Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Plural supply circuits or sources – Substitute or emergency source
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-13
2001-02-20
Fleming, Fritz (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Plural supply circuits or sources
Substitute or emergency source
C307S066000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06191501
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the use of prepayment mechanisms for alternative energy supply systems and to a system to monitor remotely connected devices and ancillary equipment, particularly those forming part of alternative energy supply systems.
A distinction should be drawn between alternative and renewable energy resources, the latter being a term that is often used incorrectly as being synonymous with the former. For example, large scale hydro-electric power generation, whilst utilising a renewable energy source, qualifies as a conventional form of energy supply, while small scale hydroelectric power generation in the form of a water wheel, for instance, is readily classifiable as an alternative form of energy supply. In the kinds of alternative energy supply systems contemplated by this invention, the energy generated by the system is applied directly to a single point of use or a small number of points of use. These systems are normally small, standalone systems or, at most, small community based systems that utilise available resources to generate energy.
Alternative energy supply systems are often regarded as a supply of “free” energy, but in reality they are nothing of the sort, bearing in mind the capital cost of the equipment and the cost: of maintenance. The need exists, in consequence, to control the use of such systems, preferably in proportion to the use of the system and the consumption of the energy provided by the system. However, it is typical of such alternative energy supply systems that the energy consumer exercises direct control over both the generation and the supply of the energy. This makes it more difficult to introduce practical control and payment mechanisms, such as the prepayment mechanisms frequently used to control the dispensing of utilities, such as gas, electricity and water. However, French Patent No. 2 689 333—Transenergie SA—describes a relatively simple prepayment system for alternative energy supplies. This system is loaded with credit by exchanging a removable control box for a new box with consumption credit loaded.
Allied to the above difficulties are the problems posed by theft and vandalism of this type of equipment. In the nature of these systems, they will be used in remote or inaccessible locations where they are vulnerable to abuse. Very often, the components of the system are useful on their own. This makes the equipment even more prone to theft and, while it is known to use protective housings to guard against theft, it might still be possible for a thief to remove components of the system for use in conjunction with other equipment.
South African Patent No. 97/1249—Amic Industries Limited—describes a security system that might be useful in guarding against this danger. This security system relies on the continuing integrity of a collection made up of a number of items, for instance a number of valuable appliances in a home. If one or more of the items is removed from the collection, this would constitute an alarm condition. The collection is defined by fitting a reporting device to each monitored item and including the item in the monitoring group of a monitoring device adapted periodically to detect the presence or absence of the reporting devices fitted to the items in the group.
Another approach to solving this problem is suggested by South African Patent No. 97/1105—Amic Industries Limited (and the patent applications related thereto:—United Kingdom Patent Application No. 97 02902.9 and German Patent Application No. 187 05 534.6). These applications describe a monitoring system for items of movable property. The monitoring system incapacitates the item by rendering the item useless if the item is not returned to a home base or its place of storage within a predetermined time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, an energy supply system comprises an alternative energy source that is adapted to collect energy and to convert the energy so collected to useable energy and an overriding prepayment mechanism adapted to control the supply of useable energy to a point of use in accordance with predetermined prepayment criteria, the energy source incorporating, integrally therewith, an energy source controller that is in communication with a corresponding controller forming part of the prepayment mechanism, the system being adapted at least temporarily to disable the output of useable energy from the energy source on receipt, by the energy source controller, of an appropriate communication from the prepayment mechanism controller.
The energy source controller is preferably permanently incorporated in the energy source such that any attempt at access to or removal of the energy source controller will lead to at least partial destruction of the energy source.
The energy source controller may be adapted at least temporarily to disable the output of useable energy from the energy source if communication with the prepayment mechanism controller is lost. To this end, the term “appropriate communications” as between the energy source controller and the prepayment mechanism controller could refer to the loss and re-establishment of communications and, additionally or in the alternative, to the transmission of suitable communications between the two. In each case, the communication preferably involves the use of encrypted codes that are transmitted either unidirectionally or bi-directionally between the energy source controller and the prepayment mechanism controller.
The system should also be capable of enabling the output of useable energy from the energy source on re-establishment of the appropriate communications between the energy source controller and the prepayment mechanism controller.
In the preferred form of the invention, the energy source is constituted by a photovoltaic array and the useable energy supplied by the system is supplied in the form of electricity that is stored in a battery and applied to a useful load, such as lights or the like. To enhance the security of the system, the load may be adapted to operate at a voltage or frequency different to that of the battery voltage. In addition, the battery may be adapted to operate at a voltage different to that of electrical appliances conventionally available.
The invention includes a method of controlling an energy supply system comprising an alternative energy source that is adapted to collect energy and to convert the energy so collected to useable energy and an overriding prepayment mechanism adapted to control the supply of useable energy to a point of use in accordance with predetermined prepayment criteria, characterised by the introduction, integrally into the energy source, of an energy source controller and the provision of a corresponding controller forming part of the prepayment mechanism, the method including the steps of transmitting a communications signal between the energy source controller and the prepayment mechanism controller and disabling, at least temporarily, the output of useable energy from the energy source on receipt, by the energy source controller, of an appropriate communication from the prepayment mechanism controller.
In one form of the intention, the output of useable energy from the energy source is disabled at least temporarily if communication with the prepayment mechanism controller is lost and in this embodiment, the output of useable energy from the energy source is re-enabled on reestablishment of the appropriate communications between the energy source controller and the prepayment mechanism controller.
The transmissions between the energy source controller and the prepayment mechanism controller are preferably encrypted and transmitted, unidirectionally or bi-directionally, between the energy source controller and the prepayment mechanism controller.
In energy supply system in which the useable energy is supplied in the form of electricity that is stored in a battery and applied to a useful load, the method may conveniently include the step of operating at least a part of the load at a
Darby & Darby
Fleming Fritz
Merlin Gerin S.A. (Proprietary) Limited
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