ADOPTIVE MONITORING AND REPORTING OF RESOURCE UTILIZATION AND EFFICIENCY

• US 20110055745A1
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Penney, Irene R., Williams, Devon G., Wei, Nancy M., Radens, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US12/552,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20110055745A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport

Abstract

A system and method of generating for display on a computer device, a resource utilization and efficiency value of a residence or business comprises: monitoring at least one energy using device associated with the residence or business for obtaining operating data; analyzing the operating data obtained during a predetermined interval of time for obtaining a value of energy used by the at least one energy using device; calculating an efficiency value from the value of energy used during the predetermined interval of time; and using the efficiency value to create a computer generated image that represents the calculated efficiency value for a predetermined interval of time for display on the computer device.

Claims

1. A method of generating for display on a computer device, a resource utilization and efficiency value of a residence or business comprising:

monitoring at least one energy using device associated with an environment for obtaining operating data in a predetermined time interval;

analyzing said operating data obtained during said predetermined interval of time for obtaining a value of energy used by said at least one energy using device;

calculating an efficiency value from the value of energy used during the predetermined interval of time; and

creating, based on said efficiency value, a computer generated image that represents said calculated efficiency value for the predetermined interval of time for display on the computer screen,

using a processor to perform one or more of said analyzing, calculating and creating steps.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using said efficiency value for providing an avatar computer generated caricature that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device;

wherein said computer generated caricature is distinct for said value of efficiency.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using said efficiency value for providing a computer generated widget that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device;

wherein said computer generated widget is distinct for said value of efficiency.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using said efficiency value for providing a computer generated avatar or widget that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device for a predetermined interval of time;

wherein said computer generated avatar or widget is distinct for said value of efficiency.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

monitoring energy used by lights in at least one room in the home to obtain data of power being used;

monitoring the room for the absence of a person in said room when said lights are on;

analyzing the data of power used by the lights when the room was not occupied during a predetermined interval of time;

analyzing the data of power used by the lights when the room was occupied during said predetermined interval of time;

calculating efficiency values, a first from the value of energy used when the lights were on and the room was not occupied, and a second from the value of energy used when the lights were on and the room was occupied;

obtaining a efficiency value from said first and second efficiency values; and

using said efficiency value to generate a discrete avatar or widget that represents said efficiency for a predetermined interval of time for display on a computer screen.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said avatar or widget is a face having a first expression indication a first efficiency and that changes to a second expression as the efficiency increases.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

generating a discrete avatar or widget of a prior predetermined interval of time for display with said discrete avatar or widget.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

estimating a discrete avatar or widget for a subsequent predetermined interval of time for display with said discrete avatar or widget.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

displaying for user'"'"'s visualization said avatars or widgets for said prior, current and estimated predetermined intervals of time.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

identifying said avatar or widget with an actual efficiency value designation.

11. A system of generating for display on a computer device, a resource utilization and efficiency value of a residence or business comprising:

a sensor for monitoring at least one energy using device associated with said residence or business for obtaining operating data;

means for analyzing said operating data obtained during a predetermined interval of time for obtaining a value of energy used by said at least one energy using device;

means for calculating an efficiency value from the value of energy used during the predetermined interval of time; and

means for using said efficiency value to create a computer generated image that represents said calculated efficiency value for a predetermined interval of time for display on the computer device.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

means for using said efficiency value for providing an avatar computer generated caricature that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device;

wherein said computer generated caricature is distinct for said value of efficiency.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

means for using said efficiency value for providing a computer generated widget that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device;

wherein said computer generated widget is distinct for said value of efficiency.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

means for using said efficiency value for providing a computer generated avatar or widget that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device for a predetermined interval of time;

wherein said computer generated avatar or widget is distinct for said value of efficiency.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a sensor for monitoring energy used by lights in at least one room in the home to obtain data of power being used;

a sensor for monitoring the room for the absence of a person in said room when said lights are on;

means for analyzing the data of power used by the lights when the room was not occupied during a predetermined interval of time;

means for analyzing the data of power used by the lights when the room was occupied during said predetermined interval of time;

means for calculating efficiency values, a first from the value of energy used when the lights were on and the room was not occupied, and a second from the value of energy used when the lights were on and the room was occupied;

means for obtaining a efficiency value from said first and second efficiency values; and

means for using said efficiency value to generate a discrete avatar or widget that represents said efficiency for a predetermined interval of time for display on a computer screen.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said avatar or widget is a face having a first expression indication a first efficiency and that changes to a second expression as the efficiency increases.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for generating a discrete avatar or widget of a prior predetermined interval of time for display with said discrete avatar or widget.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

means for estimating a discrete avatar or widget for a subsequent predetermined interval of time for display with said discrete avatar or widget.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

means for displaying for user'"'"'s visualization said avatars or widgets for said prior, current and estimated predetermined intervals of time.

20. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for identifying said avatar or widget with an actual efficiency value designation.

21. A computer program product for generating a display representing a resource utilization and efficiency value of a residence or business, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for operation by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

monitoring at least one energy using device associated with an environment for obtaining operating data in a predetermined time interval;

analyzing said operating data obtained during said predetermined interval of time for obtaining a value of energy used by said at least one energy using device;

calculating an efficiency value from the value of energy used during the predetermined interval of time; and

creating, based on_said efficiency value, a computer generated image that represents said calculated efficiency value for the predetermined interval of time for display on the computer screen

22. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

using said efficiency value for providing an avatar computer generated caricature that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device;

wherein said computer generated caricature is distinct for said value of efficiency.

23. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

using said efficiency value for providing a computer generated widget that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device;

wherein said computer generated widget is distinct for said value of efficiency.

24. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

using said efficiency value for providing a computer generated avatar or widget that represents the calculated efficiency value of the at least one energy using device for a predetermined interval of time;

wherein said computer generated avatar or widget is distinct for said value of efficiency.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

monitoring energy used by lights in at least one room in the home to obtain data of power being used;

monitoring the room for the absence of a person in said room when said lights are on;

analyzing the data of power used by the lights when the room was not occupied during a predetermined interval of time;

analyzing the data of power used by the lights when the room was occupied during said predetermined interval of time;

calculating efficiency values, a first from the value of energy used when the lights were on and the room was not occupied, and a second from the value of energy used when the lights were on and the room was occupied;

obtaining an efficiency value from said first and second efficiency values; and

using said efficiency value to generate a discrete avatar or widget that represents said efficiency for a predetermined interval of time for display on a computer screen.

26. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein said avatar or widget is a face having a first expression indication a first efficiency and that changes to a second expression as the efficiency increases.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 further comprising:

generating a discrete avatar or widget of a prior predetermined interval of time for display with said discrete avatar or widget.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

estimating a discrete avatar or widget for a subsequent predetermined interval of time for display with said discrete avatar or widget.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising:

displaying for user'"'"'s visualization said avatars or widgets for said prior, current and estimated predetermined intervals of time.

30. The computer program product of claim 26 further comprising:

identifying said avatar or widget with an actual efficiency value designation.