Abstract: A system and method for managing the distributed generation of power from a plurality of vehicles is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes determining location information for the plurality of vehicles, determining that a demand for power in a first portion of the power grid has reached a power threshold, determining that the location information associated with a set of the plurality of vehicles satisfies a similarity threshold with the first portion of the power grid, and transmitting a request to a first group of vehicles in the set of vehicles to discharge power. In addition, the method may include receiving a response from at least some of the electric vehicles to which a request was transmitted, and determining whether to request the discharge of power from additional vehicles in the set of the plurality of vehicles based, at least in part, on the number of responses containing a confirmation of the discharge of power.

Abstract: A system, method and device for controlling the voltage supplied to a customer premises that is supplied power from a substation via a power distribution network is provided and wherein a resident of the customer premises obtains internet access service via an internet access network. In one embodiment, the method includes measuring a voltage at an electrical outlet of the customer premises to provide voltage data with the device, determining whether the measured voltage is beyond a threshold voltage with the device or a remote computer, transmitting the voltage data over the internet access network of the customer premises to the remote computer from the device, and adjusting a voltage supplied to the power distribution network by the substation if the voltage is beyond a threshold voltage.

Abstract: A system and method for managing the distributed generation of power from a plurality of vehicles is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes determining location information for the plurality of vehicles, determining that a demand for power in a first portion of the power grid has reached a power threshold, determining that the location information associated with a set of the plurality of vehicles satisfies a similarity threshold with the first portion of the power grid, and transmitting a request to a first group of vehicles in the set of vehicles to discharge power. In addition, the method may include receiving a response from at least some of the electric vehicles to which a request was transmitted, and determining whether to request the discharge of power from additional vehicles in the set of the plurality of vehicles based, at least in part, on the number of responses containing a confirmation of the discharge of power.

Abstract: A system and method for managing the stored power of a plurality of vehicles connected to the power grid is provided. In one embodiment the method includes determining location information of each of the plurality of vehicles connected to the power grid, determining that a demand for power in a portion of the power grid has reached a power threshold, determining that the location information associated with a set of the plurality of vehicles satisfies a similarity threshold with the portion of the power grid, determining that a subset of the set of vehicles has stored power that satisfies a power availability threshold, and transmitting a command to at least one vehicle of the subset of vehicles to discharge power onto the power grid. The portion of the power grid may comprise a medium voltage power line or a substation.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing content to a plurality of digital photo frames disposed in a plurality of customer premises is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of content and storing the content in memory. The method may include converting at least some of the content from a first format to a second format suitable for display by a digital photo frame and transmitting at least some of the content via the Internet to each of the plurality of digital photo frames for display. The content may include photos, emails, text messages, faxes, utility data, and/or other content. The method may also include storing information of a user in association with each of the plurality of digital photo frames, storing content configuration information in memory for each user, and selecting the content for transmission based on the content configuration information of the user associated with each digital photo frame.

Abstract: A system, device, and method of using a power line communication device that is communicatively connected to a low voltage power line to establish communications with one or more electronic utility meters is provided. In one embodiment the method includes setting an encryption key parameter to a first encryption key used by the one or more electronic utility meters, establishing communications via one or more low voltage power lines with at least some of the utility meters using the first encryption key, assessing the quality of communications with at least some of the utility meters, transmitting communications quality data to a remote computer system; receiving information of one or more assigned meters from the remote computer system; and storing information of the assigned meters in memory.