Abstract: Disclosed is a WiFi connected power outlet, or devices controlled by WiFi devices. A relay, solid state switch, or other is used to reversibly connect devices to the mains power, optionally implementing pulse width modulation, voltage modulation, or other means for continuously varying power delivered to a load. A manual on/off switch is further provided to allow the user to manually connected and disconnect loads from mains power. Control and status signals (including power consumption) may be relayed from device to device, effectively extending the range of such a network.

Abstract: An approach to provide power from power supply devices to power consuming devices using a centralized system. The approach includes a method for configuring micro-grids that comprises the steps of receiving information of a power consuming device and criticality of the power consuming device from a universal appliance service (UAS) system. The method further includes receiving power supply information of one or more power supply devices associated with an electric grid from the UAS system. The method further includes receiving a power request from the power consuming device. The method further includes determining, by a computing device, power requirements for the power consuming device based on the information, the criticality of the power consuming device, and the power supply information.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system and computer program is provided for controlling an electric power system, including implementation of voltage measurement using paired t statistical analysis applied to calculating a shift in average usage per customer from one time period to another time period for a given electrical use population where the pairing process is optimized using a novel technique to improve the accuracy of the statistical measurement.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a power supply controller that selects either commercial power or a secondary battery as a power supply and a main controller that controls the power supply controller. The main controller includes a power supply availability determination unit that determines whether or not both the commercial power and the secondary battery are available and a power supply selection unit that instructs the power supply controller to select the secondary battery as the power supply during a predetermined secondary battery usage period and instructs the power supply controller to select the commercial power as the power supply at times other than the secondary battery usage period in case both the commercial power and the secondary battery are available.

Abstract: A wireless switch for use in internet of things comprises: a control unit, provided with a display installed with an application program; a switch unit, one end thereof is coupled to the control unit through a wired network or a wireless network, and the other end thereof is provided with a first wireless module; and a termination unit, disposed in a patch board and coupled to a switch or a socket, the switch or the socket is coupled to a computer or a household appliance, and the termination unit is provided with a second wireless module for being communicated with the first wireless module; through the application program of the control unit, the switch unit and the termination unit are enabled to control the computer or the household appliance to be turned on or turned off.

Abstract: A unit commitment problem is solved for a set of generators with a set of configurations having a set of 2N.T schedules, wherein N is a number of generators i and T is a number of decision time steps. A reduced set of configurations is determined, and then a functional metric to measure a similarity of all possible pairs of the configurations is defined. Dynamic programming is applied to the reduced set of configurations using the similarity metric to determine an optimal configuration.

Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment, a method for managing power consumption includes receiving power rate information and receiving power usage information. The method also includes receiving a plurality of personal preference profiles. Each personal preference profile of the plurality of personal preference profiles is associated with a different user of a plurality of users and includes at least one preferred state associated with a respective user. The method further includes detecting a presence of at least one user within a room. The method additionally includes adjusting at least one state associated with the room based on the at least one preferred state associated with the at least one user within the room, the power rate information, and the power usage information.

Abstract: Techniques for provisioning energy generation and/or storage systems. In one embodiment, a method is provided that can comprise automatically determining, by a site gateway, information pertaining to one or more components of an energy storage system, where the site gateway and the one or more components are located at a customer site. The method can further comprise configuring, by the site gateway, the energy storage system based on the automatically determined information.

Abstract: A system for automatically setting a power saving mode according to a location of a device, such as a TV. The system includes an interface, e.g. GPS receiver, terrestrial broadcast receiver, network interface, etc. for coupling the device to one or more external devices; a processor; programming executable on said processor for performing the following steps: determining the location of the device via communication with the one or more external devices; establishing a power consumption mode according to the determined location of the device and one or more power consumption regulatory requirements associated with said device location; and adjusting a function of the device to modify the power consumption of the device according to said power consumption mode.

