Abstract: An energy controller maintains the total power delivered to an establishment close to a power limit so as to ensure shared operation of all curtailed loads by computing a cumulative priority value (CPV) for each load. The CPV of a particular load is the positive product of a "user-set priority" for that load and the amount of time that load has been shed, or is the negative product of the user-set priority and the amount of time that load has been restored. A processor makes decisions whether to shed or restore a certain load on the basis of the relation of the CPV of that load to the CPV's of the other loads. Loads with the highest CPV's are restored first and loads with the lowest CPV's are shed first. The power limit is adjusted between upper and lower bounds to reflect recent power usage patterns. A minor average and a major average, each of which is most "weighted" by recent power readings, are computed.

Abstract: A power shedding-restoring system for controlling delivery of electrical energy from a power line to a residence having a plurality of controlled loads with predetermined priorities includes a plurality of load relays, a circuit for measuring total power delivered to the residence, a computer for computing and storing a shed value for each controlled load as it is shed, a minor average equal to the average power delivered to the residence over the past minute, and a major average equal to the average power delivered to the residence over the past hour. The computer also stores a power limit preset by the residence owner, and compares the minor average and the major average to the power limit. If the minor average and the major average both exceed the power limit, the system sheds the lowest priority controlled load that is presently electrically connected to the power line.

Abstract: A rectifier controller for controlling bridge connected silicon control rectifiers (SCRs) (1 to 6) of a three-phase rectifier which is used to supply a direct current (DC) voltage to an inverter (314) used for injecting pulse coded audio frequency signals on a power line. The controller supplies gate control signals to the SCRs (1 to 6) of the rectifier bridge in accordance with the envelope of the three-phase supply voltages and provides for protection of the inverter (314) when shoot-through conditions occur in the inverter (314) and provides for output DC voltage adjustment by controlling the firing time of the rectifier bridge SCRs.

Abstract: A residential energy controller includes a first bi-metal element having a free end and a stationary end. A second bi-metal element has a first end connected to the free end of the first bi-metal element. The second bi-metal element is included in a thermostat that controls an air conditioning apparatus for cooling the residence. A sensing device senses current delivered to the residence and produces a corresponding sense current. The first bi-metal element is electrically resistive. The sense current is forced through the resistive material of the first bi-metal element, causing it to be heated to a temperature that is related to the amount of power being delivered to the residence, thereby causing the free end of the first bi-metal element to rotate and causing the entire second bi-metal element to rotate. This causes the turn-on temperature of the thermostat to be increased by an amount related to the total power being delivered to the residence.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which permits a power utility to have direct control of customers loads (CD) with a view toward facilitating enablement of a load management philosophy which includes peak shaving and load deferral. A master control station (MCS), which comprises a programmable microprocessor-based central controller, is in two-way communication with a plurality of substation injection units (SIU), one of each of which is positioned at a separate substation of the power utility. Each substation injection unit (SIU), under the control of its own microprocessor, responds to master control signals from the master control station (MCS) to inject a pulse code signal onto the power lines of the utility. The system includes a plurality of remote receiver units (RRU) which are positioned at and connected to control the on and off times of customer loads (CD).

Abstract: A method and apparatus which permits a power utility to have direct control of customers loads (CD) with a view toward facilitating enablement of a load management philosophy which includes peak shaving and load deferral. A master control station (MCS), which comprises a programmable microprocessor-based central controller, is in two-way communication with a plurality of substation injection units (SIU), one of each of which is positioned at a separate substation of the power utility. Each substation injection unit (SIU), under the control of its own microprocessor, responds to master control signals from the master control station (MCS) to inject a pulse code signal onto the power lines of the utility. The system includes a plurality of remote receiver units (RRU) which are positioned at and connected to control the on and off times of customer loads (CD).

