Home intelligence system

• US 10,187,707 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curb Inc.
• Original Assignee: Curb Inc.
• Inventors: Norwood, Erik, Bohde, Josh, Bear, Eric Gould
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhter, Sharmin
• Application Number:
  US14/944,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20160212506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002, 340 1228- 1229, 340 1254, 3405391-53915
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1338 Measuring maximum demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A system for providing information about electrical devices in a residence includes a power measurement device, an electrical device identification component, and a notification component. The power measurement device measures characteristics of electrical power in one or more electrical power lines in the residence. Based on the measured electrical characteristics, the electrical device identification component determines electrical signatures specific electrical devices at the residence that are receiving electrical power through the electrical power lines, associates the electrical devices with a device type, and groups the electrical devices into zones of the residence. Based on power consumption by the specific electrical devices, the notification component determines events or conditions associated with specific electrical devices (for example abnormal usage, device failure, excess power consumption). Notifications relating to at least one of the events or conditions associated with the specific electrical devices are provided to a person associated with the residence (for example, homeowner or other resident).

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of conductors configured to couple with one or more sensors, wherein the sensors are configured to measure a plurality of electrical load characteristics in one or more electrical power line circuits of a building;

an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the plurality of conductors, the analog-to digital converter configured to receive signals corresponding to the plurality of electrical load characteristics from the one or more sensors and convert the signals from analog signals to digital signals; and

one or more remote processors, coupled to the analog-to-digital converter, configured to;

receive, from the analog-to-digital converter, one or more of the digital signals corresponding to the plurality of electrical load characteristics;

perform digital signal processing on at least one of the one or more digital signals; and

determine, based on the digital signal processing, an electrical signature for at least one electrical device receiving power from at least one of the one or more electrical power line circuits, wherein the electrical signature comprises at least a phase angle and a frequency harmonics of the power being received; and

identify the at least one electrical device based on the electrical signature of the at least one electrical device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical power line circuits are at a breaker box of the building.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more remote processors comprise:

an electrical signature computation component, wherein the electrical signature computation component performs digital signal processing on the one or more digital signals to determine an electrical signature for at least one specific electrical device in the building that receive power from one of the one or more electrical power line circuits; and

a microcontroller configured to control one or more of the electrical devices in the building, using the determined electrical signatures.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are coupled to one or more electrical power line circuits emanating from a circuit breaker box.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein determining at least one of the electrical signatures comprises transforming one or more of the digital signals from a time domain to a frequency domain.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the electrical signatures is performed substantially continuously, the one or more remote processors further configured to provide one or more updates to the electronical signature of the one or more devices based on changes in the electrical signature over time.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein for at least one of the electrical devices, a frequency of sampling is at least about twice a highest frequency of the electronic signature of the at least one electrical device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more remote processors are further configured to associate a location of an electrical device with the electronic signature of the electrical device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the electrical signatures comprises disaggregation of two or more devices connected to at least one of the one or more electrical power line circuits in the building.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a control component configured to generate and send a control signal to the one or more electrical devices receiving power from at least one of the one or more electrical power line circuits.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of measured electrical load characteristics comprise energy consumption and at least one additional electrical load characteristic.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical signature comprises at least one of a voltage, a current, a power factor, an amplitude of the power being received.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the phase angle and the frequency harmonics for the at least one electrical device are derived from the measured electrical load characteristics of the at least one electrical device.

14. A method of determining an electrical signature for one or more electrical devices being operated in a building, comprising:

measuring a plurality of electrical load characteristics of one or more electrical power line circuits in the building;

converting one or more of the measured electrical load characteristics from analog signals to digital signals;

receiving, at one or more remote processors, the digital signals corresponding to the plurality of electrical load characteristics;

determining, using the one or more remote processors, based on processing of the digital signals, an electrical signature for at least one electrical device receiving power from at least one of the one or more electrical power line circuits, wherein the electrical signature comprises at least a phase angle and a frequency harmonics of the power being received; and

identifying, using the one or more remote processors, the at least one electrical device based on the electrical signature of the at least one electrical device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more electrical power line circuits are at a breaker box of the building.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more sensors, coupled to one or more of the electrical power line circuits emanating from a circuit breaker box of the building, are used to measure the one or more electrical load characteristics of the one or more electrical power line circuits in the building.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein determining at least one of the electrical signatures comprises transforming one or more of the digital signals from a time domain to a frequency domain.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein determining at least one of the electrical signatures is performed substantially continuously, and wherein the method further comprises providing one or more updates to the electronical signature of the one or more devices based on changes in the electrical signature over time.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein measuring one or more electrical load characteristics of one or more electrical power line circuits comprises sampling the electrical load characteristics at a frequency that is at least twice a highest frequency of the electronic signature of the at least one electrical device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising associating a location of an electrical device within the building with the electronic signature of the electrical device.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the electrical signatures comprises disaggregation of two or more devices connected to at least one of the one or more electrical power line circuits in the building.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending a control signal to the one or more electrical devices receiving power from at least one of the one or more electrical power line circuits.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein measuring one or more electrical load characteristics of the one or more electrical power line circuits comprises measuring the current and voltage of the one or more electrical power line circuits.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of measured electrical load characteristics comprise energy consumption and at least one additional electrical load characteristic.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the electrical signature comprises at least one of a voltage, a current, a power factor, an amplitude of the power being received.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the electrical signature comprises deriving the phase angle and the frequency harmonics from the measured electrical load characteristics of the at least one electrical device.