Intuitive System

Abstract

Various embodiments include an “Intuitive System” which detects the state of grid power at home or in commercial places and/or regions and manages the operation of various electrical and electronic systems accordingly. In various embodiments, a server may receive data from devices positioned throughout the grid. The server may aggregate, analyse, present, and/or act upon the received data. The system may enable providers to manage the health of grid power, monitor reports of power failures, analyse causes and durations of failures, engage in demand response, determine peak power demands, etc. The system may actively reduce demands for power, including, for example, by selectively reducing grid power available to constituents. However, constituents may have the capability to turn to back-up power systems, whose existence may be a determining factor in which constituents receive reduced grid power. The Intuitive System may also reduce grid load by turning down high-power devices.

1 . A system for analysing strain in a power grid comprising:
 a server comprising:
 a server communications port; 
 a server memory; and 
 a server processor, and 
   a first device and a second device, the first device electrically coupled to the power grid at a first location, the second device electrically coupled to the power grid at a second location, and each device separately comprising:
 a sensor for detecting electrical power at its respective location on the power grid; 
 a device communications port; 
 a device memory; and 
 a device processor, in which the device processor executes computer instructions stored in the device memory to:
 receive from the sensor an indication of a level of electrical power; and 
 direct the device communications port to transmit to the server an indication of the level of electrical power, 
 
   in which the server processor executes computer instructions stored in the server memory to:
 receive from the first device a first indication of a first level of electrical power at the first location; 
 receive from the second device a second indication of a second level of electrical power at the second location; 
 determine, based on the first indication, the second indication, the first location, and the second location, a third location on the power grid that has encountered a disruption; and 
 direct the server communications port to transmit an indication of a remedial action to a responsible party. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  in which each device further comprises a source of back-up power. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  in which, in directing the communications port to transmit an indication of a remedial action, the server processor executes computer instructions to:
 determine a responsible party that is proximate to the third location; and 
 direct the server communications port to transmit to a device of the responsible party a message that conveys the third location. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  in which both the first indication and the second indication are of an absence of electrical power, and in which the third location is determined as a location on the grid through which power flows to both the first and second locations. 
     
     
         5 . A device connected to an electrical grid, the device comprising:
 a functional portion for effecting a local environment;   a sensor for detecting power levels in the electrical grid;   a memory; and   a processor, in which the processor executes computer code stored in the memory to:
 cause the functional portion to operate at a first level of power drawn from the electrical grid; 
 receive from the sensor an indication of a second level of power that is available in the electrical grid; 
 determine, based on the indication of the second level of power, that the grid is not operating in a healthy manner; 
 and, in response to the determination, cause the functional portion to operate at a third level of power drawn from the grid, in which the third level of power is less than the first level of power; 
   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  in which the functional portion is one of: (a) a heating unit; (b) a cooling unit; (c) washing machine; (d) a dryer; (e) a water boiler; (f) a lighting unit; and (g) a fan. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5  further comprising a battery, in which the processor further executes instructions to:
 cause the functional portion to draw power from the battery. 
 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  further including a detector circuit, the detector circuit comprising:
 a signal generator for transmitting an electrical signal into the electrical grid; 
 a receiver for receiving the same electrical signal back from the electrical grid in the event the signal has traversed a closed loop within the grid; 
 a logic element for inferring an on or off state of a switch within the electrical grid based on a positive or negative detection of the electrical signal at the receiver; and 
 a communications port for transmitting an indication of the on or off state of the switch to the processor. 
 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8  in which the processor further executes instructions to:
 receive from the detector circuit an indication that the switch is off; and 
 direct, in response to the indication that the switch is off, the functional portion to cease operation.