THE BACKGROU ND OF THE I NVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention relates generally to solutions for distribu- ting a utility, e.g . electricity, natural gas or water, to subscribers. More particularly the invention relates to a system according to the preamble of claim 1 and a corresponding method . The invention also relates to a computer program product and a computer readable medium . Today, there is an ever increasing demand for pu blic utilities, especially in the form of electric power. Moreover, the subscribers' demand for these utilities varies substantially over time - both within the 24-hour cycle, and over longer periods, such as between workdays and holidays, and with respect to seasonal changes. This poses major challenges for the produces as well as for the network operators. The demand variations, as such , are complicated to handle; and if the network is almost overloaded , the variations may cause a collapse of the network.

US 2013/01 10621 shows a solution for creating appliance signa- tures based upon whole house composite load profiles. Here, primitive elements are identified including transients and absolute steady state levels. Then , the primitive elements are clustered along multiple dimensions to form impulses. The impulses are combined to form simple bundles, which , in turn , are combi- ned with each other or impulses to form complex bundles. Specific appliance signatures are determined that substantially match the complex bundles. Moreover, transitions may be determined within the whole house composite load profile. Household specific appliance state machines can also be determined for each appliance in the household ; and the whole house composite load profile can be disaggregated into individual appliance energy loads by assigning the determined transitions to the de- termined household specific appliance state machines.

US 201 2/01 01651 describes a method of demand response utilizing a Load Control Transponder (LCT) installed at the location of an electricity consumer. A demand response program , in con- junction with the LCT, allows a consumer to determine, in advance, when they will reduce their demand on an electricity supply system. The consumer is informed of price points at which the cost of energy increases due to overall demand . The consumer then determines if, and when , they will reduce their demand on the system when a price point is reached . In addition , when an unplanned , critical event occurs, the method enables the utility to bypass any intermediate consumer established settings and immediately and directly drop the level of energy consumption to the consumer's lowest selected level for continuing service thereby to shed sufficient load on the system to maintain an adequate level of electricity supply. Once the event has been resolved , the method enables the utility to restore the consumer's previous level of usage.

WO 201 2/047888 discloses method of dynamically controlling a small-scale electrical load receiving energy from an electricity grid that includes sources of renewable generation causing variations in electricity supply of the electricity grid . The small- scale electrical loads are coupled to a load-matching thermostat having a communication module and a controller that manage electricity load to electrical supply for the electrical load .

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRIOR ART

Consequently, a solution is known for identifying individual loads within a household . There is also a method that enables su bscribers to manually adapt their energy usage to reduce cost. Fur- ther, the prior art includes one solution for automatically controlling an electric load in response to the variations in a secondary parameter, namely ambient temperature. However, there is yet no automatic solution capable of reacting fast enough to handle the quick demand fluctuations in today's large-scale utility networks, e.g . the power grids for distri buting electric energy.

SUM MARY OF THE I NVENTI ON

The object of the present invention is therefore to solve the abo- ve problem , and thus offer a reliable and cost-efficient delivery of a utility to a large number of subscribers even though the demand as well the as supply may vary substantially over time.

According to one aspect of the invention , the object is achieved by the initially described system, wherein the at least one utility- usage-related parameter reflects an instantaneous overall consumption of the utility in the distribution network. The control unit is further configured to check whether the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is within an acceptable interval . If the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is found to be below a lower threshold level of the acceptable interval , the control unit is configured to control at least one load to increase its consumption of the utility according to a pre-defined scheme in proportion to a deviation of the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility from the lower threshold level . Conver- sely, if the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is found to exceed an upper threshold level of the acceptable interval , the control unit is configured to control at least one load to decrease its consumption of the utility according to the predefined scheme in proportion to a deviation of the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility from the upper threshold level .

This system is advantageous because it enable short response time and quick adaption to any variations in the demand and/or supply of the utility, such as electric power, natural gas or water. This is especially true if the measurement of the instantaneous consumption of the utility is updated relatively often , say once every two seconds, or at least around once per minute. Moreover, the proposed central control of increases in the consumption of certain loads in the network renders it possible to antici- pate future demand peaks, and partially advance the expected consumption to earlier points in time when the network is less loaded . By for example activating radiant heating floor or water heaters prematurely these units can accumulate energy in an al- ternative form, and thus their future demand for the utility can be temporarily cancelled , or at least be substantially reduced . Of course, however, according to the invention , if one does not desire any such central activation of the subscribers' loads, the lower threshold level can simply be set to zero. According to one preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention , if, however, the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is within the acceptable interval , the control unit is configured to refrain from controlling any subscribers to increase or decrease their consumption of the utility until a next updating when it is checked whether the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is within an acceptable interval . Thus, unnecessary control of the subscri bers' loads is avoided .

