be used with various embodiments of the power management system disclosed herein.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a local energy control system that may be used in various power management systems as disclosed herein.

Fig. 10 is a view illustrating the relationship of various elements of the local energy control system to each other.

11 is a state view illustrating transitions between alert stages according to a process disclosed herein.

12 and 13 are process flow diagrams illustrating the various steps involved in transitioning between different alarm stages according to two different embodiments disclosed herein.

Figure 14 is a view of another embodiment of a controllable electronic switch that uses a wedge shaped element to break an electrical connection in a circuit path.

FIG. 15 is a view showing how the controllable electronic switch shown in FIG. 14 breaks the electrical connection.

Figure 16 is a view of another embodiment of a controllable electronic switch that uses a wedge shaped element to break an electrical connection in a circuit path and has a mechanical cam with multiple latched positions.

Figures 17-1, 17-2 and 17-3 are views illustrating the controllable electronic switch of Figure 16 with the latch in the connected position relative to the cam.

18-1 to 18-8 are views illustrating different locking positions of the controllable electronic switch cam in FIG. 16 .

Figure 19 is a view of another embodiment of a controllable electronic switch that uses a wedge shaped element to break an electrical connection in a circuit path and has a mechanical cam with multiple latched positions.

Fig. 20 is a view showing an example of how the controllable electronic switch shown in Fig. 19 breaks the electrical connection.

21, 22 and 23 are simplified schematic diagrams illustrating examples of control circuits, or portions thereof, that may be used with the various controllable electronic switches disclosed herein.

Figure 24 is a diagram of one embodiment of a switch control circuit that may be used in conjunction with the various controllable electronic circuit embodiments shown or disclosed herein.

Figure 25 is a diagram of another embodiment of a switch control circuit that may be used in conjunction with the various controllable electronic circuit embodiments shown or disclosed herein.

Detailed ways

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a power management system 100 in which a local energy control unit may be utilized in accordance with various embodiments disclosed herein. As shown in FIG. 1 , utility 105 distributes power to various consumer loads 120 at local site 109 via power lines 108 . Utility 105 is generally illustrated in Figure 1, but may include one or more generating stations or other sources of electrical power, substations, transformers, power lines, and any other equipment used to generate and distribute electricity to consumers , as known in the art. Local sites 109 may include industrial/commercial customers (who typically draw power around 4.16kV to 34.5kV) and residential or lighting commercial customers (who typically draw power around 120 and/or 240 volts), although more generally they include Any group of related electrical loads for which it is desired to control the distribution of energy. Accordingly, each electrical load 120 generally includes one or more local electrical loads (not individually shown in FIG. 1 ).

At each local site 109 , a wireless energy control unit 114 controls power delivery from power lines 108 to user loads 120 . Central station 102 transmits energy control commands to local wireless energy control units 114 located at a plurality of local sites 109 via communication unit 103 (which preferably includes at least one transmitter, but may also include a receiver for two-way communication). Each wireless energy control unit 114 may include a communication unit 115 (preferably including at least one receiver, but may also include a transmitter for two-way communication) and a power control circuit 112 and other parts, wherein the power control circuit 112 is used for analyzing The power control command received by the communication unit 115 takes effect immediately. At each local site 109, as further explained, the power control circuit 112 receives power control commands via the communication unit 115 and selectively connects or disconnects a plurality of local power distribution lines 118 at the local site 109, selectively The ground blocks power delivery to one or more individual electrical loads at the local site 109.

Central station 102 may transmit energy control commands to local sites 109 using any suitable communication protocol or technique. Communication can be one-way or two-way. In a preferred embodiment, communication unit 103 includes a radio frequency (RF) transmitter, and in such embodiments, central station 102 utilizes active sideband (e.g., FM sideband) and/or utilizes frequency shift keying (FSK) The transmission preferably broadcasts the energy control commands over radio frequency. However, other wireless communication technologies or protocols, such as spread spectrum or broadband communication technologies or protocols, may also be used. Although central station 102 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as a single feature, it is understood that transmissions from the central station will be delayed across multiple communications equipment and facilities, including communications substations and landlines .

One advantage of wireless transmission of energy control commands is that relatively large areas can be covered relatively economically, e.g., there is no need for a continuous wired landline from the central station 102 to a plurality of local sites 109, or where local and the need to transmit data on noisy power lines affected by other sources of interference.

In the preferred embodiment, each wireless energy control unit 114 provides the user with the ability to preselect which electrical loads, if any, at a particular local site 109 should be disconnected in response to command messages from the central station 102 . This capability can be illustrated in more detail with reference to FIG. 2, which is a block diagram of a local energy control system 200 that can be utilized in conjunction with the power management system 100 shown in FIG. 109). As shown in FIG. 2 , the local energy control system 200 preferably includes a wireless energy control unit 214 having a plurality of control lines 261 transmitting signals for controlling on/off states of controllable switches 262 . A controllable switch 262 is selectively disconnected and reconnected to effectively shut down and re-energize various partial loads powered by a single power line 263 split from the main power line 208, which can be Brings input power from the utility or other primary power source. The controllable switch 262 preferably connects in series a set of circuit breakers 251 (breakers of the type typically found, for example, at local residential or commercial sites) and a plurality of local loads, interposed therebetween. An example of one type of circuit breaker is illustrated in Figure 4 and described in more detail below. Circuit breaker 251 generally functions to prevent excessive current draw from input power line 208, thereby preventing harmful conditions that may occur, such as local site short circuits or other such conditions. Once circuit breaker 251 "trips," preventing power flow to its corresponding local electrical load, it can typically be reset by triggering a manual switch, for example. While the preferred embodiment of the local energy control system 200 includes a controllable switch 262 interposed between the circuit breaker 251 and the output power line 263 that carries a single power signal to a variety of local loads, it should be understood that in other embodiments In this case, the circuit breaker 251 may be omitted, or other electrical components such as fuses may be present or added to the circuit breaker 251 .

The wireless energy control unit 214 preferably includes sufficient intelligence built in to receive electrical commands, and to disconnect and reconnect the controllable switch 262 in response thereto. The wireless energy control unit 214 shown in FIG. 2 includes a communication unit 215, which preferably includes a receiver and may also include a transmitter for two-way communication. The communication unit 215 further includes an antenna 216 for receiving wireless commands transmitted from a remote location (such as the central station 102). The configuration and nature of the antenna 216 are mainly determined by the nature of the specific wireless communication technology. the rules. The wireless power control unit 214 also preferably includes a control circuit portion that typically includes one or more components capable of receiving power control commands received via the communication unit 215, and selectively controlling the controllable switch 262 in response thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the control circuit portion includes a communication interface 235, a processor 230, one or more clocks or timers 232, a memory 239, a set of switches or setting inputs 238, a display and/or indicator 236, and control register 237 , and may also include a control line 261 and a controllable switch 262 .

In operation, the wireless energy control unit 214 communication interface 235 receives, and if necessary, parses and/or temporarily stores commands or other messages received via the communication unit 215 from a remote transmitter. The communication unit 215 can output data, and the format of the data depends on the wireless communication technology or protocol adopted, and the complexity of the receiving electronic. For example, communication unit 215 may output a stream of digital data bits at various intervals when a message is received from a remote transmission source. The communication interface 235 can parse the data output from the communication unit 215 and, for example, can be configured to identify which data is valid and which data is to be sent to a particular wireless energy control unit 214 . Messages transmitted from a remote transmission source (such as central station 102), as will be further described herein, may be addressed or encoded so that only certain wireless energy control units (such as those in a particular geographic area) respond ) commands and messages sent.

When a message arrives via active communication unit 215 and communication interface 235, processor 230 may perceive the received message by any suitable means. For example, the processor 230 may receive an interrupt signal from the communication unit 215, or periodically poll the communication unit 235 to determine whether a message has arrived. In some embodiments, in order to save energy, it is advantageous to allow the processor 230 and other control circuits to be placed in a "sleep" state, wherein by removing power from the wireless energy control unit 214, the circuits of the wireless energy control unit 214 Basically off, except for the communication unit 215 and the communication interface 235 and other basic circuits, if any. When the communication interface 235 detects that the message has been received by the communication unit 215, or according to some events that need attention (such as programming of settings, display updates, periodic status checks, etc.), specific internal power management circuits (not shown) out) will perform the operation of reconnecting power, which will reactivate or "wake up" the processor 230 and other control circuits. In this manner, the wireless energy control unit 214 may use very little power when not responding to commands or performing some other necessary activity.

When processor 230 has been notified that a transmission has been received from a remote transmitter, processor 230 attempts to respond to any commands or other messages that have been received. The response of the processor 230 is generally based on certain stored parameters and other configuration messages or programmed instructions at the wireless power control unit 214 . In this regard, the memory 239 may advantageously be composed of different logical and/or physical sections, including a working memory section 243 , a program storage section 242 , and a parameter storage section 241 . Generally, the program instruction storage section 242 and the parameter storage section 241 include a nonvolatile memory (eg, EEPROM), while the working memory section 243 includes a volatile memory (eg, RAM). In some embodiments, memory 239 may also have a back-up DC power source (such as a battery) to help prevent loss of stored messages in the event of a temporary loss of main power.

