Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080249965 | System and Apparatus for Collecting and Distributing Voluntary Environmental Impact Offset Payments on Fuel Purchases at Point of Sale - Systems and methods are described for collecting and distributing environmental impact offset payments at the point of sale of a fuel. An exemplary method presents a user interface at a point of sale of a purchase of a fuel, receives via the user interface a user-selection indicating an intention of the user to pay an environmental impact offset fee associated with the purchase, presents a choice to the user of making a custom offset payment or of buying a fuel that has the offset fee included in the price of the fuel, and calculates a custom offset payment for the purchase. The custom offset payment can be based on such considerations as an energy equivalency of the fuel purchased, volume or weight of the fuel being purchased, fuel type, fuel grade, e.g., octane level, oxygenation level, temperature of the fuel, fuel composition, climatic data, regional variation in fuel composition, efficiency of a vehicle receiving the fuel, pollution control capability of the vehicle receiving the fuel, and life-cycle environmental impacts of fuels, such as costs for extraction, processing, delivery, and combustion. | 10-09-2008 |
20090040029 | TRANSCEIVER AND CHARGING COMPONENT FOR A POWER AGGREGATION SYSTEM - Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, a system includes a transceiver device physically coupled to an electric resource, the transceiver device being configured to provide information about the electric resource to a charging component. Additionally, such a system may include a charging component, the charging component being coupled to the electric resource via a charging medium and communicatively coupled to the transceiver device. The charging component may also be configured to receive the electric resource information from the transceiver and, in response, effectuate charge control management of the electric resource. | 02-12-2009 |
20090043519 | Electric Resource Power Meter in a Power Aggregation System for Distributed Electric Resources - Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a meter operable to measure bidirectional energy transfer between an electric resource and a power grid during fixed or variable intervals of time, and an interface coupled to the meter and operable to send the measurements to a service that aggregates power of distributed electric resources as a function of the measurements. | 02-12-2009 |
20090043520 | User Interface and User Control in a Power Aggregation System for Distributed Electric Resources - Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, an electric charging station connected to a power grid includes a power connection operable to connect an electric resource to the electric charging station. Additionally, the electric charging station includes a user interface operable to provide a user access to information associated with the electric resource and the power grid. | 02-12-2009 |
20090063680 | Connection Locator in a Power Aggregation System for Distributed Electric Resources - Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, a method includes charging an electric resource over a power connection to an electric network, obtaining a unique identifier of a device over the power connection, and determining an electric network location of the electric resource from the unique identifier. | 03-05-2009 |
20090066287 | Business Methods in a Power Aggregation System for Distributed Electric Resources - Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, a method includes determining a level of renewable energy on a power grid, determining a price of electricity on the power grid, and scheduling a charging of an electric resource connected to the power grid as a function of the price of electricity on the power grid and the level of renewable energy on the power grid. | 03-12-2009 |
20090200988 | Power Aggregation System for Distributed Electric Resources - Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, a method includes a establishing a communication connection with each of multiple electric resources connected to a power grid, receiving an energy generation signal from a power grid operator, and controlling a number of the electric resources being charged by the power grid as a function of the energy generation signal. | 08-13-2009 |
20110004358 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE POWER FLOW MANAGEMENT - A system and methods that enables power flow management at the local level. A power flow manager can coordinate the charging activities of electrical devices, such as electric vehicles. Power flow decisions may based on the site-level information. In addition, power flow management strategies may be optimized. An optimizer can choose a power flow management strategy and electrical devices for implementing a strategy. In the event of a system failure, power spikes may be avoided by using safe failure modes to provide that the charging activities be coordinated in a predictable and non-disruptive manner. The cost of providing power may be reduced using generation stacks of power production. As such, the total daily cost of providing energy generation may be minimized. | 01-06-2011 |
20110007824 | SYSTEM COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE POWER MANAGEMENT - A system and method that minimizes network traffic consumption in a power flow management system is described. A minimization system may include a network to communicate device information and power flow information between the power flow management system and the devices. The power flow management system reduces consumption of the traffic traversing the network via a network traffic consumption reduction technique. In addition, this application discloses a system and method for communications protocol translation in a power flow management system that includes networks which connect electric devices and electric power supplies. One network utilizes a communications protocol that is different from the communications protocol utilized by another network. A communications protocol translation device communicates with the networks, and formulates messages from one communications protocol to the other communications protocol. The reformulated messages pass from one network to another network. | 01-13-2011 |
