Intelligent power management control system

Abstract

An intelligent power management system that includes a circuit breaker containing a PLC module that spans open contacts of the circuit breaker to provide a communication path for PLC messages between the line and load sides of the circuit when the contacts are open. The contacts are motorized to permit remote operation through PLC messaging. Coupled to the PLC module is a controller, which controls the opening and closing of the motorized contacts under user control or via an adaptive load management algorithm that reduces peak power consumption and adapts a set of loads to changed power supply conditions. The controller can also dynamically alter operational current and fault threshold levels on a real-time basis based upon circuit requirements or environmental conditions. The algorithm runs a state machine and also manages loads in a limited power source environment such as when loads are powered by a generator.

1 . A power management control system, comprising a circuit breaker having movable contacts connectable across a line side and a load side of a circuit, said circuit breaker including a communications interface electrically coupled across said contacts such that said communications interface communicates signals between the line side and the load side when said contacts are open.  
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said communications interface is a power line communication (PLC) module.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said signals include PLC messages.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said signals include Ethernet-formatted packets.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a DC voltage supply connected to said communications interface.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said DC voltage supply is housed within said circuit breaker.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said contacts are motorized such that they can be remotely moved between open and closed positions through activation of said motor.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller operatively coupled to said communications interface, said controller programmed to receive and transmit said signals through said communications interface between the line side and the load side of said circuit.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a web server coupled to said controller, said web server including a web server controller programmed to communicate a command between a network external to said circuit breaker and said controller, said command directing said controller to cause said contacts to open.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a distribution control panel, said circuit breaker and said web server being housed within said distribution control panel.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said web server is configured to receive an indication of an adverse weather condition and to communicate a message to said controller indicative of said indication, whereupon said controller is further programmed to cause said contacts to open thereby protecting loads connected to said circuit from effects of said adverse weather condition.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said adverse weather condition is a lightning storm.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said controller is programmable to associate a priority level with at least one load connected to said circuit, said priority level determining an order, from lowest to highest, in which loads connected to said system are shut down by causing contacts associated with the loads to be shut down to be opened.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said signals include PLC messages, further comprising a PLC modem operatively coupled to said web server.  
     
     
         15 . A method of facilitating communication across open contacts of a circuit breaker comprising: 
 connecting a communications interface across contacts of said circuit breaker such that said communications interface is connectable between the line side of a circuit to which said circuit breaker is to be connected and the load side of said circuit; and    configuring said communications interface to pass signals between the line side and the load side of said circuit regardless of whether said contacts are open or closed.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising detecting which of at least two states said contacts are in, said at least two states being open and closed.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said communications interface is a power line communication (PLC) module.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said signals include power line communication (PLC) messages.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said signals include Ethernet-formatted packets.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising connecting said communications interface to a DC voltage supply.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 operatively coupling a controller to said communications interface; and    programming said controller to receive and transmit said signals through said communications interface between the load side and the line side of said circuit.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising coupling said controller to a motor operatively coupled to said contacts, and further programming said controller to move said contacts between an open and a closed position via said motor.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising connecting said controller to a DC voltage supply housed within said circuit breaker.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller includes a sensing circuit configured to receive signals representative of the current flowing through the load side of said circuit to which said circuit breaker is connectable.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller is further programmed to dynamically alter a fault threshold level of said circuit breaker.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller is further programmed to dynamically alter an operational current threshold level of said circuit breaker.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller is further programmed to dynamically adjust a trip threshold of said circuit breaker.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller is further programmed to cause said contacts to open in response to receiving a power line communication (PLC) message communicated through said communications interface from the line side of said circuit.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said controller causes said contacts to open based on criteria selected from the group consisting of occupancy, cost of power, time-of-day pricing, and real-time pricing.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller is further programmed to detect an imminent brownout condition on the line side of said circuit and, in response thereto, cause said contacts to open.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising further programming said controller to sequence at least one interruptible load connected to said circuit based on an adaptive load management algorithm.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising further programming said controller to execute an adaptive load management algorithm to temporarily shut down at least one interruptible load connected to said circuit to provide extra power for a high in-rush current load connected to another circuit.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising further programming said controller to execute an adaptive load management algorithm to cause said contacts to open or close based on a priority associated with a load connected to said circuit.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller is further programmed to cause said contacts open during at least a portion of a high energy cost time period.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller is further programmed to substantially predict the behavior of at least one load connected to said circuit using a neural network predictor algorithm.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said controller is further programmed to manage adaptively loads connected to said circuit when said circuit is powered by a backup power supply.  
     
