CONSUMER DIRECTED ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20100070101A1
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uplight, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tendrill Networks Incorporated (Uplight, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stimmel, Carol L., Tuck, Adrian C., Benes, Charles R., Wheeler, Andrew J., Ruth, Michael K., Premus, Rebecca F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,722,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• 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 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing consumer directed energy management are described. Consumer defined triggers provide consumers and utilities with the ability to control residential energy usage, by managing manage multiple residential load control elements. A user interface is provided separately from the load control elements to allow the consumer to define his or her schedule and preferences for the purposes of controlling the multiple load control elements. In addition, settings on load control elements can be automatically adjusted based on information about consumer schedules and preferences obtained from other sources. In some embodiments, a utility interface allows utilities to implement improved energy load control. When a utility expects to implement a load control event, the utility can monitor consumer schedules and/or preferences, in order to achieve the desired energy reduction while reducing the impact on participating consumers'"'"' comfort.

Claims

1. A system for providing consumer directed energy management, wherein the system comprises:

a consumer preferences database that;

stores information associated with a consumer'"'"'s preferences regarding one or more energy consuming devices in the consumer'"'"'s residential energy network, and

provides the information associated with the consumer'"'"'s preferences to an energy management processor;

an energy management processor that;

receives the information associated with the consumer'"'"'s preferences from the consumer preferences database, and

transmits control instructions to the consumer'"'"'s residential energy network, wherein the control instructions include an action associated with at least one of the energy consuming devices in the consumer'"'"'s residential energy network, and wherein the action is determined based on the received information associated with the consumer'"'"'s preferences.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface by which the consumer defines the consumer'"'"'s preferences.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the user interface is a web based user interface.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the user interface is a device based user interface.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the user interface is a mobile device based user interface.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the consumer'"'"'s preferences include a trigger, a trigger level, and an action associated with at least one of the energy consuming devices, and wherein the action is taken when the trigger level is reached.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the trigger is selected from a group consisting of energy price, energy source, the consumer'"'"'s schedule, and a criticality event defined by a utility.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy management processor further receives trigger data from one or more data sources, and wherein the action is determined based on the received information associated with the consumer'"'"'s preferences and the received trigger data.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a utility energy reduction processor that;

obtains the consumer'"'"'s preferences from the consumer preferences database, and

provides energy reduction data to the energy management processor, wherein the energy reduction data indicates a reduction in energy associated with a criticality event, wherein the energy reduction data is determined based on the obtained consumer'"'"'s preferences.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the consumer'"'"'s residential energy network is configured according to a ZigBee Smart Energy protocol.