초록 ▼

A power management system and associated method includes provision of local wireless energy control units at remote sites for controlling power delivery to customer loads, and a central station with a wireless transmitter for broadcasting commands to the wireless energy control units. The wireless e

A power management system and associated method includes provision of local wireless energy control units at remote sites for controlling power delivery to customer loads, and a central station with a wireless transmitter for broadcasting commands to the wireless energy control units. The wireless energy control units each comprise a bank of switches for controlling power delivery to electrical loads at each local site. The controllable switches preferably have a deformable bimetal member controlled by a heated coil for engaging and disengaging electrical contacts. Each wireless energy control unit is capable of being pre-configured so as to specify the order or priority in which electrical loads are disengaged, in response to commands to reduce power consumption received from the central station. The central station issues power reduction commands according to different priority levels or alert stages, causing the local wireless energy units to disengage local loads accordingly.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A wireless energy control unit, comprising: a plurality of controllable switches each having a first position wherein a power source is electronically connected to an electrical load and a second position wherein the power source is disconnected from the electrical load; wher

What is claimed is: 1. A wireless energy control unit, comprising: a plurality of controllable switches each having a first position wherein a power source is electronically connected to an electrical load and a second position wherein the power source is disconnected from the electrical load; wherein one or more of said controllable switches comprises a bimetal member being undeformed when the switch is in said first position, said bimetal member responsive to activation of a local heating element that deforms the bimetal member resulting in the switch assuming the second position to temporarily disconnect its respective electrical load; a plurality of separate passive circuit breakers, each circuit breaker being connected in series with one of said controllable switches such that the controllable switch is capable of connecting or disconnecting the entire electrical load drawing power through the circuit breaker; a wireless receiver; and a controller connected to said wireless receiver, said controller receiving messages via said wireless receiver and, in response thereto, selectively switching one or more of said controllable switches between said first position and said second position according to a pre-established priority, thereby connecting and disconnecting the electrical loads from the power source. 2. The wireless energy control unit of claim 1, wherein said controller comprises: a processor; a non-volatile memory storing program instructions for said processor; and a control register for storing individual control bits which determine the positioning of each of said controllable switches between said first position and said second position. 3. The wireless energy control unit of claim 2, wherein said controller further comprises an alterable memory portion for storing historical data regarding the status of said controllable switches at various points in time. 4. The wireless energy control unit of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light indicators each indicating the status of one of said controllable switches. 5. The wireless energy control unit of claim 1, wherein said power source emanates from a power utility, and wherein the messages received by said wireless receiver are transmitted by the power utility. 6. The wireless energy control unit of claim 5 wherein said controller is configured to respond to a first stage alert message from the power utility by switching a first set of one or more controllable switches between said first position and said second position according to said locally configurable priority, thereby disconnecting the electrical loads drawing power through said first set of one or more controllable switches, and to respond to a second stage alert message from the power utility by switching a second set of one or more controllable switches between said first position and said second position according to said locally configurable priority, thereby additionally disconnecting the electrical loads drawing power through said second set of one or more controllable switches. 7. The wireless energy control unit of claim 6, wherein said controller is configured to respond to an alert cancellation message from the power utility by restoring said first set and said second set of one or more controllable switches to the first position in the reverse order in which the controllable switches were originally switched, thereby re-connecting the disconnected loads in reverse order from which they were disconnected. 8. The wireless energy control unit of claim 6, wherein said controller is configured to receive an early warning message from the power utility via said wireless receiver indicating that the controller may disconnect one or more of said controllable switches, and to display an indication that said early warning message has been received. 9. The wireless energy control unit of claim 8, wherein a message received from the power utility indicates a delay period, and wherein said controller is configured to wait for the delay period prior to disengaging said electrical loads. 10. The wireless energy control unit of claim 1, further comprising a housing containing said controllable switches, said wireless receiver and said controller, said housing adapted for placement in a circuit box containing said circuit breakers, said circuit box comprising a plurality of manual switches for resetting said circuit breakers. 11. The wireless energy control unit of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter which, collectively with said wireless receiver, provides bi-directional communication with a remote utility station. 12. The wireless energy control unit of claim 1, wherein said messages are received over an FM sideband. 13. The wireless energy control unit of claim 1, further comprising a power monitor coupled to said controller, wherein said controller is configured to disconnect electrical loads according to the preestablished priority of said controllable switches until aggregate power consumption by the remaining electrical loads reaches a target energy reduction level. 14. The wireless energy control unit of claim 1 wherein said controllable switches, passive circuit breakers, wireless receiver, and controller are located in a common circuit panel. 