IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,581,734
Granted Patent B2
US 11,581,734 · App. 17/328,337 · Granted Feb 14, 2023

Methods and systems for adjusting power consumption based on a dynamic power option agreement

Inventors: Michael T. McNamara (Newport Beach, CA); Raymond E. Cline, Jr. (Houston, TX)
Assignee: LANCIUM LLC
H02J3/14G05B19/042G06F1/3203G06Q50/06H02J3/008H02J13/00002G05B2219/2639
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,581,734
App. No.
17/328,337
Granted
Feb 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Examples relate to adjusting load power consumption based on a power option agreement. A computing system may receive power option data that is based on a power option agreement and specify minimum power thresholds associated with time intervals. The computing system may determine a performance strategy for a load (e.g., set of computing systems) based on a combination of the power option data and one or more monitored conditions. The performance strategy may specify a power consumption target for the load for each time interval such that each power consumption target is equal to or greater than the minimum power threshold associated with each time interval. The computing system may provide instructions the set of computing systems to perform one or more computational operations based on the performance strategy.

Claims (55)

1. A system comprising:

a set of computing systems, wherein the set of computing systems is configured to perform computational operations using power from a power grid; and

a control system configured to:

monitor a set of conditions;

receive first power option data specifying a first minimum power usage threshold associated with a first time interval;

responsive to receiving the first power option data, provide first control instructions for the set of computing systems based on a combination of at least: (i) a first power consumption target for the set of computing systems for the first time interval, wherein the first power consumption target is equal to or greater than the first minimum power usage threshold associated with the first time interval, and (ii) at least one condition of the set of conditions, wherein the first control instructions comprises a directive to operate a computing system of the set of computing systems during the first time interval;

receive second power option data specifying a second minimum power usage threshold associated with a second time interval; and

responsive to receiving the second power option data, provide second control instructions for the set of computing systems based on a combination of at least: (i) a second power consumption target for the set of computing systems for the second time interval, wherein the second power consumption target is equal to or greater than the second minimum power usage threshold associated with the second time interval, and (ii) at least one condition of the set of conditions.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second control instructions comprise a directive to stop operating the computing system of the set of computing systems during the second time interval.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second control instructions comprise a directive to operate a second computing system of the set of computing systems during the second time interval.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:

receive the second power option data subsequent to receiving the first power option data.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second time interval is subsequent to the first interval.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the set of conditions comprises a price of power from the power grid.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of conditions comprises:

a price of power from the power grid; and

a plurality of parameters associated with one or more computational operations to be performed at the set of computing systems.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the control system is configured to determine the first control instructions for the set of computing systems based on a combination of at least the portion of the first power option data, the price of power from the power grid, and the plurality of parameters associated with the one or more computational operations.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first control instructions specify an order for the set of computing systems to follow when performing the one or more computational operations, wherein the order is based on respective priorities associated with the one or more computational operations.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first control instructions specify an assignment and/or transfer of computational operations among the set of computing systems.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first power consumption target is greater than the first minimum power threshold when a cost of power from the power grid is below a threshold price during the first time interval.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first power consumption target is equal to the first minimum power threshold when a cost of power from the power grid is above a threshold price during the first time interval.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is a remote master control system positioned remotely from the set of computing systems.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:

provide a request to a qualified scheduling entity (QSE); and

receive the first power option data in response to providing the request to the QSE.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of conditions monitored by the control system further comprises:

a price of power from the power grid; and

a global mining hash rate and a price for a cryptocurrency; and

wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine the second control instructions for the set of computing systems based on a combination of the first power consumption target for the set of computing systems for the first time interval and at least one of: the price of power from the power grid, the global mining hash rate, and the price for the cryptocurrency,

wherein the second control instructions specify for at least a subset of the set of computing systems to perform mining operations for the cryptocurrency when the price of power from the power grid is equal to or less than a revenue obtained by performing the mining operations for the cryptocurrency.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to: receive the second power option data during the first time interval.

17. A method comprising:

monitoring, at a computing system, a set of conditions;

receiving first power option data specifying a first minimum power usage threshold associated with a first time interval;

responsive to receiving the first power option data, providing first control instructions for a set of computing systems based on a combination of at least: (i) a first power consumption target for the set of computing systems for the first time interval, wherein the first power consumption target is equal to or greater than the first minimum power usage threshold associated with the first time interval, and (ii) at least one condition of the set of conditions, wherein the first control instructions comprises a directive to operate a computing system of the set of computing systems during the first time interval;

receiving second power option data specifying a second minimum usage power threshold associated with a second time interval; and

responsive to receiving the second power option data, providing second control instructions for the set of computing systems based on a combination of at least (i) a second power consumption target for the set of computing systems for the second time interval, wherein the second power consumption target is equal to or greater than the second minimum power usage threshold associated with the second time interval, and (ii) at least one condition of the set of conditions.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second control instructions comprise a directive to stop operating the computing system of the set of computing systems during the second time interval.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second control instructions comprise a directive to operate a second computing system of the set of computing systems during the second time interval.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein monitoring the set of conditions comprises monitoring a price of power from a power grid.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein monitoring the set of conditions comprises monitoring: (i) a price of power from a power grid, and (ii) a plurality of parameters associated with one or more computational operations to be performed at the set of computing systems.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing first control instructions for the set of computing systems based on the combination of at least the portion of the first power option data and at least one condition of the set of conditions comprises specifying one or more operating modes of the set of computing systems.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the first control instructions comprises specifying power on/off and/or standby states of the set of computing systems.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the directive of the first control instructions specifies an order for the set of computing systems to follow when performing the one or more computational operations, wherein the order is based on respective priorities associated with the one or more computational operations.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein receiving the second power option data comprises:

receiving the second power option data during the first time interval; and

wherein providing second control instructions for the set of computing systems comprises providing the second control instructions for the set of computing systems prior to an end of the first time interval.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a computing system to perform functions comprising:

monitoring, at a computing system, a set of conditions;

receiving first power option data specifying a first minimum power usage threshold associated with a first time interval;

responsive to receiving the first power option data, providing first control instructions for a set of computing systems based on a combination of at least: (i) a first power consumption target for the set of computing systems for the first time interval, wherein the first power consumption target is equal to or greater than the first minimum power usage threshold associated with the first time interval, and (ii) at least one condition of the set of conditions, wherein the first control instructions comprises a directive to operate a computing system of the set of computing systems during the first time interval;

receiving second power option data specifying a second minimum usage power threshold associated with a second time interval; and

responsive to receiving the second power option data, providing second control instructions for the set of computing systems based on a combination of at least (i) a second power consumption target for the set of computing systems for the second time interval, wherein the second power consumption target is equal to or greater than the second minimum power usage threshold associated with the second time interval, and (ii) at least one condition of the set of conditions.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 16702894 · Dec 4, 2019
Provisional Application 62927119 · Oct 28, 2019
Related Publication 20210288495A1 · Sep 16, 2021
Cited By (7)
US 12,204,945 US 12,210,911 US 12,307,301 US 12,314,764 US 12,362,563 US 12,573,855 US 12,646,939