The program instructions stored in the program instruction storage section 242, the parameters stored in the parameter storage section 241, and/or the switch bank or setting input 238 basically specify the wireless energy control unit 214's response to commands or other messages received from remote sources. In response, rules or logic are integrally provided by which the wireless energy control unit 214 determines which controllable switch 262 to disconnect or reconnect. In a preferred embodiment, the wireless energy control unit 214 is user configurable so that the sequence in which the controllable switches 262 are disconnected or reconnected can be determined for each local site 109 individually. In one aspect, in some embodiments, the wireless energy control unit 214 provides the ability to establish a priority order in which the controllable switch 262 disconnects or reconnects. Priority is set via a number of switches or setting inputs 238 that can be manually adjusted. Switch or setting input 238 may take any of a wide variety of forms. For example, each controllable switch 262 may be associated with a multi-position switch (not shown) that provides one of the switch or setting inputs 238 . Each position of the multi-position switch may indicate whether the associated controllable switch 262 will trigger in response to a particular level of alarm stage, as described in detail below. For example, in a system with three possible alarm stages, a multi-position switch could have four positions, three of which correspond to stage one, stage two, and stage three alarm conditions, while the fourth position indicates the associated possible alarm condition. The control switch 262 will not respond to any of the three alarm stages. The number of switch positions of the multi-position switch can be determined, at least in part, by the number of possible alarm stages.

Alternatively, the response of the controllable switch 262 to multiple alarm stages is software programmable using multiple button/switch inputs (which may be provided as part of the switch or setting input 238) to configure the controllable switch 262 order of priority. As just one example, the user is allowed to cycle through a routine that sequentially addresses each controllable switch 262 and, for each controllable switch 262, allows the user to enter a desired response to the condition of the alarm phase. Programmed messages may be displayed on a small LCD display or other type of visual display (in FIG. 2, they are generally represented by display/indicator 236). Wireless energy control unit 214 optionally has a set of indicators (pictured in FIG. 2 represented by display/indicator 236) indicating, on an individual basis, that controllable switch 262, if any, is instantaneous at a given moment. disconnect. For example, such indicators may include LEDs or other low power light elements. The display/indicator 236 can indicate (for example, by a special LED indicator, or a flashing message on a small LCD display, or a timely audible sound), that an "early warning" message has been received from the central station 102 indicating Power alerts are coming.

In some embodiments, the wireless energy control unit 214 may be configured with a programmable timer function, allowing automatic adjustment of the priority of electrical load disconnection based on certain timing factors, for example, a specific day of the week, a specific time of day etc. Such timing can be programmed by the user in the same manner as setting an initial priority scheme by which the controllable switch 262 will open upon receipt of a message from the central station 102 requesting to do so. The parameter storage portion 241 of the memory 239 may store timing parameters that cause the programmable priority of the controllable switch 262 to change at specific times. The memory 239 can be configured to record the states of the plurality of controllable switches 262, or other system parameters at different times in real time. In some embodiments, memory 239 may be triggered to log messages only after an event that causes one or more electrical loads to be disconnected, or some other event of significance.

As further illustrated in FIG. 2 , control register 237 is used to store the current "command" state for controllable switch 262 . In a particular embodiment, for example, each bit of control register 237 may hold a command bit whose binary state (“1” or “0”) indicates the on/off state of the associated controllable switch 262 . The wireless energy control unit 214 may also be used to control other sources in the local area—for example, the gas line shutter 290 . Similarly, the mechanism for the gas line closer 290 may have an associated on/off status/command bit in the control register 237 .

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the physical placement of certain components used in one embodiment of the local energy control system. As shown in FIG. 3 , the wireless energy control unit 370 may be physically fixed or placed in the circuit box 300 . Circuit box 300 may include a set of on/off or reset switches 351 for manually resetting a circuit breaker (such as circuit breaker 251 shown in FIG. Electrical load on a circuit breaker. Switch 351 in FIG. 3 is shown in multiple on and off states. From the circuit breaker, output wires for connection to a plurality of electrical loads may be connected through the wireless energy control unit 370 and, in particular, through a plurality of controllable switches such as the controllable switch 262 shown in FIG. 2 . In the particular embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the wireless energy control unit 370 is also shown with a set of manual switches 372 for selecting which controllable switch will respond to remotely issued power management commands and the general priority therein. If only one power alarm phase is used by the power management system 100, then the manual switch 372 can function with only two switch positions, the first position indicating that the controllable switch is not closed (i.e., off) when the power alarm phase is entered. turn on its electrical load), while the second position indicates that it is off when the power alarm phase is input.

On the other hand, if the power management system 100 has a hierarchical set of power alarm stages, then a more complex set of switch settings may be employed. For example, if three power alert stages are used in the power management system 100 (not including a "blackout" stage or other alert stages where no local power control circuitry is involved), then each manual switch 372 may have four positions, the first three The first position indicates which power alarm stage is necessary before the corresponding controllable switch will turn off (i.e. disconnect its electrical load), while the fourth position indicates that the corresponding controllable switch will not turn off in response to any power alarm stage. The fourth position is useful for managing electrical loads, which the user considers to be critical, if undesired disconnects can be avoided.

Light indicators (such as LEDs) 373 adjacent to each manual switch 372 can be used to indicate whether any of the controllable switches have in fact disconnected their respective electrical loads in response to a message from the central station which enables the wireless power control Unit 370 inputs a power alert stage level that calls for or requests a local power reduction. The display and/or interface 371 may be used to provide text messages, either pre-stored in the wireless power control unit 370, or received from the central station, or, if provided by buttons or suitable means, to allow wireless power Programming of the various functions provided by the control unit 370 .

As noted previously for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the wireless energy control unit 370 (and thus, the controllable switch) can be placed either downstream or upstream of the circuit breaker switch 351, since in either case the wireless energy control unit 370 The energy control unit 370 can all function to disconnect the incoming power lines from the local electrical loads. In one aspect, the wireless energy control unit 370 provides a compact, efficient and practical means of regulating local power consumption that is minimally invasive to the user site as it can be integrated with a common electrical box 300 or similarly sized electrical box. together, thus requiring only minimal changes to existing facilities.

In an alternative embodiment, the wireless energy control unit 370 may be placed in series with the fuse, opposite or in addition to the circuit breaker.

In various embodiments, the power management system 100 operates to reduce or limit the total consumer power demand by issuing commands from a central source (i.e., the central office 102) over an indefinite period of time such that The power control circuit 112 individually disconnects the selected electrical loads 120 . In a preferred embodiment, the central office 102 issues a power alarm phase announcement based on the reduced power demand necessary to maintain the operation of the utility 105 within tolerable limits. According to one example, one or more power alert stage levels are defined for the power management system 100 and the central station 102 changes the power alert stage levels by wirelessly broadcasting the alert levels to the wireless communication units 115 of the plurality of local sites 109 . As customer power demand increases to a threshold level for action, the central station 102 broadcasts a power alert stage level corresponding to the current conditions. As customer power demands decrease to more tolerable levels, the central station 102 may broadcast a power alert stage level indicating that some or all of the electrical loads 120 may be switched on. The level of total customer power demand announcing alerts for different power phases can be fixed at a certain threshold level or at a certain percentage of total power capacity (which can fluctuate dynamically - eg by day, by hour, or even faster). Alternatively, the power alert phase message may be issued in response to a manual command entered by authorized personnel associated with utility 105 and/or central station 102, allowing human adjustments to be entered into the decision, or using automated and manual techniques. Any number of power alert stage levels may be employed, depending on the desired complexity of the power management system 100 .

According to one example, the power management system 100 may have four power alert phase levels - three of which cause the local sites 109 to reduce their power consumption in response to commands received from the central station 102, the fourth power alert phase level requiring Take extra steps (such as intentional brownouts or blackouts in a geographic area). FIG. 11 is a state diagram 1100 illustrating transitions between multiple power alarm stages, according to such an example. As shown in FIG. 11 , state diagram 1100 includes a plurality of states 1105 through 1109 that correspond to different power alarm stage levels. When the total consumer power demand is within a tolerable range (ie, the total consumer power demand level is below a specified first threshold level, designated as LEVEL1 ), the power management system 100 remains in the non-alarm state 1105 . When the total consumer power exceeds a first threshold level (eg, LEVEL1), the power management system 100 enters the first stage alarm state 1106, so the central station 102 broadcasts a wireless message to the local wireless communication unit 115, which indicates that the first stage power alarm has been declared up. In response, the power control circuit 112 at the local site 109 selectively disconnects the plurality of local electrical loads 120, thereby reducing overall customer demand to keep overall energy usage at tolerable levels. The utility 105 can measure the degree of reduction in power demand and pass this information to the central office 102 (or other processing center) for later determination of the level of the power alarm stage. For example, the central station 102 (or other processing center) may treat the current total power demand level as including the reduction in the total power demand level caused by issuing the power alarm phase warning, since the power alarm phase warning is canceled at any time It is believed to result in the reconnection of previously disconnected local electrical loads 120 and thus increase the overall power demand. Accordingly, the power management system 100 preferably takes into account the effect of disconnecting the local electrical loads 120 when comparing the aggregate consumer power level shown in FIG. 11 to the various threshold levels.

As long as the total customer power demand remains above the first demand threshold LEVEL1 but below the second demand threshold LEVEL2, the power management system 100 remains in the first stage alarm state 1106 . However, if the total customer power demand continues to increase so that it exceeds the second demand threshold LEVEL2, the power management system 100 enters the second stage alarm state 1107, and the central station 102 wirelessly broadcasts a message to the wireless communications of the plurality of local sites 109 Element 115, indicating that a second stage power alarm warning has been declared. On the other hand, however, if the total consumer power demand falls back below the first demand threshold LEVEL1, the power management system 100 returns to the non-alarm state 1105, whereupon the central station 102 wirelessly broadcasts a message to the wireless communications of the plurality of local sites 109 Element 115 , indicating that the first stage power alarm is no longer active, and the power management system 100 returns to the non-alarm state 1105 .