Abstract: A voltage control and conservation (VCC) system is provided, which includes three subsystems, including an energy delivery (ED) system, an energy control (EC) system and an energy regulation (ER) system. The VCC system is configured to monitor energy usage at the ED system and determine one or more energy delivery parameters at the EC system. The EC system may then provide the one or more energy delivery parameters to the ER system to adjust the energy delivered to a plurality of users for maximum energy conservation.

Abstract: A programmable electrical control device (10) adapted to be programmed by an external programming device, the programmable electrical control device for controlling electrical power supply in cooperation with an electrical switching device (12), the electrical switching device having a body, an electrical power supply input, an electrical power supply output (15) and a manual switch (16), the device (10) including a data connection module; memory; a timing module; a processor; and a switching module, including at least one supply on period, and at least one supply off period, wherein at least a part of the device (10) is capable of being integrated within the body.

Abstract: Included are embodiments for wireless control and management. Some embodiments include receiving a first signal regarding a device condition of a service device in an environment, determining a condition type of the device condition, and sending a first request for to correct the device condition, based on the condition type. Some embodiments also include receiving a second signal indicating whether the device condition was corrected.

Abstract: Two water heaters may be installed in series at a customer location, such that an output of a first (or storage) water heater is coupled to the input of a second (or primary) water heater, the output of which provides hot water to the customer location. During normal operation, only the primary water heater may actually heat water for use at the customer location. However, during periods of excess capacity, the electrical service provider may enable the storage water heater to store the excess electrical power that is generated by operating the power plant at higher output (which may be more efficient). Later, during hours of greater demand, the electrical service provider may disable the storage water heater used to store the excess capacity, whereas the primary water heater may operate normally. However, during the time of greater demand, the storage water heaters may provide pre-heated water to the primary water heater, which in-turn, may need to heat the water less or perhaps not at all.

Abstract: A power consumption management system includes power consumption managers and a power supply manager. Each of the power consumption managers creates changeable power amount information with respect to a planned value of power consumption for each predetermined time range in a preset predetermined period in future, the planned value being related to a load of each piece of equipment in a building as a monitoring target. The power supply manager is connected to each of the power consumption managers through a network, decides a power change request amount for each building based on the created changeable power amount information, and transmits the decided power change request amount to each of the power consumption managers for the purpose of notification.

Abstract: An equipment overload successive approximation adaptive control method based on centralized real-time decisions is provided. The method estimates in real time permissible current for long-term running of equipment and continuous running time according to current and temperature actual measurement information of the equipment. Control modes are decided according to the continuous running time of the equipment instead of current. On the basis of mixed integer nonlinear programming algorithm, a target function which aims to control the total cost and minimize comprehensive indexes of proportions of load control quantities of different regions is adopted, discreteness and cost of a control measure are taken into consideration, flow restraint of an electric system is measured, a centralized optimization decision and successive approximation control strategy are adopted, coordination to real-time scheduling operation control and emergency control for overload of equipment of the electric system is realized.

Abstract: Operations of nuclear power plants have been suspended in various locations due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. However, it is not necessarily essential to undertake strict emergency energy saving measures at all times.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing power management systems using a peak demand factor are described and disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes gathering load samples from a site, generating a plurality of peak demand factors based on the load samples, performing an analysis to determine feasible demand reduction based on the peak demand factors, such as by plotting the demand reduction against the peak demand factors and finding one or more points at which demand reduction is particularly advantageous, selecting a maximum percentage of peak reduction matched with a peak demand factor, and implementing a power management system corresponding to the selected peak demand factor. Embodiments disclosed may quickly determine a superior peak demand reduction strategy or configuration for a site, thereby reducing the time and labor costs of excessive experimentation presently used to implement demand management systems.

Abstract: A demand response (DR) system includes a DR control unit to generate different DR levels having different power rates for each power unit, and transmit a current DR level, and a household appliance to receive the DR level from the DR control unit, and differentially control energy output of a product in response to the received DR level so as to reduce power consumption of the product. As a result, the DR system reduces power consumption when power rates are high so as to reduce electricity bills.

