Comfort-driven optimization of electric grid utilization

Abstract

A system for electric grid utilization and optimization comprising a communications interface executing on a network-connected server and adapted to receive information from a plurality of iNodes, the plurality of iNodes comprising a source iNode, a sink iNode, and a plurality of transmission or distribution iNodes, an event database coupled to the communications interface and adapted to receive events from a plurality of iNodes via the communications interface, a modeling server coupled to the communications interface, and a statistics server coupled to the event database and the modeling server, wherein the modeling server, on receiving a request to establish an allocation of at least one of transmission losses, distribution losses, and ancillary services to a specific sink iNode, computes at least one virtual path for flow of electricity between a source iNode and the specific sink iNode, the computed path being determined based on optimization of perceived comfort of users in affected areas.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for electric grid utilization and optimization, comprising:
 a network-connected computer comprising program code stored in a memory and executing on a processor, the code adapted to an electric grid utilization and optimization system comprising:   a plurality of communication interfaces adapted to receive information from a plurality of iNodes, the plurality of iNodes comprising a source iNode, a sink iNode, and a plurality of transmission or distribution iNodes;   an event database computer coupled to the communications interface comprising program code stored in a memory and the code adapted to receive events from a the plurality of iNodes via the communications interface;   a modeling server computer coupled to the communications interface and comprising program code stored in a memory and the code adapted to receive a request to establish an allocation of at least one of transmission losses, distribution losses, and ancillary services to a specific sink iNode and compute at least one virtual path for flow of electricity between a source iNode and the specific sink iNode, and further wherein the modeling server further computes, for each transmission or distribution iNode included in the computed virtual path, at least one energy loss and allocates a portion thereof to the specific sink iNode; and   a statistics server computer coupled to the event database and the modeling server, comprising program code stored in a memory and adapted to calculate a plurality of statistics from received information from connected iNodes;   wherein the plurality of iNodes are coupled to a continuous flow energy distribution network of a plurality of eNodes;   wherein the communications interface is further adapted to interact with at least a control device connected to at least a sink iNode;   wherein the control device operates program code stored in a memory and adapted to configure the behavior of a connected sink iNode;   wherein the communications interface interacts with the control device for the purpose of optimizing perceived comfort of a plurality of affected users;   wherein the perceived comfort of the plurality of affected users is determined based at least in part on stored events in the event database;   wherein the perceived comfort of the plurality of affected users is determined based at least in part on the statistics calculated by the statistics server;   wherein the stored events are at least temperature and time-of-day.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the affected users comprise at least a plurality of inhabitants of a building. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stored events in the event database comprise at least a plurality of sensor data measured by at least a portion of the plurality of iNodes. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor data comprises at least a plurality of power plug load measurements. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the sensor data comprises at least a plurality of light level information. 
     
     
         6 . A method of utilizing an electric grid, comprising:
 a network-connected computer comprising program code stored in a memory and executing on a processor, the code adapted to an electric grid utilization and optimization system comprising the steps of:   coupling a plurality of iNodes to a continuous flow energy distribution network of a plurality of eNodes;   receiving, at a network-connected modeling server computer, a request to establish an allocation of at least one of transmission losses, distribution losses, and ancillary services to a specific sink iNode;   computing at least a virtual energy flow path between a source iNode and the specific sink iNode;   computing at least one energy loss for each transmission or distribution iNode included in the computed virtual path; and   allocating a portion of each computed energy loss to the specific sink iNode;   determining the perceived comfort of the plurality of affected users based at least in part on stored events in the event database; and,   determining the perceived comfort of the plurality of affected users based at least in part on the statistics calculated by the statistics server wherein the stored events are at least temperature and time-of-day.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of determining the perceived comfort of the plurality of affected user based at least in part on the statistics calculated by the statistics server wherein the stored events comprise at least a power plug load measurement. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of determining the perceived comfort of the plurality of affected user based at least in part on the statistics calculated by the statistics server wherein the stored events comprise at least measured light levels.