Selective Disconnect System for Electrical Service Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for disconnecting utility services, such as hard disconnects and remote hard disconnects, face challenges including customer safety risks, access issues, and increased costs, while soft disconnects do not fully address energy consumption concerns.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing two-way reporting devices and an active load director to enable selective disconnection of electrical service by reducing power to specific devices based on customer profiles, allowing for controlled power reduction and avoidance of hard disconnects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If remote hard disconnect is used, then utility worker safety and cost are improved, but customer safety deteriorates due to life-threatening situations from lack of heat or unanticipated restarts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the disconnect action into two parts: a soft disconnect that stops billing first, followed by a hard disconnect only if the customer does not respond within a specified time frame. This segmentation allows the system to avoid immediate hard disconnects that pose safety risks while still enabling cost-effective service management for non-responsive customers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs a preliminary soft disconnect action before executing a hard disconnect. The soft disconnect stops billing and sends notifications to the customer, providing advance warning and opportunity to pay before the more dangerous hard disconnect is executed. This preliminary action reduces safety risks while maintaining cost effectiveness.
2Reliability
If hard disconnect is performed, then service disconnection is achieved, but time and cost increase due to multiple trips to service point
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service through automated soft disconnect functionality that stops billing and sends notifications without requiring utility worker presence. The metering system automatically manages the disconnect process, eliminating the need for multiple worker trips to the service point while ensuring reliable service disconnection for customers who do not respond to payment notices.
3Loss of time
If soft disconnect is used, then cost and time are reduced, but energy consumption continues leading to additional costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic disconnect approach where the system transitions from soft disconnect to hard disconnect based on customer response to payment notices. The system dynamically adjusts the disconnect level: maintaining soft disconnect for responsive customers to minimize energy loss, and escalating to hard disconnect for non-responsive customers to eliminate continued energy consumption and associated costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for selective disconnection of electrical service to a customer via commands transmitted on a communications network between a server in communication with an electric utility and a client device at a customer service point. A customer profile is generated including at least connection information for a plurality of controllable devices within the service point. A request is received from the electric utility to generate a selective disconnect event at the service point based on the customer profile. The selective disconnect event is communicated to the client device at the service point. The selective disconnect event is sent to at least one controllable device at the service point.