LOAD CONTROL

Description

1 / 29 LOAD CONTROL Technical Field

[001] The invention relates to a load control system with end devices and corresponding methods. Fundamentals

[002] Load control systems are a rapidly evolving area of ​​technology that is becoming increasingly important in the context of modern energy management. These systems are designed to manage the energy supplied to or received by one or more end devices, with the aim of managing an electrical network, optimizing energy use, and reducing costs. Typically, dedicated load control switch hardware is provided between the end devices and any electrical meter to which they are connected. This dedicated load control switch can be switched on or off to connect or disconnect the respective end devices to and from the electrical network.

[003] Despite the significant progress that has been made in the field of load control systems, many challenges and shortcomings still exist. For example, many existing implementations are limited in their ability to accurately predict, respond to, and control load at a granular level in response to changes in energy demand. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 37 / 78 2 / 29 which can lead to inefficiencies and increased costs.

[004] Overall, improvements are desired to overcome these and other shortcomings of existing implementations and to continue advancing the field of load control systems with end devices. Summary

[005] In general terms, the present description is directed to a system for controlling the energy supplied to or received by one or more end devices connected to an electric meter. This system includes a load control switch, which is controlled by a controller that receives a control signal through a communication interface. Advantageously, this description solves the problem of inefficient and limited load management at the end device level by using the electric meter and / or an individual end device for local communication and control of the end devices, thus eliminating the need for separate load control switch hardware and providing more granular control options.For example, the load control functionality of the present description is anticipated to be a software-defined load control switch functionality, whereby the end devices are intelligent devices capable of having software programs installed on them. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 38 / 78 3 / 29 which can thus facilitate the existing load control capabilities of end devices for load control of the wider power grid in general, without the need to install dedicated and separate load control switches for this purpose. It is anticipated that the software-defined load control switch functionality can be implemented fully on the electric meter, fully on one or more end devices, fully on an external enterprise platform in a system headend, or distributed across one or more of these platforms. For example, the system described herein facilitates the use of electric meters as pass-through devices to forward control commands from a power grid provider from, for example, a headend to an end device without additional expensive communication configurations.In addition, or alternatively, the present description facilitates the orchestration of load control actions of end devices based on other inputs, for example, user comfort settings, energy prices, carbon content of energy parameters, predetermined utility rules (e.g., received from an electricity grid provider or local authority), time-of-use (TOU) tariff plans, weather data, local load data, energy generation forecast data, and so on. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 39 / 78 4 / 29 others. In this way, the load can be controlled in a way that takes into account more parameters, variables, and factors than just the instructions of a control command. For example, these inputs can be part of the inputs for a load management algorithm used to manage the electrical grid as a whole, thus providing improved modeling because there are more input data points. Furthermore, or alternatively, one or more meters can orchestrate the action within a network of local electrical meters and endpoint devices from various installations. They can be grouped in one or more ways, for example, based on the layout of the distribution network or some other logical grouping. The meters in this configuration can therefore communicate with other meters via an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) communication network.

[006] According to one aspect of the invention, a system is provided for providing load control. The system comprises an electric meter connected to an electrical network and one or more end devices connected to the electric meter. Each end device comprises a load control switch, a controller, and a communication interface. The load control switch is configured to control the load supplied to or received from the end device by the electrical network. The Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 40 / 78 The 5 / 29 controller is configured to control the load control switch. The controller is further configured to control the load control switch responsive to receiving an initial control signal through the communication interface.

[007] Optionally, the electric meter is configured to send the first control signal to the end device.

[008] Optionally, the electric meter is configured to send the first control signal to the responsive end device upon receiving a second control signal on a communications network.

[009] Optionally, at least one endpoint device is configured to send the first control signal to the other endpoint devices.

[0010] Optionally, at least one endpoint device is configured to send the first control signal to the responsive endpoint device upon receiving a second control signal on a communications network.

[0011] Optionally, the second control signal comprises a control signal transmitted by a utility provider of the electrical grid.

[0012] Optionally, the second control signal comprises a control signal transmitted by at least Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 41 / 78 6 / 29 an end device.