As long as the total customer power demand remains above the second demand threshold LEVEL2 but below the third demand threshold LEVEL3 , the power management system 100 remains in the second stage alarm state 1107 . However, if the total consumer power demand continues to increase so that the third demand threshold LEVEL3 is exceeded, the power management system 100 enters the third stage alarm state 1108 and the central station 102 wirelessly broadcasts a message to the wireless communications of the plurality of local sites 109 Element 115, indicating that a stage three power alarm warning has been declared. However, on the other hand, if the total customer power demand falls below the second demand threshold LEVEL2, the power management system 100 returns to the first stage alarm state 1106, whereupon the central station 102 wirelessly broadcasts a message to the plurality of local sites 109 The wireless communication unit 115 indicates that the second-stage power alarm is no longer valid, and the power management system 100 returns to the first-stage alarm state 1106 .

Similarly, the power management system 100 remains in the second stage alarm state 1108 as long as the total consumer power demand remains above the third demand threshold LEVEL3 but below the fourth demand threshold LEVEL4. However, if the total consumer power demand continues to increase so as to exceed the fourth demand threshold LEVEL4, the power management system 100 enters a fourth-stage alarm state 1109 and additional steps are taken (eg, regional blackout or brownout). Wireless commands are not necessary in this situation; however, if desired, blackout or brownout warning messages can be transmitted by central station 102 so that users at local sites 109 can be alerted before a blackout or brownout occurs. Alternatively, the central station 102 can transmit an approximate amount of time before a power outage or brownout, and the time before an imminent power outage event can be displayed by the local power control circuit 112 so that the user can take the desired action in the situation. any measure. When the total customer power demand drops below the third demand threshold LEVEL3, the power management system 100 returns to the second stage alarm state 1107, whereupon the central station 102 wirelessly broadcasts a message to the wireless communication units 115 of the plurality of local sites 109 indicating that Out of the third stage the power alarm is no longer active and the power management system 100 returns to the second stage alarm state 1107 .

As an alternative that achieves a similar result, a single power utilization threshold could be used, with the amount of customer power demand that falls in response to each power alert stage level disregarded when calculating the next power alert stage level. According to this alternative embodiment, as each power alert phase is declared, the overall customer power demand level is expected to drop due to the collective influence of multiple energy control units 114 at multiple local sites 109 . Thus the same power utilization threshold can be used for each power alert stage level while allowing the power management system 100 to operate advantageously. For example, the power utilization threshold may be set at 96% of the total power capacity. When the total customer power demand reaches the power utilization threshold, a first stage power alarm warning message is transmitted to the wireless energy control unit 114 , which disconnects certain electrical loads 120 . As a result, the total consumer power demand will drop by a certain amount (eg, 5%). The power utilization threshold can be maintained at 96% of capacity. At the first power alarm stage level, when the total consumer power demand reaches 96% again, the central station 102 can transmit a second stage power alarm warning message to the wireless energy control unit 114, thus causing another drop in the total consumer power demand. This cycle can be repeated to enter the third and fourth power alarm stage levels.

Process 1100 can be performed in an automated system, eg, in a centralized or distributed architecture using one or more computer processors, which can be located at central office 102 or elsewhere. Threshold levels between multiple power alarm stages are programmable. Hysteresis techniques may be used so that the system does not oscillate rapidly back and forth between two different alarm stage levels when customer power demand is near a threshold level. In other words, when the user's power demand increases, add a hysteresis to the threshold level, and once the user's power demand exceeds the threshold (plus the hysteresis), a new alarm stage level is entered, and the threshold is subtracted from the hysteresis , such that when the customer demand level decreases, in order to switch back to a lower power alert stage level, the customer power demand needs to fall below the threshold minus the hysteresis. In addition, because switching to the next power alert phase level is expected to cause a rapid drop in total customer power demand (although this effect is moderated by adding the drop to the total customer power demand level used for power alarm phase calculations, as above ), the hysteresis technique is useful in preventing the system from quickly switching back to the previous power alarm stage level as soon as the local stations 109 start reducing their selected electrical loads 120.

Applying the technique illustrated in FIG. 11 , utility 102 can dynamically control total customer power demand, thereby reducing peak customer power consumption when necessary to avoid power crises. By providing multiple levels of alarm stages, such power management techniques reduce the granularity of selecting user power and minimize user burden.

Further description will be provided regarding the manner in which various local power control circuits selectively disconnect and reconnect controllable switches for effective control of local power consumption. This description will focus on the embodiment of the local energy control system 200 shown in FIG. 2 , but the principles and concepts can be applied to other embodiments as well. Assuming that different power alarm stages are defined in the power management system, when the local energy control system 200 receives a message to enter the next highest power alarm stage, the wireless energy control unit 214 checks the switch or sets the input 238 and/or the stored parameter 241, In order to determine which controllable switch 262 is turned off. In this example, where the switch or setting input 238 is a multi-position switch as previously described (each switch position corresponds to a power alarm stage, the corresponding controllable switch 262 reduces the respective electrical load during the corresponding power alarm stage. In response), the processor 230 may simply check the position setting of each multi-position switch to determine whether the corresponding controllable switch 262 is to be set in the off position to disconnect the respective electrical load. For example, when a message from central station 102 indicates that wireless energy control unit 214 has entered a first power alert stage, processor 230 checks the switch setting of each multi-position switch to determine whether the switch position indicates a response to the first power alert stage. When the message from the central station 102 indicates that the wireless energy control unit 214 has entered the second power alarm stage, the processor 230 checks the switch setting of each multi-position switch to determine whether the switch position indicates a response to the first power alarm stage or the second power alarm stage. Alert phase. When the message from the central station 102 indicates that the wireless energy control unit 214 has entered the third power alarm phase, the processor 230 checks the switch setting of each multi-position switch to determine whether the switch position indicates a response to the first power alarm phase, the second power alarm phase, and the second power alarm phase. Alarm phase or third power alarm phase. In each case, when the processor 230 determines that the controllable switch 262 should respond to the current power alarm stage level, the processor 230 issues the appropriate command in the control register 237, which in turn causes the corresponding controllable switch 262 to open and open its electrical load.

In an alternative embodiment, the switch or setting input 238 indicates the relative priority of opening the controllable switch 262 in response to a remote command from the central station 102 . In such an embodiment, an indeterminate number of power alarm stages may be used. When a first power alarm stage message (or power reduction command) is received, the controllable switch 262 with the lowest priority is turned off, and its electrical load is thus turned off. With each subsequent power alarm phase message (or power reduction command), the next highest priority controllable switch 262 is opened, up to a maximum value where all controllable switches 262 are open. However, the switch or setting input 238 may also instruct certain controllable switches 262 to remain closed continuously and never open, eg, these switches 262 may correspond to critical or important electrical devices.

Alternatively, if the wireless energy control unit 214 is connected to output readings from local power meters to dynamically monitor how much power is being used by the local site, the wireless energy control unit 214 may be instructed (directly or indirectly), or pre- Program to reduce local power consumption by a specific percentage or by a specific amount. The wireless energy control unit 214 makes an initial determination (eg, according to the techniques described above) of the electrical load to reduce and the controllable switch 262 to open initially. The wireless energy control unit 214 can monitor the local power usage to determine if the additional controllable switch 262 needs to be opened to achieve the desired target energy usage level or to maintain energy usage at the desired target level. The wireless energy control unit 214 may turn off the additional controllable switch 262 according to the priority indicated by the switch or setting input 238 .

As the level of the power alarm stage decreases, the wireless energy control unit 214 can close the controllable switch 262, so as to reconnect the electrical load in the reverse order of the controllable switch 262 opening sequence. The wireless power control unit 214, if desired, may impose a delay between any two reconnections of the controllable switches 262 to reduce power spikes or similar adverse effects.

12 and 13 are process flow diagrams illustrating various steps for transitioning between different alert stages, according to two different embodiments disclosed herein. For the sake of convenience, the processing procedures in FIGS. 12 and 13 are described below with reference to the power management system embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , but it should be understood that the principles and concepts are also applicable to other power management system embodiments. Turning first to FIG. 12, a process 1200 for power management according to a first embodiment is illustrated. In the process 1200 shown in FIG. 12, it is assumed that the central station 102 has determined, based on which conditions a decision can be made, that a message be wirelessly transmitted to a plurality of local sites 109 in order to adjust their power consumption (or, in some cases , for other purposes). Thus, in a first step 1201 , the central station 102 transmits a message (or series of messages) via its wireless communication unit 103 to the wireless communication units 115 of the plurality of local sites 109 .

Wireless transmissions from central station 103 may take any of a variety of forms. For example, wireless transmissions may include broadcast transmissions that all local stations 109 are intended to receive. Alternatively, broadcast transmissions that are only intended to be received by a particular local site 109 may also be included. In this regard, the local stations 109 may be scheduled to different locations, if desired, based on any logical criteria, such as geographic area, resident/business (possibly with different resident and/or business subcategories), average usage, etc., or any combination thereof. group. The central station 102 may indicate to the local stations 109 of a particular group by broadcasting messages to that group. For example, each group of local stations 109 may be assigned a unique group address or group command code, and each local station 109 responds only to its unique group address or group command code. Alternatively, or in addition, each group of local sites 109 may be assigned a unique frequency band or sub-band or a unique coding scheme, each local site 109 having its wireless communication unit 115 tuned to its unique frequency band Either subband or is configured to receive messages and decode them according to their encoding scheme. In this manner, central station 102 has increased power management flexibility, allowing central station 102 to command all or any group of local sites to limit power consumption. As an advantage of this arrangement, the central station 102 can order only some groups of the local sites 109 to curtail power in response to power demand conditions, and only gradually extend the power reduction request to other groups when the power reduction is insufficient until the required power reduction is reached. required power reduction.

