Patent ID: 9236737
Filing Date: 2016-01-12
CPC Classification: H02J,H05B

Claim Text:
1. A method for adjusting energy consumption of a pre-programmed device operating at a first energy level, the method comprising: receiving, by a controller for the pre-programmed device, a first signal from a first utility, wherein the first signal comprises first instructions to adjust the energy consumption of the pre-programmed device to a second energy level, and wherein the pre-programmed device is programmed during manufacturing of the pre-programmed device to operate at the first energy level and the second energy level; receiving, by the controller for the pre-programmed device, a second signal from a customer, wherein the second signal comprises second instructions to instruct the pre-programmed device to operate at a non-second energy level different from the second energy level; processing, by the controller, the first signal to retrieve the first instructions and the second signal to retrieve the second instructions; adjusting, by the controller and based on the first instructions and the second instructions, an energy source from the first energy level to the second energy level when the second instructions of the customer contradict the first instructions of the first utility; adjusting, by the controller and based on the first instructions and the second instructions, the energy source from the first energy level to the non-second energy level when the second instructions of the customer complement the first instructions of the first utility; and sending a first notification from the controller to the first utility, wherein the first notification confirms that the pre-programmed device is operating at the second energy level when the second instructions of the customer contradict the first instructions of the first utility, and wherein the first notification confirms that the pre-programmed device is operating at the non-second energy level when the second instructions of the customer complement the first instructions of the first utility, wherein the first utility provides energy consumed by the pre-programmed device, wherein the first energy level, the second energy level, and the non-second energy level of the pre-programmed device are unalterable by the customer after the manufacturing, wherein the customer is unable to add an additional energy level to the pre-programmed device after the manufacturing.