Apparatus and method for controlling distribution of electrical energy to a space conditioning load

In an electrical load management system, said system including transmitting means for transmitting coded command signals for causing electrical load reductions from an electrical distribution network, and a load control apparatus located proximate each of a plurality of space conditioning loads for controlling distribution of electrical energy to said space conditioning loads, each of said space conditioning loads operative to conduct space conditioning operations within a closed environment, the space conditioning operations being controlled by a thermostat in response to the control temperature setpoint of said thermostat, said load control apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for producing decoded command signals by decoding said coded command signals;
• switching means, connected to said receiver means and between said space conditioning load and said electrical distribution network, for interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a selected time period in response to a selected one of said decoded command signals;
• temperature sensing means, connected to said switching means, for sensing space temperatures within said closed environment, said temperature sensing means further operative to output a control override signal to cause said switching means to restore distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by inserting said space conditioning load into said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit, said maximum space temperature limit being greater than said control temperature setpoint, or another one of said space temperatures that drops below a minimum space temperature limit, said minimum space temperature limit being less than said control temperature setpoint;
• and
• memory storage means for storing said minimum space temperature limit and said maximum space temperature limit.

A load control apparatus for controlling distribution of electrical energy by an electrical distribution network to a space conditioning load, comprising:

• load operation control means, connected to said space conditioning load, for sensing space temperatures within a closed environment and controlling the space conditioning operations of said space conditioning load in response to a control temperature setpoint;
• control means, connected to said electrical distribution network and to said load operation control means, for controlling distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load for a selected time period in response to command signals transmitted by a command center, said command center being remotely located from said load control apparatus;
• and
• memory storage means for storing a minimum space temperature limit and a maximum space temperature limit in response to said command signals;
• said load operation control means operative to output an override signal that causes said control means to restore distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that exceeds said maximum space temperature limit, said maximum space temperature limit being greater than said control temperature setpoint.

In an electrical load management system, said system including a transmitter for transmitting coded command signals for managing electrical energy distributed by an electrical distribution network to space conditioning loads, and a load control apparatus located proximate each one of a plurality of said space conditioning loads, said coded command signals comprising address data and command data, wherein each of said load control apparatus is responsive to said command data only for particular predetermined address data, said load control apparatus comprising:

• a receiver that produces decoded address data and decoded command data by decoding said coded command signals;
• a load control switch, connected to said receiver and to said electrical distribution network, for interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load for a selected time period in response to selected decoded command data;
• a temperature switch that connects said space conditioning load to said load control switch during a first operating state and disconnects said space conditioning load from said load control switch during a second operating state;
• and
• a temperature controller, connected to said temperature switch and to said load control switch, for sensing space temperatures within a closed environment and enabling operation of said space conditioning load by selecting said first operating state in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that drops below a control temperature setpoint or disabling operation of said space conditioning load by selecting said second operating state in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that exceeds said control temperature setpoint,
• said temperature controller operative to output an override signal to said load control switch that causes said load control switch to restore distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to measuring one of said space temperatures that drops below a minimum space temperature limit which is less than said control temperature setpoint, said minimum space temperature limit being communicated to said load control apparatus by said transmitter transmitting a certain one of said coded command signals;
• and
• memory storage means for storing said minimum space temperature limit.

In an electrical load management system, said system including a transmitter for transmitting coded command signals for managing electrical energy distributed by an electrical distribution network to space conditioning loads, and a load control apparatus located proximate each one of a plurality of said space conditioning loads, said coded command signals comprising address data and command data, wherein each of said load control apparatus is responsive to said command data only for particular predetermined address data, said load control apparatus comprising:

