Apparatus and methods for controlling light fixtures and electrical appliances

• US 20110043035A1
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jose Luiz Yamada, Mark E. Lewis
• Original Assignee: Jose Luiz Yamada, Mark E. Lewis
• Inventors: Yamada, Jose Luiz, Lewis, Mark E.
• Application Number:
  US12/800,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/39
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• 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 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for monitoring and controlling the energy usage of an installation including lighting fixtures, motors, compressors, and other electrical appliances by monitoring the operating status of the electrical appliances, switching the electrical appliances on and/or off as mandated by operating conditions, intended use(s) of the installation, ambient conditions, energy consumption limits, and other factors, reporting the operating status of the electrical appliances to a system coordinator, storing information as to the operating status of each electrical appliance in the installation to the memory of the system coordinator in a look-up table for subsequent retrieval as needed for operation of the installation, and transmitting a signal from the system coordinator that is operative to switch the electrical appliances on and/or off in accordance with the information stored in the look-up table.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling electrical appliances comprising:

a switch controller mounted to an electrical appliance;

a transceiver connected to said switch controller for (a) transmitting a signal to said switch controller for operating the electrical appliance when said receiver detects an external input and (b) producing a signal indicative of the operating status of the electrical appliance;

operating logic stored in the memory of said switch controller comprising a set of pre-programmed operating rules for either switching the electrical appliance on, switching the electrical appliance off, or not switching the electrical appliance upon receipt of a signal from said receiver; and

a system coordinator for sending and receiving signals from said transceiver in accordance with a set of pre-programmed operating rules responsive to the number of electrical appliances to be controlled, the energy usage of the electrical appliances to be controlled, and the energy available for use by the electrical appliances to be controlled.

2. A method of allocating energy usage in an installation including one or more electrical appliances, a controller for switching each of the electrical appliances on and/or off, a system coordinator having a set of pre-programmed operating rules stored in the memory thereof, and means for communicating between the system coordinator and the switch controller comprising the steps of:

(a) setting a limit on the energy usage by the installation;

(b) switching the electrical appliances on and/or off in accordance with the needs of the installation;

(c) communicating the operating status of the electrical appliances to the system coordinator;

(d) comparing the energy usage of the electrical appliances in the installation to the energy usage limit;

(e) if energy usage exceeds the energy usage limit, switching electrical appliances off to decrease energy usage;

(f) repeating steps (b)-(e) until energy usage is lower than the limit set in step (a); and

(g) storing the operating status of the electrical appliances in the installation to a look-up table in the memory of the system coordinator for subsequent retrieval and use in limiting energy usage of the installation.