Demand Control

• US 20090132092A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tutenlabs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Prenova, Inc. (ENGIE SA)
• Inventors: Van Meter, Kenneth D., Chambers, Gregory L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/00 Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion G05B19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002

Abstract

Included are embodiments for demand control. At least one embodiment of a method includes sending a first control signal, the first control signal configured to indicate a first supply for an environment, the first supply based on a first environmental factor and a control setting and determining a change in a second environmental factor. Some embodiments include calculating a second supply for the environment, based on the determined change and sending a second control signal, the second control signal configured to indicate the second supply for the environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a first control signal, the first control signal configured to indicate a first supply for an environment, the first supply based on a first environmental factor and a control setting;

determining a change in a second environmental factor;

calculating a second supply for the environment, based on the determined change; and

sending a second control signal, the second control signal configured to indicate the second supply for the environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data related to the determined change.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising predicting a future change in the second environmental factor, based on the stored data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second environmental factor includes at least one of the following:

number of people in the environment, number of computing devices that are operating in the environment, and time of day.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are sent to a heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control signal and second control signal are configured to facilitate control of at least one of the following:

temperature, humidity, electrical power, and ventilation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are configured to facilitate control of a portion of the environment.

8. A system comprising:

a first sending component configured to send a first control signal, the first control signal configured to indicate a first supply for an environment, the first supply based on a first environmental factor and a control setting;

a determining component configured to determine a change in a second environmental factor;

a calculating component configured to calculate a second supply for the environment, based on the determined change; and

a second sending component configured to send a second control signal, the second control signal configured to indicate the second supply for the environment.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a storing component configured to store data related to the determined change.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a predicting component configured to predict a future change in the second environmental factor, based on the stored data.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second environmental factor includes at least one of the following:

number of people in the environment, number of computing devices that are operating in the environment, and time of day.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the first control signal and second control signal are configured to facilitate control of at least one of the following:

temperature, humidity, electrical power, and ventilation.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are configured to facilitate control of a portion of the environment.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the system is embodied as a computer-readable medium.

15. A system comprising:

means for sending a first control signal, the first control signal configured to indicate a first supply for an environment, the first supply based on a first environmental factor and a control setting;

means for determining a change in a second environmental factor;

means for calculating a second supply for the environment, based on the determined change; and

means for sending a second control signal, the second control signal configured to indicate the second supply for the environment.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for storing data related to the determined change.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for predicting a future change in the second environmental factor, based on the stored data.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the second environmental factor includes at least one of the following:

number of people in the environment, number of computing devices that are operating in the environment, and time of day.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first control signal and second control signal are configured to facilitate control of at least one of the following:

temperature, humidity, electrical power, and ventilation.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are configured to facilitate control of a portion of the environment.