     
         37 . A power management control system, comprising: 
 a circuit breaker having movable contacts connectable across a line side and a load side of a circuit, said circuit breaker including: 
 a PLC module electrically coupled across said contacts such that said PLC module communicates PLC messages between the line side and the load side when said contacts are open,  
 a controller operatively coupled to said PLC module, said controller being programmed to: 
 receive and transmit said PLC messages through said PLC module between the line side and the load side of said circuit,  
 cause said movable contacts to move between an open position and a closed position, and  
 dynamically alter a property of said circuit breaker,  
 
 said circuit breaker further including a voltage supply connected to said controller.  
   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein said controller is programmed to cause said movable contacts to move between an open and a closed position based on an adaptive load management algorithm.  
     
     
         39 . A power management control system, comprising: 
 a distribution panel;    a transfer switch in said distribution panel, said transfer switch having a switch selectable between at least two power sources;    at least one circuit breaker in said distribution panel, said at least one circuit breaker having contacts connectable across a line side and a load side of a circuit, said contacts being movable between an open position and a closed position; and    a controller operatively coupled to said transfer switch and to said at least one circuit breaker, said controller including programmed instructions to cause said transfer switch to select one of said at least two power sources and to cause said contacts to be moved between said open position and said closed position.    
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising a server programmed to pass signals received from a network external to said distribution panel to said controller.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein said external network includes the Internet.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein said server is in said distribution panel.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein said server is a web server, said web server including said controller.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein said controller is in said distribution panel.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein said controller is external to said distribution panel.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising a DC voltage power source connected to said controller.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein said at least two power sources include a utility power source and a backup power source.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising a branch current meter coupled to said circuit breaker.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein said at least one circuit breaker includes a communications interface electrically coupled across said contacts such that said communications interface communicates signals between the line side and the load side when said contacts are open.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein said at least one circuit breaker further includes a controller operatively coupled to said communications interface, said controller programmed to receive and transmit said signals through said communications interface between the line side and the load side of said circuit.  
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein said programmed instructions include an adaptive load management algorithm to cause said contacts to move between said open position and said closed position based on a priority associated with a load connected to the circuit to which said at least one circuit breaker is connected.  
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein said system is connectable to multiple circuits, each circuit being protected by a circuit breaker in said distribution panel, each circuit having a plurality of loads connected thereto, one of such circuits being protected by said at least one circuit breaker, said programmed instructions including an adaptive load management algorithm to associate a priority level with at least some of the loads protected by their associated circuit breakers, said priority level determining a sequence in which said at least some of the loads are shut down by causing contacts of the circuit breakers associated with said loads to be shut down to be opened.  
     
     
         53 . A method for adaptively managing a plurality of loads, comprising: 
 prioritizing, using a controller coupled to a plurality of circuit breakers connectable to a respective plurality of loads, at least some of the loads connectable to said circuit breakers based on at least one criterion; and    causing contacts of at least one of said plurality of circuit breakers to be remotely moved between an open position and a closed position based on said prioritizing.    
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising creating a set of historical data reflecting a usage criterion of at least one prioritized load.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , further comprising predicting future consumption of a load based on said set of historical data.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising switching from a first power source to a second power source different from said first power source in response to a changed power supply condition.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising storing a state of at least one of the prioritized loads.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein a first load is an interruptible load and a second load is a load having a high in-rush current requirement, further comprising shutting down said first load to provide additional power to start said second load.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising establishing a pre-determined set of loads which are turned on responsive to a backup power source being switched on, and determining said pre-determined set of loads based on at least a priority of a load according to said prioritizing.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising entering a limited power source mode that maximizes the number of loads online while maintaining the total consumed power under a pre-determined power source limit.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising: 
 receiving an indication of an adverse weather condition; and    communicating a signal to a controller of one of said circuit breakers to cause contacts thereof to open thereby protecting loads connected to said one of said circuit breakers from effects of said adverse weather condition.    
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising: 
 connecting a communications interface across contacts of one of said circuit breakers such that said communications interface is connectable between the line side and the load side of the circuit to which said one of said circuit breakers is connected; and    configuring said communications interface to pass signals between the line side and the load side regardless of whether said contacts of said one of said circuit breakers are open or closed.    
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising detecting which of at least two states said contacts are in, said at least two states being open and closed.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising dynamically altering a fault threshold level of one of said circuit breakers.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising dynamically altering an operational current threshold level of said circuit breaker.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising dynamically adjusting a trip threshold of said circuit breakers.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising detecting an imminent brownout condition on the line side of the circuit and, in response thereto, causing contacts of at least one of said circuit breakers to open.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising predicting the behavior of at least one of said loads using a neural network predictor algorithm.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein said prioritizing and said causing are carried out regardless of the source of a request for changes in power supply conditions.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein said source is selected from the group consisting of a utility power source, an alternate power source, and a backup power source.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein said alternate power source includes solar panels.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein said backup power source includes a generator.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein said backup power source includes an uninterruptible power supply.