Abstract: A method and apparatus which permits a power utility to have direct control of customers loads (CD) with a view toward facilitating enablement of a load management philosophy which includes peak shaving and load deferral. A master control station (MCS), which comprises a programmable microprocessor-based central controller, is in two-way communication with a plurality of substation injection units (SIU), one of each of which is positioned at a separate substation of the power utility. Each substation injection unit (SIU), under the control of its own microprocessor, responds to master control signals from the master control station (MCS) to inject a pulse code signal onto the power lines of the utility. The system includes a plurality of remote receiver units (RRU) which are positioned at and connected to control the on and off times of customer loads (CD).

Abstract: The processing of computer program delays and timers is placed outside the computer mainframe in a routine timer in order to reduce the amount of computer processing capability dedicated to keeping track of time intervals to be performed by the computer. Such a routine is particularly applicable to systems controlling a plurality of devices in which each device is controlled by a separate computer program designed to operate the device in a predetermined manner in response to specific conditions detected at the hardware site and transmitted to the computer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which permits a power utility to have direct control of customers loads (CD) with a view toward facilitating enablement of a load management philosophy which includes peak shaving and load deferral. A master control station (MCS), which comprises a programmable microprocessor-based central controller, is in two-way communication with a plurality of substation injection units (SIU), one of each of which is positioned at a separate substation of the power utility. Each substation injection unit (SIU), under the control of its own microprocessor, responds to master control signals from the master control station (MCS) to inject a pulse code signal onto the power lines of the utility. The system includes a plurality of remote receiver units (RRU) which are positioned at and connected to control the on and off times of customer loads (CD).

Abstract: A method and apparatus which permits a power utility to have direct control of customers loads (CD) with a view toward facilitating enablement of a load management philosophy which includes peak shaving and load deferral. A master control station (MCS), which comprises a programmable microprocessor-based central controller, is in two-way communication with a plurality of substation injection units (SIU), one of each of which is positioned at a separate substation of the power utility. Each substation injection unit (SIU), under the control of its own microprocessor, responds to master control signals from the master control station (MCS) to inject a pulse code signal onto the power lines of the utility. The system includes a plurality of remote receiver units (RRU) which are positioned at and connected to control the on and off times of customer loads (CD).

Abstract: A rectifier controller for controlling bridge connected silicon control rectifiers (SCRs) (1 to 6) of a three-phase rectifier which is used to supply a direct current (DC) voltage to an inverter (314) used for injecting pulse coded audio frequency signals on a power line. The controller supplies gate control signals to the SCRs (1 to 6) of the rectifier bridge in accordance with the envelope of the three-phase supply voltages and provides for protection of the inverter (314) when shoot-through conditions occur in the inverter (314) and provides for output DC voltage adjustment by controlling the firing time of the rectifier bridge SCRs.

Abstract: A fault detector for detecting shoot-through conditions in series connected solid state rectifiers (326, 329) of a power inverter (314) is disclosed. A capacitor (311) discharges when a shoot-through occurs and the discharge current is detected by a current transformer (315). An SCR (317) is gated on by the detector to short circuit the DC bus (327, 328) and prevent damage to the solid state rectifiers (326, 329).

Abstract: An inverter controller for controlling a three-phase inverter used for generation and subsequent injection of pulse code signals on power lines in a utility load management system is disclosed. The controller includes read-only-memory devices (208, 210) for generating address bus information, read-only-memory devices (212, 214, 216) for generating gate control signals for inverter main valve SCRs, and read-only-memory devices (236, 238) for generating timing sequence control signals. The controller is responsive to microprocessor initiated control signals and features a state machine design.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which permits a power utility to have direct control of customers loads (CD) with a view toward facilitating enablement of a load management philosophy which includes peak shaving and load deferral. A master control station (MCS), which comprises a programmable microprocessor-based central controller, is in two-way communication with a plurality of substation injection units (SIU), one of each of which is positioned at a separate substation of the power utility. Each substation injection unit (SIU), under the control of its own microprocessor, responds to master control signals from the master control station (MCS) to inject a pulse code signal onto the power lines of the utility. The system includes a plurality of remote receiver units (RRU) which are positioned at and connected to control the on and off times of customer loads (CD).