15. A method of controlling power distribution from a power source to a plurality of electrical loads, the method comprising the steps of: receiving messages via a wireless receiver, said messages broadcast by a power utility; and in response to said messages, selectively switching one or more of a plurality of controllable switches according to a locally configurable priority, each of said controllable switches electronically connected in series with a separate passive circuit breaker and disposed between a power source and an electrical load, and thereby selectively disengaging the power source from the electrical loads in accordance with said locally configurable priority; wherein one or more of said controllable switches comprises a bimetal member that is normally closed thereby allowing current to flow to the electrical load associated therewith, said bimetal member being deformed in response to a control signal which causes heating of the bimetal member and thereby disengages the power source from the electrical loads. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the messages are received by a controller, said controller comprising: a processor; a non-volatile memory storing program instructions for said processor; a control register for storing individual control bits controlling an on/off state of each of said controllable switches; and an alterable memory portion for storing historical data regarding the status of said controllable switches at various points in time. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein step of selectively switching one or more of a plurality of controllable switches in response to said messages comprises the step of responding to a first stage alert message from the power utility by switching a first set of one or more controllable switches according to said locally configurable priority, thereby disconnecting the electrical loads drawing power through said first set of one or more controllable switches, and responding to a second stage alert message from the power utility by switching a second set of one or more controllable switches according to said locally configurable priority, thereby additionally disconnecting the electrical loads drawing power through said second set of one or more controllable switches. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of responding to an alert cancellation message from the power utility by switching said first set and said second set controllable switches in the reverse order in which the controllable switches were originally switched, thereby reconnecting the disconnected loads in reverse order from which they were disconnected. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of receiving messages via a wireless receiver comprises the step of receiving an early warning message via said wireless receiver from the power utility indicating that the controller may disconnect one or more of said controllable switches, and wherein the method further comprises the step of: displaying an indication that said early warning message has been received. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein a message received from the power utility indicates a delay period, and wherein the method further comprises the step of waiting for the delay period prior to selectively switching one or more of said controllable switches for the purpose of selectively disengaging the electrical loads. 21. The method of claim 15, wherein said messages are received via said wireless receiver from a remote utility station, and wherein the method further comprises the step of transmitting information via a wireless transmitter to said remote utility station, thereby effectuating bi-directional communication with said remote utility station. 22. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of receiving messages via said wireless receiver comprises the step of receiving messages broadcast by the power utility over an FM sideband. 23. The method of claim 15, further comprising locating said controllable switches and controller in a common circuit panel with said passive circuit breakers. 24. A wireless energy control unit, comprising: a plurality of controllable switches each interposed between a power source and one of a plurality of electrical loads, each controllable switch capable of engaging the power source with, or disengaging the power source from, the switch's respective electrical load; wherein one or more of said controllable switches comprises a bimetal member being undeformed when the switch engages the power source with its respective electrical load, said bimetal member responsive to a control signal that causes heating of the bimetal member resulting in the switch disengaging the power source from its respective electrical load; a plurality of separate passive circuit breakers, each circuit breaker being connected in series with one of said controllable switches; user interface means for selecting a priority order according to which said controllable switches are to be disengaged from their respective electrical loads in response to messages broadcast by a remote utility station; a wireless receiver; and a controller connected to said wireless receiver, said controller receiving messages from the remote utility station via said wireless receiver and, in response thereto, causing selected ones of said controllable switches to temporarily disengage the power source from the selected switch's respective electrical load based upon said priority order. 25. The wireless energy control unit of claim 24 further comprising a plurality of circuit breakers, each circuit breaker being connected in series with one of said controllable switches such that the controllable switch is capable of connecting or disconnecting the entire electrical load drawing power through the circuit breaker. 26. The wireless energy control unit of claim 24, further comprising a power monitor coupled to said controller, wherein said controller is configured to disconnect electrical loads according to said priority order of said controllable switches until aggregate power consumption by the remaining electrical loads reaches a target energy reduction level. 27. The wireless energy control unit of claim 24, wherein said controllable switches, passive circuit breakers, and controller are located in a common circuit panel. 28. A wireless energy control unit, comprising: means for controllably disengaging a plurality of electrical loads from a power source; means for selecting a priority order according to which the electrical loads are to be disengaged from the power source in response to messages received from a remote power utility station; and means for receiving messages broadcast wirelessly from the remote power utility station and, in response thereto, selectively disengaging the electrical loads from, or re-engaging the electrical loads with, the power source according to said priority order; wherein said means for controllably disengaging the electrical loads from the power source comprises a plurality of controllable switches each interposed between the power source and one of the electrical loads and located in series with a circuit breaker, each controllable switch capable of disengaging the power source from the entire electrical load drawing power through the controllable switch and its respective circuit breaker: and wherein each of said controllable switches comprises a bimetal member, said bimetal member having a quiescent state whereby the controllable switch connects power to its respective electrical load, and is deformable by a control signal which causes heating of the bimetal member and thereby results in changing the on/off state of the controllable switch and disconnection of the electrical load so long as the control signal is asserted.