ENERGY COST REDUCTION AND AD DELIVERY

• US 20100063644A1
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhao, Feng, Kansal, Aman, Priyantha, Nissanka Arachchige B., Goraczko, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates managing energy consumption with an energy sink device in order to reduce energy costs. An energy sink device can consume a portion of energy. An interface component can receive a portion of data related to at least one of a real time energy rate or a user presence. An energy manager can dynamically control the energy sink device for efficient consumption of the portion of energy for reduced energy costs based at least in part upon the evaluation of the portion of received data. The energy manager can leverage the real time energy rate and the user presence in order to employ at least one of a power on the energy sink device, a power off the energy sink device, or an adjust a setting for the energy sink device.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates managing energy consumption of an energy sink in order to reduce energy costs, comprising:

an energy sink that consumes a portion of energy;

an interface component that receives a portion of data related to at least one of a real time energy price or a user presence;

an energy manager that dynamically controls the energy sink for efficient consumption of the portion of energy for reduced energy costs based at least in part upon the evaluation of the portion of received data; and

the energy manager leverages the real time energy price and user presence in order to employ at least one of a power on or power off of the energy sink, or an adjustment of a setting for the energy sink.

2. The system of claim 1, the energy sink is at least one of a heating unit, a heater, an HVAC system, an air conditioner, a light, a refrigerator, a household appliance, a freezer, an electronic unit, a cable box, a tuner, a receiver, a stereo, a photo copy machine, a fax machine, a computer, a machine, or a display.

3. The system of claim 1, the portion of data is a portion of internal energy data related to the location, the portion of external energy data is at least one of energy pricing data, weather data, a peak load warning, grid instability data, a discount for energy reduction, a social networking service, a portion of calendar data, email information, a global positioning service (GPS) device, a portion of group information, forum information, a purchase, monetary information, medical information, sensors, or a portion of user state information external to a location related to the energy sink device.

4. The system of claim 1, the portion of data is a portion of external energy data related to at least one of the user or the location, the portion of internal energy data is at least one of a portion of energy sink data, a heating property, a cooling property, a heat loss characteristic, a heat gain characteristic, a network resource within the location, a motion sensor, a heat sensor, a portion of security data, an amount of lighting use, a portion of thermostat data, a portion of user state information internal to a location related to the energy sink device, or user explicit information.

5. The system of claim 1, the portion of user state information relates to the location and is at least one of an absence, an anticipated absence, a presence, or an anticipated absence.

6. The system of claim 4, the portion of external energy data is communicated via at least one of a network, the Internet, a website, a web forum, a service, an entity, a business, a device, or a machine.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a security component that enables at least one of a data protection for the portion of data, an opting in for collection of the portion of data, an opting out for collection of the portion of data, a notification of collection of the portion of data, or a granular restriction on data collection for the portion of data.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an ad component that identifies at least one of a portion of relevant information for the user or a relevant advertisement for the user, the identification is based at least in part upon an evaluation of the portion of data.

9. The system of claim 8, the ad component communicates at least one of the portion of relevant information to the user or the relevant advertisement to the user.

10. The system of claim 9, the ad component communicates the portion of relevant information to the user or the relevant advertisement to the user via at least one of a television, a monitor, a computer, a smartphone, a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a gaming device, a portable media player, an energy control device, a gaming console, a portable digital assistance (PDA), a laptop, a hand-held, a portable media device, or a data browsing device.

11. The system of claim 10, the ad component communicates the information to a relevant output device via at least one of a wired channel or a wireless channel.

12. The system of claim 10, the energy control device is at least one of a switch, a thermostat, a power switch, a digital switch, a mode, a setting on a device, or a control module related to the energy sink.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a security component that allows the user to at least one of opt in for receiving the communication, opt out for receiving the communication, receive a notification of the communication, or receive consent from the user in order to provide the communication.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computation engine that utilizes an energy/cost optimization algorithm to control the energy sink device for efficient power consumption, wherein the energy/cost optimization algorithm provides the following:

at least one of an energy loss or an energy gain determined via training;

implementation of a model to formulate an optimization problem; and

adaptation of a result of the energy/cost optimization algorithm upon the portion of data changing.

15. The system of claim 14, the algorithm is an algorithm that includes leveraging the portion of data related to an energy price change and a weather change, the first algorithm enables a reduced cost for achieving a setting for the energy sink device.

16. The system of claim 14, the algorithm is a second algorithm that includes leveraging the portion of data related to a user presence, a user absence, a portion of weather data, and an energy price change, the second algorithm enables a reduced cost for achieving a setting for the energy sink device.

17. A computer-implemented method that facilitates controlling an energy sink to a setting with reduced costs, comprising:

collecting a portion of data related to at least one of a user location, weather, or a price for energy consumption;

analyzing the portion of data to determine a control setting for an energy sink within a location;

adjusting the energy sink in accordance with the analysis for cost reduction of utilizing the energy sink;

identifying a portion of information relevant to a user based at least in part upon the analysis.

18. The method of claim 17, the energy sink is at least one of is at least one of a heating unit, a heater, an HVAC system, an air conditioner, a light, a refrigerator, a household appliance, a freezer, an electronic unit, a cable box, a tuner, a receiver, a stereo, a photo copy machine, a fax machine, a computer, a machine, or a display.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising allowing the user to at least one of opt in for receiving the communication, opt out for receiving the communication, receive a notification of the communication, or receive consent from the user in order to provide the communication.

20. A computer-implemented system that facilitates, comprising:

means for utilizing an energy sink to consume a portion of energy;

means for receiving a portion of data related to at least one of a real time energy rate or a user presence;

means for dynamically controlling the energy sink for efficient consumption of the portion of energy for reduced energy costs based at least in part upon the evaluation of the portion of received data;

means for leveraging the real time energy rate and the user presence in order to employ at least one of a power on the energy sink device, a power off the energy sink device, or an adjust a setting for the energy sink device;

means for identifying a portion of data relevant to the user, the identification is based upon an analysis of the received portion of data;

means for communicating the portion of data relevant to the user; and

means for displaying the portion of data relevant to the user.