According to another preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention , the at least one usage-related parameter reflecting the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is based on measurements of the consumption of individual subscri bers in the group of subscri bers. Thereby, a highly relevant measure is attained even if only a portion of the subscribers in the network are included . For instance, the control unit may be configured to repeatedly determine the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility based upon measurements of the consumption of the utility in a sub-group, say 5 to 25 % , of the subscribers whose consumption of the utility the control unit is configured to control . Naturally, this drastically reduces the amount of data neces- sary to feedback from the subscribers to the control unit.

According to yet another preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention , the pre-defined scheme specifies an order in which at least one utility-consuming load of each subscri ber in the group of subscri bers is to be activated and deactivated res- pectively. Namely, by applying such a structured scheme, it is possible to distribute the flow of the utility relatively smoothly. It can also be ensured that the subscribers are treated in a fair manner with regard to the supply of the utility. Preferably, the order of the pre-defined scheme represents a round robin algorithm, which specifically aims at allocating the utility in an equalizing manner with respect to loads of different subscribers when the at least one load is controlled to increase its consumption the utility. Analogously, when the at least one load is controlled to decrease its consumption the utility, the utility is withdrawn in an equalizing manner from loads of different subscri bers.

According to another aspect of the invention , the object is achieved by the method described initially, wherein the at least one utility-usage-related parameter reflects an instantaneous overall consumption of the utility in the distribution network. Furthermore, the method involves checking whether the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is within an acceptable interval . If the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is found to be below a lower threshold level of the acceptable interval , the method involves controlling at least one load to increase its consumption of the utility according to a pre-defined scheme in proportion to a deviation of the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility from the lower threshold level . Conversely, if it is found that the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility exceeds an upper threshold level of the acceptable interval , the method involves controlling at least one load to decrease its consumption of the utility according to the pre-defined scheme in proportion to a deviation of the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility from the upper threshold level . The ad- vantages of this method , as well as the preferred embodiments thereof, are apparent from the discussion above with reference to the proposed system .

According to a further aspect of the invention the object is achieved by a computer program product, which is loadable into the memory of a computer, and includes software for performing the steps of the above proposed method when executed on a computer.

According to another aspect of the invention the object is achieved by a computer readable medium, having a program recorded thereon , where the program is make a computer perform the method proposed above when the program is loaded into the computer.

Further advantages, beneficial features and applications of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the dependent claims.

BRI EF DESCRI PTION OF THE DRAWI NGS

The invention is now to be explained more closely by means of preferred embodiments, which are disclosed as examples, and with reference to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 shows a block diagram over a system according to an embodiment of the invention ;

Figure 2 shows a graph exemplifying how the instantaneous consumption of a utility may vary over time, and be controlled according to the invention ; and Figure 3 illustrates, by means of a flow diagram, the general method according to the invention for controlling the distribution of a utility over a network.

DESCRI PTION OF PREFERRED EM BODI M ENTS OF TH E I NVENTION

Initially, we refer to Figures 1 and 2, where the former shows a block diagram over a system according to an embodiment of the invention for distri buting a utility U , e.g . electric power, to a group of su bscri bers S 1 , Sm via a distri bution network N . Figure 2 shows a graph exemplifying how the instantaneous consumption of a utility Pec may vary over time t in response to control according to the invention .

Besides the subscri bers S 1 , Sm, the system includes at least one sensor M 1 , ... , Mm and a control unit 1 1 0. Each of the at least one sensor M 1 , Mm is configured to measure, repea- tedly, a respective utility-usage-related parameter Pec, for example an instantaneous consumption at a particular subscriber. Preferably, the at least one sensor M 1 , Mm is further configured to perform so-called disaggregation of the respective subscri bers' S 1 , Sm consumption of the utility U . This means that the sensor derives appliance signatures identifying individual loads within each subscriber's consumption . Naturally, such detailed information is very useful because it enables the control unit 1 10 to determine that a particular su bscri ber has activated a relatively non-critical load , e.g . a radiant heating floor, and if also the instantaneous overall consumption is found to reach a critically high level , the control unit 1 10 may specifically control that load to decrease its consumption , or even be deactivated . This procedure will be described in further detail below.