In addition to the group addresses or codes for groups of local stations 109, each local station 109 may also be assigned an independent address and code within the group, so each local station 109 may be commanded independently if desired. In addition, one of the group addresses or codes (or frequency bands or subbands, and coding schemes) may be a system global broadcast address and code, through a plurality of commands or a series of commands marked with the system global broadcast address or code, the central station 102 All local stations 109 can be reached.

Returning now to FIG. 12 , in a next step 1205 the wireless communication units 115 at the plurality of local sites 109 receive the message transmitted from the central station 102 . In a subsequent step 1208, each local station 109 decodes, recovers or reconstructs the information in the received message and, if the message is intended for a particular local station 109, parses the message into its constituent elements. If group addressing or coding is used, for example, the power control circuit 112 of a particular local site 109 may obtain the group address or code message from the received message (e.g., in a specific field), thereby linking the group address or code of the received message with the local site Compared with its own group address or code, it can be determined whether the received message is destined for this particular local station 109. Similarly, local site 109 may determine whether the received message is a system global broadcast message addressed to all local sites 109 within power management system 100 by comparing the group address or code of the received message to the system global broadcast address or code.

Assuming the message is intended for local site 109, local site 109 parses the message to determine the nature of the communication received from central station 102. As examples of messages that may be received, the local site 109 may receive a message instructing it to enter the highest stage of the next power alarm, enter the lowest stage of the next power alarm, adjust a parameter, or take some action (such as displaying a power alarm stage warning message ). Various other message types may also be used. If the received message indicates that the power control circuit 112 of the local site 102 enters the highest stage of the next power alarm, in step 1236, the power control circuit 112 determines which power control switch and switches (such as the switch in FIG. 2 ) should be opened. 262), thereby reducing the local electrical load 120. Examples of how such determinations are made are described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 and elsewhere. In step 1238, the desired power control switch or switches are opened, and in step 1250, a plurality of status indicators (eg, LEDs) are updated. For example, an LED next to a power control switch that has been opened may be illuminated. Other status indicating devices may also be used; for example, an audible sound may be emitted by the power control circuit 112 to indicate to the user that one or more electrical loads 120 have been temporarily disconnected.

On the other hand, if the received message indicates that the power control circuit 112 is entering the lowest phase of the next power alarm, then in step 1240 (and assuming the power control circuit 112 is not in the non-alarm phase), the power control circuit 112 determines which power control switch And the plurality of switches should be closed so that which local electrical load 120 is then connected to the power line 108 . An example of how this determination can be made is illustrated with reference to Figures 2 and 3 and elsewhere herein. In step 1243, the desired power control switch or switches are closed, and in step 1250, a plurality of status indicators (eg, LEDs) are again updated. For example, an LED next to each power control switch that has been reconnected can be turned off.

If the received message neither indicates entry into the next highest stage of power alarm nor entry into the next lowest stage of power alarm, then at step 1225 the message is interpreted by the power control circuit 112 and acted upon. The specific action depends on the nature of the received message. For example, if the message is a warning that a power alarm is about to be issued, the power control circuit 112 may display the indicated message (along with the amount of time before the expected power alarm, if desired) and/or emit an audible noise indicating interest. message has been received.

If the power control circuit 112 actively adjusts a power control switch, opening and closing the switch by monitoring power consumption at the local site 109 (e.g., via a local meter), then process 1200 may be modified to implement a feedback loop, wherein the power control circuit 112 continues with determining power control switch settings, adjusting power control switch settings, and updating status indicators. Where dynamic monitoring and adjustment of local power consumption occurs, power control circuitry 112 may open and close power control switches at various times during any given power alarm phase. In such an embodiment, the power control circuit 112 may be configured so as to limit the switching frequency of the power control switch, thereby minimizing local user inconvenience.

FIG. 13 illustrates another process 1300 for power management that is similar to the process 1200 described in FIG. 12, but with certain changes. In FIG. 13 , steps 1301 , 1305 and 1308 are generally similar to steps 1201 , 1205 and 1208 in FIG. 12 . Likewise, steps 1336 , 1338 , 1340 , 1343 , and 1350 are generally similar to the corresponding steps described in FIG. 12 . However, in FIG. 13 , new steps 1330 , 1332 and 1335 have been added to the process 1200 described in FIG. 12 . The steps added to process 1300 of FIG. 13 illustrate a situation in which entry to the next highest power alarm stage will be delayed by an amount of time specified by central station 102 . In this case, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, when the power control circuit 112 has determined that the received message indicates entry into the next highest power alarm stage, the power control circuit 112 also gets an indication from the received message whether to enter immediately The next highest power alarm stage, or late entry, and if late entry, specify the amount of time before the power alarm stage. If the next highest power alarm stage is entered immediately, then process 1300 proceeds directly to step 1336 . If the delay goes to the next highest power alarm stage, then at step 1332 the power control circuit 112 issues a warning, which may take the form of, for example, lighting a warning light, emitting an audible tone or sound pattern, and the like. Then, as shown in step 1335, the power control circuit 112 waits for the delay period to expire before proceeding to step 1336 after the delay period has expired. The power control circuit 112 may use an internal timer or clock to measure the delay period to achieve the above operations.

10 illustrates the relationship of various elements of a local energy control system 1012 to one another, illustrating the potential for feedback from a local meter 1092 to determine at least in part the operation of a controllable switch 1062, according to one embodiment disclosed herein. application. As shown in FIG. 10, a set of switch controllers 1037 is used to control the settings of a plurality of controllable switches 1062, which are similar to the controllable switches described with reference to FIGS. Turn on partial electrical loads. The local power meter 1092 monitors the power drawn from the input power line 1008 (or alternatively, the output power line 1063) and outputs a power usage measurement signal, which is provided to the evaluator 1030 (which may represent A processor that works with program instructions and various inputs). The evaluator 1030 compares the power usage measurement to the power usage target value 1094 to determine whether the additional controllable switch 1062 should be opened or closed. The power usage target value 1094 is preferably set according to the power alert stage level 1093 of the local energy control system 1012 . If the evaluator 1030 determines, based on the power usage measurements, that the local power consumption exceeds the power usage target value 1094, then the evaluator 1030 determines which controllable switch 1062 to open or close based on a priority setting 1038, which, as previously described, The priority setting 1038 can be set manually or programmatically through the interface 1029 . When a power command 1017 is received from the central station, the evaluator 1030 updates the power alert stage level 1093 and the power usage target 1094 as required. The local energy control system 1012 thus provides a level of robust control over local site power consumption and can be advantageously applied to power management systems, as shown in Figure 1, to achieve overall power demand reduction when required by the utility .

9 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a local energy control system 900 illustrating the principles employed, such as in conjunction with various power management systems disclosed herein, and illustrating mechanisms for providing power to the local energy control system 900 ,and others. As shown in FIG. 9, a local energy control system 900 includes an energy controller 910 through which a plurality of controllable switches 962 may be used to selectively disconnect power from an input power line 908 to a plurality of local loads. In FIG. 9, It is pictorially represented as an inductive element 919 . As previously described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 , for example, a controllable switch 962 may be connected in series (eg, interposed therebetween) with a circuit breaker 951 (or other similar electrical device) and a plurality of local loads. A decoupler 911 is preferably used to allow power to be supplied from the input power line 908 to the energy controller 910 . In a preferred embodiment, decoupler 911 includes a capacitor (possibly in combination with other circuit elements), although in alternative embodiments, decoupler 911 may include a transformer and, if appropriate, support circuit elements.

In an alternative embodiment, power may be supplied indirectly to the energy controller 910, for example from the output of a circuit breaker 951 (preferably a breaker without a controllable switch 962 so it cannot be opened).

The nature of the power signal on the input power line 908 (or more generally, power line 108 in FIG. 1 ) depends in part on the type of user. Large industrial consumers (such as railways) can directly receive electricity at voltage levels from 23 to 138 kV, and generally further reduce the voltage. Small industrial or commercial users typically receive electricity at voltage levels ranging from 4.16 to 34.5kV. Residential consumers or light commercial users generally receive power from local distribution transformers at nominal voltage levels of 120 and/or 240 volts. Electricity received by residential consumers or light commercial users is generally single-phase alternating current (AC) in nature, with a nominal frequency of approximately 60 Hz. The above exemplary values are US standards and may vary in other parts of the world.

Certain preferred controllable electronic switches will now be described, in particular various local energy control units, for local stations connected to the various power management systems disclosed herein. However, a comparison between the preferred controllable electronic switch and conventional electrical components, and in particular, a comparison between the preferred controllable electronic switch and a bimetal based circuit breaker will be presented first.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a bimetal based circuit breaker 400 known in the art. As shown in FIG. 4 , the circuit breaker 400 includes a bimetal arm 401 formed from two metal layers 402 , 403 . The bimetallic arm 401 is fixed at one end 406 and connected to the input power signal line 415 at the end 406 . At the other end 407 , the bimetal arm 401 rests in contact with the electrical conductor 420 . Electrical conductor 420 may be connected to a load (not shown), and in normal operation (ie, normal current flow), power from power signal line 415 is connected to the load through bimetallic arm 401 and electrical conductor 420 .

The metal substances of the different metal layers 402, 403 of the bimetallic arm 401 are chosen to have different thermal properties so as to be heated at different rates. Specifically, the metal substance of the lower metal layer 402 heats up faster than the metal substance of the upper metal layer 403 . When the amount of current flowing through the bimetallic arm 401 is within "normal" limits, the heat generated by the current flowing through the bimetallic arm 401 (which has an intrinsic resistance) is small and the bimetallic arm 401 is not deformed. However, when the amount of current flowing through bimetal arm 401 exceeds the overcurrent limit (which is primarily determined by the relative thermal properties of the metal species used in metal layers 402 and 403), the lower metal layer 402 heats faster than the upper metal layer The rapid heating rate of 403 causes the bimetal arm 401 to bend thereby breaking the circuit path between the input power signal line 415 and the electrical conductor 420 .

