ADDED FEATURES OF HEM/HEG USING GPS TECHNOLOGY

• US 20120179547A1
• Filed: 01/06/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Besore, John K., Worthington, Timothy, Beverle, Michael, Kurfess, Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 8,798,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.58
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/395 Information to users, e.g. alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/414 using electronic processing, e.g. computer-based
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/457 using telephone networks or Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2007 for water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A GPS-based energy management system for a home network is provided that includes a plurality of energy consuming devices. The system comprises a central controller operatively connected to each energy consuming device, and one or more GPS-enabled devices configured to communicate with the central controller. The central controller is programmed to modify the behavior of the energy consuming devices based on the location of at least one member of a home network.

Claims

1. A GPS-based energy management system for a home network comprising a plurality of energy consuming devices, said system comprising:

a central controller operatively connected to each energy consuming device; and

one or more GPS-enabled devices configured to communicate with said central controller, wherein said central controller is programmed to modify the behavior of the energy consuming devices based on the location of at least one member of a home network.

2. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 1, wherein said GPS-enabled device comprises one or more of a mobile phone, computer, vehicle, and standalone GPS navigation device.

3. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed with one or more behavior modification schedules based on pre-programmed location criteria for one or more home network members.

4. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 3, wherein at least one of said one or more behavior modification schedules initiates automatically when the location criteria is satisfied.

5. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 3, wherein said one or more behavior modification schedules require confirmation by at least one home member prior to initiating.

6. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 3, wherein said pre-programmed location criteria include travel schedules to and from daily destinations, including one or more of school, work, travel, and social functions.

7. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 3, wherein said one or more behavior modification schedules comprise one or more of a vacation mode, work mode, local travel mode, and school mode.

8. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 3, wherein said one or more behavior modification schedules comprise one or more of shutting off, turning on, lowering, and increasing water supply;

turning off, starting, increasing, and lowering water heater setpoint temperature;

turning off and turning on a home'"'"'s hydrocarbon fuel supply;

dimming and extinguishing some or all lights inside/outside a home;

turning on some or all lights inside/outside a home;

shutting off, turning on, and adjusting household energy consuming devices;

closing and opening a garage door;

activating and deactivating a home security system; and

lowering and increasing a household thermostat setting.

9. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 3, wherein said one or more behavior modification schedules are manually cancellable.

10. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 3, wherein said GPS-enabled device is enabled to provide said central controller with an estimated home arrival time for the one or more home network members.

11. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 10, wherein said one or more behavior modification schedules are programmed to initiate when said one or more home network members are within a designated time of arrival.

12. The GPS-based energy management system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a tracking mode programmed to monitor the movements and real-time location of said one or more home network members and display said real-time location on a display.

27. The energy management system of claim 12, further including an application configured to store recipes, monitor available grocery items in a home, and determine what grocery items should be purchased based on a selected recipe.

13. An energy management system configured to operate a home network according to the location of one or more members of the home network, said system comprising:

one or more energy consuming devices;

a central controller operationally coupled to a home network of power consuming devices, said central controller being programmed to modify the behavior of the energy consuming devices; and

at least one navigation device corresponding to at least one member of the home network, said navigation device configured to communicate with said controller.

14. The energy management system of claim 13, wherein said navigation device comprises one or more of a mobile phone, computer, vehicle, and standalone navigation device.

15. The energy management system of claim 13, wherein said navigation device is a GPS-enabled device.

16. The energy management system of claim 13, wherein said navigation device is configured to provide said central controller with the geographical location of said one or more home network members.

17. The energy management system of claim 16, wherein said central controller is configured to download weather information based on the geographical location of said one or more home network members and provide said one or more home network members with weather event alerts and updates.

18. The energy management system of claim 17, wherein the central controller is programmed to alert said one or more home network members of a weather event if said member is within a designated proximity the weather event.

19. The energy management system of claim 13, further including an application for storing and managing shopping lists for the one or more members of the home network.

20. The energy management system of claim 19, wherein said shopping list includes one or more of a list of items to be purchased, at least one store where the items are sold, and a price comparison for items sold at multiple stores.

21. The energy management system of claim 19, wherein each item on the shopping list is prioritized based on the urgency of obtaining said item.

22. The energy management system of claim 19, wherein said central controller is configured to alert at least one home network member when a store selling an item on the shopping list is within a designated radius of the home network member.

23. The energy management system of claim 22, wherein said alert comprises at least one of a text message, email, and voice alert.

24. The energy management system of claim 22, wherein said application enables said at least one home network member to communicate feedback to the central controller in response to an alert.

25. The energy management system of claim 24, wherein said feedback comprises one or more of confirmation of purchase of an item on the shopping list, postponing the purchase or the item, and deleting an item from the list.

26. The energy management system of claim 22, wherein said central controller is configured to monitor the usage of parts in each home network device and add parts to the shopping list when a part should be replaced.

28. The energy management system of claim 23, wherein grocery items are entered into said central controller by one of scanning a barcode and manually entering the item.

29. A method of managing a home energy management system based on the location of one or more members of a home network, said energy management system comprising a network of energy consuming devices and a central controller operatively connected to said energy consuming devices, said method comprising:

communicatively coupling a GPS-enabled device to said central controller;

determining the location of said one or more members using the GPS-enabled device;

communicating the location of one or more members to said central controller; and

operating one or more energy consuming devices according to a pre-programmed schedule when designated location criteria is met.