IP Library Granted Patent US 11,811,261
Granted Patent B2
US 11,811,261 · App. 16/811,891 · Granted Nov 7, 2023

Backup load energy control system

Inventors: Sandeep Narla (Newark, CA); Brian Kuhn (Austin, TX); Kevin C. Fischer (Orinda, CA); Udo Uebel (San Francisco, CA); Marc A. Robinson (Cedar Park, TX)
Assignee: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
H02J9/06B60L8/003B60L50/60B60L50/66B60L53/51B60L53/60B60L58/12H02J3/004H02J3/381H02J7/007H02J7/0013H02J7/0048B60L58/18H02J2300/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,811,261
App. No.
16/811,891
Granted
Nov 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for controlling an energy control system. The energy control system includes a grid interconnection, a backup load interconnection, a non-backup load interconnection, and a backup power interconnection. The method includes receiving electronic data from a plurality of backup loads. The method includes detecting a power outage at the grid interconnection electrically coupled to a utility grid. The method includes disconnecting the grid interconnection from the backup power interconnection, in which the backup power interconnection is electrically coupled to a backup power source. The method includes connecting a first set of the plurality of backup loads to the backup load interconnection, in which the backup load interconnection is electrically coupled to the backup power interconnection such that power is supplied from the backup power source to the first set of backup loads.

Claims (46)

1. A method for controlling an energy control system having a grid interconnection electrically coupled to a utility grid, a backup load interconnection electrically coupled to a plurality of backup loads, a non-backup load interconnection electrically coupled to a non-backup load, and a backup power interconnection electrically coupled to a backup power source, comprising:

interconnecting, by a microgrid-interconnection device, the grid interconnection, the backup load interconnection, the non-backup load interconnection, and the backup power interconnection;

supplying, through the microgrid-interconnection device, power received from the grid interconnection to the non-backup load interconnection and the backup load interconnection, wherein the microgrid-interconnection device is disposed electrically downstream from the utility grid and electrically upstream from the non-backup load and the plurality of backup loads;

receiving electronic data from the plurality of backup loads electrically coupled to the backup load interconnection;

detecting a power outage at the grid interconnection electrically coupled to the utility grid;

disconnecting, by the microgrid-interconnection device, the grid interconnection and the non-backup load interconnection from the backup power interconnection electrically coupled to the backup power source; and

supplying power from the backup power source to a first set of the plurality of backup loads through the backup load interconnection and the backup power interconnection; and

wherein the first set of the plurality of backup loads is determined based on the electronic data from the plurality of backup loads.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

disconnecting a second set of the plurality of backup loads from the backup load interconnection such that power is interrupted between the backup power source and the second set of backup loads.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic data indicates a detected power consumption and a usage time associated with each of the plurality of loads.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic data comprises data from a database defining a circuit load average associated with each of the plurality of loads with respect to discrete time blocks.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backup power source comprises an electrical storage system.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

measuring a state of charge of the electrical storage system,

wherein the first set of the plurality of backup loads is further determined based on the measured state of charge of the electrical storage system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backup power source comprises a photovoltaic (PV) power generation system.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

measuring a power output of the photovoltaic power generation system,

wherein the first set of the plurality of backup loads is further determined based on the measured power output of the photovoltaic power generation system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy control system includes an enclosure housing the grid interconnection, the backup power interconnection, the backup load interconnection, the non-backup load interconnection, and the microgrid-interconnection device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy control system includes a controller in communication with the microgrid-interconnection device, and the controller receives the electronic data from the plurality of backup loads electrically coupled to the backup load interconnection and electronic data from the non-backup load electrically coupled to the non-backup load interconnection.

11. A method for controlling an energy control system of a building electrical system, the energy control system having a grid interconnection, a backup load interconnection electrically coupled to a plurality of backup loads of the building electrical system, a non-backup load interconnection electrically coupled to a non-backup load of the building electrical system, and a backup power interconnection, comprising:

connecting the grid interconnection to the backup power interconnection while receiving power from a utility grid at the grid interconnection, wherein the backup power interconnection is electrically coupled to a backup power source;

connecting the backup load interconnection and the non-backup load interconnection to the grid interconnection and the backup power interconnection while receiving power from the utility grid at the grid interconnection;

receiving electronic data from the plurality of backup loads of the building electrical system;

detecting a power outage at the grid interconnection;

disconnecting the grid interconnection and the non-backup load interconnection simultaneously from the backup power interconnection in response to detecting the power outage at the grid interconnection such that the utility grid and the non-backup load of the building electrical system are disconnected from the backup power interconnection; and

supplying power from the backup power source to a first set of the plurality of backup loads of the building electrical system through the backup load interconnection and the backup power interconnection after disconnecting the grid interconnection and the non-backup load interconnection,

wherein the first set of the plurality of backup loads is determined based on the electronic data from the plurality of backup loads.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

exporting an excess power output generated by the backup power source to the utility grid when the grid interconnection is connected to the backup power interconnection.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the backup power source comprises a photovoltaic (PV) power generation system.

14. A method for controlling an energy control system of a building electrical system, the energy control system having a grid interconnection, a backup load interconnection electrically coupled to a plurality of backup loads of the building electrical system, a non-backup load interconnection electrically coupled to a non-backup load of the building electrical system, and a backup power interconnection, comprising:

connecting the grid interconnection to the backup power interconnection while receiving power from a utility grid at the grid interconnection, wherein the backup power interconnection is electrically coupled to a backup power source comprising a photovoltaic (PV) power generation system;

connecting the backup load interconnection and the non-backup load interconnection to the grid interconnection and the backup power interconnection while receiving power from the utility grid at the grid interconnection;

receiving electronic data from a plurality of backup loads of the building electrical system;

detecting a power outage at the grid interconnection;

disconnecting the grid interconnection and the non-backup load interconnection simultaneously from the backup power interconnection in response to detecting the power outage at the grid interconnection such that the utility grid and the non-backup load of the building electrical system are disconnected from the backup power interconnection; and

supplying power from the backup power source to a first set of the plurality of backup loads of the building electrical system through the backup load interconnection and the backup power interconnection after disconnecting the grid interconnection and the non-backup load interconnection,

wherein the first set of the plurality of backup loads is determined based on the electronic data from the plurality of backup loads.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

exporting an excess power output generated by the PV power generation system to the utility grid when the grid interconnection is connected to the backup power interconnection.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

measuring a power output of the PV power generation system,

wherein the first set of the plurality of backup loads is further determined based on the measured power output of the photovoltaic power generation system.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2025
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION; SUNPOWER CORPORATION, SYSTEMS
To: UNIRAC, INC.
Reel/Frame 071302/0904 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2025
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION,
To: UNIRAC, INC.
Reel/Frame 070704/0860 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 14, 2024
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: GLAS AMERICAS LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066598/0964 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 061422/0566 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62903526 · Sep 20, 2019
Provisional Application 62884808 · Aug 9, 2019
Provisional Application 62836494 · Apr 19, 2019
Related Publication 20200336003A1 · Oct 22, 2020