SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF CONSUMPTION APPLIANCES

• US 20140303802A1
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nagravision SARL (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Burckard, Antoine
• Granted Patent: US 10,074,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality

Abstract

A method is disclosed for controlling the operating of a consumption appliance by way of a selector switch controlled by an energy saving device connected to a management center. The consumption appliance is kept in its default power mode, until receiving, by the energy saving device, an authentic secured control message sent by the management center. This message includes a command onto the mode in which the consumption appliance has to be switched. A counter is initialized with an initialization value before to be triggered. The consumption appliance is switched in the mode indicated by the command, either until the counter has reached a threshold value, or until receiving another authentic control message. If the counter has reached the threshold value, then the consumption appliance is switched in its default power mode. If another authentic secured control message has been received, then returning to the step of initializing the counter.

Claims

1. Method for controlling the operating of at least one consumption appliance via an automated selector switch controlled by an energy saving device connected to a management center for switching the at least one consumption appliance between several operating modes including at least a limited power default mode and a free power mode, the method comprising:

keeping the at least one consumption appliance in the default power mode, until receiving, by the energy saving device, an authentic secured control message sent from a management center, said authentic secured control message including a least a command onto a mode in which the consumption appliance has to be switched;

initializing a counter with an initialization value,

triggering the counting of said counter,

switching the at least one consumption appliance in the mode indicated by the command included in the control message either until the counter has reached a threshold value or until the energy saving device receives another authentic secured control message from the management center;

switching, upon the counter reaching said threshold value, the at least one consumption appliance in the default power mode; and

returning, upon another authentic secured control message being received, to the initializing of the counter.

2. Method of claim 1, wherein operating modes further comprise a standby mode.

3. Method of claim 1, wherein said command of said control message further comprises an identifier for identifying to which at least one consumption appliance said command refers.

4. Method of claim 1, wherein said command of said control message further comprises at least one of said initializing value and said threshold value.

5. Method of claim 3, wherein the command includes several commands and the at least one consumption appliance includes several consumption appliances and wherein said control message comprises the several commands in order to respectively control operating of several respective consumption appliances.

6. Method of claim 1, wherein said control message is sent from the energy saving device to the automated selector switch via of a secured wireless communication.

7. Method of claim 1, wherein receiving a control message recognized as being unauthentic by a verifying device comprised in the energy saving device, triggers sending of a warning message to the manager center via a sending device combined with the energy saving device.

8. Method of claim 1, wherein said free power mode is an unlimited power mode.

9. A system for controlling the operating of at least one consumption appliance via an automated selector switch controlled by an energy saving device connected to a management center for switching the at least one consumption appliance between several operating modes including at least a limited power default mode and a free power mode, via a secured control message sent by the management center, the energy saving device including a receiving device, configured to receive the control message and a processor, configured to process said secured control message, the system comprising:

said automated selector switch, wherein said automated selector switch is switchable from one of the several operating modes to another of the several operating modes by way of a control signal sent from the energy saving device;

the energy saving device, wherein the energy saving device comprises at least a counter for counting a time during which the at least one consumption appliance is switchable in one of the several operating modes different from the limited power default mode;

a memory, configured to store at least a threshold value;

an initializing unit, configured to initialize the counter with an initializing value;

an incrementing/decrementing unit for incrementing/decrementing said counter;

a comparing unit for comparing a current value of the counter with the threshold value; and

a sending unit for sending said control signal triggering the switching of the automated selector switch from one of the several operating modes to another one of the several operating modes.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a database, configured to store at least an identifier assigned to said at least one consumption appliance.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the database comprises an electronic address for sending the control signal from the energy saving device to the automated selector switch.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the automated selector switch is attached to said at least one consumption appliance.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the automated selector switch is located within the energy saving device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy saving device is connected to the consumption appliance by way of a secured communication link.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the energy saving device is attached to the at least one consumption appliance.