Abstract: An equipment control device has: a reception unit for receiving desired time information indicating a desired operation start time or a desired operation termination time, operation period information and electrical power information; a time-shift period setting unit for setting a time-shift period indicating a period which has a time range including the desired time information and during which the operation start time or the operation termination time of a household appliance is shiftable; an electrical power charge information acquisition unit for acquiring electrical power charge information; an operation time computing unit for computing the operation start time or the operation termination time, on the basis of which the electricity charge that is billed when the household appliance is operated within the time-shift period falls to or below a predetermined charge; and a transmission unit for transmitting the operation start time or the operation termination time to the household appliance.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a portable and cost-effective fuel cell system for a portable computing device. This fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack which converts fuel into electrical power. It also includes a fuel source for the fuel cell stack and a controller which controls operation of the fuel cell system. The fuel system also includes an interface to the portable computing device, wherein the interface comprises a power link that provides power to the portable computing device, and a bidirectional communication link that provides bidirectional communication between the portable computing device and the controller for the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A power supply device performs grid connected operation and autonomous operation. The grid connected operation is operation in which power is supplied from an AC power network and a DC power source to a load. The autonomous operation is operation in which the power supply device is disconnected from the AC power network and power is supplied from the DC power source to the load. The power supply device includes a power inverter configured to receive a DC power supplied from the DC power source and output an AC power, an operation mode switching unit configured to switch between grid connected operation and autonomous operation, and an output information control unit configured to control output information about the AC power output from the power inverter.

Abstract: According to the inventive method, the power consumed on an electric grid (10), by preselected consumers (42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52) being able to accept a predetermined decrease in power over a predetermined time range, is regulated. This method comprises the following successive steps: sending a control entity, regularly and by each preselected consumer (42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52), a message (M1) containing the power consumed by said preselected consumer (42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52); using the control entity (60) to compute a maximum power reduction value for all of the preselected consumers (42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52) and a maximum duration of that power reduction; transmitting, using the control entity (60) and to a grid manager (62), computed values and maximum power durations; and sending, from the grid manager (62) to the control entity (60), a command order (79) commanding a power reduction for a selected duration.

Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, an information display device includes a receiver and a display. The receiver is configured to receive, from one or more devices, information indicating power consumption of one or more spaces in which electronic devices can be installed and/or one or more electronic devices. The display controller is configured to display animations corresponding to the power consumption of the one or more spaces and/or one or more electronic devices, such that differences in the power consumption among the one or more spaces and/or one or more electronic devices are displayed as differences in animation speeds.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to the liquid crystal display device and the driving method for selectively controlling the average picture level. The liquid crystal display device of the present disclosure comprises: a brightness extractor separating a brightness and a color difference information from an input image; an user interface receiving a limit APL; an APL restrictor calculating an average APL of the input image based on the brightness from the brightness extractor, modulating the brightness of the input image such that the average APL is restricted lower than the limit APL when the average APL of input image is higher than the limit APL, and converting the modulated brightness and the color difference information into a RGB data; and a driving circuit representing the RGB data from the APL restrictor on a liquid crystal display panel.

Abstract: During operation of at least one power generator (EE) in a power supply network, a reactive power transfer between the two upper voltage levels (1, 2) is sensed at a first transformer (T1) connecting these levels, and the voltage at a first network connection point (5) at the lowest voltage level (3) is ascertained. The amount of a reactive power demand served by the power generator (EE) is calculated as a function of the ascertained voltage value in order to maintain the voltage ascertained at the lowest voltage level (3) within a predefinable voltage range, wherein a means (WR) of the power generator (EE) is activated for a reactive power draw or a reactive power delivery, based on the calculated reactive power demand.

