SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING POWER CONSUMPTION DATA

• US 20090210178A1
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paul Bieganski
• Original Assignee: Paul Bieganski
• Inventors: Bieganski, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/032,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210178A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• 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: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

Systems and methods for producing power consumption data enabling up-to-the-minute automatic collection and transmission of real-time energy flow information are described. Energy consumption from a source of electricity by an electrical device may be measured. This measured data may then be stored for later transmission on a wireless network. Additionally, energy consumption data from another measurement device may be received and stored or retransmitted until it reaches a gateway where it is harvested. The harvested data may be stored and organized for display to a user. Embodiments may allow for a low-cost high precision integrated power meter IC in combination with a low-cost radio transceiver chip to control part count and cost of power monitoring node implementation to provide for internet-based power monitoring, management and analysis at any level of granularity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

measuring energy consumed by a first electrical device from a first energy source;

recording temporal data associated with the measured energy consumed;

storing the measured energy consumed and temporal data as a first energy data item;

appending the first energy data item with additional measurements of energy consumed by a first electrical device from a first energy source and associated temporal data;

associating a first identifier with the first energy data item, the identifier to identify the first electrical device and the first energy source; and

transmitting the energy data item and associated identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification is at least one of the following:

a static identification, a predetermined identification, a randomly generated identification, or a configurable identification.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring an additional characteristic to create additional data to be stored with the energy data item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the additional characteristic includes at least one of the following:

temperature, humidity, sound level, motion, or light.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second energy data item and transmitting the second energy data item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second energy data item includes data representing measured energy consumed by a second electrical device and an second identifier.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second energy data item includes data representing measured energy consumed from a second energy source and a second identifier.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a measurement module to create local energy consumption data by measuring energy consumption of an electrical device;

a storage module to store the measured local energy consumption data;

a receiver to receive non-local energy consumption data; and

a transmitter to transmit the local energy consumption data and the non-local energy consumption data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmitter transmits the local energy consumption data and the non-local energy consumption data as broadcast transmissions.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the measurement module includes an identification.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the identification of the measurement module is included in the local energy consumption data.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a visual indicator to indicate at least one of the following:

operational status or energy consumption.

13. An electrical device comprising:

one or more electrical components configured to be connected to a source of electricity;

a measurement module to measure the electrical energy use by the one or more electrical components to create energy usage data by integrating a measurement of electrical energy over time;

a memory to store the energy usage data; and

a radio to transmit the energy usage data.

14. The electrical device of claim 13, wherein the energy usage data is measured in one of the following:

Watt-hours or Joules.

15. The electrical device of claim 13, wherein the measurement of electrical energy is determined by multiplying a measured voltage by a measured current.

16. The electrical device of claim 13, wherein the energy usage data further includes at least one of the following:

over-voltage data, under-voltage data, average voltage, average current, peak voltage, peak current, peak power, or bottom power.

17. An electrical cable comprising:

a first connector to be connected to an electrical device;

a second connector to be connected to an electricity source;

a measurement module to measure the electrical energy use by the electrical device from the electricity source to create energy usage data;

a memory to store the energy usage data; and

a radio to transmit the energy usage data.

18. The electrical cable of claim 17, wherein the radio is further operable to receive energy usage data transmissions.

19. The electrical cable of claim 17, further comprising a computer readable identifier, the identifier being associated with the energy usage data.

20. The electrical cable of claim 19, wherein the identifier is visibly positioned between the first connector and the second connector.