IP Library Granted Patent US 11,587,164
Granted Patent B2
US 11,587,164 · App. 17/127,481 · Granted Feb 21, 2023

Method and system for cryptocurrency mining center

Inventor: Tao Wu (Tempe, AZ)
Assignee: STRAITDEER PTE. LTD.
G06Q40/04G06F1/28G06F16/2465G06Q20/0655G06Q20/3678G06Q50/06H05K7/207H05K7/20645G06F2216/03G06Q2220/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,587,164
App. No.
17/127,481
Granted
Feb 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cryptocurrency mining method and a cryptocurrency mining controller device are provided. The method includes: obtaining electricity price information and cryptocurrency price information; determining operation control parameters of the cryptocurrency mining system according to the electricity price information and the cryptocurrency price information; and controlling an operation of a target group of cryptocurrency miners according to the operation control parameters. The operation includes switching between operation states, and the operation states includes at least a running state and an off state.

Claims (67)

1. A cryptocurrency mining method, applied to a controller of a cryptocurrency mining system, comprising:

obtaining electricity price information and cryptocurrency price information, the cryptocurrency mining system comprising a plurality of cryptocurrency miners disposed in mining modular boxes, and the controller, wherein the mining modular boxes have substantially same structure arrangement and each mining modular box include a transformer, a switchgear, panelboards, and Antboxes comprising multiple cryptocurrency miners, each cryptocurrency miner includes one or more hardware processing units configured to mine a corresponding cryptocurrency and a communication module configured to establish a data connection with the controller, each panelboard correspond to one of the Antboxes and is configured to supply power from the switchgear to the corresponding cryptocurrency miners;

determining operation control parameters of the cryptocurrency mining system according to the electricity price information and the cryptocurrency price information, the electricity price information including a current electricity price and the cryptocurrency price information including a current cryptocurrency price; and

controlling an operation of a target group of cryptocurrency miners according to the operation control parameters, the operation including switching between operation states, and the operation states including at least a running state that causes the one or more hardware processing units to consume the electrical power at the current electricity price and mine the corresponding cryptocurrency at the current cryptocurrency price and an off state that causes the one or more hardware processing units to stop mining the corresponding cryptocurrency and conserve the electrical power,

wherein:

the controller of the cryptocurrency mining system is connected to a server of an electricity provider through a network communication;

the electricity price information includes electricity real-time price retrieved from the server of the electricity provider; and

determining the operation control parameters comprises:

monitoring the electricity real-time price with respect to an electricity price threshold;

upon determining that the electricity real-time price becomes greater than the electricity price threshold, determining the operation control parameters indicating that the target group of cryptocurrency miners is switched to an operation state that consumes less power than a current operation state; and

upon determining that the electricity real-time price becomes equal to or less than the electricity price threshold, determining the operation control parameter indicating that the target group of cryptocurrency miners is switched to an operation state that consumes more electricity than the current operation state.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the operation control parameters comprises:

adjusting the electricity price threshold according to the cryptocurrency price information.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electricity price information further includes an electricity prediction price and a credit value of a credit program corresponding to a future time period provided by an electricity provider;

determining the operation control parameters comprises determining whether to commit to the credit program ahead of the future time period; and

controlling the operation of the target group of cryptocurrency miners comprises:

after determining to commit to the credit program, keeping the target group of cryptocurrency miners turned on during the future time period unless receiving a turn-off instruction from the electricity provider; and

after determining not to commit to the credit program, controlling the operation of the target group of cryptocurrency miners according to the electricity real-time price during the future time period.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein determining whether to commit to the credit program comprises:

determining a committed amount of power consumption corresponding to the credit program according to at least one of the electricity prediction price, the credit value, historical electricity prices or the cryptocurrency price information.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising: when the future time period arrives and becomes present time,

determining the target group of cryptocurrency miners according to a committed amount of power consumption corresponding to the credit program;

monitoring a power consumption of the cryptocurrency mining system; and

upon determining that the power consumption of the cryptocurrency mining system is not greater than a threshold amount, adjusting cryptocurrency miners included in the target group of cryptocurrency miners, the threshold amount being equal to or greater than the committed amount.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising: when the future time period arrives and becomes present time,

determining the operation control parameters for remaining cryptocurrency miners of the cryptocurrency mining system other than the target group of cryptocurrency miners according to the electricity real-time price and the cryptocurrency price information.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining mining difficulty information; and

determining the operation control parameters according to the mining difficulty information, the electricity price information and the cryptocurrency price information.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein determining the operation control parameters comprises:

when the mining difficulty information indicates that a mining difficulty factor corresponding to a first type of cryptocurrency increases, determining the operation control parameters to switch a first group of miners mining the first type of cryptocurrency to an operation state that consumes less electricity; and

when the mining difficulty information indicates that a mining difficulty factor corresponding to a second type of cryptocurrency decreases, determining the operation control parameters to switch a second group of miners mining the second type of cryptocurrency to an operation state that consumes more electricity.