• a receiver that produces decoded address data and decoded command data by decoding said coded command signals;
• a load control switch, connected to said receiver and to said electrical distribution network, for interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load for a selected time period in response to selected decoded command data;
• a temperature switch that connects said space conditioning load to said load control switch during a first operating state and disconnects said space conditioning load from said load control switch during a second operating state;
• and
• a temperature controller, connected to said temperature switch and to said load control switch, for sensing space temperatures within a closed environment and enabling operation of said space conditioning load by selecting said first operating state in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that drops below a control temperature setpoint or disabling operation of said space conditioning load by selecting said second operating state in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that exceeds said control temperature setpoint,
• said temperature controller operative to output an override signal to said load control switch that causes said load control switch to restore distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to measuring one of said space temperatures that rises above a maximum space temperature limit which is greater than said control temperature setpoint, said maximum space temperature limit being communicated to said load control apparatus by said transmitter transmitting a certain one of said coded command signals;
• and
• memory storage means for storing said maximum space temperature limit.

An improved load control apparatus for controlling distribution of electrical energy by an electrical distribution network to a space conditioning load, said space conditioning load operative to conduct space conditioning operations within a closed environment, comprising:

• temperature sensing means for generating temperature signals in response to sensing space temperatures within a closed environment;
• receiving means for producing decoded command signals in response to receiving command signals transmitted by a command center;
• and
• switching means, connected to said receiving means and said temperature sensing means, for
• (a) implementing a load shedding operation by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a selected time period in response to a selected one of said decoded command signals, and
• (b) overriding said load shedding operation by restoring said spaced conditioning load within said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to one of said temperature signals corresponding to one of said sensed space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit or another one of said temperature signals corresponding to another one of said sensed space temperatures that drops below a minimum space temperature limit.

In an electrical load management system, said system including transmitting means for transmitting coded command signals for causing electrical load reductions from an electrical distribution network, and a load control apparatus located proximate each of a plurality of space conditioning loads for controlling distribution of electrical energy to said space conditioning loads, each of said space conditioning loads operative to conduct space conditioning operations within a closed environment, the space conditioning operations being controlled by a thermostat in response to the control temperature setpoint of said thermostat, said load control apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for producing decoded command signals by decoding said coded command signals, said coded command signals comprising data and command data, said receiving means responsive to said command data only for particular predetermined address data;
• switching means, connected to said receiver means and between said space conditioning load and said electrical distribution network, for interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a selected time period in response to a selected one of said decoded command signals;
• and
• temperature sensing means, connected to said switching means, for sensing space temperatures within said closed environment, said temperature sensing means further operative to output a control override signal to cause said switching means to restore distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by inserting said space conditioning load into said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit, said maximum space temperature limit being greater than said control temperature setpoint, or another one of said space temperatures that drops below a minimum space temperature limit, said minimum space temperature limit being less than another control temperature setpoint.

A method for managing distribution of electrical energy by an electrical distribution network to a space conditioning load that conducts space conditioning operations within a closed environment, the space conditioning operations being controlled by a thermostat in response to the control temperature setpoint of said thermostat, comprising the steps of:

• measuring a plurality of space temperatures within said closed environment;
• interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a selected time period in response to a selected one of said command signals, said selected time period having a time interval that is dependent upon the historical duty cycle of said space conditioning load;
• and
• overriding said step of interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to measuring one of said space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit, said maximum space temperature limit being greater than said control temperature setpoint.

A method for managing the amount of electrical energy distributed by an electrical distribution network to a space conditioning load, comprising the steps of:

• measuring a plurality of space temperatures within a closed environment;
• controlling the space conditioning operation of said space conditioning load by enabling said space conditioning operation in response to measuring one of said space temperatures that exceeds a control temperature setpoint or disabling said space conditioning operation in response to measuring another one of said space temperatures that drops below said control temperature setpoint;
• interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a selected time period in response to receiving one of a plurality of command signals, said selected time period having a variable time interval;
• and
• restoring distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by inserting said space conditioning load into said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to measuring one of said space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit, said maximum space temperature limit being greater than said control temperature setpoint.