Abstract: An operation planning method performed in a system including a power generation device, a first electric load operating using power generated by the power generation device, and a second electric load which generates heat using power generated by the power generation device. The operation planning method is performed to design an operation plan for the second electric load and includes: predicting, for individual unit time periods, an amount of power to be generated by the power generation device and an amount of power to be consumed by the first electric load; and designing the operation plan for the second electric load to operate during an operation period including the time period with the largest amount of reverse power, calculated by subtracting the amount of power to be consumed from the amount of power to be generated.

Abstract: A power control device includes a power unit generating power to be supplied to a target device, from external power, an operating unit receiving operation of power on and power off by a user, a nonvolatile memory unit storing information, and a power control unit turning off, when the operating unit has received power-off operation, power supply to the target device in a predetermined sequence for the target device and records the fact that power has been turned off normally in the nonvolatile memory unit. When external power supply is started, the power control unit turns on the power supply to the target device when having determined that external power supply was stopped due to a certain cause, or does not turn on the power supply to the target device when having determined that external power supply was stopped due to a cause other than the certain cause.

Abstract: A method of determining whether an electrical appliance can tolerate variations in supplied electrical energy. In some embodiments, the method may include coupling the electrical appliance to a source of electrical energy, delivering electrical energy to the electrical appliance, wherein the electrical energy is delivered at a first electrical energy level, obtaining a first measurement of current consumed by the electrical appliance at the first electrical energy level, delivering electrical energy to the electrical appliance at a second electrical energy level different than the first electrical energy level, obtaining a second measurement of current consumed by the electrical appliance at the second electrical energy level, and comparing the first measurement of current to the second measurement of current.

Abstract: Is provided a power supply system optimizing a power conversion efficiency of its entire system, including at least one main power supply unit converting an input power into an output power supplied to a load; an auxiliary power supply unit including a power storage unit supplying an output power by the power storage unit to the load; a power measurement unit for measuring an output power from the main and auxiliary power supply units; and a power supply control unit for calculating an optimal output power in the main power supply unit maximizing its power conversion efficiency according to the output power measured by the power measurement unit and an optimal output power or charge power in the auxiliary power supply unit, controlling the main power supply unit based on the optimal output power, and controlling the auxiliary power supply unit based on the optimal output power or charge power.

Abstract: Improvements in a system to connect and multiplex sensor signals that connects and multiplexes sensor signals is disclosed. The number of plug connections may line up and match the number of circuit breakers on one side of a panel. The device installs on panel board configurations to gathers precise power information for amps, volts, power factor, watts and kWh—and provides utility-grade data on each branch circuit metering. Up to 4 panel board strips per units of 4, 8 or 21 can be connected together to monitor 120 circuits. The system is adaptable to three phase monitoring and ground fault measurement and monitoring which is not conveniently provided by existing hard wired systems. The number of plug connections may line up with and match the number of circuit breakers on one side of the panel.

Abstract: A method for regenerating switching plans based on changing power distribution network conditions includes updating a power distribution network model in response to a power distribution network event, identifying areas of the power distribution network affected by the power distribution network event, identifying switching plans that are impacted by the power distribution network event and regenerating the switching plans that are impacted by the power distribution network event.

Abstract: Provided is a data transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention including: a power supply unit supplying operation power; a communication unit connected with an external apparatus and downloading inverter control data from the external apparatus; a memory storing the inverter control data downloaded by the communication unit; a connection unit connected to an inverter, transferring the inverter control data stored in the memory to the inverter, and supplying the operation power supplied through the power supply unit to the inverter; and a control unit allowing the operation power to be supplied to the inverter and allowing the inverter control data to be transferred to the inverter whenever the inverter is connected.

Abstract: A solar string includes first and second solar modules coupled to first and second filters by an electric transmission line. The second solar module includes a solar panel including a plurality of photovoltaic cells configured to convert photon energy to electrical energy. A processor is coupled to the solar panel and is in communication with the first solar module. The processor is configured to monitor an output of the solar panel and to transmit a status signal including an environmental condition of the second solar module to the first solar module by way of the electric transmission line. The first and second filters are configured to pass electrical power to a central inverter of a solar array in which the solar string is disposed and to prevent the status signal transmitted from the second solar module to the first solar module from being transmitted to the central inverter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system of networked PV panels, wherein each panel is coupled to a small capacity battery capable of storing electricity produced by the panels, wherein each battery is configured to randomly and isolatedly discharge its stored electricity into the power grid at a time before the battery reaches its capacity.

