Intelligent power management control system

Abstract

An intelligent power management system that includes a circuit breaker containing a PLC module that spans open contacts of the circuit breaker to provide a communication path for PLC messages between the line and load sides of the circuit when the contacts are open. The contacts are motorized to permit remote operation through PLC messaging. Coupled to the PLC module is a controller, which controls the opening and closing of the motorized contacts under user control or via an adaptive load management algorithm that reduces peak power consumption and adapts a set of loads to changed power supply conditions. The controller can also dynamically alter operational current and fault threshold levels on a real-time basis based upon circuit requirements or environmental conditions. The algorithm runs a state machine and also manages loads in a limited power source environment such as when loads are powered by a generator.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 513,962, filed Oct. 24, 2003.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention is directed generally to power management control systems, and more particularly, to an intelligent power management control system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Circuit breakers have long been used in industrial and residential applications to prevent damage to the loads connected to them and the building structures in which the loads are located. Normally, when an electrical fault or a current overload condition is sensed in a particular circuit, the breaker protecting that circuit “trips” and creates a physical disconnect in the circuit, thereby preventing the flow of electricity. To resume electrical flow to the circuit, the operator must physically reconnect the circuit breaker, typically by throwing a mechanical switch back to a closed position. These detection systems work aut...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] Briefly, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an intelligent power load management and control system and method and an adaptive load management algorithm are described and shown. The system generally includes a circuit breaker that has a communications interface (specifically a PLC module in some embodiments) that spans the open contacts across the line and load sides of a circuit such that the ...

Problems solved by technology

But in the case of power line communication techniques, communication with any devices on the load side of the circuit breaker cannot occur if it has been tripped or if the electrical contacts inside the circuit breaker are otherwise separated.

Thus, as soon as a circuit breaker trips, no further data can be collected on electrical devices connected to that circuit breaker nor can any further instructions be transmitted to change the behavior of the connected electrical devices.

One approach to reducing power consumption is to initiate rolling blackouts, but this inconveniences homeowners and renders entire neighborhoods without power.

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