In an electrical load management system, said system including transmitting means for transmitting coded command signals to load control apparatus for causing electrical load reductions in an electrical distribution network, a method for controlling distribution of electrical energy by said electrical distribution network to a space conditioning load controllable by one of said load control apparatus, said space conditioning loads operative to conduct space conditioning operations within a closed environment, said method comprising the steps of:

• decoding coded command signals to produce decoded command signals;
• interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a selected time period in response to one of said decoded command signals;
• sensing space temperatures within said closed environment;
• and
• restoring distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by inserting said space conditioning load into said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit stored in a memory storage device of said load control apparatus.

In an electrical load management system, said system including transmitting means for transmitting coded command signals to load control apparatus for causing electrical load reductions in an electrical distribution network, a method for controlling distribution of electrical energy by said electrical distribution network to a space conditioning load controllable by one of said load control apparatus, said space conditioning load operative to conduct space conditioning operations within a closed environment the space conditioning operations being controlled by a thermostat in response to the control temperature setpoint of said thermostat, said method comprising the steps of:

• decoding coded command signals to produce decoded command signals, said coded command signals comprising data and command data, said load control apparatus responsive to said command data only for particular predetermined address data;
• interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a selected time period in response to a selected one of said decoded command signals;
• sensing space temperatures within said closed environment;
• and
• restoring distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by inserting said space conditioning load into said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said selected time period in response to sensing one of said space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit, said maximum space temperature limit being greater than said control temperature setpoint.

A method for controlling distribution of electrical energy by an electrical distribution network to a space conditioning load, said space conditioning load operative to conduct space conditioning operations within a closed environment, the space conditioning operations being controlled by a thermostat in response to the control temperature setpoint of said thermostat, said method comprising the steps:

• generating temperature signals in response to sensing space temperatures within a closed environment;
• producing decoded command signals in response to receiving command signals transmitted by a command center;
• implementing a load shedding operation by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a selected time period in response to a selected one of said decoded command signals, and;
• overriding said load shedding operation by restoring said spaced conditioning load within said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said certain time period in response to one of said temperature signals corresponding to one of said sensed space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit or another one of said temperature signals corresponding to another one of said sensed space temperatures that drops below a minimum space temperature limit.

For use in an electrical load management system, said system including transmitting means for transmitting coded command signals to load control apparatus for causing electrical load reductions from an electrical distribution network, a method for controlling distribution of electrical energy by said electrical distribution network to a space conditioning load controllable by one of said load control apparatus, said space conditioning load controlled by a thermostat and operative to conduct space conditioning operations in response to the control temperature setpoint of said thermostat, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating temperature signals in response to sensing space temperatures within a closed environment, each of said temperature signals corresponding to a sensed space temperature;
• producing decoded command signals in response to receiving said command signals;
• interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a certain time period in response to a selected one of said decoded command signals;
• and
• restoring distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by inserting said space conditioning load within said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said certain time period in response to one of said temperature signals corresponding to one of said sensed space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit or another one of said temperature signals corresponding to another one of said sensed space temperatures that drops below a minimum space temperature limit.

In an electrical load management system, said system including transmitting means for transmitting coded command signals for causing electrical load reductions from an electrical distribution network, and a load control apparatus located proximate each of a plurality of space conditioning loads to be controlled within said electrical distribution network, said space conditioning load controlled by a thermostat and operative to conduct space conditioning operations in response to the control temperature setpoint of said thermostat, said load control apparatus comprising:

• temperature sensing means for generating temperature signals in response to sensing space temperatures within a closed environment, each of said temperature signals corresponding to a sensed space temperature;
• receiving means for producing decoded command signals in response to receiving said command signals;
• and
• switching means, connected to said receiving means and said temperature sensing means, for
• (a) interrupting distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by removing said space conditioning load from said electrical distribution network for a certain time period in response to a selected one of said decoded command signals, and
• (b) restoring distribution of said electrical energy to said space conditioning load by inserting said space conditioning load within said electrical distribution network prior to expiration of said certain time period in response to one of said temperature signals corresponding to one of said sensed space temperatures that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit or another one of said temperature signals corresponding to another one of said sensed space temperatures that drops below a minimum space temperature limit.