20110010158 | SOFTWARE MODELING SYSTEMS FOR METERING AND TRANSLATING MEASUREMENTS - Systems and methods are provided for collecting and aggregating a plurality of power flow measurements from a plurality of devices in a power management system. The error bounds of the aggregated power flow measurement are then determined using at least one error model. Systems and methods are also provided for inferring AC power flows from DC power flows. A device having at least one DC power flow sensor is augmented with at least one AC power flow sensor AC and DC power flows through the device are measured using the sensors over a range of operating points. An inference model of AC power flow in the device as a function of DC power flow is then built, wherein the error of the model is bounded. DC power flow through the device and in similar devices can then be then measured and used to infer AC power flow for the device. | 01-13-2011 |
20110015799 | SMART CHARGING VALUE AND GUARANTEE APPLICATION - A system and methods that enables smart charging for electric resources. A smart charging method may include smart charging customer guarantees. The charging behavior guarantee may comprise a guaranteed charging schedule that matches a regular charging schedule of an electric resource and provides power flow flexibility. In addition, a smart charging method may manage electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis. A smart charging benefit may include an impact resulting from the energy management system which is beneficial to an electric resource. A smart charging method may manage the charging behavior of the electric resources on a grid based on the smart charging benefit. Further, a smart charging method may manage electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis and smart charging customer guarantees. | 01-20-2011 |
20110016063 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR SMART CHARGING TECHNIQUES - A system and methods that enables smart charging techniques. A smart charging method may include periodically updated schedules. In addition, a smart charging method may include schedules with overrides. Further, a smart charging may involve a method for local load management in the presence of uncontrolled loads. A smart charging method for managing electric resources may also provide direct control over prices-to-devices enabled devices. | 01-20-2011 |
20110025556 | CONNECTION LOCATOR IN A POWER AGGREGATION SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTED ELECTRIC RESOURCES - Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, a service establishes individual Internet connections to numerous electric resources intermittently connected to the power grid, such as electric vehicles. The Internet connection may be made over the same wire that connects the resource to the power grid. The service optimizes power flows to suit the needs of each resource and each resource owner, while aggregating flows across numerous resources to suit the needs of the power grid. The service can bring vast numbers of electric vehicle batteries online as a new, dynamically aggregated power resource for the power grid. Electric vehicle owners can participate in an electricity trading economy regardless of where they plug into the power grid. | 02-03-2011 |
20130184886 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SMART CHARGING TECHNIQUES, VALUE AND GUARANTEE - A system and methods that enables smart charging for electric resources. A smart charging method may include smart charging customer guarantees. The charging behavior guarantee may comprise a guaranteed charging schedule that matches a regular charging schedule of an electric resource and provides power flow flexibility. A smart charging method may also include periodically updated schedules. In addition, a smart charging method may manage electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis. A smart charging benefit may include an impact resulting from the energy management system which is beneficial to an electric resource. A smart charging method may manage the charging behavior of the electric resources on a grid based on the smart charging benefit. Further, a smart charging method may manage electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis and smart charging customer guarantees. A smart charging method also may schedules with overrides, and may involve a method for local load management in the presence of uncontrolled loads. A smart charging method for managing electric resources may also provide direct control over prices-to-devices enabled devices. | 07-18-2013 |
20130217409 | ELECTRIC VEHICLE POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS - A system that enables power flow management for electrical devices, such as electric vehicles. Power flow managers can coordinate charging activities. Power flow decisions may be based on site-level information. Power flow management strategies may be optimized. Power spikes may be avoided by using safe failure modes. Generation stacks may be used for reducing cost. AGC commands are used to control power resources. Power regulation are apportioned to power resources, and power regulation ranges may be determined. Power flow strategies are implemented in response to changes in intermittent power flow. Locations of devices may be determined using network fingerprints. Power flow measurements are determined, and AC power flows are inferred from DC power flows. Network traffic consumption are minimized. Communication protocols are translated. Enhanced vehicle communications are provided that communicate to vehicle subsystems, that arbitrate smart charge points, and that use existing hardware, non-specific hardware, or control extensibility systems. | 08-22-2013 |
20150077056 | POWER AGGREGATION SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTED ELECTRIC RESOURCES - Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, a method includes establishing a communication connection with each of multiple electric resources connected to a power grid, receiving an energy generation signal from a power grid operator, and controlling a number of the electric resources being charged by the power grid as a function of the energy generation signal. | 03-19-2015 |