Power management device and system

Abstract

An intelligent user-side power management device (PMD) that is comprised of an optional energy storage unit and can interface with a utility grid or microgrid to eliminate power theft and efficiently provide clean energy to the users of the grid while helping the grid to do smart demand response management, particularly for renewable energy based grids that need to efficiently manage the slack due to the large variability in power generation through these energy sources.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A multipurpose power management and delivery system coupled to at least one energy storage device, the system comprising:
 at least one power management device operatively coupled to at least one energy storage device and at least one energy source;   at least one power conversion device for controlling power flow to a load, each power conversion device operatively coupled to the at least one energy storage device;   a plurality of sensing circuits to sense external signals from the at least one energy source; and   a controller configured to receive the sensed external signals and to selectively activate and deactivate the at least one power management device.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein each power management device is activatable and deactivatable individually or jointly in combination with at least one other power management device. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein each power management device is operatively coupleable to at least one other power management device. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one power management device forms a grid power management system. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the energy storage device comprises a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28  further comprising a battery manager that is coupled to the at least one energy storage device and the controller. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one energy source is selected from a group consisting of a solar panel, a solar array, a wind turbine generator, a micro wind generator, a bicycle dynamo, a micro hydro power plant, and a utility grid. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one energy source is structured and arranged to charge the at least one energy storage device without required conversion or external voltage regulation. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one power management device comprises at least one of a submeter for metering AC power supply, a submeter for metering DC power supply, and a combined converter when operatively coupled to a hybrid grid. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 28  further comprising a plurality of filters, each filter operatively coupled to a corresponding energy storage device and adapted to filter activation/deactivation and recharging signals from the controller. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein at least one sensing circuit is adapted to sense external signals from the at least one energy source. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the external signals are capable of at least one of initiating charging of the at least one energy storage device, initiating discharging of the at least one energy storage device, modifying a rate of charging of the at least one energy storage device, modifying a rate of discharging of the at least one energy storage device, limiting the rate of charging of the at least one energy storage device, and limiting the rate of discharging of the at least one energy storage device. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is structured and arranged to control signals to provide for at least one of activation of the power management system and deactivation of at least one power management device. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller is adapted to determine whether the system should be on or off depending on whether there is a fault condition or not. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one power conversion device is selected from the group consisting of a DC/DC converter, an AC/DC inverter, a DC/AC inverter, and AC/AC converter, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 28  further comprising at least one energy storage device that is internal to the system. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the sensed external signals are received wirelessly. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the sensed external signals are received via a wired network. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the sensed external signals are received from at least one of a third-party and a preconfigured server. 
     
     
         47 . A method for operating a multipurpose power management system, comprising:
 providing at least one power management device, each power management device activatable and deactivatable individually or jointly, in combination with one or more additional power management devices and operationally configured to be coupled to at least one input energy source; and   controlling power flow to a load, by at least one power conversion device operatively coupled to the at least one energy storage device;   sensing external signals, by a plurality of sensing circuits, from the at least one energy source;   receiving, by a controller, the sensed external signals; and   selectively activating and deactivating the at least one power management device based at least in part on the received external signals.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one power conversion device is selected from the group consisting of a DC/DC converter, an AC/DC inverter, a DC/AC inverter, and AC/AC converter, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising transmitting time-synchronized power consumption data from each of the at least one power management device to a central server. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising transmitting time-synchronized power quality data from each of the at least one power management device to a central server. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising transmitting time-synchronized power consumption data from each energy storage device to a central server. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising transmitting time-synchronized power quality data from each energy storage device to a central server.