This operation can be illustrated by Figure 5-1 and Figure 5-2. 5-1 is a diagram illustrating an example of current flow when the circuit breaker 400 in FIG. 4 is closed (normal operation), and FIG. 5-2 is a diagram illustrating how the bimetal arm 401 of the circuit breaker 400 responds when an overcurrent condition occurs. Diagram of an example of a disconnected circuit. As shown in FIG. 5-1 , the power signal flows through input power wire 415 (labeled "IN"), through bimetallic arm 401, and across contactor 412 to electrical conductor 420 (labeled "OUT"). As long as the current in the power signal is below the overcurrent limit, the heat generated by the current flowing through the bimetallic arm 401 is small, and the bimetallic arm 401 does not deform. However, as shown in Figure 5-2, when the amount of current flowing through the bimetallic arm 401 exceeds the overcurrent limit, the current heats the bimetallic arm 401, but the lower metal layer 402 heats faster than the upper metal layer 403, thereby causing bimetallic Arm 401 is bent. As a result, the contactors 412 gradually separate and the circuit path between the input power signal line 415 and the electrical conductor 420 is broken. The amount of current necessary to cause the circuit breaker 400 to "trip" depends on the relative thermal characteristics of the bimetallic layers 402 , 403 of the bimetallic arm 401 .

After tripping, the bimetal arm 401 of the circuit breaker 400 will gradually cool until eventually the bimetal arm 401 is no longer deformed. As this occurs, the contactor 412 again makes an electrical connection, allowing the electrical signal to pass from the input power line 415 to the electrical conductor 420 .

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a controllable electronic switch 600 that may be used, for example, in certain embodiments of the power distribution and management systems and methods, and local energy control units described herein. As shown in Fig. 6, a controllable electronic switch 600 comprises a deformable element 601 which may be formed in the general shape of an arm (similar to that shown in Fig. 4) and may also comprise two layers 602, 603 with different thermal properties. In practice, the two layers 602, 603 are preferably metal, although any durable substance that bends under heat may be used. As further shown in FIG. 6 , the deformable element 601 is preferably secured at one end 606 to a non-conductive surface 615 . At the other end, the deformable element 601 stays in position connected to an electrical conductor 620 , preferably via a contact 612 . The input power line 625 is preferably connected to the deformable element 601 near the point of contact of the electrical conductor 620 in order to minimize power loss caused by the current passing through the deformable element 601 and also to avoid heating the deformable element 601 to any significant extent, regardless of How much current to get. The electrical conductor 620 is connectable to a load (not shown), and in normal operation (as explained below, that is, without the switch control signal being activated), power from the power control signal line 625 is passed through the deformable element 601 and the electrical conductor 620 conduction to the load.

The metal substances of the different metal layers 602, 603 of the deformable element 601 preferably have different thermal properties so that they heat up at different rates. Specifically, it is preferable that the metal substance of the lower metal layer 602 is heated faster than the metal substance of the upper metal layer 603 . When heat is applied to the deformable element 601, the lower metal layer 602 heats faster than the upper metal layer 603, causing the deformable element 601 to bend, similar to the circuit breaker 400, thereby disconnecting the input power signal line 625 and electrical circuit paths between conductors.

As further described in FIG. 6 , a heating element 645 , such as a resistive coil, is coupled to (eg, in the case of a resistive coil, wraps around) the deformable element 601 . The heating element 645 is preferably controlled by a switch control circuit 640 connected thereto by a pair of signal lines 641,642. When the switch control signal output from the switch control circuit 640 is not activated, the heating element 645 is effectively off (and therefore inactive), and power is passed through the input power line 625, across the end 607 of the deformable element 601, and via the contacts 612 to electrical conductors 620 where they are further distributed to loads. This operation is illustrated in Figure 7-1. However, when the switch control signal from the switch control circuit 640 is activated, the heating element 645 heats up as a result of the current flowing through the heating element 645 . Because the lower metal layer 602 heats faster than the upper metal layer 603, the deformable element 601 begins to bend. Eventually, as a result of the bending, the contacts 612 gradually separate, breaking the circuit path between the input power signal line 625 and the electrical conductor 620, as described in FIG. 7-2.

As long as the switch control signal from the switch control circuit 640 is activated, the heating element 645 continues to hold the deformable element 601 bent and the circuit path between the input power line 625 and the electrical conductor 620 is broken. Once the switch control signal from the switch control circuit 640 is not activated, the deformable element 601 is gradually cooled until the deformable element is no longer deformed. As this occurs, the contactor 612 again makes an electrical connection, allowing the power signal to pass from the incoming circuit wire 625 to the electrical conductor 620 and then to the load.

In one aspect, the controllable electronic switch 600 shown in FIG. 6 can provide a convenient, inexpensive mechanism for controlling the distribution of power from a source to a load. Furthermore, the controllable electronic switch 600 does not have to consume any power when the deformable element 601 is in the closed position, and requires only minimal power to cause the deformable element to open.

The input power line 625 can be connected to the deformable element 601 in a variety of ways. For example, the input power wire 625 may simply be welded, twisted or welded to the movable end 607 of the deformable element 601 . As long as there is electrical continuity between the input power line 625 and the electrical conductor 620 when the deformable element 601 is in the closed position of the switch, any form of attachment of the input power line 625 to the deformable element 601 is sufficient.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a more general controllable electronic switch 800 . As shown in FIG. 8 , the controllable electronic switch 800 includes a deformable element 801 that controllably connects an input power line 825 to an electrical conductor 820 . A heating element 845 is coupled to the deformable element 801 and is controlled by the switch control circuit 840 . The deformable element 801 can take any form, such as a bimetal element or an arm, which preferably allows the input power line 825 to conduct a power signal to the electrical conductor 820 when the deformable element 801 is not heated by the heating element 845, but preferably causes the input power The connection between wire 825 to electrical conductor 820 is physically broken when deformable element 801 is heated by heating element 845 . The heating element 845 may comprise, for example, a resistive coil or other resistor, and if a resistive coil, may conveniently be wound around the deformable element 801 when the deformable element 801 is presented as a bimetallic element or arm.

In each of the embodiments in Figures 6 and 8, the deformable element 601 or 801 does not have to be uniformly straight, in fact, can be of any shape so long as it bends in a predetermined manner when heated so as to disconnect the incoming power cord Electrical connection between 625 or 825 and electrical conductor 620 or 820. Also, while the deformable element 601 or 801 is illustrated in the preferred embodiment as a bimetallic arm having two metal layers, it could instead be made of any other material (metallic or otherwise) that can bend in the desired manner. become. Because there is no need for current to flow from one end of the deformable element 601 or 801 to the other (unlike a circuit breaker), the deformable element 601 or 801 can, if desired, separate the different parts of the deformable element 601 or 801 with non-conductive or insulating portions. Regions are separated from each other. For example, a non-conductive portion (such as plastic) can be placed on the region of the deformable element 601 or 801 coupled to the heating element 645 or 845 and on one end of the deformable element 601 or 801 (the end of the deformable element 601 in the example of FIG. between one end 606 and/or 607). Further, one end of the deformable element 601 (such as the end 607 in FIG. 6 ) does not have to be a bimetal, but can be a uniformly conductive material (such as a single metal), through which the electricity is conducted. Alternatively, the deformable element 601 or 801 may have additional layers (ie more than two layers). A key feature of the deformable element 601 or 801 is that it bends or deforms sufficiently when heated to break the electrical connection of the power signal path (eg, by separating the contacts 612 in FIG. 6 ).

The switch control signal output from the switch control circuit 640 or 840 to the heating element 645 or 845 is preferably a direct current (DC) signal, but may also be an alternating current (AC) signal or a mixed signal. When the switch control signal is not activated, the switch control circuit 640 can simply short the heating element 645 or 845 (such as by shorting the wires 641, 642 in FIG. 645 or 845.

Although heating elements 645 and 845 in FIGS. 6 and 8 have been illustrated in preferred embodiments as resistive coils, heating elements 645 or 845 may take other forms or configurations. For example, heating element 645 or 845 need not wrap around deformable element 601 or 801 if embodied as a resistive coil. The heating element 645 or 845 may be a different type of resistor than a resistive coil. However, a resistive coil is preferred as heating element 645 or 845 because it provides relatively uniform heating over a given area, is relatively easy to implement, and is relatively inexpensive.

The rate of response of the deformable element 601 or 801 to the switch control circuit 640 or 840 may or may not be critical, depending on the particular embodiment. If the response rate is not critical, the switch control signal can be a very low power signal. If a faster response time is required, the power of the switch control signal can be increased, thus causing faster heating of the heating element 645 or 845 . The switch control circuit 640 or 840 may have its own power source (such as a battery), or it may draw power from the input power line 625 or 825 or other available power source. The switch control circuit 640 or 840 may be activated by a manual switch (not shown), which causes activation of the switch control signal and thus eventual opening of the controllable electronic switch 600 or 800, otherwise may be activated by a remote electronic signal.

