Using bi-directional communications in a market-based resource allocation system

摘要

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for distributing a resource (such as electricity) using a resource allocation system. In one exemplary embodiment, a plurality of requests for electricity are received from a plurality of end-use consumers. The requests indicate a requested quantity of electricity and a consumer-requested index value indicative of a maximum price a respective end-use consumer will pay for the requested quantity of electricity. A plurality of offers for supplying electricity are received from a plurality of resource suppliers. The offers indicate an offered quantity of electricity and a supplier-requested index value indicative of a minimum price for which a respective supplier will produce the offered quantity of electricity. A dispatched index value is computed at which electricity is to be supplied based at least in part on the consumer-requested index values and the supplier-requested index values.

主权项

1. A method for generating a bid value for purchasing electricity in a market-based resource allocation system, comprising:
by computing hardware,
receiving a desired temperature value indicative of a user's desired temperature in a temperature-controlled zone;receiving a user comfort setting selected by the user, the user comfort setting being selected from at least a first user comfort setting and a second user comfort setting, the first user comfort setting indicating the user's willingness to pay more to achieve the desired temperature relative to the second user comfort setting;computing a bid value for purchasing electricity to heat or cool the temperature-controlled zone to the desired temperature, the bid value being computed using at least the desired temperature, the user comfort setting, and a historical value indicative of an average value at which electricity was dispatched by the resource allocation system over a historical time period;transmitting the bid value to a central computer in the market-based resource allocation system;receiving from the central computer an indication of a dispatched value for a current time frame;comparing the bid value to the dispatched value for the current time frame; andgenerating a signal to activate or deactivate an electrical heating or cooling device associated with the temperature-controlled zone based on the comparison of the bid value to the dispatched value for the current time frame.