초록 ▼

A programmable electronic real-time load controller includes: a plurality of load control circuits, each being adapted to be interconnected with a load; a hardware clock; and, a data processor, operating under control of a set of program instructions stored in a program memory thereof, for implement

A programmable electronic real-time load controller includes: a plurality of load control circuits, each being adapted to be interconnected with a load; a hardware clock; and, a data processor, operating under control of a set of program instructions stored in a program memory thereof, for implementing real-time control by comparing real-time information from the hardware clock with a time schedule stored in an event memory, and accordingly establishing an on state or an off state for each load, the on state representing a desired load-on state for the associated load control circuit and the off state representing a desired load-off state for the associated load control circuit. In order that the controller may also implement demand limit control, the controller is provided with additional components including a sensor for measuring the actual rate of power consumption by the loads, a set point selector for selecting a set point representing a desired rate of power consumption, and an additional program memory storing a set of program instructions for demand limit control. The data processor is responsive to this set of program instructions to: obtain the actual power rate and the set point from the sensor and the set point selector, respectively; compare the actual power rate with the set point; and, for those loads in an on state under real-time control, vary the number of loads actually energized and de-energized so as to maintain the actual rate substantially equal to the set point. The additional components for demand limit control are preferably mounted on a printed circuit card adapted to be inserted into a housing of the controller and interconnected with the data processor therein.

대표청구항 ▼

An electronic controller for controlling the energization states of a plurality of electrical loads, said controller comprising: a plurality of load control circuits, each said load control circuit being adapted to be interconnected with a load, and having a load-on state when its load is to be on,

An electronic controller for controlling the energization states of a plurality of electrical loads, said controller comprising: a plurality of load control circuits, each said load control circuit being adapted to be interconnected with a load, and having a load-on state when its load is to be on, and a load-off state when its load is to be off; clock means for determining real-time; sensor means for measuring the actual rate of power consumption by the plurality of electrical loads; set point selector means for selecting a set point representing a desired rate of power consumption by the plurality of electrical loads; event memory means for storing a time schedule for real-time control of the plurality of electrical loads; program memory means storing a set of program instructions; processing means responsive to said set of program instructions for: determining a desired real-time control output status for each load by: obtaining real-time from said clock means; obtaining said time schedule from said event memory means; and through comparison of said real-time with said time schedule, establishing an on state or an off state for each load, said on state representing a desired load-on state for the associated load control circuit and said off state representing a desired load-off state for the associated load control circuit; determining a desired demand limit control output status for each load by: obtaining said actual power rate from said sensor means; obtaining said set point from said set point selector means; determining a shed condition when said actual power rate equals or exceeds said set point, and determining a restore condition when said actual power rate is less than said set point; establishing a demand group of the plurality of electrical loads; transferring a load into said demand group upon occurrence of an on state for the load and transferring a load out of said demand group upon occurrence of an off state for the load; establishing a shed group and a restored group within said demand group, the loads within said shed group having a shed state representing a desired load-off state for the associated load control circuit and the loads within said restored group having a restored state representing a desired load-on state for the associated load control circuit; upon determination of said shed condition, transferring at least one load from said restored group to said shed group; and, upon determination of said restore condition, transferring at least one load from said shed group to said restored group; and, controlling the actual energization state of each load by, for each load in said demand group, placing said load control circuit for the load into said load-on state upon occurrence of said restored state for the load and into said load-off state upon occurrence of said shed state for the load, and, for each remaining load, placing said load control circuit for the load into said load-on state upon occurrence of said on state for the load and into said load-off state upon occurrence of said off state for the load.