COMPUTER BASED ENERGY MANAGEMENT

• US 20100286841A1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Budderfly, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Budderfly Ventures LLC
• Inventors: Subbloie, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 8,396,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• 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

Abstract

Computer based energy management including an adaptor having a server network interface and a control device interface. The adaptor transmitting the commands to the control device via a control device interface on the adaptor, and receiving energy usage data from the control device in response to a command including a request for energy usage. The adaptor transmitting the energy usage data to the energy management software in response to receiving the energy usage data from the control device, receiving sensor data from one or more sensors communicatively coupled to the adaptor, transmitting the sensor data to the energy management software in response to receiving the sensor data from the sensors, receiving control commands at the adaptor from the energy management host software and transmitting the control commands to the control device, the control commands altering the function of a device.

Claims

1. A method for providing computer based energy management, the method comprising:

receiving commands specifying a control device from energy management host software located on a host system, the commands received at an adaptor via a server network, and the commands including control instructions and requests for energy usage data;

transmitting the commands to the control device via a control device interface on the adaptor;

receiving energy usage data from the control device in response to a command including a request for energy usage data, the energy usage data including energy usage for one or more energy devices in communication with the control device via a copper wire network;

transmitting the energy usage data to the energy management host software in response to receiving the energy usage data from the control device;

receiving sensor data from one or more sensors communicatively coupled to the adaptor;

transmitting the sensor data to the energy management host software in response to receiving the sensor data from the one or more sensors;

receiving control commands at the adaptor from the energy management host software, the receiving responsive to the sensor data and the energy usage data; and

transmitting the control commands to the control device, the control commands altering a function of a device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptor comprises the one or more sensors.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one of:

a motion sensor;

a temperature sensor;

a power usage sensor; and

a light sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptor further comprises a local storage for storing the energy usage data and the sensor data.

5. An adaptor for providing computer based energy management, the adaptor comprising:

one or more sensors; and

a local storage;

the local storage storing sensor data, the sensor data received from the one or more sensors the adaptor performing a method, the method comprising;

receiving commands specifying a control device from energy management host software located on a host system, the commands received at the adaptor via a server network, and the commands including control instructions and requests for energy usage data;

transmitting the commands to the control device via a control device interface on the adaptor;

receiving energy usage data from the control device in response to a command including a request for energy usage data, the energy usage data including energy usage for one or more energy devices in communication with the control device via a copper wire network;

storing the energy usage data on the local storage;

transmitting the energy usage data to the energy management host software in response to receiving the request from the energy management host software;

receiving the sensor data from the one or more sensors communicatively coupled to the adaptor;

storing the sensor data on the local storage;

transmitting the sensor data to the energy management host software in response to receiving the request from the energy management host software;

receiving control commands at the adaptor from the energy management host software, the receiving responsive to the sensor data and the energy usage data; and

transmitting the control commands to the control device, the control commands altering a function of a device.

6. The adaptor of claim 5, wherein the adaptor comprises the one or more sensors.

7. The adaptor of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one of:

a motion sensor;

a temperature sensor;

a power usage sensor; and

a light sensor.

8. The adaptor of claim 5, wherein the adaptor further comprises a local storage for storing the energy usage data and the sensor data.

9. A method of establishing a network of adaptors, the method comprising:

connecting a plurality of adaptors over a network;

linking the plurality of adaptors to one another;

connecting the plurality of adaptors to a plurality of control devices; and

controlling any of the plurality of control devices from any of the plurality of adaptors.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein, each of the plurality of adaptors comprises a unique address, and the unique address is broadcast over the network when each of the plurality of adaptors is connected to the network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein, the unique address is established when each of the plurality of adaptors is manufactured.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein, the linking comprises:

receiving at an energy management software the unique address of the plurality of adaptors;

transmitting instructions from the energy management software, the instructions establishing a group of adaptors, the group of adaptors comprising a group identifier.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein, an instruction addressed to the group identifier is broadcast over the network is received by all of the plurality of adaptors in the group of adaptors comprising the group identifier.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein, at least one of the plurality of adaptors is a controller, and at least one of the plurality of adaptors is a responder, wherein the controller issues instructions over the network, the instructions indicating a target adaptor, and the responders repeat the instructions over the network and execute the instructions in response to determining that they are the target adaptor.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by a computer establishes a network of adaptors, the computer program product implementing a method, the method comprising:

connecting a plurality of adaptors over a network;

linking the plurality of adaptors to one another;

connecting the plurality of adaptors to a plurality of control devices; and

controlling any of the plurality of control devices from any of the plurality of adaptors.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein, each of the plurality of adaptors comprises a unique address, and the unique address is broadcast over the network when each of the plurality of adaptors is connected to the network.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein, the unique address is established when each of the plurality of adaptors is manufactured.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein, the linking comprises:

receiving at an energy management software the unique address of the plurality of adaptors;

transmitting instructions from the energy management software, the instructions establishing a group of adaptors, the group of adaptors comprising a group identifier.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein, an instruction addressed to the group identifier is broadcast over the network is received by all of the plurality of adaptors in the group of adaptors comprising the group identifier.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein, at least one of the plurality of adaptors is a controller, and at least one of the plurality of adaptors is a responder, wherein the controller issues instructions over the network, the instructions indicating a target adaptor, and the responders repeat the instructions over the network and execute the instructions in response to determining that they are the target adaptor.