[0013] Optionally, the system controls the load supplied to or received from the end device by switching the end device on or off, or by adjusting the device to a predetermined load value. For example, the load control switch can change the load value to a predetermined level between a device operating level of 0% (i.e., the device is off) and 100% (i.e., a minimum load value to provide maximum device functionality). In a non-limiting example, the predetermined value could be, for example, 0%, 10%, 20%, ... 100%, etc. Optionally, the predetermined value could be any value between 0% and 100%.

[0014] Optionally, at least one endpoint device is additionally configured to (i) collect data associated with the endpoint device and (ii) send the collected data via the communication interface.

[0015] Optionally, the data collected includes end-device usage data, end-device device type, end-device maximum rated load or supply capacity, end-device current state of charge, and end-device user comfort settings. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 42 / 78 7 / 29

[0016] Optionally, the electric meter is configured to receive the collected data, and the load control switch is based on the collected data received by sending the first control signal.

[0017] Optionally, the plurality of end devices comprises one or more of an electric vehicle charger, an HVAC system, a hot water heater, an air conditioner, a thermostat, a heat pump, a pool pump, a refrigerator, a dryer, a solar inverter, and a battery system.

[0018] Optionally, the end device load control switch is integrated into the end device.

[0019] Optionally, the aforementioned first control signal comprises control instructions and wherein the system comprises one or more processors configured to determine the content of said control instructions, wherein the one or more processors are provided in one or more of the end devices, in the electric meter and / or in a server of an electric grid provider.

[0020] Optionally, the determination is based on one or more of the following options: user comfort settings of the end device, an energy price, a carbon content of the energy, one or more rules determined by an electricity grid provider. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 43 / 78 8 / 29

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for controlling an end device in an electrical network with an electric meter and a plurality of end devices connected to the electric meter. The method comprises the steps of: receiving, by the electric meter, a load management control signal from a utility provider of the electrical network; sending, by the electric meter, an end device management control signal to one or more end devices, the end device management control signal being based on the load management control signal; receiving, by one or more end devices, the end device management control signal; and controlling a load control switch of one or more end devices based on the received end device management control signal.

[0022] Optionally, the method includes collecting data associated with the plurality of end devices by one or more of the end devices and sending the collected data to the electric meter.

[0023] Optionally, the electric meter sends the collected data to the utility provider of the electricity grid.

[0024] Optionally, the electric meter receives a Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 44 / 78 9 / 29 Additional load management control signal from the utility provider, wherein the additional load management control signal is based on the collected received data.

[0025] Optionally, the plurality of end devices includes one or more of an electric vehicle charger, an HVAC system, a hot water heater, an air conditioner, a thermostat, a heat pump, a pool pump, a refrigerator, a dryer, a solar inverter, and a battery system.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for controlling an end device in an electrical network with a plurality of end devices. The method comprises the steps of: sending, by one of the end devices, an end device management control signal to one or more of the other end devices; receiving, by one or more of the other end devices, the end device management control signal; and controlling a load control switch of the end devices based on the received end device management control signal.

[0027] Optionally, the aforementioned transmission of the management control signal from the endpoint device of one or more of the other endpoint devices comprises Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 45 / 78 10 / 29 sending the end-device management control signal via an electrical meter.

[0028] Optionally, the plurality of end devices comprises one or more of an electric vehicle charger, an HVAC system, a hot water heater, an air conditioner, a thermostat, a heat pump, a pool pump, a refrigerator, a dryer, a solar inverter and a battery system. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] These and other aspects will now be described in relation to the Figures, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a system for providing load control according to the present description. Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart for carrying out a method according to the description provided. Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart for executing a method according to the present description. Figure 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method according to the present description. Detailed Description

[0030] Figure 1 illustrates a system 100 for providing load control according to the present description. The system 100 comprises an electric meter 101 connected to an electrical network 101a and one or more devices Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 46 / 78 11 / 29 end devices 102 connected to the electric meter 101. Each end device 102 includes a load control switch 103 configured to control the load supplied to or received from the end device 102 by the electrical network, a controller 104 configured to control the load control switch 103, and a communication interface 105. The controller 104 is configured to control the load control switch 103 responsive to receiving a first control signal 106 via the communication interface 105.

[0031] Advantageously, system 100 allows for more granular control of the load supplied to or received from end devices 102, unlike traditional load control switches that only provide on and off states. This is particularly beneficial for devices that are not designed to have the power completely removed. The electric meter 101 connects to various indoor and outdoor devices such as electric vehicles (EVs), heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, hot water heaters, air conditioners, thermostats, heat pumps, pool pumps, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, dryers, solar inverters, battery storage and other large load or generation devices (i.e., Distributed Energy Resources or DERs) with a channel of Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 47 / 78 12 / 29 communication. The communication connection can use any wired or wireless communication method, including mesh networks, WiFi, ZigBee, and others.

[0032] In some embodiments, the electric meter 101 is configured to send the first control signal 106 to the end device 102. For example, this may respond to a determination made by the orchestration, coordination and / or command control functionality running entirely on the electric meter, where load control requirements are determined by a controller on the electric meter 101 itself.

[0033] In addition, or alternatively, in some embodiments, the electric meter 101 is configured to send the first control signal 106 to the end device 102 in response to receiving a second control signal 107, 107a via a communications network 108, 108a. In some embodiments, this second control signal 107 may be generated and transmitted by, for example, orchestration, coordination and / or control command functionality performed externally to the meter, for example on a corporate platform (such as that performed by a utility provider 109 in a headend) and transmitted via a communications network 108. In addition, or alternatively, in some embodiments, this second control signal 107a may be generated and transmitted Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 48 / 78 13 / 29 by the orchestration, coordination and / or control command functionality in execution, for example, in one or more of the end devices 102 and transmitted to the electric meter 101 by means of a local network, or another local network, 108a.

[0034] It will be recognized that the software-defined load control switch of the present description depends on end devices with some degree of intelligent functionality. That is, functionality in which they can receive, process, and act upon control commands. In the event that one or more end devices do not have intelligent functionality, they can additionally be controlled using known methods, for example, by controlling any dedicated and separate load control switch hardware, for example, at the meter port to which the end device is connected, or at a dedicated load control switch in the circuit to which the end device is connected.

[0035] In the examples above, the first and second control signals can be sent to and from the electric meter and / or end devices using proprietary and / or open-source communication protocols. For example, any communication between a utility headend and a meter can be transmitted over cellular networks, mesh networks (including WiSun), PLC networks. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 49 / 78 14 / 29 and others. For example, any communication between the electric meter and any end devices can be transmitted via mesh networks (including WiSun), WiFi networks, ZigBee networks, Bluetooth networks, thread networks, and others. More generally, exemplary communication protocols are expected to include IEEE 2030.5, OpenADR, Modbus, Matter, and others. These examples are intended to be illustrative only and not exhaustive.

[0036] Advantageously, this configuration eliminates the need for separate, dedicated load control switch hardware to be installed between the power grid and the 102 endpoint device. Instead, the internal control of each 102 endpoint device is used as a load control switch, which can be controlled via a communication network. This reduces the safety implications and potential additional fees associated with direct cloud connectivity for remote control, as may be provided by endpoint device manufacturers. Effectively, control communications piggyback on the utility provider's communications network. 102 endpoint devices can use various communication interfaces such as 2030.5, OpenADR, Matter, ModBus, and others.

[0037] In some 102 modes, at least one 102 endpoint device is configured to send Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 50 / 78 15 / 29 the first control signal 106 to the other end devices 102. In some embodiments, at least one end device 102 is configured to send the first control signal 106 to the end device 102 in response to receiving a second control signal 107 via a communications network 108, for example, operated and managed by a utility provider 109.

[0038] Advantageously, this arrangement allows for a greater degree of flexibility in managing power networks where the hardware of the endpoint device in the network is not uniform or identical in its capabilities. For example, an endpoint device may have software installed that allows it to receive load control messages from the utility provider directly and then send its own control messages to the other endpoint devices.

[0039] In some embodiments, the second control signal 107 comprises a control signal transmitted by a utility provider 109 of the power grid. In some embodiments, the system 100 comprises the control of the load supplied to or received from the end device 102 by the power grid, which may include switching the end device 102 on or off, or adjusting the device to a predetermined load value. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 51 / 78 16 / 29

[0040] Advantageously, this allows users to define their comfort settings for each endpoint device 102, including when they will need to use the device and for how long, so that any control signals can be based at least in part on this information so as not to disturb the user when the control signals are sent. Utilities may also impose times when certain devices can be switched off based on agreements with consumers, local legislation, etc. The meter 101 will track various features of the endpoint devices it controls, such as endpoint device type, approximate maximum load or supply capacity (in kW), current status, and user comfort settings.

[0041] In some embodiments 102, at least one endpoint device 102 is additionally configured to collect data associated with endpoint device 102 and send the collected data via the communication interface 105.

[0042] Advantageously, if any metrology data is available from the end device 102, it will be sent back to meter 101 to be used to help determine the load presented by that device. If metrology data is available, meter 101 will use comparative measurements immediately. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 52 / 78 17 / 29 before and after switching the device on or off to determine the approximate load. This information will likely be stored in a central system, but some or all of it may be stored locally in meter 101, with or without redundancy in the central system. In general terms, it is anticipated that this information can be used to determine a total controllable load or distributed generation and / or as input to one or more load / generation forecasting algorithms to improve grid load management. For example, the system could control the end device level to a specific level, i.e., 60%, and / or be used to provide on / off control for the end device. In one example, the end device could be an end device that provides power generation resources or be part of a system that provides power generation, such as a solar inverter.In these cases, the system can be configured to control the generation of the power generating device (e.g., a solar inverter) to the specified level, for example, based on the selected or predetermined load value. As such, and generally speaking, the modes can be configured to set the generation level of a power generating device to a defined level (e.g., 0%, 10%, 20%, ... 100%, etc.), where 0% represents an off state and 100% represents an on state. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 53 / 78 18 / 29 maximum power generation of the end device.

[0043] In some embodiments, the data collected comprises one or more of the following: end device usage data 102, end device type 102, maximum rated load or supply capacity of end device 102, and current state of charge 116 of end device 102. Advantageously, the collection and analysis of this data allows the system 100 to better understand the characteristics and capabilities of each end device 102, enabling more efficient and customized load management. For example, by knowing the maximum rated load or supply capacity of an end device 102, the system 100 can prevent overloading the power grid and ensure optimal power distribution among connected devices.Furthermore, usage data and the current state of charge 116 can be used to determine the most appropriate load adjustment points for each end device 102, taking into account user comfort settings and other factors.

[0044] In some embodiments, the electric meter 101 is configured to receive the collected data, and the control of the load control switch 103 by sending the first control signal 106 is based on the collected data received. Advantageously, this allows the meter Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 54 / 78 19 / 29 electrical 101 make informed decisions about load control based on the actual characteristics and usage patterns of end devices 102. This can lead to more efficient energy management and better alignment with user preferences, as well as compliance with utility provider requirements and local regulations.

[0045] In some embodiments, the plurality of 102 endpoint devices comprises one or more of an electric vehicle charger, an HVAC system, a hot water heater, an air conditioner, a thermostat, a heat pump, a pool pump, a refrigerator, a dryer, a solar inverter, and a battery system. Advantageously, this wide range of 102 endpoint devices demonstrates the versatility and adaptability of the 100 system, as it can accommodate various types of devices with different power requirements and communication interfaces. This allows for a more comprehensive and flexible load management solution that can be tailored to the specific needs of each residence or power grid. When an electric vehicle charger is present, it is anticipated that communication with and control of the electric vehicle charger can be achieved using the Open Load Point Protocol (OCPP).However, it should be noted that any other protocol. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 55 / 78 20 / 29 suitable can also be used.

[0046] In some embodiments, the load control switch 103 of the end device 102 is integrated 128 into the end device 102. Advantageously, this integration eliminates the need for separate, dedicated load control switch hardware to be installed between the power grid and the end device 102, which reduces installation costs and complexity. Furthermore, the integrated load control switch 103 allows for more granular control of the load supplied to or received from the end device 102, unlike traditional load control switches that only provide on and off states. This is particularly beneficial for devices not designed to have power completely removed, as it allows for smoother transitions between different load setpoints.

[0047] In some embodiments, the first control signal comprises instructions and the system comprises one or more processors 110a, 110b, 110c configured to determine the content of the control instructions (i.e., commands to turn on, turn off, or set a load control switch to predetermined load values). One or more processors 110a, 110b, 110c may be provided in one or more end devices 102, in the electric meter 101 and / or in the network provider server 109. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 56 / 78 21 / 29 electrical. In this way, orchestration, coordination, and control can be provided entirely at the meter, entirely at the end device, entirely on a corporate platform at the headend (i.e., controlled by the utility provider 109), or distributed among two or more of these locations. In some embodiments, the determination of the content of the control instructions may be based on user comfort settings (e.g., a user-specified percentage of load for an electric vehicle that the user does not want to fall below, and so on), energy price, energy carbon content, utility rules (e.g., sent to it via the overhead system), local authority rules, and so on.

[0048] This facilitates the following exemplary implementations: (i) the electric meter acts as a pass-through device with control coming from above by the utility provider, thus providing a convenient way to make a connection from a headend to an end device without additional and expensive communication configurations, (ii) a meter orchestrates the action within a network of meter locations and end devices from multiple facilities grouped based on the distribution network layout or some other logical grouping, whereby the meter can communicate with the others. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 57 / 78 22 / 29 meters via an AMI communication network. Other implementations are also planned.

[0049] Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart 300 for the execution of a method according to the present description. The method includes four steps: receiving 305 a load management control signal from a utility provider, sending 306a an end device management control signal to one or more end devices, receiving 306b the end device management control signal from one or more end devices, and controlling 307 a load control switch of one or more end devices based on the received end device management control signal 306b. Advantageously, this method provides a clear and efficient process for managing the load of multiple end devices 102 in an electrical network, ensuring optimal power distribution and compliance with utility provider requirements.

[0050] In some embodiments, method 300 comprises collecting data associated with a plurality of end devices by one or more of the end devices and sending the collected data to the electric meter. Advantageously, this allows the electric meter to receive real-time information about the end devices. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 58 / 78 23 / 29 end, which enables more precise and responsive load management decisions. This can lead to greater energy efficiency and better alignment with user preferences and utility provider requirements.

[0051] In some embodiments, the 300 method involves sending the collected data to the utility provider of the electricity grid. Advantageously, this allows the utility provider to have direct access to the collected data, enabling them to make more informed decisions about load management and power distribution. This can result in more efficient power grids and better compliance with local regulations and consumer agreements.

[0052] In some embodiments, method 300 comprises the electric meter receiving an additional load management control signal from the utility provider, wherein the additional load management control signal is based on the collected data received.

[0053] Advantageously, this approach allows the utility provider to make more informed decisions about load management based on data collected from endpoint devices. This data may include information about the type of endpoint device, load Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, page 59 / 78 24 / 29 approximate maximum or supply capacity (in kW), current status, and user comfort settings. By using this data, the utility provider can optimize load management strategies, considering user preferences and device capabilities, resulting in more efficient energy use and potential cost savings for both the utility provider and end users.

[0054] In some embodiments, the plurality of end devices comprises one or more of an electric vehicle charger, an HVAC system, a hot water heater, an air conditioner, a thermostat, a heat pump, a pool pump, a refrigerator, a dryer, a solar inverter, and a battery system.

[0055] Advantageously, the ability to communicate with and control this wide range of end devices allows for a more comprehensive and versatile load management system. By incorporating various types of devices with different power requirements and usage patterns, the system can better adapt to the diverse energy needs of a home or building. This flexibility allows the system to manage power grids more efficiently, even when the end device hardware on the grid is not uniform or identical in its capabilities. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 60 / 78 25 / 29

[0056] Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart 400 for the execution of a method according to the present description. The method includes four steps: sending 406a an end device management control signal by one of the end devices to one or more other end devices, receiving 406b the end device management control signal on one or more other end devices, and controlling 407 a load control switch of the end devices based on the received end device management control signal.

[0057] The end device management control signal can be sent to one or more other end devices via an electrical meter, whereby the electrical meter acts as a pass-through device to facilitate communication between the end devices. More particularly, the end device management control signal can be sent in response to a control command from a processor in the end device that performs orchestration, coordination, and / or control command functionality. Additionally, or alternatively, the end device management control signal can be sent in response to receiving a load management control signal from a provider. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 61 / 78 26 / 29 of public services, or the electric meter, or one or more of the other end devices that perform the orchestration, coordination and / or control command functionality.

[0058] Advantageously, this method provides a clear and efficient process for managing load control in an electrical network where orchestration, coordination, and / or command control functionality is performed entirely at the electrical meter, entirely at the end device, entirely externally by a utility provider 109 (e.g., enterprise platform at the head of an electrical network), or distributed among two or more of these locations. The system can effectively control the load supplied to or received from end devices in a way that allows for more granular load control, enabling devices to operate at various load setpoints (e.g., 0%, 10%, 20%, ... 100%, etc.) instead of just on and off states, which is particularly beneficial for devices that were not designed to have the power completely removed.It should be understood that the setpoint can be any value between an off state (i.e., 0%) and a minimum load value (i.e., 100% device operation).

[0059] The plurality of end devices comprises electric vehicle charger, HVAC system, Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 62 / 78 27 / 29 hot water heater, air conditioner, thermostat, heat pump, pool pump, refrigerator, dryer, solar inverter and battery system.

[0060] Advantageously, the inclusion of this diverse set of endpoint devices in the system allows for more comprehensive load management and control. By connecting various household devices with different energy requirements and usage patterns, the system can better adapt to the diverse energy needs of a home or building. This flexibility allows the system to manage power grids more efficiently, even when the endpoint device hardware on the network is not uniform or identical in its capabilities. Furthermore, the use of local communication methods, such as mesh networks, WiFi, ZigBee, and others, enables secure and efficient communication between the electricity meter and the endpoint devices, eliminating the need for separate and dedicated load control switch hardware and reducing potential safety risks and additional fees associated with direct cloud connectivity for remote control.

[0061] Figure 4 illustrates a method, according to the present description, that illustrates an example of implementing a meter that validates whether a load command was successful in controlling the load of an end device. In a first step, a command Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 63 / 78 28 / 29 Load control is issued 501 by a meter to an end device. The end device receives the issued command, performs all applicable actions 502 and sends a confirmation back to the meter. The meter receives the confirmation and compares 503 a measured consumption of the end device before the load control command was issued with the consumption of the end device after the load control command was issued. If the measured consumption is reduced or increased in kW by the expected amount, then the load control command is validated 505 and considered successful. If the measured consumption is not reduced or increased by the expected amount, the load control command will not be validated and the meter will issue the load control command again.

[0062] The term supply capacity, as used in this document, is understood to refer to the ability of a system or component to provide, manage, or regulate the supply of energy from various sources to one or more end devices connected to an electric meter, such as renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, or utility grids.

[0063] It should be understood that the term integrated, as used in this document, may refer to the combination or incorporation of various components, such as Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 64 / 78 29 / 29 hardware, software or subsystems, in a single system or device to enable the continuous and efficient operation of the overall system, such as the power control system described in the invention.

[0064] It should be noted by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the examples described above without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0065] For example, it should be noted that the system can facilitate not only the control of the on / off load setpoint and / or predetermined percentage of end devices, but also the scheduling of specific load events (e.g., turn on at time T, turn off at time T+1, and so on), islanding of groups of end devices, installations and / or parts of an electrical network, and other advanced control capabilities, such as optimized intelligent energy management functionality, which is not currently possible with existing systems.

[0066] For example, it should be noted that the term end device can refer to both load end devices and generation end devices, and the same can also generally be referred to as distributed energy resources. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 65 / 78

Claims

1 / 8 CLAIMS 1. A system for providing load control, the system characterized in that it comprises: an electric meter connected to an electric network; one or more end devices connected to the electric meter, wherein each end device comprises (i) a load control switch configured to control the load supplied to or received from the end device by the electric network, (ii) a controller configured to control the load control switch and (iii) a communication interface; wherein the controller is configured to control the load control switch responsive to the receipt of an initial control signal through the communication interface.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric meter is configured to send the first control signal to the end device.

3. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the electric meter is configured to send the first control signal to the end device in response to receiving a second control signal via a communications network. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 66 / 78 2 / 8 4. A system, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one end device is configured to send the first control signal to the other end devices.

5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one end device is configured to send the first control signal to the responsive end device upon receiving a second control signal over a communications network.

6. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the second control signal comprises a control signal transmitted by a utility provider of the electrical grid.

7. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the second control signal comprises a control signal transmitted by at least one end device.

8. System, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control of the load supplied to or received from the end device by the electrical network comprises switching the end device on or off, or setting the device to a predetermined load value. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 67 / 78 3 / 8 9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that setting the device to a predetermined load value comprises setting the device to an on state and controlling the load provided to the predetermined load value, wherein the predetermined load value is greater than a minimum load value that can be provided to or received from the end device by the electrical network and less than a maximum load value that can be provided to or received from the end device by the electrical network.

10. System according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that at least one end device comprises a power generation device, and the predetermined load value is selected based on a desired power generation level of the power generation device.

11. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the predetermined load value is selected such that the power generation level of the power generation device is less than a maximum power generation level of the power generation device.

12. System, according to claim 11, characterized in that the energy generation level is adjusted to 10% to 90% of the maximum energy generation level of the energy generation device, optionally in which the energy generation level is adjusted to 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% of the maximum energy generation level of the energy generation device.

13. A system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one endpoint device is additionally configured to (i) collect data associated with the endpoint device and (ii) send the collected data through the communications interface.

14. System according to claim 13, characterized in that the data collected comprises one or more of the following: end device usage data, end device type, maximum rated load or supply capacity of the end device, current state of charge of the end device, and end device user comfort settings.

15. System, according to claim 14, characterized in that the electric meter is configured to receive the collected data, and in that the said control of the load control switch by sending the first control signal is based on the received collected data.

16. System, of any of the claims Petition 870250092798, of 10 / 10 / 2025, p. 69 / 78 5 / 8 above, characterized in that the plurality of end devices comprises one or more of an electric vehicle charger, an HVAC system, a hot water heater, an air conditioner, a thermostat, a heat pump, a pool pump, a refrigerator, a dryer, a solar inverter and a battery system.

17. System, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the load control switch of the end device is integrated into the end device.

18. A system, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first control signal comprises control instructions and in that the system comprises one or more processors configured to determine the content of said control instructions, wherein the one or more processors are provided in one or more of the end devices, in the electric meter and / or in a server of an electric grid provider.

19. System, according to claim 18, characterized in that the determination is based on one or more of the following: user comfort settings of the end device, energy price, energy carbon content, one or more rules determined by a provider of the electrical grid.

20. A system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the load control switch is a software-defined load control switch configured to provide load control functionality.

21. A method for controlling an end device in an electrical network having an electric meter and a plurality of end devices connected to the electric meter, the method characterized in that it comprises: receiving, by the electric meter, a load management control signal from an electric network utility provider; sending, by the electric meter, an end device management control signal to one or more end devices, the end device management control signal being based on the load management control signal; receiving, by one or more end devices, the end device management control signal; and controlling a load control switch of one or more end devices based on the received end device management control signal. Petition 870250092798, 10 / 10 / 2025, p. 71 / 78 7 / 8 22. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that it comprises collecting, by one or more of the end devices, data associated with the plurality of end devices and sending the collected data to the electric meter.

23. Method according to claim 22, characterized in that it comprises sending, via the electric meter, the data collected to the electric grid provider.

24. A method of controlling an end device in an electrical network having a plurality of end devices, characterized in that it comprises: sending, by one of the end devices, an end device management control signal to one or more of the other end devices; receiving, by one or more other end devices, the end device management control signal; and controlling a load control switch of the end devices based on the received end device management control signal. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 72 / 78 8 / 8 25. Method according to claim 24, characterized in that said transmission of the management control signal of the end device from one or more of the other end devices comprises transmission of the management control signal of the end device via an electrical meter. Petition 870250092798, dated 10 / 10 / 2025, pp. 73 / 78

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