ENERGY MANAGEMENT NETWORK WITH QUICK SUBSCRIBER PROVISIONING

• US 20130238140A1
• Filed: 03/08/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ecobee Inc (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ecobee Inc (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fahmy, Hesham Ezzat, Malchiondo, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/415,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0833 for reduction of network energy consumption

Abstract

A method is provided for creating or updating a provisioning record for a subscriber on an energy management network. The method comprises installing a controller for HVAC equipment on a premise, the controller being adapted to communicate with an energy metering device already installed on the premise over a personal area network. The controller temporarily displays at least one controller identifier, the at least one controller identifier being associated with the premise. The at least one controller identifier is recorded on a mobile device equipped with identifier-sensing equipment. The mobile device transfers data which includes the at least one controller identifier from the mobile device to an energy management server, which creates or updates the provisioning record for the subscriber on the energy management network.

Claims

1. A method for creating or updating a provisioning record for a subscriber on an energy management network, the method comprising:

installing a controller for HVAC equipment on a premise, the controller being adapted to communicate with an energy metering device already installed on the premise over a personal area network;

temporarily displaying on a display of the controller, at least one controller identifier, the at least one controller identifier being associated with the premise;

digitally recording the at least one controller identifier on a mobile device equipped with identifier-sensing equipment; and

transferring data which includes the at least one controller identifier from the mobile device to an energy management server providing service on the energy management network; and

creating or updating the provisioning record for the subscriber on the energy management network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the energy metering device an energy metering device (EMD) identifier, the EMD identifier being associated with the energy metering device;

digitally recording the EMD identifier on the mobile device; and

transferring data which includes the EMD identifier in association with the at least one controller identifier to the energy management server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data which includes the at least one controller identifier is transferred to a energy management server across a second network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data which includes the at least one controller identifier is stored on the mobile device for later transference to the energy management server for the creating or updating of the provisioning record.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller identifier includes one of a serial number, installation code and a MAC address from the controller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the EMD identifier includes one of a serial number, installation code and a MAC address from the energy metering device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller identifier is temporarily presented in a graphical format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller identifier is temporarily presented in an alphanumeric format.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy management server is managed by a utility.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy management server is managed by an HVAC contracting company.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy management server is managed by a building services company.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to translate information stored in a configuration program into a graphical format when presenting the at least one controller identifier.

13. A controller for operating HVAC equipment on a premise, the controller having a display, a processor, memory, and a RF module for communication with a home automation network, wherein the controller is operable to temporarily display at least one controller identifier, the at least one controller identifier being associated with the premise, and the at least one controller identifier is adapted to be used in the creation or updating of a provisioning record.

14. The controller of claim 13, wherein the at least one controller identifier includes one of a serial number, installation code and a MAC address from the controller.

15. The controller of claim 13, wherein the at least one controller identifier is temporarily presented in a graphical format.

16. The controller of claim 13, wherein the at least one controller identifier is temporarily presented in an alphanumeric format.

17. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is operable to translate information stored in a configuration program into a graphical format when presenting the at least one controller identifier.

18. A mobile device equipped with identifier-sensing equipment, the mobile device being adapted to digitally record data for updating a provisioning record on an energy management server, the data being recordable including at least one controller identifier being displayed on a controller for operating HVAC equipment, and the mobile device being further adapted to transfer data which includes the at least one controller identifier to the energy management server providing service on the energy management network for the creation or updating of the provisioning record.