FIG. 14 is another embodiment of a controllable electronic switch 1400 that uses a wedge shaped element to physically break an electrical connection in a circuit. As shown in FIG. 14, a controllable electronic switch 1400 generally includes an elongated deformable element 1401 formed from two layers 1402, 1403, similar in nature to the deformable element 601 previously described with reference to FIG. In a preferred embodiment, the deformable element 1401 comprises bimetallic arms, while the two layers 1402, 1403 are metallic in nature, although more generally, the two layers 1402, 1403 may consist of a suitable material which have sufficiently different thermal characteristics to perform the aforementioned functions. The deformable element 1401 is preferably fixed at one end 1406 to a non-conductive surface 1415 . At its other end, the deformable element 1401 has a wedge element 1451 .

As further described in FIG. 14 , the narrow end of the wedge member 1451 is immediately adjacent to a pair of electrical contacts 1452 . The pair of electrical contactors 1452 are positioned in contact with a pair of electrical conductors 1420, 1425, the first electrical conductor 1425 serving as an input power line and the second electrical conductor 1420 serving as a means for delivering power to a load (not shown). In normal operation, power from the electrical conductor 1425 is conducted through the electrical contactor 1452 to the second electrical conductor 1420 and thus to the load. The electrical contacts 1452 are secured to a pair of non-conductive arms 1457 which are secured to a fixed surface 1460 . A pair of springs 1455 or such device apply a force to the non-conductive arm 1457, thereby maintaining the connected state of the electrical contact 1452 in normal operation.

The electrical path formed across the electrical contacts 1452 can be broken by applying a control signal to the deformable element 1401 . To this end, a heating element 1445 (eg, a resistive coil) is coupled to the deformable element 1401 (eg, wrapped around the deformable element 1401, which behaves as a resistive coil). The heating element 1445 is preferably controlled by a switch control circuit 1440 connected thereto by a pair of signal lines 1441 , 1442 . When the switch control signal output from the switch control circuit 1440 is not activated, the heating element 1445 is effectively turned off (and thus inactive), and power is delivered to the electrical conductor 1420 via the input power line 1425, across the electrical contactor 1452 , from where power can be further distributed to loads. However, when the switch control signal from the switch control circuit 1440 is activated, the heating element 1445 heats up due to the effect of current flowing through the heating element 1445 . Similar to the deformable element 601 described above with reference to FIG. 6 , the deformable element 1401 of the controllable electronic switch 1400 begins to bend. Ultimately, as a result of bending, wedge-shaped element 1451, if exerting a force between electrical contacts 1452, causes contacts 1452 to gradually separate (spring 1455 gradually compresses), and breaks the connection between input power signal line 1425 and electrical conductor 1420. circuit path, as shown in Figure 15.

As long as the switch control signal from the switch control circuit 1440 is activated, the heating element 1445 continues to hold the deformable element 1401 in flexion and the circuit path between the input power line 1425 and the electrical conductor 1420 is broken. Once the switch control signal from the switch control circuit 1440 is not activated, the deformable element 1401 is gradually cooled until the deformable element 1401 is no longer deformed. As this occurs, the wedge elements 1451 are gradually retracted, causing the electrical contacts 1452 to come together and form an electrical connection again, which then allows the electrical signal to pass from the input power line 1425 to the electrical conductor 1420 and then to the load.

In one aspect, the controllable electronic switch 1400 shown in FIG. 14, similar to the controllable electronic switch 600 shown in FIG. 6, can provide a convenient, inexpensive mechanism for controlling the distribution of power from a source to a load. Furthermore, the controllable electronic switch 1400 does not need to consume any power when the electrical contactor 1452 is in the closed position, and requires only minimal power to cause the deformable element 1401 to bend away from the electrical contactor 1452, breaking the power signal circuit path.

16 is a diagram of another embodiment of a controllable electronic switch 1600 that uses a wedge shaped element to break an electrical connection in a circuit path. Many of the elements shown in FIG. 16 are similar in nature to those shown in FIG. 14 . Thus, for example, the controllable electronic switch 1600 in FIG. 16 generally includes an elongated deformable element 1601 formed from two layers 1602, 1603, similar in nature to the deformable elements previously described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 14, respectively. 601, 1401. In the preferred embodiment, the deformable element 1601 comprises bimetallic arms and the two layers 1602, 1603 are metallic in nature, although more generally the two layers 1602, 1603 can be made of any suitable material with sufficiently different thermal properties. materials composed in order to perform the functions described herein. The deformable element 1601 is preferably fixed at one end 1606 to a non-conductive surface 1615 . At its other end, the deformable element 1601 has a wedge element 1651 which acts as a mechanical cam, as explained in detail below.

As further described in FIG. 16 , one end of the wedge member 1651 is immediately adjacent to a pair of electrical contacts 1652 . The pair of electrical contactors 1652 are located in contact with a pair of electrical conductors 1620, 1625, the first electrical conductor 1625 serving as an input power line and the second electrical conductor 1620 serving as a means of delivering power to a load (not shown). In normal operation, power from the electrical conductor 1625 is conducted through the electrical contactor 1652 to the second electrical conductor 1620 and thus to the load. The electrical contacts 1652 are secured to a pair of non-conductive arms 1657 which are secured to a fixed surface 1660 . A pair of springs 1655 or such applies a force to the non-conductive arm 1657, thereby maintaining the connected state of the electrical contact 1652 in normal operation.

Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 14 , the electrical path across electrical contactor 1652 is broken by applying a control signal to deformable element 1601 . To this end, a heating element 1645 (eg, a resistive coil) is coupled to the deformable element 1601 (eg, wrapped around the deformable element 1601, which behaves as a resistive coil). The heating element 1645 is preferably controlled by a switch control circuit 1640 connected thereto by a pair of signal lines 1641 , 1642 . When the switch control signal output from the switch control circuit 1640 is not activated, the heating element 1645 is effectively turned off (and therefore inactive), and power is delivered to the electrical conductors via the input power line 1625, across the electrical contactor 1652 1620, from where the power can be further distributed to loads. However, when the switch control signal from the switch control circuit 1640 is activated, the heating element 1645 heats up due to the effect of current flowing through the heating element 1645, and as a result, the deformable element 1601 begins to bend. Ultimately, as a result of the bending, wedge-shaped element 1651, if exerting a force between electrical contacts 1652, causes connection 1652 to gradually separate (spring 1655 gradually compresses), and breaks the connection between input power signal line 1625 and electrical conductor 1620. circuit path, similar to that shown in Figure 15.

Unlike the embodiment in FIG. 14, the wedge element 1651 of the controllable electronic switch 1600 in FIG. 16 acts as a mechanical cam with multiple latched positions, thus alleviating the need to hold a control signal to keep the circuit open. When the wedge member 1651 is locked in the first position, it moves away from the electrical contactor 1652, which remains closed and the power signal circuit path is not interrupted. On the other hand, when the wedge-shaped element 1651 is locked in the second position, it drives the electrical contacts 1652 apart, thereby interrupting the power signal circuit path. In each locked position, no power is required to maintain the controllable electronic switch 1600 in its current state (open or closed). In this example, locking of wedge member 1651 in multiple positions is accomplished by a lock member 1680 , for example, wherein the lock member includes an arm 1682 terminating in a ball 1681 that abuts wedge member 1651 . In this example, the arms 1682 of the locking element 1680 are affixed to the surface 1660, but the locking element 1680 may be affixed to any other available surface. Thus, in this example, the latch element 1680 is adjacent to the arm 1657 that supports the electrical contact 1652 .

Figures 17-1, 17-2, and 17-3 are different views illustrating examples of the wedge-shaped element 1651 of the controllable electronic switch 1600 in Figure 16, specifically, Figures 17-2 and 17-3 illustrate the The wedge element 1651 is locked in the first position. The wedge element 1651 in this example includes a front wedge portion 1705 (which is generally wide-faced and sloped), a central groove 1701 and a back wedge portion 1706 (which may be tapered and sloped). Section 1706 defines a shallow rear groove 1708 . As best illustrated in Figures 17-2 and 17-3, when the wedge member 1651 is locked in the first position, the ball 1681 of the lock member 1680 rests on the front wedge portion 1705 (to more clearly show other features, Arm 1682 is omitted from Figures 17-2 and 17-3). The ball 1681 is effective to hold the wedge member 1651 in place when it is locked in the first position, although in some embodiments, the ball 1681 need not be in contact with the wedge member 1651 and is generally located adjacent thereto.

18-1 to 18-8 are diagrams illustrating how the wedge member 1651 transitions between different locked positions. Figures 18-2 and 18-3 are similar to Figures 17-2 and 17-3, respectively, showing the stationary wedge member 1651 in the first closed position. 18-3 illustrates what happens as the deformable element 1601 is heated in response to a control signal applied to the heating element 1645 (as shown in FIG. 16). In this situation, the deformable element 1601 begins to bend, driving the wedge-shaped element 1651 forward. When this occurs, the ball 1681 slides on the sloped surface of the front wedge portion 1705 until it comes to rest in the central groove 1701 of the wedge member 1651, stabilizing the wedge member in the second locked position. For comparison purposes, the first occluded position is indicated by the dotted outline 1651' of the wedge-shaped elements, although the actual dimensions of movement are exaggerated for illustrative purposes. In fact, movement of only a few hundredths of an inch of wedge member 1651 is sufficient to change the locked position. Even after the control signal is not activated, the ball 1681 maintains the wedge member 1651 in the second locked position due to its firm rest in the central groove 1701 . Thus, the wedge elements 1651 can keep the contacts 1652 apart while remaining in the second locked position.

