APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ENERGY CONSUMPTION WITHIN AN UNOCCUPIED ROOM
First Claim
1. A system for reducing energy consumption in an unoccupied room comprising:
- a battery-powered card reader inside said room dimensioned and configured to receive a keycard and comprising a keycard switch positioned, dimensioned and configured to be activated substantially upon insertion of said keycard into said card reader and to be deactivated substantially upon removal of said keycard from said card reader, a card reader controller electrically connected to said keycard switch, and a card reader transceiver electrically connected to said card reader controller, said card reader controller being adapted to cause said card reader transceiver to transmit an insertion signal substantially upon activation of said keycard switch, a removal signal after the deactivation of said keycard switch, and a periodic status signal indicating the activation state of said keycard switch;
at least one secondary unit comprising a means to connect to a power source, a means to connect to a room appliance, a secondary unit transceiver, and a secondary unit controller electrically connected to said means to connect to a power source, said secondary unit transceiver, and said means to connect to a room appliance, said secondary unit controller being adapted to cause said room appliance to enter a powered mode substantially upon said secondary unit transceiver receiving said insertion signal, to cause said room appliance to enter an energy-saving mode subsequent to said secondary unit transceiver receiving said removal signal, and to cause said room appliance to enter a powered mode substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said periodic status signal if said periodic status signal indicates said keycard switch is activated;
a gateway connected to a system controller, said gateway comprising a gateway transceiver adapted to communicate wirelessly with said secondary units, and said system controller being adapted to determine the mode of said secondary units and to cause one or more of said secondary units to change said mode.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for reducing energy consumption in an unoccupied room is disclosed in which a battery-powered card reader placed inside a room has a keycard switch adapted to be activated upon insertion of a keycard and to be deactivated substantially upon its removal. The card reader also has a controller and a transceiver and is adapted to transmit an insertion signal substantially upon activation of the keycard switch, a removal signal after the deactivation of the keycard switch, and a periodic status signal indicating the activation state of the keycard switch. At least one secondary unit comprising a means to connect to a power source, a means to connect to a room appliance, a transceiver, and a controller, is adapted to cause a room appliance to enter a powered mode substantially upon receipt of the insertion signal or receipt of a periodic status signal indicating the keycard switch is activated, and to cause that room appliance to enter an energy-saving mode after receiving the removal signal. A gateway connected to a system controller is also provided. The gateway comprises a transceiver adapted to communicate wirelessly with the secondary units, and the system controller is adapted to determine the mode of the secondary units and to cause one or more of said secondary units to change mode if necessary.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A system for reducing energy consumption in an unoccupied room comprising:
-
a battery-powered card reader inside said room dimensioned and configured to receive a keycard and comprising a keycard switch positioned, dimensioned and configured to be activated substantially upon insertion of said keycard into said card reader and to be deactivated substantially upon removal of said keycard from said card reader, a card reader controller electrically connected to said keycard switch, and a card reader transceiver electrically connected to said card reader controller, said card reader controller being adapted to cause said card reader transceiver to transmit an insertion signal substantially upon activation of said keycard switch, a removal signal after the deactivation of said keycard switch, and a periodic status signal indicating the activation state of said keycard switch; at least one secondary unit comprising a means to connect to a power source, a means to connect to a room appliance, a secondary unit transceiver, and a secondary unit controller electrically connected to said means to connect to a power source, said secondary unit transceiver, and said means to connect to a room appliance, said secondary unit controller being adapted to cause said room appliance to enter a powered mode substantially upon said secondary unit transceiver receiving said insertion signal, to cause said room appliance to enter an energy-saving mode subsequent to said secondary unit transceiver receiving said removal signal, and to cause said room appliance to enter a powered mode substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said periodic status signal if said periodic status signal indicates said keycard switch is activated; a gateway connected to a system controller, said gateway comprising a gateway transceiver adapted to communicate wirelessly with said secondary units, and said system controller being adapted to determine the mode of said secondary units and to cause one or more of said secondary units to change said mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification