Gateway for managing energy use at a site

• US 10,551,861 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US13/762,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20130212262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,552 Days
• Field of Search: 700276, 700278, 700295, 700286, 700291, 709223, 709224, 340 31, 340 1232, 34031011
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/75 for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• 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: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 : variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 : Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 : Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 : Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 : Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 : Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities 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 H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 : from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 : Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 : Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 : Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems

Abstract

A gateway includes a processor operable to manage energy use at a site. The processor is configured to receive network device data from a long range communication network, wherein the network device data is initiated from at least one of a mobile device or a cloud service to alter an operating condition of a network device located at a site. The processor is also configured to detect an availability of the network device connected to a second network configured as a local network, and format the network device data to a message bus format configured to be output to a communication device configured to access the second network. The processor is further configured to receive response data from the network device formatted to be communicated using the second network, and translate the received response data to another format capable of being output over the long range communication network.

Claims

1. A gateway comprising:

at least one memory storing instructions;

at least one processor operable to manage energy use at a site that executes the instructions stored in the at least one memory to cause the following to be performed;

receiving network device data from a long range communication network, the receiving of the network device data being initiated from at least one of a mobile device associated with a first user or a cloud service and related to altering an operating condition of a network device located at the site, wherein the network device includes at least a thermostat and the network device data is TCP/IP formatted data;

detecting an availability of the network device that is connected to another network that is different than the long range communication network, wherein the other network is configured as a local network at the site using non-TCP/IP formatted communication;

formatting the network device data related to altering at least an operating condition of the network device to a message bus format configured to be output to a set-top box configured to access the local network, the formatted network device data being in the message bus format to alter at least a temperature set-point of the thermostat according to the network device data initiated from at least one of the mobile device or the cloud service;

automatically communicating, in response to a detected location of the mobile device relative to the site and a determination of whether a priority of the first user is higher than a priority of a second user in association with the site, the formatted network device data, the formatted network device data being related at least to altering the temperature set-point of the thermostat to the set-top box and a request of the first user when the determination indicates the priority of the first user being higher than the priority of the second user;

receiving a response data from the network device, wherein the response data includes at least an updated set-point of the thermostat according to the request of the first user and is formatted to be communicated using the other network; and

translating the received response data to another format for output using TCP/IP enabled data over the long range communication network.

2. The gateway of claim 1, further comprising:

a long range communication device configured to communicate the network device data to the set-top box using at least one of a coaxial connection, a WiFi connection, or an Ethernet connection; and

a short range communication device configured to communicate the network device data to the network device, wherein the short range communication device includes a mesh network topology.

3. The gateway of claim 2, wherein the short range communication device includes a Z-wave enabled device.

4. The gateway of claim 2, wherein the short range communication device includes a Zigbee enabled device.

5. The gateway of claim 2, wherein the short range communication device includes an 802.11 based enabled device.

6. The gateway of claim 2, wherein the short range communication interface is configured as one or more of the following:

a serial bus interface;

a parallel bus interface;

a serial-parallel bus interface;

a universal serial bus interface;

industry standard bus interface;

controller area network bus interface;

a serial peripheral interface;

a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter interface;

a control bus interface; and

standard digital input output interface.

7. The gateway of claim 1, further comprising:

a TCP/IP enabled communication device configured to receive identification data of the network device;

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to detect the identification data and an associated control data;

a short range communication device configured to receive the identification data as message bus data and initiate communicating the control data to the network device using the identification data.

8. The gateway of claim 7, wherein the short range communication device includes a Zigbee enabled device.

9. The gateway of claim 7, wherein the short range communication device includes an 802.11 based enabled device.

10. The gateway of claim 7, wherein the short range communication device includes a Z-wave enabled device.

11. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

enable a Java operating environment;

initiate generation of a Java output object using XML enabled input data, wherein the Java output object includes network device data of a Z-wave enabled network device accessible to the local network; and

initiate generation of XML enabled output data from an incoming message using a Java input object, wherein the Java input object accesses network device data using a network device profile.

12. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

coordinate the long range communication network at a first security level;

receive the network device data at the first security level;

coordinate the local network at a second security level;

initiate access to the network device at the second security level;

enable access to the network device using the second security level;

initiate receipt of the response data using the second security level; and

disable access to the network device.

13. The gateway of claim 1, further comprising:

a first wireless communication device operably coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the first wireless communication device is configured to coordinate a Z-wave wireless energy network; and

a second wireless communication device operably coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the second wireless communication device is configured to join a second local network.

14. The gateway of claim 1, further comprising:

a first wireless communication device operably coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the first wireless communication device is configured to coordinate a Zigbee wireless energy network; and

a second wireless communication device operably coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the second wireless communication device is configured to join a second local network.

15. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the other network includes an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) enabled network operably associated with an AMI enabled smart meter.

16. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the long range communication includes a cellular communication based network.

17. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the long range communication network includes a broadband communication network.

18. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the long range communication network includes a GPRS network.

19. The gateway of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of a first wireless communication device operably coupled to the at least one processor to access the local network configured as at least one of an 802.11 network to receive 802.11 based response data, a Zigbee network to receive Zigbee based response data, or a Z-wave network to receive Z-wave based response data, or a second wireline communication device operably coupled to the at least one processor to access the local network configured as an Ethernet network,

wherein the at least one of the first wireless communication device or the second wireless communication device to receive respective response data from the network device and translate the received response data to another format to be output over the long range communication network.

20. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor includes a Linux enabled processor configured to:

convert an incoming Z-wave enabled message to XML enabled output data; and

format the XML enabled input data to an outgoing Z-wave enabled message.

21. An gateway of claim 1, wherein the network device includes one of a personal computer, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, another set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, or a wireless router.

22. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the set-top box includes a short wave communication device to communicate with the local network.

23. The gateway of claim 22, wherein the set-top box includes an Ethernet based communication device.

24. The gateway of claim 22, wherein the short wave communication device of the set-top box is a Z-wave enabled device.

25. The gateway of claim 22, wherein the short wave communication device of the set-top box is a Zigbee enabled device.

26. The gateway of claim 22, wherein the short wave communication device of the set-top box is an 802.11 based enabled device.

27. The gateway of claim 22, wherein the set-top box includes a coaxial based communication device.

28. A gateway comprising:

at least one Java enabled processor;

at least one memory configured to store incoming and outgoing local network messages and instructions executed by the at least one Java enabled processor;

a short range communication device configured to automatically access a local network to alter at least a temperature set-point of a thermostat in response to a detected location of a first user associated with a set-top box and a determination of whether a priority of the first user that is higher than a priority of a second user in association with the set-top box, wherein the local network is configured as at least one of an 802.11 network, a Zigbee network, a Z-wave network, or an Ethernet network; and

a long range communication device configured to communicate with a long range communication network,

wherein the long range communication device is configured to receive at least one of 802.11 based response data, Zigbee based response data, Z-wave based response data, or Ethernet based response data from a network device according to a request of the first user when the determination indicates the priority of the first user being higher than the priority of the second user, and translate the received response data to another format to be output over the long range communication network.

29. The gateway of claim 28, further comprising the network device including one of a personal computer, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, or a wireless router.