Subsequent application of the control signal causes the wedge element 1651 to return to the first locked position. When a subsequent control signal is applied, the deformable element 1601 is heated again causing it to bend and the wedge-shaped element 1651 to move forward. The ball 1681 is thus driven out of the central recess 1701 and onto the second wedge portion 1706, as shown in Figure 18-5. The ball 1681 slides over the tapered surface of the second wedge portion 1706, and due to the very narrow end of the second wedge portion 1706 (preferably asymmetrically tapered), the ball 1681 slides further on the second wedge portion 1706. It slides over the tapered sides and is captured by the upper lip of the shallow rear groove 1708, as shown in Figure 18-6. The upper lip of the shallow rear groove 1708 helps guide the ball 1681 along the outside surface 1710 of the wedge member 1651, as shown in the side view in FIG. 18-7 and the top view in FIG. 18-8, during which the locking member 1680 The arm 1682 of the arm is driven to the side of the wedge member 1651 (or vice versa). As the deformable element 1601 cools, the ball 1681 slides along the outside surface 1710 of the wedge element 1651 and eventually reaches the narrow tip region of the front wedge portion 1705, where the arm 1682 of the locking element 1680 sticks out and touches the ball 1681. Driven onto the surface of the front wedge portion 1705, the wedge member 1651 returns to the first locked position, as shown in Figures 18-1 and 18-2.

The above process can be repeated as needed to allow the controllable electronic switch 1680 to open and close the electrical contactor 1652 by moving the wedge member 1651 between the first and second latched positions. The control signal applied to cause the wedge member 1651 to move may take the form of, for example, a pulse signal.

Figure 19 is a view of another embodiment of a controllable electronic switch 1900 that uses a wedge shaped element to break an electrical connection in a circuit path, also using the principle of a mechanical cam with multiple latched positions. In FIG. 19, a controllable electronic switch 1900 generally comprises an elongated deformable element 1901 formed, as before, from two layers 1902, 1903, similar in nature to the deformable elements previously described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 14, respectively. Elements 601, 1401. In the preferred embodiment, the deformable element 1901 comprises bimetallic arms, and the two layers 1902, 1903 are metallic in nature, although more generally the two layers 1902, 1903 can be made of any metal having sufficiently different thermal properties. materials composed to perform the functions described herein. The deformable element 1901 is preferably secured to a non-conductive surface 1960 at one end. At its other end, the deformable element 1901 has a wedge element 1951 which acts as a mechanical cam, as will be explained in more detail below.

As further illustrated in FIG. 19 , swing arm 1980 is positioned between first wedge member 1951 and a pair of electrical contacts 1952 . The pair of electrical contacts 1952 are located in contact with a pair of electrical conductors 1920, 1925, the first electrical conductor 1925 serving as an input power line and the second electrical conductor 1920 serving as a means for delivering power to a load (not shown). In normal operation, electrical power from the first electrical conductor 1925 is conducted through the electrical contactor 1952 to the second electrical conductor 1920 and thus to the load. Electrical contacts 1952 are secured to a pair of non-conductive arms 1957, which are secured to a stationary surface (not shown). A pair of springs (not shown, but similar to spring 1655 in FIG. 16 ) or other such means apply force to non-conductive arm 1957 and thus maintain the connected position of electrical contact 1952 in normal operation.

As further shown in FIG. 19, the swing arm 1980 has a ball 1981 at one end and a second wedge member 1961 at the opposite end. The swing arm 1980 may be secured to a fixed structure 1985 at a pivot point 1984 that is generally centrally located.

The electrical path formed across electrical connection 1952 can be broken by applying a control signal to deformable element 1901 . To accomplish this, a heating element 1945 , such as a resistive coil, is coupled to the deformable element 1901 . The heating element 1945 is preferably controlled by a switch control circuit 1940 connected thereto by a pair of signal lines 1941,1942. When the switch control signal output from the switch control circuit 1940 is not activated, the heating element 1945 is effectively turned off (and thus inactive), and power is delivered to the electrical circuit via the input power line 1925, across the electrical contactor 1952 Conductor 1920, from where the power is further distributed to loads. However, when the switch control signal from the switch control circuit 1940 is activated, the heating element 1945 heats up due to the effect of the current flowing through the heating element 1945, and as a result, the deformable element 1901 begins to bend. Eventually, as a result of the bending, the wedge element 1951 squeezes the ball 1981 of the swing arm 1980 so that it is displaced as the swing arm 1980 is forced to rotate slightly in the clockwise direction. This movement causes the other end of the swing arm 1980 to move in a clockwise direction, which then drives the second wedge member 1961 between the electrical contacts 1952 . This action causes connection 1952 to gradually separate, breaking the circuit path between input power signal line 1925 and electrical conductor 1920, as shown in FIG.

Similar to the embodiment in Figure 16, the wedge element 1951 of the controllable electronic switch 1900 in Figure 19 acts as a mechanical cam with multiple latched positions, thus alleviating the need to maintain a control signal to keep the circuit open. When the first wedge member 1951 is locked in the first position, it causes the second wedge member 1961 to move away from the electrical contact 1952, which remains closed and the power signal circuit path is not interrupted. On the other hand, when the first wedge element 1951 is locked in the second position, it causes the second wedge element 1961 to force the electrical contacts 1952 apart, thereby breaking the power signal circuit path. In each locked position, no power is required to maintain the controllable electronic switch 1900 in its current state (open or closed). In this example, the locking of wedge member 1951 in multiple positions is accomplished by a swing arm 1980 , similar to lock member 1680 , that terminates within a ball 1981 that rests against wedge member 1951 .

The movement of the ball 1981 relative to the first wedge member 1951 is similar to that described with respect to the controllable electronic switch 1600 of FIG. 16, and the illustrations of FIGS. 17-1 through 17-3 and FIGS. 18-1 through 18-8. However, instead of the first wedge member 1951 itself being inserted between the connections 1952 to break them, the first wedge member 1951 causes the swing arm 1980 to swing back and forth, thereby causing the second wedge member 1961 to move back and forth, breaking and closing the electrical contacts Device 1952.

It should be noted that the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 19 and elsewhere are by way of example only and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the concepts and principles disclosed herein. While certain cam mechanisms are described and illustrated, cams or other similar mechanisms could be used to perform similar functions. For example, alternative embodiments may include any element for use in connection with separating electrical contacts (or other types of electrical connections) having at least one stable position and one or more unstable positions, the stable position and the unstable position Switching is accomplished by applying a control signal. A variety of different mechanical configurations could be used in place of the wedge elements described and illustrated herein.

21 , 22 and 23 are simplified schematic diagrams of control circuits, or portions thereof, that may be used with the various controllable electronic switches disclosed herein. In FIG. 21 , the control signal generator 2100 includes a power source 2170 (such as a battery or other DC power source) connected to a capacitor 2174 through a first switch 2171 . A capacitor 2174 is connected via a second switch 2172 to a heating element 2145 , such as a resistive coil, which is adjacent to the deformable element 2101 . The heating element 2145 and the deformable element 2101 may represent elements similar to those illustrated in Figures 16 or 19, or any other controllable electronic switch embodiments described herein.

In operation, when switch 2171 is closed and switch 2172 is open, power supply 2170 maintains capacitor 2174 in a charged state. Since switch 2172 is open, heating element 2145 is turned off and deformable element 2101 remains in its natural unheated state. To apply a control signal to heating element 2145, a control circuit (not shown) opens switch 2171 and closes 2172, as shown in FIG. As a result, power source 2170 is disconnected from capacitor 2174 , which discharges heating element 2145 . The size and permittivity of capacitor 2174 may be selected to be large enough to hold an appropriate amount of charge so that heating element 2145 heats up sufficiently to cause deformable element 2101, particularly if embodied as a locking cam mechanism (e.g., in FIGS. 16 and 19 ) is driven to the next locked state. Once capacitor 2174 is fully discharged, switch 2171 is closed and switch 2172 is opened to recharge capacitor 2174. Next, the switches 2171, 2172 can be switched again to discharge the capacitor 2174 a second time and cause the deformable element 2101 to be driven to another locked state (or back to its original locked state), where the deformable element 2101 behaves as Locking cam mechanism.

Figure 23 applies the same principles as in Figures 21 and 22 to a controllable electronic switching system. The control circuitry 2300 in FIG. 23 includes a power supply 2370 and a capacitor 2374 that are similar to corresponding parts in FIGS. 21 and 22 . The first switch 2371 is similar to the switch 2171 in FIGS. 21 and 22 and is normally closed while the capacitor 2374 is charging. When the controllable electronic switch needs to be activated, the control circuit 2376 opens the switch 2371 and closes the switches 2372a, 2372b, 2372c, . . . associated with the controllable electronic switch to be activated. According to the programming of the control circuit 2376, only selected ones of the switches 2372a, 2372b, 2372c, . . . need to be activated. According to the aforementioned principle, for the closed switches 2372a, 2372b, 2372c, ..., the heating elements (such as resistive coils) 2345a, 2345b, 2345c, ... heat up, causing the deformation of the nearest deformation element, and the excitation of the controllable electronic switch .

24 is a diagram of an embodiment of a switch control circuit 2401 that may be used in conjunction with various controllable electronic switch embodiments described or illustrated herein, such as those shown in FIGS. control electronics. As shown in FIG. 24, the switch control circuit 2401 includes an input AC power signal 2405 coupled to a capacitor 2408, which in turn is connected to a heating element (not shown) through an electronic or electromechanical switch 2423. A manual toggle switch or button 2420 is used to actuate an electronic or electromechanical switch 2423 that selectively allows the input power signal 2405 to be passed to the heating element 2425 . The input AC power signal 2405 can be, for example, single phase power taken from a power line, thus the design shown in Figure 24 provides a low cost, high efficiency mechanism (with minimal current draw) for actuating controllable electronic switches.

