US 11,757,304 B2
Versatile site energy router
Chad Eckhardt, Raleigh, NC (US); Stephen Timothy Watts, Fuquay-Varina, NC (US); Joseph E. Anstett, III, Raleigh, NC (US); and Mark L. Ventura, Morrisville, NC (US)
Assigned to Gridbridge, Inc., Raleigh, NC (US)
Appl. No. 15/321,889
Filed by GRIDBRIDGE, INC., Raleigh, NC (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 3, 2015, PCT No. PCT/US2015/043396
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 23, 2016,
PCT Pub. No. WO2015/200931, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 30, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/032,186, filed on Aug. 1, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/015,703, filed on Jun. 23, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2017/0133879 A1, May 11, 2017
Int. Cl. H02J 13/00 (2006.01); H02J 3/01 (2006.01); H02J 3/18 (2006.01); H02M 1/42 (2007.01); H02J 3/38 (2006.01); G05B 15/02 (2006.01); G06Q 50/06 (2012.01); H02J 3/14 (2006.01)
CPC H02J 13/0096 (2013.01) [G05B 15/02 (2013.01); G06Q 50/06 (2013.01); H02J 3/01 (2013.01); H02J 3/14 (2013.01); H02J 3/18 (2013.01); H02J 3/381 (2013.01); H02J 3/383 (2013.01); H02J 3/386 (2013.01); H02J 13/0006 (2013.01); H02J 13/0079 (2013.01); H02M 1/42 (2013.01); H02J 3/382 (2013.01); H02J 2310/14 (2020.01); H02J 2310/64 (2020.01); Y02B 70/3225 (2013.01); Y02B 70/3266 (2013.01); Y02E 40/72 (2013.01); Y04S 10/123 (2013.01); Y04S 20/222 (2013.01); Y04S 20/224 (2013.01); Y04S 20/242 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrical distribution site energy management device comprising:
(A) a smart AC combiner having:
(i) an electrical connection terminal in electrical communication with an electrical grid power supply,
(ii) an electrical connection terminal in electrical communication with a consumer electrical supply line, and
(iii) an electrical connection terminal in electrical communication with a central DC power stage;
(B) the central DC power stage having:
(i) at least one bi-directional electrical connection terminal configured for electrical communication with a power storage device, the at least one bi-directional electrical connection terminal in electrical communication with the central DC power stage and capable of a first configuration for supplying DC power to the central DC power stage, and a second configuration for supplying DC power to the power storage device;
(ii) at least one alternative energy source electrical connection terminal configured for electrical communication with an alternative energy source, the at least one alternative energy source electrical connection terminal in electrical communication with the central DC power stage and configured to supply DC power to the central DC power stage;
(C) a bi-directional DC/AC inverter in electrical communication with the central DC power stage and the smart AC combiner, the bi-directional DC/AC inverter capable of a first configuration for supplying AC power to the smart AC combiner, and a second configuration for supplying DC power to the central DC power stage; and
(D) a controller layer configured to control at least the bi-directional DC/AC inverter, the control layer comprising at least one computer processor and nonvolatile memory coupled to the computer processor, wherein the controller layer manages one or more of (i) a supply of voltage and frequency regulation services to the electric grid, and (ii) a real power transfer and a reactive power transfer through the device, and further wherein the controller layer manages power flows from one or more of the power storage device and the alternative energy source to the energy management device based on one or more onsite performance parameters to optimize operation at the site, wherein the one or more onsite performance parameters include parameters other than grid power price;
wherein the device further comprises a modular power processing architecture capable of electrically coupling to a second site energy management device for increasing one or more of power levels and voltages available at a site.