Patent ID: 8340826

Claim:
A system for controlling plug-in air conditioners and plug-in heaters comprising: at least one load control device at a first location comprising a microprocessor, the load control device configured to connect to a first electrical outlet and to connect to a plug-in air conditioner or plug-in portable heater, the load control device further configured to control whether the plug-in air conditioner or the plug-in portable heater is “on” or “off”, and wherein said microprocessor is configured to communicate over a computer network; one or more processors remotely located from the load control device and the first location that receive temperature measurements from said first location, wherein said one or more processors communicate with said microprocessor in the at least one load device over said computer network, and wherein said one or more processors further receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one other source; one or more databases that store at least said temperature measurements obtained from said first location; and where said load control device is located inside the space conditioned by said plug-in air conditioner or plug-in portable heater, and wherein said microprocessor in said load control device receives at least one operational instruction from said one or more processors via said computer network instructing the load control device to disconnect power to said plug-in air conditioner or plug-in portable heater based at least in part on said temperature measurements from said first location and based at least in part on said measurements of outside temperatures from said at least one other source.