System and method of energy management control

• US 10,095,207 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Ji, Kun, Lu, Yan, Song, Zhen
• Primary Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US13/763,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20130231792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,066 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1923 using thermal energy, the cost of which varies in function of time

Abstract

A method of controlling energy consumption in a building includes receiving occupancy data including at least one of occupant request data and occupant schedule data, receiving weather data including at least one of current weather measurement data and weather forecast data, generating an output control signal based on the occupancy data and the weather data, and transmitting the output control signal to a building automation system (BAS) of the building. The occupant request data includes a current request, and the occupant schedule data includes a predicted occupant schedule. The output control signal adjusts a building control device in a zone in the building.

Claims

1. A method of controlling energy consumption in a building, comprising:

receiving occupancy data comprising at least one of occupant request data and occupant schedule data by an energy management control (EMC) system, wherein the occupant request data comprises an initial request with corresponding initially requested environmental conditions received from an occupant of the building and the occupant schedule data comprises a predicted occupant schedule;

receiving weather data comprising at least one of current weather measurement data and weather forecast data by the EMC system;

receiving a facility management rule from a facility manager of the building by the EMC system;

generating an output control signal based on the occupancy data, and the weather data, and the facility management rule by the EMC system, wherein the output control signal is configured to adjust a building control device in a zone in the building; and

transmitting the output control signal to a building automation system (BAS) of the building,

determining, whether the initial request complies with the facility management rule,

wherein the output control signal causes the BAS to implement the initially requested environmental conditions when the initial request complies with the facility management rule, and the output control signal causes the BAS to implement alternate environmental conditions different from the initially requested environmental conditions when the initial request does not comply with the facility management rule, wherein the alternate environmental conditions are corresponding to a closest alternate request relative to the initial request and compliant with the facility management rule, and

wherein the EMC system comprises an EMC run-time module generating EMC strategies based on the occupancy data, the weather data and the facility management rule received by the EMC system, wherein the EMC run-time module includes a default schedule generator, a real-time set-points generator and an optimization tool/libraries module, wherein the EMC run-time module seamlessly transitions between applying a default schedule generated by the default schedule generator to the BAS and adjusting the default schedule when real-time data generated by the real-time set-points generator is received, and

wherein the default schedule generator and real-time set-points generator utilize the optimization tool/libraries module and an energy simulator to simulate the EMC strategies to determine an optimized EMC strategy, wherein characteristics of the building are utilized to simulate the EMC strategies.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving energy price data comprising at least one of current energy price data and predicted energy price data, wherein generating the output control signal is further based on the energy price data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a peak energy load time based on the energy price data, wherein the output control signal is further configured to pre-cool or pre-heat the building during a time that does not correspond to the peak energy load time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the zone corresponds to a room in the building.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the zone corresponds to an area in the building including two or more rooms.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the output control signal comprises a set-point corresponding to a target temperature and the building control device is a thermostat.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the output control signal comprises a set-point corresponding to a target luminance value and the building control device is a lighting system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a schedule for receiving at least one of the occupancy data, the weather data, and the energy price data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the occupancy data, the weather data, and the energy price data are received from a remote database.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a notification to the occupant of the building upon the output control signal causing the BAS to implement the alternate environmental conditions different from the initially requested environmental conditions, wherein the notification indicates to the occupant that the alternate environmental conditions were implemented instead of the initially requested environmental conditions.

11. A method of controlling energy consumption in a building, comprising:

receiving occupant request data comprising a plurality of initial requests from at least one occupant of the building with a plurality of corresponding initially requested environmental conditions by an energy management control (EMC) system, wherein each of the plurality of initial requests corresponds to one of a plurality of zones in the building;

receiving occupant schedule data comprising a plurality of predicted occupant schedules by the EMC system, wherein each of the plurality of predicted occupant schedules corresponds to one of the plurality of zones in the building;

receiving weather data comprising at least one of current weather measurement data and weather forecast data;

receiving a facility management rule from a facility manager by the EMC system the building;

generating a plurality of output control signals by the EMC system, wherein each of the plurality of output control signals is based on one of the plurality of initial requests, and one of the plurality of predicted occupant schedules, and the facility management rule, and each of the plurality of output control signals is configured to adjust building control devices in the plurality of zones in the building; and

transmitting the output control signal to a building automation system (BAS) of the building,

determining, whether the plurality of initial requests complies with the facility management rule, wherein the plurality of output control signals causes the BAS to implement the plurality of initially requested environmental conditions, when the plurality of initial requests complies with the facility management rule, and the plurality of output control signal causes the BAS to implement a plurality of alternate environmental conditions different from the plurality of initially requested environmental conditions, when the plurality of initial requests does not comply with the facility management rule, wherein the plurality of alternate environmental conditions are corresponding to a plurality of closest alternate requests relative to the plurality of initial requests and compliant with the facility management rule, and

wherein the EMC system comprises an EMC run-time module generating EMC strategies based on the occupancy data, the weather data and the facility management rule received by the EMC system, wherein the EMC run-time module includes a default schedule generator, a real-time set-points generator and an optimization tool/libraries module, wherein the EMC run-time module seamlessly transitions between applying a default schedule generated by the default schedule generator to the BAS and adjusting the default schedule when real-time data generated by the real-time set-points generator is received, and

wherein the default schedule generator and real-time set-points generator utilize the optimization tool/libraries module and an energy simulator to simulate the EMC strategies to determine an optimized EMC strategy, wherein characteristics of the building are utilized to simulate the EMC strategies.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving energy price data comprising at least one of current energy price data and predicted energy price data, wherein generating the plurality of output control signals is further based on the energy price data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a peak energy load time based on the energy price data, wherein the output control signals are configured to pre-cool or pre-heat at least one of the plurality of zones in the building during a time that does not correspond to the peak energy load time.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting at least one notification to the at least one occupant of the building upon the plurality of output control signals causing the BAS to implement the plurality of alternate environmental conditions different from the plurality of initially requested, wherein the at least one notification indicates to the at least one occupant that the alternate environmental conditions were implemented instead of the initially requested environmental conditions.

15. An energy management controller, comprising:

a run-time module configured to receive occupant schedule data comprising a predicted occupant schedule, and weather data comprising at least one of current weather measurement data and weather forecast data;

a human-machine interface (HMI) configured to receive occupant request data comprising an initial request with corresponding initially requested environmental conditions received from an occupant of a building, and a facility management rule from a facility manager of the building; and

an interface module configured to receive an output control signal from the run-time module and transmit the output control signal to a building automation system (BAS) of the building,

wherein the output control signal is based on the occupant schedule data, the weather data, the occupant request data, and the facility management rule, and the output control signal is configured to adjust a building control device in a zone in the building,

wherein the output control signal causes the BAS to implement the initially requested environmental conditions when the initial request complies with the facility management rule, and the output control signal causes the BAS to implement alternate environmental conditions different from the initially requested environmental conditions when the initial request does not comply with the facility management rule, wherein the alternate environmental conditions are corresponding to a closest alternate request relative to the initial request and compliant with the facility management rule, and

wherein the run-time module generates strategies based on the occupant schedule data, the weather data, the occupant request data and the facility management rule, wherein the run-time module includes a default schedule generator, a real-time set-points generator and an optimization tool/libraries module, wherein the run-time module seamlessly transitions between applying a default schedule generated by the default schedule generator to the BAS and adjusting the default schedule when real-time data generated by the real-time set-points generator is received, and

wherein the default schedule generator and real-time set-points generator utilize the optimization tool/libraries module and an energy simulator to simulate the strategies to determine an optimized strategy, wherein characteristics of the building are utilized to simulate the strategies.

16. The energy management controller of claim 15, wherein the run-time module is further configured to receive energy price data comprising at least one of current energy price data and predicted energy price data, and the output control signal is further based on the energy price data.

17. The energy management controller of claim 16, wherein the run-time module is further configured to determine a peak energy load time based on the energy price data, and the output control signal is further configured to pre-cool or pre-heat the zone in the building during a time that does not correspond to the peak energy load time.

18. The energy management controller of claim 15, wherein the HMI is further configured to receive a notification upon the output control signal causing the BAS to implement the alternate environmental conditions different from the initially requested environmental conditions, wherein the notification indicates to the occupant of the building that the alternate environmental conditions were implemented instead of the initially requested environmental conditions.