Abstract:
A distributed system of appliances that comprises a centralized energy-use controller to coordinate the use of energy among a plurality of distributed and interconnected appliances is disclosed. For example, the centralized controller directs when each appliance refrains from using energy from its energy-storage device during intervals when the energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the appliance but the centralized power supply is not, and when each appliance can consume energy from its energy-storage device during intervals when both the energy-storage device and the centralized power supply are capable of providing power to the appliance.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention relates to energy management in general, and, more particularly, to the centralized management of distributed and interconnected appliances. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    Energy is expensive, and, therefore, the need exists for more energy-efficient products. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]    The present invention affects energy-efficiency in a distributed system of appliances without some of the costs and disadvantages for doing so in the prior art. For example, the illustrative embodiment comprises a centralized energy-use controller to coordinate the use of energy among a plurality of distributed and interconnected appliances. The coordination of the use of energy among the appliances enables efficiencies that are not possible otherwise. 
         [0004]    For example, the centralized controller directs:
       i. when each appliance consumes energy from a centralized power supply, and   ii. when each appliance consumes energy from an energy-storage device that is associated with the appliance, and   iii. when each appliance recharges its energy-storage device with power from the centralized power supply, and   iv. when each appliance transmits energy from its energy-storage device to the centralized power supply for use by another appliance, and   v. when each appliance refrains from using energy from its energy-storage device during intervals when the energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the appliance but the centralized power supply is not, and   vi. when each appliance can consume energy from its energy-storage device during intervals when both the energy-storage device and the centralized power supply are capable of providing power to the appliance, and   vii. when each appliance can consume energy for one use and when each appliance cannot consume energy for a second use.
 
This enables the controller to reduce the total amount of power consumed by the system as a whole while deliberately choosing which appliances use power and for what uses.
       
 
         [0012]    The illustrative embodiment comprises: (1) a first appliance associated with a first energy-storage device; (2) a second appliance associated with a second energy-storage device; (3) a power supply for providing energy to the first appliance and the second appliance; and (4) an energy-use controller for directing: (i) when the first appliance consumes energy from the power supply, (ii) when the first appliance consumes energy from the first energy-storage device, and (iii) when the first appliance recharges the first energy-storage device, (iv) when the second appliance consumes energy from the power supply, (v) when the second appliance consumes energy from the second energy-storage device, and (vi) when the second appliance recharges the second energy-storage device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of a distributed system in accordance with the illustrative embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of hub  101  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of appliance  102 - i  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the operation of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the operation of task  401 - i.    
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of distributed system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Distributed system  100  comprises: hub  101  and appliances  102 - 1  through  102 - 3 , interconnected as shown. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, distributed system  100  is a telecommunications system, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that provide another function. 
         [0019]    Although the illustrative embodiment has a star topology, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that have any topology (e.g., ring, mesh, etc.). 
         [0020]    Although the illustrative embodiment comprises three appliances, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present that comprise any number of appliances. 
         [0021]    Although the illustrative embodiment comprises one “hub,” it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that comprise any number of hubs. 
         [0022]    Hub  101  comprises hardware and software for providing energy to appliances  102 - 1  through  102 - 3 , for controlling the use of energy by appliances  102 - 1  through  102 - 3 , and for coordinating communications among appliances  102 - 1  through  102 - 3 . The details of hub  101  are described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0023]    Appliance  102 - i,  wherein i ∈ {1, 2, 3}, is hardware and software for providing telecommunications service to its user. Although appliance  102 - i  functions as a telecommunications terminal, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which appliance  102 - i  performs another function. 
         [0024]    The details of appliance  102 - i  are described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of hub  101  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment. Hub  101  comprises: switch  201 , power supply  202 , energy-use controller  203 , and energy-storage device  204 . 
         [0026]    In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, hub  101  is the switch for distributed system  100 , but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, however, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which hub  101  performs another function. 
         [0027]    In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, hub physically houses switch  201 , power supply  202 , energy-use controller  203 , and energy-storage device  204  but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in some or all of these components are separately housed. 
         [0028]    Switch  201  is hardware and software for coordinating telecommunications for appliances  102 - 1 ,  102 - 2 , and  102 - 3 . It is clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use switch  201 . 
         [0029]    Power supply  202  is hardware for providing energy to hub  101  and appliances  102 - 1  through  102 - 3  from an external source that is not shown in the figures. It is clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use power supply  202 . 
         [0030]    Energy-use controller  203  is hardware and software for directing how and when appliance  102 - i  consumes and uses energy. The details of energy-use controller  203  are described below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0031]    Energy-storage device  204  is hardware for storing energy for use by hub  101  and appliance  102 - i.  It is clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use energy-storage device  204 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of appliance  102 - i  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Appliance  102 - i  comprises: energy-storage device  301 - i,  energy-use regulator  302 - i,  and telecom equipment  303 - i.    
         [0033]    Energy-storage device  301 - i  is hardware for storing energy in well-known fashion. 
         [0034]    Energy-use regulator  302 - i  is hardware and software for:
       i. receiving directions from energy-use controller  203  for how and when appliance  102 - i  can use and consume energy, and   ii. transmitting statistics to energy-use controller  203  on the use and consumption of energy by appliance  102 - i,  and   iii. controlling when appliance  102 - i  consumes energy from the power supply  302  (under the direction of energy-use controller  203 ), and   iv. controlling when appliance  102 - i  consumes energy from energy-storage device  401 - i  (under the direction of energy-use controller  203 ), and   v. controlling when appliance  102 - i  recharges energy-storage device  401 - i  (under the direction of energy-use controller  203 ), and   vi. controlling when appliance  102 - i  transmits energy from energy-storage device  104 - i  to hub  101  (under the direction of energy-use controller  203 ).
 
It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this specification, how to make and use energy-use regulator  302 - i.  
       
 
         [0041]    Telecom equipment  303 - i  is hardware and software for enabling a user of appliance  102 - i  to telecommunicate. It is well known to those skilled in the art how to make and use telecom equipment  303 - i.    
         [0042]      FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the operation of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, energy-use controller  203  performs tasks  401 - 1 ,  401 - 2 , and  401 - 3  concurrently. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, however, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which tasks  401 - 1 ,  401 - 2 , and  401 - 3  are not performed concurrently (e.g., are performed serially, etc.). 
         [0043]    At task  401 - 1 , energy-use controller  303  directs how and when appliance  101 - 1  consumes and manages energy. The details of task  401 - 1  are described below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0044]    At task  401 - 2 , energy-use controller  303  directs how and when appliance  101 - 2  consumes and manages energy. The details of task  401 - 2  are described below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0045]    At task  401 - 3 , energy-use controller  303  directs how and when appliance  101 - 3  consumes and manages energy. The details of task  401 - 3  are described below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0046]      FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the operation of task  401 - i.    
         [0047]    At task  501 , energy-use controller  501 - i  directs how and when energy consuming appliance  101 - i  consumes energy from energy supply  202 . 
         [0048]    At task  502 , energy-use controller  501 - i  directs how and when energy consuming appliance  101 - i  consumes energy from energy-storage device  301 - i.    
         [0049]    At task  503 , energy-use controller  501 - i  directs how and when appliance  101 - i  recharges energy-storage device  301 - i  with energy from power supply  302 . 
         [0050]    At task  504 , energy-use controller  501 - i  directs how and when appliance  101 - i  transmits energy from energy-storage device  301 - i  to power supply  302 . 
         [0051]    At task  505 , energy-use controller  501 - i  directs how and when appliance  101 - i  consumes energy from energy-storage device  301 - i  when both power supply  302  and energy-storage device  301 - i  are capable of providing energy to appliance  101 - i.    
         [0052]    At task  506 , energy-use controller  501 - i  directs how and when appliance  101 - i  refrains from consuming energy from energy-storage device  301 - i  when energy-storage device  301 - i  is capable of providing energy to appliance  101 - i  and power supply  302  is not capable of providing energy to appliance  101 - i.    
         [0053]    At task  507 , energy-use controller  501 - i  directs that appliance  101 - i  is to consume energy for a first use and not consume energy for a second use. 
         [0054]    It is to be understood that the disclosure teaches just one example of the illustrative embodiment and that many variations of the invention can easily be devised by those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure and that the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the following claims.