Authenticated Appliance Power Switching for Peak Load Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart grid systems face challenges in enforcing energy-saving measures, as users can tamper with or block control messages, leading to inefficiencies and scalability issues, and voluntary reductions are often insufficient during peak usage.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize an energy-saving device connected to a management center to automatically control consumption appliances between a power-limited default mode and a free power mode, requiring authentic messages to switch modes, with a counter mechanism to enforce default mode reinstatement if unauthorized messages are received.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If automatic control messages are sent to appliances to limit power consumption, then energy saving is improved, but users can tamper with or block messages leading to system reliability deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring appliances with authentication credentials (public keys or authentication data) before control messages are sent. This allows the appliance to independently verify the authenticity of management center messages without requiring real-time authentication handshakes, preventing tampering before it can affect system operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic authentication mechanisms as an intermediary layer between the management center and appliances. Control messages include authentication data (such as digital signatures or encrypted tokens) that serve as a mediator to verify message legitimacy, preventing unauthorized tampering while maintaining automatic control functionality.
2Reliability
If acknowledgement messages are required from appliances, then message authenticity is improved, but network complexity and scalability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for acknowledgement messages by performing preliminary authentication - the appliance verifies the control message authenticity upon receipt using pre-configured credentials. This one-way authentication approach provides reliability without requiring complex two-way communication protocols or server-side acknowledgement handling.
3Loss of energy
If voluntary power load reduction is requested from customers, then energy saving is improved, but reduction effectiveness deteriorates due to laborious manual process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling appliances to automatically respond to control messages from the management center without requiring manual customer intervention. The system autonomously implements power load reduction by switching appliances between operating modes based on authenticated control messages, eliminating the slow manual process while maintaining energy saving effectiveness.
4Ease of operation
If appliances are switched to free power mode frequently, then user convenience is improved, but energy saving effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the appliance operating mode flexible and changeable through authenticated control messages. The appliance can dynamically switch between limited power mode and free power mode based on real-time control messages from the management center, balancing user convenience with energy saving effectiveness through adaptive, message-driven mode transitions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed for controlling the operating of a consumption appliance by way of a selector switch controlled by an energy saving device connected to a management center. The consumption appliance is kept in its default power mode, until receiving, by the energy saving device, an authentic secured control message sent by the management center. This message includes a command onto the mode in which the consumption appliance has to be switched. A counter is initialized with an initialization value before to be triggered. The consumption appliance is switched in the mode indicated by the command, either until the counter has reached a threshold value, or until receiving another authentic control message. If the counter has reached the threshold value, then the consumption appliance is switched in its default power mode. If another authentic secured control message has been received, then returning to the step of initializing the counter.