US6681154B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for monitoring and controlling energy distribution
Assignee: STONEWATER CONTROL SYSTEMS
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Filing: 2003-01-10
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Granted: 2004-01-20
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Expires: 2023-01-10
Abstract
Abstract Systems that monitor and control energy distribution manage energy distribution or use for Energy Service Providers and end-users. A system includes a publicly or privately accessible distributed network, a network access device, and a management device. The network access device communicates with the management device through the distributed network to control loads at a remote location. The method of monitoring and controlling energy distribution receives data at an on-line Site, processes an application program that evaluates load and market supply data, and initiates power curtailment requests or power curtailment events.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerd W. Nierlich
- 👤 James Ronan Heffernan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 08:59
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J3/00; H02J3/008; H02J3/17; H02J2105/00; H02J2105/50; H02J2105/52; H02J2105/54; H02J2105/55; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/30; Y02B70/3225; Y04; Y04S; Y04S20/00; Y04S20/20; Y04S20/222; Y04S50/00; Y04S50/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for monitoring and controlling energy distribution from at least one energy service provider, comprising: a publicly accessible decentralized distributed network; a network access device that interfaces power monitoring and power curtailment circuitry to said distributed network; and a management device that supports interfaces to said power monitoring and said power curtailment circuitry, said management device located remotely from said network access device, and comprising a control device that interfaces said network access device through said publicly accessible distributed network when said network access device initiates communications at predetermined time intervals and wherein said management device controls electrical loads at a remote location based in part on market prices of electricity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for monitoring and controlling energy distribution from at least one energy service provider, comprising: a publicly accessible decentralized distributed network; a network access device that interfaces power monitoring and power curtailment circuitry to said distributed network; and a management device that supports interfaces to said power monitoring and said power curtailment circuitry, said management device located remotely from said network access device, and comprising a control device that interfaces said network access device through said publicly accessible distributed network when said network access device initiates communications at predetermined time intervals and wherein said management device controls electrical loads at a remote location based in part on market prices of electricity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said network access device is located at said remote location and said control device interfaces said network access device automatically at programmed time intervals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said management device controls electrical power distribution to said remote location based on the available supply of electric power from said at least one electric service provider.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said network access device further comprises a carrier sense multiple access with collision detection interface that regulates communication between said network access device and an external device at said remote location.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a communication device interfaced with said management device that automatically notifies a user of an anticipated load reduction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising an interface that supports communication from an input and an output device interconnected with said publicly accessible decentralized distributed network and located remotely from said network access device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said input and said output device is located remotely from said management device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said interface comprises at least one of a command-line interface, a menu-driven interface, and a graphical user interface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said input device comprises a keyboard and said output device comprises a terminal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said network access device further comprises a pulse accumulator interfaced to said power monitoring circuitry.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said network access device further comprises a multiplier interfaced to said pulse accumulator to measure electrical energy monitored by said power monitoring circuitry.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said network access device is a programmable device that stores data in a memory.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said network access device further comprises a programmable flash memory that retains at least one of an operating system software and a system software, and wherein said flash memory is configured to receive said operating system software and said system software on a command of said management device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said publicly accessible decentralized distributed network comprises the Internet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a visual and an audible alarm electrically interconnected with said network access device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said management device further comprises a management clock and said network access device further comprises a network clock that is synchronized to said management clock when said management device interfaces said network access device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of manually activated switches wherein at least one switch is adapted to initiate a connection between said network access device and said management device and at least one switch is adapted to reset said network access device.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one manually activated switch adapted to initiate a connection between said network access device and said management device when actuating a first state and adapted to reset said network access device when actuating a second state.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-01-19 | 2007-07-21 | 2008-01-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-01-19 | 2011-07-21 | 2012-01-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-01-19 | 2015-07-21 | 2016-01-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |