# US 2021/0242684 A1 · Scalable hierarchical energy distribution grid utilizing homogeneous control logic > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242684 A1 - Document ID: US20210242684A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/143,658 - Filed: 2021-01-07 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-24 - Assignees: Tesla, Inc. - Applicants: Tesla, Inc. - Inventors: Peter RIVE; Eric Daniel CARLSON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242684A1 ## CPC - G05B 15/02: electric - G06Q 10/063: Operations research, analysis or management - G06Q 50/06: Energy or water supply - H02J 3/38: Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel - H02J 3/388: Arrangements for the handling of islanding, e.g. for disconnection or for avoiding the disconnection of power - H02J 3/466: Scheduling or selectively controlling the operation of the generators or sources, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a demand - G05B 2219/2639: Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low - H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics - Y02E 40/70: Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector - Y04S 10/50: Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract Techniques are disclosed for implementing a scalable hierarchical energy distribution grid utilizing homogeneous control logic are disclosed that provide distributed, autonomous control of a multitude of sites in an energy system using abstraction and aggregation techniques. A hierarchical energy distribution grid utilizing homogeneous control logic is provided that includes multiple control modules arranged in a hierarchy. Each control module can implement a same energy optimization scheme logic to directly control site energy resources and possibly energy resources of sites associated with control modules existing below it in the hierarchy. Each control module can act autonomously through use a similar set of input values to the common optimization scheme logic. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-4. (canceled) ### Claim 5 A method, comprising: executing, by a control module configured as a parent to a plurality of child control modules of a plurality of control modules in a hierarchy, an optimization scheme logic to control one or more devices at a site associated with the control module to attempt to achieve an energy goal, wherein each of the plurality of control modules executes the same optimization scheme logic, the executing comprising: determining an aggregate energy generation value of a plurality of sites associated with the plurality of child control modules; determining an aggregate energy storage value indicating an amount of stored energy at the plurality of sites; determining an aggregate load value indicating an amount of energy utilized at the plurality of sites; and determining based upon the aggregate energy generation value, the aggregate energy storage value, and the aggregate load value, whether to cause the one or more devices to provide energy to one or more of the plurality of sites. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the determining whether to provide the energy comprises: determining, by the control module, that a net flow of energy between the plurality of sites and an external energy system exceeds a threshold amount. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein: the determining whether to provide the energy further comprises determining an energy need amount based upon a difference between the net flow of energy and the threshold amount; and the executing further comprises providing a threshold amount of energy from the one or more devices of the site to the one or more of the plurality of sites. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the executing further comprises: causing the one or more devices to provide energy to one or more of the plurality of sites based on the aggregate energy storage value and the aggregate load value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the control module is also configured as a child of a parent control module. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the energy that is generated at each of the plurality of sites is generated by photovoltaic devices. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the control module is in wireless communication with the plurality of sites. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause a control module of the computing device to: execute an optimization scheme logic to control one or more devices at a site associated with the control module to attempt to achieve an energy goal, wherein the control module is configured as a parent to a plurality of child control modules of a plurality of control modules in a hierarchy and wherein each of the plurality of control modules executes the same optimization scheme logic, the executing comprising: determining an aggregate energy generation value of a plurality of sites associated with the plurality of child control modules; determining an aggregate energy storage value indicating an amount of stored energy at the plurality of sites; determining an aggregate load value indicating an amount of energy utilized at the plurality of sites; and determining based upon the aggregate energy generation value, the aggregate energy storage value, and the aggregate load value, whether to cause the one or more devices to provide energy to one or more of the plurality of sites. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the determining whether to provide the energy comprises: determining, by the control module, that a net flow of energy between the plurality of sites and an external energy system exceeds a threshold amount. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein: the determining whether to provide the energy further comprises determining an energy need amount based upon a difference between the net flow of energy and the threshold amount; and the executing further comprises providing a threshold amount of energy from the one or more devices of the site to the one or more of the plurality of sites. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the executing further comprises: causing the one or more devices to provide energy to one or more of the plurality of sites based on the aggregate energy storage value and the aggregate load value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the control module is also configured as a child of a parent control module. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the energy that is generated at each of the plurality of sites is generated by photovoltaic devices. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the control module is in wireless communication with the plurality of sites. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the energy goal is based at least in part on a price associated with taking energy from an electrical grid.