Importance

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Abstract

Electric power uses or loads in a premises are controlled or managed depending upon whether the use is for heating, hot water, heat pump, air conditioning, lights, appliances, pumps, etc., according to programs that are controlled by the electric Power Company, for the purposes of spreading power uses at the premises over a day or other time interval, to avoid peak load periods encountered by the Power Company, while still providing the normal comfort levels required by the subscriber from the various power uses. Power levels of several uses at the subscriber's premises are sensed and the power for each use is controlled according to a program that includes a schedule of power level and/or the time of day that is inserted in the program or controlled in the program by the Power Company to accomplish the spreading. In a particular embodiment, a programmed computer unit is provided at the premises that is monitored by the Power Company via the subscribers telephone line. Changes in the computer program are inserted in the unit by the Power Company, via the telephone line; and signals within and throughout the premises for detecting and controlling power uses are transmitted to and from the unit over the premises power line.

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First Claim