The control unit 1 10 is configured to control an amount of the utility U being delivered to each su bscri ber S 1 , Sm in the group of subscribers in response to the measured at least one utility-usage-related parameter Pec

According to the invention , the at least one utility-usage-related parameter Pec specifically reflects an instantaneous overall consumption of the utility U in the distribution network N . Thus, the at least one usage-related parameter Pec reflecting the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility U may be based on measurements registered by the sensors M 1 , Mm of the consumption of individual subscri bers in the group of subscri- bers.

The control unit 1 10 is configured to check whether the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility U is within an acceptable interval . In the graph of Figure 2, this interval is exempli- fied as PCC-LO < Pec < PCC-HI. The interval may be symmetric around a 24-hour average value Pcc-Avg for overall consumption of the utility U , i .e. PCC-LO = Pcc-Avg - an allowed variation , and PCC-LO = Pcc-Avg + an allowed variation . However, preferably, the interval is non-symmetrical with respect to the 24-hour average value Pcc-Avg . In any case, the threshold levels PCC-LO and PCC-HI are always set such that the 24-hour average value Pcc-Avg . lies within the interval . It should be noted that, for statistical reasons, the group subscribers whose consumption of the utility U is being can be smaller than the group subscri bers whose consumption of the utility U is controlled from the control unit 1 10. For example, given a statistically representative selection , it may be sufficient if the consumption of 5 to 25 % the subscribers being controlled is measured . In any case, if the control unit 1 10 finds that the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility U is below the lower threshold level PCC-LO of the acceptable interval , the control unit 1 10 controls at least one load L 1 : 1 , L1 :2, L1 : k, Lm: 1 , Lm:2, Lm:3, and/or Lm:r of the subscribers S1 , Sm to increase its consumption of the utility U according to a pre-defined scheme in proportion to a deviation of the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility U from the lower threshold level PCC-LO, Here, for example, the consumption of the utility U may be controlled to increase: (Pcc-Avg - Pcc)/(Pcc-Avg - Pcc-Lo ) %. As mentioned above, the lower threshold level PCC-LO may very well be set to zero. This means that none of the at least one load L 1 : 1 , L1 :2, L1 : k, Lm: 1 , Lm:2, Lm:3, and/or Lm:r will ever be controlled by the control unit 1 10 to activated , or by other means be influenced to increase its consumption of the utility U . If the control unit 1 10 finds that the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility U is above an upper threshold level PCC-HI of the acceptable interval , control at least one load L 1 : 1 , L1 :2, L1 :k, Lm: 1 , Lm:2, Lm:3 and/or Lm:r to decrease its consumption of the utility U according to the pre-defined scheme in proportion to a deviation of the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility U from the upper threshold level PCC-HI . Here, for example, the consumption of the utility U may be controlled to decrease: (PCC - Pcc-Avg)/(PCC-Hi - PcC-Avg ) .

Nevertheless, if the control unit 1 10 finds that the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility U is within the acceptable interval PCC-LO to PCC-HI, the control unit 1 10 preferably refrains from controlling any of the subscribers S1 , Sm to increase or decrease their consumption of the utility U , at least until a next update of the checking whether the instantaneous overall con- sumption of the utility U is within the acceptable interval .

In the example of Figure 2, we assume that the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility U exceeds the upper threshold level PCC-HI . This is discovered by an updating of the measurement made by the control unit 1 10 at a first point in time ti . The control unit 1 10 therefore orders loads in the network N to decrease their consumption of the utility U ; and , as a result, the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility U is gradually lowered . Then , at a second point in time t2, the control unit 1 10 detects that the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility U has fallen below the lower threshold level PCC-LO . Consequently, the control unit 1 10 orders loads in the network N to increase their consumption of the utility U , and shortly the instantaneous overall consumption Pec rises again . Hence, the demand fluctuations in the network N can be kept reasonable. The pre-defined scheme specifies an order in which at least one utility-consuming load L 1 : 1 , L1 :2, L1 : k, Lm: 1 , Lm:2, Lm:3 and/or Lm:r of the subscri bers S 1 , Sm is to be activated and deactivated respectively. For instance, the order of the pre-defined scheme may represent a round robin algorithm aiming at alloca- ting the utility U in an equalizing manner to loads (L1 : 1 , L1 :2, L1 :k, Lm: 1 , Lm:2, Lm:3 and/or Lm:r of different subscribers S 1 , Sm when the at least one load is controlled to increase its consumption the utility U . Analogously, the algorithm of the predefined scheme may involve withdrawing the utility U in an equalizing manner from loads L 1 : 1 , L1 :2 , L1 :k, Lm: 1 , Lm:2 , Lm:3 and/or Lm :r of different subscri bers S1 , Sm when the at least one load is controlled to decrease its consumption the utility U .

