INTELLIGENT ENVIRONMENT CONTROL INCLUDING USE OF SMART METER AND ENERGY COST INFORMATION IN HEAT PUMP AND AUXILIARY HEATING CONTROL

摘要

The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that continuously, periodically, or intermittently monitor progress towards one or more control goals under one or more constraints in order to achieve control that satisfies potentially conflicting goals. An intelligent controller may alter aspects of control, dynamically, while the control is being carried out, in order to ensure that goals are obtained and a balance is achieved between potentially conflicting goals. The intelligent controller uses various types of information to determine an initial control strategy as well as to dynamically adjust the control strategy as the control is being carried out.

主权项

1. An intelligent controller that controls an environment, the intelligent controller comprising:
a processor; a memory that stores a control schedule, operational characteristics of systems controlled by the intelligent controller, and information generated by a smart meter; a current control schedule stored in the memory; one or more sensors that sense current values of an environmental parameter; instructions stored within the memory that, when executed by the processor, control the intelligent controller to
determine, using the operational characteristics of systems controlled by the intelligent controller stored in memory the information generated by the smart meter, a set of one or more systems to activate in order to achieve a target environmental-parameter value with approximate minimum energy use and within a maximum response time;activate the determined set of one or more systems; andduring a response time following a scheduled setpoint change, at each of multiple points in time,
determine, using the operational characteristics of systems controlled by the intelligent controller stored in memory and the information generated by the smart meter, whether the target environmental-parameter will be obtained with approximate minimum energy use and within the maximum response time, andwhen the target environmental-parameter will not be obtained within the maximum response time, select a next set of one or more systems to activate.