Abstract: A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) system and method applied to a photovoltaic (PV) device includes an MPPT device and a temperature control device within a load module. The MPPT system includes a control unit, a detection unit, and a determination unit and a first command to increase power to the temperature control device and the detection unit detects output power before the command and output power after the command. The determination unit determines whether the second output power is greater than the first output power. The control unit repeats the first command to the temperature control device when the second output power is greater than the first output power.

Abstract: A power management system includes a plurality of monitors, communicatively coupled together over a communications medium. Each respective monitor of the plurality of monitors is configured to capture power factor (PF) data at a corresponding distribution segment for calculation of a PF correction.

Abstract: A power supply system controls output powers of a plurality of power supply apparatus for realizing optimal conversion efficiency between input power and output power. The power supply system includes a plurality of power conversion units that convert an input power supplied from the input side into an output power for supplying the output power to a load connected to the output side; a power measurement unit that measures the output power of the power conversion unit; and a power supply control unit that calculates the input power to the power conversion unit in response to the output power of the power conversion units measured by the power measurement unit, and calculates the output power of the power conversion unit realizing the minimum calculated input power as an optimal output power, and controls the power conversion units based on the calculated optimal output power.

Abstract: A hub includes a plurality of connecting modules and a processing unit. Each connecting module includes an input port, a switch unit and a measuring unit. The input port has a power terminal and a data terminal. The power terminal is connected to a power supply unit to receive electric power; the data terminal is connected to a server to transmit data. The switch unit is connected to the power terminal and at least one electronic device for changing a short circuit status or an OFF status between input and output terminals through a control signal. The measuring unit measures the intensity of a current outputted from the power terminal and generates a measure signal corresponding to the current intensity. The processing unit executes an algorithm to calculate the measure signal, generates the control signal corresponding to the measure signal, and transmits the control signal to the switch unit.

Abstract: An electric motor drives a drive target and generates electricity. A charge-discharge control circuit controls charging and discharging of a power storage device. A controller controls a charge-discharge control circuit. The controller obtains a calculation value of an internal resistance of the power storage device based on a measured value of an open circuit voltage of the power storage device, and a measured value of an inter-terminal voltage and a measured value of a charge-discharge current when the power storage device is charged and discharged, and obtains a correction value of the internal resistance by correcting the calculation value of the internal resistance based on the measured value of the open circuit voltage.

Abstract: Power regulator circuitry that can provide a regulated power signal. The power regulator circuitry may include data processing circuitry configured to determine the regulated power signal to arbitrate power supply requirements of first and second powered devices according to power supply information associated with the first and second powered devices. The power regulator circuitry may also include output circuitry configured to output the regulated power signal to one or both of the first and second powered devices.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for providing appliance power management. A connector arrangement is provided for interconnecting an appliance with a power supply. There is identified, with respect to the appliance connected to the power supply, at least one of: an appliance category, a current operating state of the appliance, and a current standby state of the appliance. In response to the identifying of the at least one of: an appliance category, an appliance operating state and an appliance standby state, there is detected at least one of: anomalous appliance behavior and deficient power quality. Also, a control action is undertaken relative to the detection of the at least one of: anomalous appliance behavior and deficient power quality. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

Abstract: A power delivery system includes at least one conductor having a first end and a second end and a phasor measurement unit (PMU) coupled to the first end of the conductor. The PMU is configured to obtain phasor data at the first end and generate a phasor signal that includes the phasor data. The power delivery system also includes a power generation system coupled to the second end of the conductor and configured to provide power to the conductor. The power generation system includes a power source, a power converter, and a controller. The controller is communicatively coupled to the PMU and is configured to receive the phasor signal and control the power converter based at least partially on the phasor data.