9. A cryptocurrency mining controller device, applied to a cryptocurrency mining system comprising a plurality of cryptocurrency miners disposed in mining modular boxes, the mining modular boxes having substantially same structure arrangement and each mining modular box including a transformer, a switchgear, panelboards, and Antboxes comprising multiple cryptocurrency miners, the controller device comprising:

one or more memories; and

one or more processors configured to perform:

obtaining electricity price information and cryptocurrency price information, the electricity price information including a current electricity price and the cryptocurrency price information including a current cryptocurrency price;

determining operation control parameters of the cryptocurrency mining system according to the electricity price information and the cryptocurrency price information, wherein electrical power of each cryptocurrency miner is supplied through one of the panelboards, and each cryptocurrency miner includes one or more hardware processing units configured to mine a corresponding cryptocurrency and a communication module configured to establish a data connection with the controller device, each panelboard correspond to one of the Antboxes and is configured to supply power from the switchgear to the corresponding cryptocurrency miners; and

controlling an operation of a target group of cryptocurrency miners according to the operation control parameters, the operation including switching between operation states, and the operation states including at least a running state that causes the one or more hardware processing units to consume the electrical power at the current electricity price and mine the corresponding cryptocurrency at the current cryptocurrency price and an off state that causes the one or more hardware processing units to stop mining the corresponding cryptocurrency and conserve the electrical power,

wherein: the electricity price information includes electricity real-time price, and determining the operation control parameters comprises:

monitoring the electricity real-time price with respect to an electricity price threshold;

upon determining that the electricity real-time price becomes greater than the electricity price threshold, determining the operation control parameters indicating that the target group of cryptocurrency miners is switched to an operation state that consumes less power than a current operation state; and

upon determining that the electricity real-time price becomes equal to or less than the electricity price threshold, determining the operation control parameter indicating that the target group of cryptocurrency miners is switched to an operation state that consumes more electricity than the current operation state.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein determining the operation control parameters comprises:

adjusting the electricity price threshold according to the cryptocurrency price information.

11. The device according to claim 9 , wherein:

the electricity price information further includes an electricity prediction price and a credit value of a credit program corresponding to a future time period provided by an electricity provider;

determining the operation control parameters comprises determining whether to commit to the credit program ahead of the future time period; and

controlling the operation of the target group of cryptocurrency miners comprises:

after determining to commit to the credit program, keeping the target group of cryptocurrency miners turned on during the future time period unless receiving a turn-off instruction from the electricity provider; and

after determining not to commit to the credit program, controlling the operation of the target group of cryptocurrency miners according to the electricity real-time price during the future time period.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein determining whether to commit to the credit program comprises:

determining a committed amount of power consumption corresponding to the credit program according to at least one of the electricity prediction price, the credit value, historical electricity prices or the cryptocurrency price information.

13. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform:

obtaining mining difficulty information; and

determining the operation control parameters according to the mining difficulty information, the electricity price information and the cryptocurrency price information.

14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein determining the operation control parameters comprises:

when the mining difficulty information indicates that a mining difficulty factor corresponding to a first type of cryptocurrency increases, determining the operation control parameters to switch a first group of miners mining the first type of cryptocurrency to an operation state that consumes less electricity; and

when the mining difficulty information indicates that a mining difficulty factor corresponding to a second type of cryptocurrency decreases, determining the operation control parameters to switch a second group of miners mining the second type of cryptocurrency to an operation state that consumes more electricity.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of cryptocurrency miners are physically disposed in different mining modular boxes; and

controlling an operation of a target group of cryptocurrency miners according to the operation control parameters comprises:

determining a quantity of target-type cryptocurrency miners to be switched between the running state and the off state;

selecting multiple boxes of the mining modular boxes that contains the target-type cryptocurrency miners; and

selecting a plurality of the target-type cryptocurrency miners from each of the selected multiple mining modular boxes to form the target group of cryptocurrency miners, a total number of the target-type cryptocurrency miners selected from the selected multiple mining modular boxes being the determined quantity of target-type cryptocurrency miners to be switched.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein:

a number of the target-type cryptocurrency miners selected from each of the selected multiple mining modular boxes are substantially the same.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 12, 2022
From: BITMAINTECH PTE. LTD.
To: STRAITDEER PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 062114/0793 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE FROM 11/30/2020 TO 02/26/2021 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054975 FRAME: 0140. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNEMNT. Recorded Feb 26, 2021
From: BITMAIN INC.
To: BITMAINTECH PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 055426/0055 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2021
From: BITMAIN INC.
To: BITMAINTECH PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 054975/0140 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2020
From: WU, TAO
To: BITMAIN INC.
Reel/Frame 054698/0380 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62949945 · Dec 18, 2019
Related Publication 20210192619A1 · Jun 24, 2021