Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Electrical power generation or distribution system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-29
2001-10-30
Grant, William (Department: 2786)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Electrical power generation or distribution system
C700S295000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311105
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a multi-utility energy control system which includes a control center computer, specialized software and a master meter. More particularly, the meter retrofits a plurality of various meters, senses consumption rates and stores, converts and presents data for consumption information to the computer, and the specialized software. The multi-utility master meter converts data to usable computer language with outputs to one or more computers for long-term storage of individual utility consumption information, and for feedback, regulation and shutdowns utilizing the specialized software.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following is exemplary prior art relating to utility consumption sensing and control devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,654 describes methods and systems for economically dispatching electrical power. The present invention utilizes real-time heat rates for a plurality of power generating units, e.g., steam turbines, and corresponding emission data for each unit, to dispatch electrical power at the lowest possible cost. The method of the present invention also compares the cost associated with generating power to the cost to purchase power from other electric utilities to achieve maximum cost savings associated with the dispatching of electrical power.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,339 describes how to operate a plurality of utilities, the utilities are interconnected via a communication path. Each utility has a control device for controlling the utility and a memory for storing information factors which are used by the corresponding control device. The information factors corresponding to all the utilities are investigated by an extraction device to determine which are common to the utilities and which are related. Where the common information factors are identified, they are passed by the communication path to the memories of all the utilities. Similarly, when related information factors are found, a calculating device calculates common information which is also passed via the communication path to the memories of al the utilities. In this way, the utilities may operate more efficiently than when they are operated on a stand-alone basis. The investigation of the information factors, and the calculating of common information from related information factors may be distributed among the utilities or carried out by a common control device. The utilities may be electric power supply systems, district heating and cooling systems, sewage disposal systems, waste recovery systems, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,123 describes the total line current in a power cord which is used to energize both a power factor corrected system and non-power factor corrected AC loads. The power factor control loop of the power factor corrected system is then driven to correct the power factor of total line current in the power cord ideally to approach unity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,188 describes a programmable identification apparatus, and associated method, includes a transceiver and a transponder. The transponder is powered by the energy of a transceiver transmit signal generated by the transceiver and includes a programmable memory element. A coded sequence which uniquely identifies the transponder is stored in the programmable memory element and, when the transponder is powered, the transponder generates a transponder signal which includes the coded sequence stored in the programmable memory element, once modulated by circuitry of the transponder. When the transceiver transmit signal generated by the transceiver circuitry is of certain signal characteristics, the coded sequence stored in the programmable element is erased, and a substitute coded sequence, which also forms a portion of the transceiver transmit signal, is stored in the programmable memory element. Storage of the coded sequence in the programmable memory element is, hence, effectuated merely by application of a transceiver transmit signal of certain characteristics to the transponder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,831 describes a system for testing electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices includes means for sensing the current from the storage device and varying the load across the storage device in response to the current sensed. The system is equally adaptable to batteries and fuel cells. Means is also provided to sense system parameters from a plurality of locations within the system. Certain parameters are then stored in digital form for archive purposes and certain other parameters are used to develop control signals in a host processor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,129 describes an electronic device for multiplexing several loads to the terminals of a source of alternating electrical energy. The source (
4
) of alternating electrical energy is coupled by electromagnetic flux to the loads by using primary excitation windings
71
,
81
, and
91
connect to the terminals of the source (
4
) of alternating electrical energy and secondary windings respectively corresponding to the number of loads. The secondary windings are at least partially coupled to the primary winding and are each connected to the terminals of a load. The coupling is inhibited by auxiliary winding
73
which are each totally coupled with the secondary winding
72
. The inhibition function is controlled in order to inhibit all the magnetic couplings except for one and this particular one changes as a function of the respective load to be coupled to the source
4
of alternating electrical energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,672 describes a communication system, a communication unit may conserve source energy when it is inactive in the following manner. The control channel is partitioned into a predetermined number of windows and a system window which are transmitted on the control channel in a round robin manner. When the communication unit registers with the communication system, it is assigned to a window group. The communication unit then monitors only the system window to determine whether the window group that its been assigned to is also assigned to one of the predetermined number of windows. When the window that has been assigned to the window group is being transmitted on the control channel, the communication unit activates to monitor that window. Once the window is no longer being transmitted, the communication unit deactivates until the system window is being transmitted or the window assigned to the window group is being transmitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,265 describes a system for determining a cost effective and practical operation method for thermal source equipments includes a fundamental plan data storage unit, a fundamental plan generating unit for determining a fundamental operation plan of each equipment while minimizing an operation cost by linear programming, an operation knowledge storage unit for storing operation knowledge such as equipment performance characteristics and operation know-how, a fundamental plan evaluating unit for evaluating the fundamental plan, a modifying rule storage unit for storing modifying rules used for modifying the evaluated fundamental plan, and a fundamental plan modifying unit for modifying the fundamental plan in accordance with the modifying rules.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,225 describes an apparatus and method for controlling energy supplied to a space conditioning load and for overriding a load control operation in response to measuring certain space temperatures within a closed environment. The load control apparatus includes a control device connected to an electrical distribution network and to a space conditioning load and a temperature sensing device connected to the control device. The control device conducts a load shedding operation to control distribution of electrical energy to the space conditioning load in response to command signals supplied by a remote command center. The temperature sensing device operates to override the load shedding operation by outputting a control override signal to the control device in response to sensing c
Glynn, Esq. Kenneth P.
Grant William
Hartman Jr. Ronald D
Powerweb, Inc.
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