Method and apparatus for actively managing consumption of electric power over an electric power grid

A client device for use in a system that manages electric power on an electric grid, wherein the power is supplied to a plurality of power consuming devices, wherein power flow over the electric grid to at least some of the plurality of power consuming devices is enabled and disabled by a plurality of controllable devices, wherein at least one controllable device operates under the control of the client device, and wherein the client device receives power control messages from a remote load management server, and wherein a power control message received from the load management server is responsive to a power reduction request issued by a control center,

• the client device comprising:
• at least one controllable device interface facilitating communication of power control instructions to the at least one controllable device,
• the power control instructions causing the at least one controllable device to selectively enable and disable a flow of electric power to at least one power consuming device of the plurality of power consuming devices;
• and a device control manager operably coupled to the at least one controllable device interface,
• the device control manager issuing a power control instruction to the at least one controllable device through the at least one controllable device interface responsive to the received power control message,
• the power control instruction causing the at least one controllable device to disable a flow of electric power to at least one associated power consuming device so as to achieve a reduction in consumed power as requested by the control center, and based upon the reduction in consumed power, generating at the control center a power supply value (PSV) corresponding to the reduction in consumed power.

A client device for use in a system that manages power flow for an electric grid including electric power supplied to a plurality of power consuming devices, wherein power flow to at least some of the plurality of power consuming devices is selectively enabled and disabled by a plurality of controllable devices, wherein at least one controllable device operates under the control of the client device, and wherein the client device receives a plurality of power control messages from a remote load management server, the client device comprising:

• a communications interface that receives the plurality of power control messages from the load management server,
• a power control message of the plurality of power control messages being responsive to a power reduction request issued by a control center and indicating at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced and an identification of at least one controllable device to be instructed to disable a flow of electric power to one or more associated power consuming devices;
• at least one controllable device interface facilitating communication of power control instructions to the at least one controllable device, the power control instructions causing the at least one controllable device to selectively enable and disable a flow of electric power to at least one power consuming device of the plurality of power consuming devices;
• and a device control manager operably coupled to the communications interface and the at least one controllable device interface, the device control manager issuing a power control instruction to the at least one controllable device through the at least one controllable device interface responsive to the power control message,
• the power control instruction causing the at least one controllable device to disable a flow of electric power to at least one associated power consuming device so as to achieve a reduction in consumed power as requested by the control center and based upon the reduction in consumed power, generating at the control center a power supply value (PSV) associated with the power consuming device(s) and corresponding to the reduction in consumed power.

A client device for use in a system that manages power on an electric grid that including power supplied to a plurality of power consuming devices, wherein power flow to at least some of the plurality of power consuming devices is enabled and disabled by a plurality of controllable devices, wherein at least one controllable device operates under the control of the client device, and wherein the client device receives power control messages from a remote load management server, the client device comprising:

• at least one controllable device interface facilitating communication of power control instructions to the at least one controllable device,
• the power control instructions causing the at least one controllable device to selectively enable and disable a flow of electric power to at least one power consuming device of the plurality of power consuming devices and based upon the reduction in consumed power, generate a power supply value corresponding to the reduction in consumed power;
• a device control manager operably coupled to the at least one controllable device interface, the device control manager generating the power control instructions responsive to the received power control messages;
• a Layer-3 router operable to receive an Internet Protocol (IP) message that includes an IP address and determine whether the IP message is directed to the client device or an Internet-accessible device coupled to the client device, wherein the Internet-accessible device is a device other than the client device and the at least one controllable device;
• and an IP device interface, coupled to the Layer-3 router, that receives the IP message from the Layer-3 router when the IP message is directed to the Internet-accessible device and communicates the IP message to the Internet-accessible device.

A client device for use in a system that manages power supplied to a plurality of power consuming devices, wherein power flow to at least some of the plurality of power consuming devices is selectively enabled and disabled by a plurality of controllable devices, wherein one or more of the plurality of controllable devices operates under the control of the client device, and wherein the client device receives a plurality of power control messages from a remote load management server, the client device comprising:

• a communications interface that receives the plurality of power control messages from the load management server, a power control message of the plurality of power control messages indicating at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced and an identification of at least one controllable device to be instructed to disable a flow of electric power to one or more associated power consuming devices, and based upon the amount of electric power to be reduced, generating at the control center a power supply value corresponding to the amount of electric power reduced;
• at least one controllable device interface facilitating communication of a power control instruction to at least a first controllable device, the power control instruction causing the first controllable device to disable a flow of electric power to at least one power consuming device of the plurality of power consuming devices;
• a device control manager operably coupled to the communications interface and the at least one controllable device interface, the device control manager generating the power control instruction responsive to the power control message;
• an Internet Protocol (IP) message that includes an IP address and is directed to the client device or an Internet-accessible device coupled to the client device,
• wherein the Internet-accessible device is a device other than the client device and the at least one controllable device;
• and an IP device interface, coupled to the Layer-3 router, that receives the IP message the IP message is directed to the Internet-accessible device and communicates the IP message to the Internet-accessible device.