Abstract: A power distribution system for distributing an electric power charged in a battery to a plurality of dwelling units includes a power generation device which has a independent power generation function and is configured to generate an electric power and charge the battery with at least a part of the electric power thus generated, a first control device having a residual amount measuring unit for measuring a residual amount of the electric power charged in the battery and a plurality of second control devices which are provided in a corresponding relationship with the dwelling units and make communications with the first control device. The first control device is configured to adjust an amount of the electric power supplied from the battery to the dwelling units based on a measurement result of the residual amount measuring unit and information received from each of the second control devices.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a method of identifying electrical devices in a power management system. The method includes accessing a controller using a server that includes identifiers of the electrical devices. The controller is electrically connected (directly or indirectly) to the electrical devices. The method further includes exchanging data between the server and the controller to correlate the identifiers with the electrical devices. The potential identifiers that may be used to correlate the identifiers with the electrical devices may be stored in an identifier database on the server. In some embodiments, the identifiers of the electrical devices may also be stored in an identifier database on the controller.

Abstract: An in-vehicle communication system capable of performing power supply control of the system according to the user's preference while simplifying the configuration of a control device for controlling a device based on information to be relayed. A control part of a GW device extracts information required for power supply control of loads from CAN messages received by first to third communication parts, specifies vehicle state based on the extracted information, determines power supply states in which the loads preliminarily stored into a power supply state table are to be, by associating the states with the specified vehicle state, and then transmits control information for providing an instruction of the determined power supply state to the power supply control device. The power supply state table in the storage part is rewritable, and a part of the power supply state table may be updated according to the preference of a vehicle's user.

Abstract: An energy management system controlling energy flowing into or out of a battery is provided. The energy management system includes a data receiving unit receiving load data and energy data; a total load amount calculating unit calculating the total amount of power consumption by using the received load data; an energy generation amount calculating unit calculating the total amount of power generation by using the received energy data; a comparator comparing the calculated total amount of the power consumption with the calculated total amount of the power generation; and a switch connecting the battery to a power supply according to a comparison result.

Abstract: A primary current threshold is fit between an electrical capacity and electrical load for an electrical distribution component. When a first measured current exceeds the primary threshold, a power limit for the battery powering the component is reduced. When a second measured current is less than a secondary current threshold, the power limit is increased. The primary and secondary thresholds may be set for a plurality of time periods.

Abstract: A method of controlling a power storage system for supplying power to a load from a power generation system, a battery, and a grid includes: when power failure occurs in the grid, determining whether duration of the power failure is more than a standard duration; if the duration of the power failure is more than the standard duration, determining a state of charge of the battery; and when the power failure of the grid has ended, if the duration of the power failure is less than the standard duration or if the state of charge of the battery is equal or more than a standard value, performing a first power failure returning mode; and if the charging condition of the battery is less than the standard value, performing a second power failure returning mode. Accordingly, the power storage system performs a stable operation and prevents lifespan shortening of the battery.

Abstract: According to embodiments, a regional energy integrated management device for managing energy in a region containing multiple buildings includes an information acquisition unit, an information generator, and an instruction transmitter. The information acquisition unit acquires energy management information containing energy shortage and surplus information of a building from the multiple buildings. The information generator generates regional energy management information for mutually adjusting energy supply between different buildings in the management target region based on the energy management information on the multiple buildings thus acquired. The instruction transmitter transmits the generated regional energy management information to the corresponding buildings.

Abstract: A load management system provides an interface between a power input and several switched power outputs and un-switched power outputs. A controller groups the switched power outputs into one or more load groups based on a switched current limit determined for the system and the measured currents of the electrical loads. The load groups are defined so that the sum of electrical load currents in each load group does not exceed the switched current limit. The controller also activates one or more switches to apply electrical power to the load groups according to a power sequence. A method for distributing electrical power to electrical loads using load groups is also provided.