Figure 25 is a view of another embodiment of a switch control circuit 2501 that may be used in conjunction with various controllable electronic switch embodiments described or illustrated herein, for example, as shown in Figures 6, 8 or 14, or other Electronic circuits can be controlled. As shown in FIG. 25, the switch control circuit 2501 includes an input AC power signal 2505 coupled to a capacitor 2508, which in turn is connected to a heating element (not shown) through an electronic switch 2523. Receiver 2520 receives remote command signals via antenna 2518 and, in response thereto, opens or closes switch 2523 , which selectively allows input power signal 2505 to be delivered to heating element 2525 . Receiver 2520 may be configured to communicate using any wireless technology, for example may advantageously be configured to receive signals transmitted using frequency shift keying (FSK) or FM sideband transmission techniques. More complex commands can be communicated through receiver 2520, thus allowing switch control circuit 2501 to be used as part of a circuit control system that controls multi-state controllable electronic switches and allowing more complex processes and decisions to be performed. The input AC power signal 2505 can be, for example, single phase power taken from a power line, thus the design shown in Figure 25 provides a low cost, high efficiency mechanism (with minimal current draw) for actuating controllable electronic switches.

The various embodiments of electronic switches described herein are simple, efficient, controllable, reliable and relatively inexpensive, and are often helpful in the context of power distribution or management systems to control input power from a source to a load Distribution of signals (low voltage and/or low current or high voltage and/or high current). In various embodiments, the controllable electronic switches are power efficient—eg, they do not consume any power when the switches are closed, and require only minimal power to open and remain open. The plurality of controllable electronic switches disclosed herein can be operated remotely, such as by power control commands transmitted from a remote central station, thus providing a flexible and convenient mechanism for controlling power distribution.

In some embodiments, the central station 102 requires two-way communication with the power control circuits 112 of the plurality of local sites 109 . For example, the central office 102 needs to obtain relatively immediate feedback as to how many and/or which power control circuits 112 have responded to the power alarm phase by reducing the electrical load 120 . In such an embodiment, the wireless communication units 115 of the plurality of local sites include transmitters in addition to receivers, and conversely, the wireless communication units 103 of central station 102 include receivers in addition to transmitters. Messages transmitted from multiple local sites 109 may be identified by any of the techniques described herein or by any conventional technique. For example, such transmissions may be identified by any combination of addresses, frequencies, codes, and the like.

In some embodiments, the power control circuits 112 may store historical information regarding their responses to the various power alert stage levels announced by the central station 102 for tabulation or other purposes. For example, the wireless energy control unit 214 may store such historical messages in the non-volatile part of the memory 239 in the embodiment in FIG. 2 . Historical messages may include, for example, messages that the controllable switch 262 was opened in response to the announcement of a particular power alarm stage level, and/or how much energy was reduced immediately before and after as a result of reducing the electrical load connected to the open controllable switch. consume. Utilities can use this type of message, along with providing user incentives to utilize the wireless energy control units described herein to reduce power consumption. Assuming the power management system 100 has two-way communication capabilities, historical messages can be transmitted to the central office or utility 105 at the request of the local power control circuit 112 . Alternatively, the history message can be read over a direct connection, or by transmitting the message over the power line, or by an alternative technique.

Although certain embodiments have been described herein in the text and/or illustrated in the drawings, it should be understood that various changes, modifications, additions or substitutions utilizing the principles and concepts of the described embodiments may be made make. With few exceptions, the embodiments described herein and in the figures may not be limited to a particular wireless communication technology or protocol, or to a particular type of message and power command format or sequence, or to a particular circuit configuration. Not all local electrical loads need to be unloaded by the local energy control circuits described here, nor are there any restrictions on the type of additional electrical components (circuit breakers, fuses, transformers, indicators, capacitors, filters, etc.) , these electrical components can be combined or used in combination with various embodiments of the present invention. Further, rather than using controllable switches for disconnecting and reconnecting electrical loads, various embodiments may use electrical components capable of regulating current flow on a variable basis; however, such electrical components are typically more expensive, power consuming The preferred controllable switches disclosed herein are larger and require more complex controls, although such capabilities are considered to be within the purview of those skilled in the art.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, many variations are possible which remain within the concept and scope of the invention. Such variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the specification and drawings. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except by the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims (24)

1. A controllable electronic switch comprising: deformable element means for controllably connecting an input power line to an electrical conductor, said power line being electrically connected to said electrical conductor when the deformable element means is connected to the electrical conductor; means for heating said deformable element means to cause deformation of said deformable element means until it is disconnected from said electrical conductor; and Signal means, other than said input power lines, for energizing and deactivating said means for heating. 2. A controllable electronic switch comprising: a bimetallic element having a first end and a second end, said bimetallic element being secured at said first end and in contact with an electrical conductor at said second end; an input power wire having said second end near said electrical conductor connected to said bimetallic element, said input power wire being electrically powered when said bimetallic element is in contact with said electrical conductor connected to said electrical conductor; a heating element coupled to the bimetallic element; and a switch control circuit connected to the heating element, thereby causing the heating element to heat to a temperature sufficient to bend the bimetallic element so that when the switch control circuit sends a switch control signal, the bimetal The connection between the second end of the metal element and the electrical conductor. 3. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said second end of said bimetal element remains in contact with said electrical conductor when said switch control signal has not been activated. 4. The controllable electronic switch of claim 3, wherein when said second end of said bimetallic element is in contact with an electrical conductor, power is delivered from the input line to a remote load through the electrical conductor, when said bimetallic element When the second end of the electrical conductor is disconnected, no power is delivered to the remote load. 5. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said heating element comprises a resistive coil. 6. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein manual actuation of said switch control circuit causes said switch control signal to be activated. 7. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said switch control circuit activates said switch control signal in response to an electronic command signal received from a remote source. 8. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said input power wire is welded to said second end of said bimetal element. 9. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said second end of said bimetallic element has a top side comprised of a first metallic substance and a bottom side comprised of a second metallic substance, wherein said input power wire is welded to a top side of said second end of said bimetal element, and wherein when a switch control signal is not activated, a bottom side of said second end of said bimetal element The sides are in contact with the electrical conductors. 10. A method of controlling power delivery comprising the steps of: fixing the first end of the bimetallic arm; positioning the bimetallic arm so that the second end thereon, contacts the electrical conductor when the bimetallic arm is in the ambient state, and bends away from the electrical conductor when the bimetallic arm is heated; connecting an input power line to the bimetallic arm at the second end of the bimetallic arm adjacent to the electrical conductor, such that when the bimetallic arm is in contact with the electrical conductor, an electrical signal on said input power line has the ability to pass through the electrical conductor to the remote load the electrical path; coupling said heating element to said bimetal arm; connecting a switch control signal to said heating element; and The switch control signal is selectively applied and removed to control the heating of the heating element to control the opening and closing of the bimetallic arms. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein applying the switch control signal causes heating of the heating element and then causes heating of the bimetallic arm such that the bimetallic arm bends away from the electrical conductor, and wherein removal of said switch control signal causes cooling of said heating element, which in turn causes cooling of said bimetallic arm so as to restore contact with the electrical conductor. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of coupling a heating element to said bimetallic arm includes the step of wrapping a resistive coil around said bimetallic arm. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of selectively applying and removing said switch control signal to control heating of said heating element comprises the step of manually energizing and deactivating a switch control circuit, the switch The control circuit applies and removes the switch control signal. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of selectively applying and removing said switch control signal to control heating of said heating element comprises the steps of receiving an electronic command signal from a remote source, and applying and the step of removing said switch control signal in response thereto. 15. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of connecting the input power wire to the bimetallic arm at the second end of the bimetallic arm near the electrical conductor comprises welding the input power wire to the bimetallic arm. the step of said second end of said bimetallic arm. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said second end of said bimetallic arm has a top side composed of a first metallic substance and a bottom side composed of a second metallic substance, wherein said The step of welding the input power wire to the second end of the bimetal arm further includes welding the input power wire to the top side of the second end of the bimetal arm The step of, when no switching control signal is applied, the bottom side of the second end of the bimetallic element is located in contact with an electrical conductor. 17. A controllable electronic switch comprising: a deformable element having a first end and a second end, said deformable element being fixed at said first end and contacting an electrical conductor at said second end; An input power cord connected to said deformable element at said second end near said electrical conductor, said input power cord being electrically connected to said deformable element when said deformable element is in contact with said electrical conductor said electrical conductor; a heating element adjacent the deformable element; and Connected to a signal line on the heating element, the signal line conveys a switch control signal to the heating element. 18. The controllable electronic switch of claim 17, wherein activation of the switch control signal causes current through the heating element to cause the heating element to heat, thereby bending the deformable element so as to open the a connection between the second end of the deformable element and the electrical conductor, and wherein inactivation of the switch control signal causes the heating element to remain unheated so that the deformable element remains unbent, and the electrical Conductor contact. 19. The controllable electronic switch of claim 17, wherein the heating element comprises a resistive coil. 20. The controllable electronic switch of claim 18, further comprising a switch control circuit outputting said switch control signal, wherein said switch control signal is activated by manually actuating said switch control circuit. 21. The controllable electronic switch of claim 18, further comprising a switch control circuit that outputs said switch control signal, wherein said switch control signal is activated in response to an electronic command signal received from a remote source. 22. The controllable electronic switch of claim 18, wherein said input power wire is welded to said second end of said deformable element. 23. The controllable electronic switch of claim 18, wherein the deformable element comprises a bimetallic element. 24. The controllable electronic switch of claim 23, wherein said second end of said bimetallic element has a top side comprised of a first metallic substance and a bottom side comprised of a second metallic substance, wherein said input power wire is welded to a top side of said second end of said bimetal element, and wherein when a switch control signal is not activated, a bottom side of said second end of said bimetal element The sides are in contact with the electrical conductors.

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