ENERGY SAVINGS SELECTOR TOOL

• US 20150249336A1
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Raneri, Daniel Curtis
• Granted Patent: US 10,067,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

An energy savings selector tool may assists a user in determining electrical devices that, when implemented in a load control system, may reduce an amount of power used by the load control system. The energy savings selector tool may use load control information of the load control system to identify electrical devices that may be added to or replace other electrical devices in the load control system. The load control information may define operations of the load control system and/or include energy usage information of the load control system. The energy savings selector tool may identify savings information associated with implementing an electrical device in the load control system. Once an electrical device is installed in the load control system, the energy savings selector tool may be used to report energy savings information about the electrical device.

Claims

1. A system controller device configured to recommend, via an energy savings selector tool, an electrical device for reducing an amount of power consumed by a load control system, the system controller device comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine the amount of power consumed by the load control system over a period of time, wherein the amount of power consumed by the load control system is determined based on load control information associated with a first electrical device, wherein the first electrical device is at least one of a first electrical load or a first electrical load control device configured to control an amount of power provided to the first electrical load;

determine a second electrical device that, when installed in the load control system, reduces the amount of power consumed by the load control system, wherein the second electrical device is at least one of a second electrical load or a second electrical load control device configured to control an amount of power provided to the second electrical load;

determine savings information associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system, wherein the savings information indicates a savings associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system; and

provide the savings information associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system.

2. The system controller device of claim 1, wherein the load control information comprises usage information associated with the first electrical device.

3. The system controller device of claim 2, wherein the usage information includes an amount of time the first electrical device is energized or an amount of power consumed by the first electrical device.

4. The system controller device of claim 2, wherein the usage information comprises an average amount of time the first electrical device is energized or an average amount of power consumed by the first electrical device.

5. The system controller device of claim 1, wherein the first electrical load is included in a plurality of electrical loads controlled by the first electrical load control device, and wherein the load control information comprises a number of electrical loads in the plurality of electrical loads, a load type associated with the plurality of electrical loads, and a power rating associated with the plurality of electrical loads.

6. The system controller device of claim 5, wherein the first electrical load is a lighting load, and wherein the load control information further comprises an intensity level for the lighting load.

7. The system controller device of claim 1, wherein the savings information comprises at least one of cost savings information or payback information, wherein the cost savings information comprises an amount of savings associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system, and wherein the payback information comprises an amount of time to pay back a cost of the second electrical device.

8. The system controller device of claim 7, wherein the second electrical device is a recommended replacement for the first electrical device or a recommended addition to the first electrical device in the load control system.

9. The system controller device of claim 8, wherein the amount of savings comprises a projected amount of savings if the second electrical device is used in the load control system, and wherein the amount of time to pay back the cost of the second electrical device comprises a projected amount of time that is based on the projected amount of savings.

10. The system controller device of claim 9, wherein the projected amount of savings is based on usage information associated with the first electrical device over the period of time, and wherein the usage information includes an amount of time the first electrical device is energized or an amount of power consumed by the first electrical device.

11. The system controller device of claim 8, wherein the second electrical device is the recommended replacement for the first electrical device, wherein the first electrical load and the second electrical load comprise different types of lighting loads, and wherein the first electrical load control device and the second electrical load control device comprise different types of dimmer switches, lighting ballasts, or light emitting diode (LED) drivers.

12. The system controller device of claim 8, wherein the second electrical device is the recommended addition to the first electrical device in the load control system, and wherein the second electrical device is a motorized window treatment or a sensor.

13. The system controller device of claim 7, wherein the amount of savings comprises an amount of savings after installation of the second electrical device in the load control system.

14. The system controller device of claim 13, wherein the amount of time to pay back the cost of the second electrical device is based on the amount of savings.

15. The system controller device of claim 13, wherein the amount of savings after installation is based on usage information associated with the second electrical device over the period of time.

16. The system controller device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide, to a network device, information identifying the second electrical device and information for purchasing the second electrical device.

17. The system controller device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive digital messages from a network device for controlling the first electrical load via the first electrical load control device, and send, via a network communication circuit, information in the digital messages to the first electrical load control device.

18. The system controller device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to provide, via a transmitter, the savings information to a network device.

19. A load control system comprising:

a first electrical device, wherein the first electrical device is at least one of a first electrical load or a first electrical load control device configured to control an amount of power provided to the first electrical load; and

a system controller device configured to;

determine an amount of power consumed by the load control system over a period of time, wherein the amount of power consumed by the load control system is determined based on load control information associated with the first electrical device;

determine a second electrical device that, when installed in the load control system, reduces the amount of power consumed by the load control system, wherein the second electrical device is at least one of a second electrical load or a second electrical load control device configured to control an amount of power provided to the second electrical load;

determine savings information associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system, wherein the savings information indicates a savings associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system; and

provide the savings information associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system.

20. A method for recommending an electrical device for reducing an amount of power used by a load control system, the method comprising:

determining the amount of power consumed by the load control system over a period of time, wherein the amount of power consumed by the load control system is determined based on load control information associated with a first electrical device, wherein the first electrical device is at least one of a first electrical load or a first electrical load control device configured to control an amount of power provided to the first electrical load;

determining a second electrical device that, when installed in the load control system, reduces the amount of power consumed by the load control system, wherein the second electrical device is at least one of a second electrical load or a second electrical load control device configured to control an amount of power provided to the second electrical load;

determining savings information associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system, wherein the savings information indicates a savings associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system; and

providing the savings information associated with using the second electrical device in the load control system.