System and method for controlling operation of consumption appliances

• US 10,074,991 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nagravision SARL (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Burckard, Antoine
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Zhipeng
• Application Number:
  US14/240,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20140303802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,203 Days
• Field of Search: 700291, 700298
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality

Abstract

A method is disclosed for controlling the operating of a consumption appliance by way of a selector switch controlled by an energy saving device connected to a management center. The consumption appliance is kept in its default power mode, until receiving, by the energy saving device, an authentic secured control message sent by the management center. This message includes a command onto the mode in which the consumption appliance has to be switched. A counter is initialized with an initialization value before to be triggered. The consumption appliance is switched in the mode indicated by the command, either until the counter has reached a threshold value, or until receiving another authentic control message. If the counter has reached the threshold value, then the consumption appliance is switched in its default power mode. If another authentic secured control message has been received, then returning to the step of initializing the counter.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an operation of at least one consumption appliance via an automated selector switch controlled by an energy saving device connected to a management center for switching an operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance between a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes including at least a limited power default mode, a free power mode, and a standby mode, the method comprising:

keeping the at least one consumption appliance in the limited power default mode, until receiving, by the energy saving device, a first authentic secured control message sent from a management center, the first authentic secured control message including a least a command indicating a mode to which the operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance is to be switched;

initializing a counter with an initialization value;

triggering counting of the counter;

switching the operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance to the mode indicated by the command included in the first authentic secured control message; and

after switching the operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance to the mode indicated by the command included in the first authentic secured control message,

when the counter reaches a threshold value,

switching the operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance to the limited power default mode; and

when another authentic secured control message is received before the counter reaches the threshold value,

resetting the counter to the to the initialization value,

wherein,

the limited power default mode is a mode in which functioning of the at least one consumption appliance is limited such that a power consumption corresponding to the functioning of the at least one consumption appliance does not exceed a lower portion of an entire power range of the at least one consumption appliance, and

the standby mode is a mode in which the at least one consumption appliance is powered on, but the at least one consumption appliance is not functioning.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the command further comprises:

an identifier for identifying the at least one consumption appliance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the command further comprises:

at least one of the initializing value and the threshold value.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the command includes several commands and the at least one consumption appliance includes several consumption appliances and wherein the first authentic secured control message comprises the several commands in order to respectively control operating of several respective consumption appliances.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first authentic secured control message is sent from the energy saving device to the automated selector switch via of a secured wireless communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a control message recognized as being unauthentic by a verifying device comprised in the energy saving device triggers sending of a warning message to the manager center via a sending device combined with the energy saving device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the free power mode is an unlimited power mode.

8. A system for controlling an operation of at least one consumption appliance via an automated selector switch controlled by an energy saving device connected to a management center for switching an operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance between a plurality of modes via a secured control message sent by the management center, the plurality of modes including at least a limited power default mode, a free power mode, and a standby mode, the energy saving device including a receiving device, configured to receive the secured control message and a processor, configured to process the secured control message, the system comprising:

the automated selector switch, wherein the operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance is switchable, via the automated selector switch, from one of the plurality of modes to another of the plurality of operating modes by way of a control signal sent from the energy saving device;

the energy saving device, wherein the energy saving device comprises at least a counter for counting a time after switching the operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance to the mode indicated by a command included in said secured control message;

a memory configured to store at least a threshold value;

an incrementing/decrementing unit for incrementing/decrementing the counter;

an initializing unit configured to initialize the counter with an initializing value and to reset the counter to said initializing value when another secured control message is received before the counter reaches the threshold value;

a comparing unit for comparing a current value of the counter with the threshold value,

the energy saving device being configured to cause the automated selector switch to switch the operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance to the limited power default mode when the counter reaches the threshold value; and

a sending unit for sending the control signal triggering the automated selector to switch the operating mode of the at least one consumption appliance from one of the plurality of modes to another one of the plurality of modes,

wherein,

the limited power default mode is a mode in which functioning of the at least one consumption appliance is limited such that a power consumption corresponding to the functioning of the at least one consumption appliance does not exceed a lower portion of an entire power range of the at least one consumption appliance, and

the standby mode is a mode in which the at least one consumption appliance is powered on, but the at least one consumption appliance is not functioning.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a database configured to store at least an identifier assigned to the at least one consumption appliance.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the database comprises an electronic address for sending the control signal from the energy saving device to the automated selector switch.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the automated selector switch is attached to the at least one consumption appliance.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the automated selector switch is located within the energy saving device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the energy saving device is connected to the at least one consumption appliance by way of a secured communication link.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the energy saving device is attached to the at least one consumption appliance.