Systems, apparatus, and methods for remote control of a plurality of heating devices

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for remotely controlling a plurality of heating devices in one or more sites having a fossil fuel-based heating device and an electrical heating device. An example method involves operating a management processor to determine whether a current system supply is greater than a current system demand. In response to determining that the current system supply is greater than the current system demand, the management processor identifies at least one site to receive an opportunity to use electrical heating and transmits an opportunity signal to the local controller of the at least one site. The method can also involve operating each local controller to receive the opportunity signal from the management processor and generate one or more signals to control an operation the fossil fuel-based heating device or the electrical heating device of the site based in part on the opportunity signal.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for remotely controlling a plurality of heating devices in one or more sites, each site of the one or more sites having at least a fossil fuel-based heating device and an electrical heating device, the system comprising:
 a management communication component;   a management processor in communication with the management communication component, the management processor being operable to:
 determine whether a current system supply is greater than a current system demand; 
 in response to determining that the current system supply is greater than the current system demand, identify at least one site to receive an opportunity to use electrical heating; and 
 transmit, via the management communication component, an opportunity signal to the local controller of each of the at least one site; and 
   one or more local controllers of the one or more sites, wherein each local controller comprises a local communication component and a local processor in communication with the local communication component, the local processor being operable to:
 receive, via the local communication component, the opportunity signal from the management processor; and 
 generate one or more signals to control an operation of at least one of the fossil fuel-based heating device or the electrical heating device of the site based in part on the opportunity signal. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the management processor is operable to:
 determine a current system oversupply; and   for at least one power generator contributing to the current system supply, select one or more sites within a grid proximity to the at least one power generator to receive the opportunity to use electrical heating such that a total power demand of the one or more sites corresponds at least a portion of the current system oversupply.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the total power demand of the one or more sites corresponding to the current system oversupply comprises the total power demand of the one or more sites matching the current system oversupply. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the total power demand of the one or more sites comprises a power load of each of the one or more sites and power transmission losses associated with delivering power to each of the one or more sites. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a data storage component, and the management processor is further operable to maintain, in the data storage component, a log of opportunities provided to each of the sites. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the log of opportunities further comprises data indicative of actual usage in response to the opportunities provided to each of the sites. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the management processor is operable to select one or more sites to receive the opportunity to use electrical heating based on the log of opportunities provided to each of the sites. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the management processor is operable to transmit, via the management communication component, an expiration signal to one or more of the local controllers of the at least one site; and   the local processors of the one or more of the local controllers of the at least one site is operable to:
 receive, via the local communication component, the expiration signal from the management processor; and 
 generate the one or more signals to control an operation of at least one of the fossil fuel-based heating device or the electrical heating device based in part on the expiration signal. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the management processor is operable to:
 select a first site to receive the opportunity to use electrical heating for a first duration;   transmit, via the management communication component, an opportunity signal to a local controller of the first site for the first duration;   select a second site to receive the opportunity to use electrical heating for a second duration after the first duration; and   transmit, via the management communication component, an expiration signal to the local controller of the first site and an opportunity signal to a local controller of the second site for the second duration.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the management processor is operable to:
 receive, from a local controller of a first site of the one or more sites, a heating status of the first site;   in response to receiving the heating status of the first site, select a second site to receive the opportunity to use electrical heating; and   transmit, via the management communication component, an opportunity signal to the local controller of the second site.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local processors are operable to generate a signal to operate the electrical heating device of the site based in part on the opportunity signal. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the local processors are operable to:
 receive a current temperature from one or more temperature sensors located within the site;   determine whether the current temperature is less than a local temperature setting; and   in response to receiving the opportunity signal and determining that the current temperature is less than the local temperature setting, generate a signal to operate the electrical heating device of the site.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each of the local controllers further comprise a local data storage component, and the local processors are further operable to store, in the local data storage components, data indicative of usage of the electrical heating device of the site in response to the opportunity signal. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the local processors are operable to, in response to receiving the expiration signal, generate a signal to discontinue operating the electrical heating device of the site. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local processors are operable to, in response to receiving the opportunity signal, generate a signal to discontinue operating the fossil fuel-based heating device of the site. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local processors are further operable to, in response to receiving the opportunity signal, transmit, to the management processor, a heating status of the site. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for controlling a plurality of heating devices at a site, the site having at least a fossil fuel-based heating device and an electrical heating device, the apparatus comprising:
 a communication component; and   a local processor in communication with the communication component, the local processor being operable to:
 receive, via the communication component, an opportunity signal from a management processor; and 
 generate one or more signals to control an operation of at least one of the fossil fuel-based furnace or the electrical heater based in part on the opportunity signal. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the local processor is operable to generate a signal to operate the electrical heating device based in part on the opportunity signal. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the local processor is operable to:
 receive a current temperature from one or more temperature sensors located within the site;   determine whether the current temperature is less than a temperature setting; and   in response to receiving the opportunity signal and determining that the current temperature is less than the temperature setting, generate the signal to operate the electrical heating device.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a data storage component, and the local processor is further operable to store, in the data storage component, data indicative of usage of the electrical heating device in response to the opportunity signal. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the local processor is operable to, in response to receiving the opportunity signal, generate a signal to discontinue operating the fossil fuel-based heating device. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the local processor is further operable to, in response to receiving the opportunity signal, transmit, to the management processor, data indicative of a heating status of the site. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the local processor is operable to:
 receive, via the communication component, an expiration signal from the management processor; and   generate the one or more signals to control an operation of at least one of the fossil fuel-based heating device or the electrical heating device based in part on the expiration signal.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the local processor is operable to, in response to receiving the expiration signal, generate a signal to discontinue operating the electrical heating device.