Apparatus and Method for Determining Load of Energy Consuming Appliances Within a Premises

• US 20140163746A1
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Drew, David Scott, Luo, Xingwen, Evans, Edward B.
• Application Number:
  US14/177,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20140163746A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• 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 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of apparatus and methods for determining and/or monitoring load of energy consuming appliances within a premises. In an exemplary embodiment, there is a thermostat for monitoring energy consumption associated with an HVAC unit having a compressor. The thermostat is configured to communicate information on energy consumption and/or information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit to a user. In another exemplary embodiment, there is a system for monitoring energy consumption for an energy consuming load in a premises that is supplied with power monitored by a utility meter. A gateway is in connection with the controller for enabling connection via the internet to a website. At least one of the gateway and the controller is configured to communicate information on energy consumption associated with the energy consuming load to an energy service provider and/or a consumer.

Claims

1. A thermostat for monitoring energy consumption associated with an HVAC unit having a compressor, the thermostat comprising:

a sensor operable for providing an output indicative of a temperature within a space of a premises; and

a processor operable for controlling activation of at least the compressor of the HVAC unit to control temperature in the space relative to a desired set-point temperature, the processor configured to receive energy consumption information from a utility meter for the premises prior to activation of the compressor and subsequent to activation of the compressor, the processor further configured to estimate energy consumption of the HVAC unit based at least in part upon the difference between the energy consumption prior to activation and the energy consumption subsequent to activation of the compressor;

wherein the thermostat is configured to communicate information on energy consumption and/or information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit to a user.

2. A system comprising the thermostat of claim 1, and further comprising a gateway for enabling connection via the internet to a website, wherein the thermostat is configured to communicate the information on energy consumption and/or the information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit to the gateway to thereby permit an energy service provider and/or a consumer to access the information on energy consumption and/or the information on duration of time of operation.

3. A system comprising the thermostat of claim 1 and a display device of an electronic device that is operable for displaying the information on energy consumption and/or the information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat includes a display device operable for displaying the information on energy consumption and/or the information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit.

5. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the information on energy consumption and/or the duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit is displayed graphically or pictorially to a user.

6. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat includes a display device operable for displaying a graph indicating estimated cost of energy consumed by the HVAC unit for days within a given month.

7. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is configured to communicate the information on the duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit only or separately from the information on energy consumption to an energy service provider or a consumer.

8. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the duration of time of operation is expressed as hours of a day within a given month or as hours of an entire month.

9. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is configured to allow a consumer to cancel HVAC activation if energy usage exceeds a preset limit or exceeds the duration of time of operation for a given day.

10. A system comprising the thermostat of claim 1, and further comprising a gateway for enabling connection via the internet to a website, wherein the gateway is operable for communicating energy usage information from a device to an energy service provider and/or a consumer.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the device is a water heater or a smart plug.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is configured to allow a user to deactivate the water heater or the smart plug through the gateway.

13. A system for monitoring energy consumption for an energy consuming load in a premises that is supplied with power monitored by a utility meter, the system comprising:

a controller;

a gateway in connection with the controller, for enabling connection via the internet to a website, the gateway including;

a transmitter operable for transmitting wireless signals to a utility meter for the premises to request energy consumption information; and

a receiver operable for receiving wireless signals including energy consumption information from the utility meter;

wherein at least one of the gateway and the controller is configured to estimate energy consumption of the energy consuming load based at least in part upon a difference between energy consumption during operation and energy consumption during non-operation of the energy consuming load; and

wherein at least one of the gateway and the controller is configured to communicate information on energy consumption associated with the energy consuming load to an energy service provider and/or a consumer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the energy consuming load is a water heater or a smart plug.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to allow a user to deactivate the water heater or the smart plug through the gateway.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the information on energy consumption associated with the energy consuming load is displayed graphically or pictorially.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the information on energy consumption is displayed graphically or pictorially on a display of a thermostat, a computer, or a mobile device.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is a thermostat.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the gateway and the controller is configured to communicate information on duration of time of operation associated with the energy consuming load to an energy service provider and/or a consumer.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the information on duration of time of operation is displayed graphically or pictorially.