Methods, apparatus, and media for controlling supply of a utility service to a load

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and media for controlling supply of a utility service to a load are disclosed. Generally, the embodiments can involve receiving representation of utility service supply to a load, receiving and storing in a storage device a usage range representation comprising at least one expected value of utility input to the load and/or at least one expected value of output from the load, and producing a control signal for use by a utility service supply controller when usage is outside of usage range representation. Control signal can be operable to cause the utility service supply controller to restrict or interrupt the supply of the utility service to the load.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for monitoring usage of a utility service by a consumer from within the consumer site; the method comprising:
 providing a programmable monitoring device at the consumer site;   providing a communication system at the consumer site operable to communicate with devices within, and/or remote from the consumer site;   providing at least one measurement device related to at least one consuming load at the consumer site for producing a data of measurement of:   utility supply, or product of the utilization of the utility by the load, or the efficiency of the load;   logically connecting said programmable monitoring device to said communication device and the measurement device;   providing a computer data storage device for the programmable monitoring device;   receiving by means of communication and/or direct input, data representing a usage range representation, in the storage device of the monitoring system; wherein usage range representation comprises at least one range of anticipated value of input, and/or output, or product, or efficiency relating to the consuming load that can be input by: consumer and/or the load, or issued in real time or in intervals by an authority located remote from the site;   monitoring the at least one measurement of the consumption by at least one load, and outputting a data signal resulting from processing the monitored data and the stored usage range representation by the programmable device, to an interface device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the interface device is a utility usage management system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the interface device is a utility supply control system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising directing the output result to a utility provider, or a control center, or a supply grid operator, all located remote from the consumer site. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising directing the output result to an annunciation device including audio or visual display. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein processing means comparing monitoring data and usage range data in programmable device and generating a third data as result of comparison. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising storing the output result in the storage device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the communication is through networking system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving usage range representation comprises extracting said usage range representation from a network protocol. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising outputting the data signals in real time or in delayed intervals to a remotely located device. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for monitoring usage of a utility service by a consumer from within the consumer site; the apparatus comprising at least one of:
 a programmable device having data input/output, ports;   a communication device;   a data storage device;   a communicating utility measurement device; and   a signal generator device capable of producing code segments.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the programmable device is programmable processing device. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the programmable device is programmable logic circuit. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further the communication device is networking device. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the storage device is integrated with programmable device. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the storage device is located remotely from the monitoring apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the utility measurement device receives code segments from the programmable monitoring device to produce measurement value relating to an input value of the utility utilized by the load. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the utility measurement device receives code segments from the programmable monitoring device to produce measurement value relating to efficiency of the consuming load. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the utility measurement device receives code segments from the programmable monitoring device to produce measurement value relating to product of the load, and/or a value relating to by-product of the load. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claims 16  and  17  wherein the load is combination of individual loads. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 10  where in the signal generator generates analogue and/or digital signals embodied in a carrier wave; signal includes code segments.