According to the invention , it is not required that all subscribers of the network N are controllable from the control unit 1 10. On the contrary, the solution may indeed operate well also if the network contains a number of subscri bers in addition to the group of subscribers S 1 , Sm to which the amount of the utility U delivered is repeatedly controlled by the control unit 1 10. In any case, the control unit 1 10 preferably contains, or is in communicative connection with a memory unit 120 storing a computer program product SW, which contains software for making the control unit 1 10 execute the above-described actions when the computer program product SW is run on the control unit 1 10.

In order to sum up, and with reference to the flow diagram in Figure 3, we will now describe the general method executed in the control unit 1 10 according to the invention in order to distribute a utility to a group of subscri bers via a distribution network. In a first step 310, an instantaneous utility consumption is determined, preferably by compiling measurements of the individual consumptions of the group of subscri bers (or a subset thereof) in the distribution network.

Thereafter, a step 320 checks whether the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is within an acceptable interval . In other words, in step 320, it is investigated if the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility is above a lower threshold level Pcc-Lo of the acceptable interval ; and at the same time, below an upper threshold level PCC-HI of the acceptable interval . A subsequent step 330 checks if the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility is below a 24-hour average value Pcc-Avg for overall consumption of the utility. The lower and upper threshold levels PCC-LO and PCC-HI respectively of the acceptable interval are further presumed to be set such that the 24-hour average value Pcc-Avg is always within the acceptable interval . Consequently, if the check in step 330 is answered in the negative, this means that the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility is also below the lower threshold level PCC-LO. Analogously, if the check in step 330 is answered in the positive, this means that the instantaneous overall consumption Pec of the utility also exceeds the upper threshold level PCC-HI . If in step 330 it is found that the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility is below the lower threshold level PCC-LO of the acceptable interval a step 340 follows. If, however, in step 330 it is found that the instantaneous overall consumption of the utility exceeds the upper threshold level PCC-HI of the acceptable inter- val a step 350 follows.

In step 340 at least one load of at least one subscriber in the network is controlled to increase its consumption of the utility according to a pre-defined scheme in proportion to a deviation of the overall consumption of the utility from the lower threshold level PCC-LO. For example, the consumption of the utility may be controlled to increase: (Pcc-Avg - Pcc)/( Pcc-Avg - PCC-LO) % .

In step 350 at least one load of at least one subscriber in the network is controlled to decrease its consumption of the utility according to a pre-defined scheme in proportion to a deviation of the overall consumption of the utility from the upper threshold level Pcc-Hi . For example, the consumption of the utility may be controlled to decrease: (Pec - Pcc-A _Vg )/(Pcc-Hi - Pcc-Avg ) % .

After steps 340 and 350, a step 360 follows in which the procedure waits until it is time to update the measurement of the ins- tantaneous overall consumption of the utility. Depending on the utility and the type of network, this delay may be anything from 2 seconds to a number of minutes. Then , the procedure continues to step 310 again . All of the process steps, as well as any sub-sequence of steps, described with reference to Figure 3 above may be controlled by means of a programmed computer apparatus. Moreover, although the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the drawings comprise a computer apparatus and processes performed in a computer apparatus, the invention thus also extends to computer programs, particularly computer programs on or in a carrier, adapted for putting the invention into practice. The program may be in the form of source code, object code, a code intermediate source and object code such as in partially compiled form, or in any other form suitable for use in the implementation of the process according to the invention . The program may either be a part of an operating system, or be a separate application . The carrier may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, the carrier may comprise a storage medium, such as a Flash memory, a ROM (Read Only Memory), for example a DVD (Digital Video/ Versatile Disk), a CD (Compact Disc) or a semiconductor ROM , an EP- ROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), or a magnetic recording medium, for example a floppy disc or hard disc. Further, the carrier may be a transmissible carrier such as an electrical or optical signal which may be conveyed via electrical or optical cable or by radio or by other means. When the program is embodied in a signal which may be conveyed directly by a cable or other device or means, the carrier may be constituted by such cable or device or means. Alternatively, the carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is embedded , the integrated circuit being adapted for performing , or for use in the performance of, the relevant processes.

The term "comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components. However, the term does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more additional features, inte- gers, steps or components or groups thereof. The invention is not restricted to the described embodiments in the figures, but may be varied freely within the scope of the claims.