ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160258647A1
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James, Cottrell, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,613,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1923 using thermal energy, the cost of which varies in function of time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 : characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 : characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0001 : using modification of a parameter of the network power signal
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 : using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 : involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 : the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 : The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 : by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/244 : the home appliances being or involving heating ventilating and air conditioning [HVAC] units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/128 : involving the use of Internet protocol

Abstract

A temperature controlling apparatus includes a display configured to present an operating condition of the apparatus, and a communication module configured to communicate with at least one mobile device associated with the apparatus. The apparatus includes a processor in communication with a proximity detection module configured to determine a location of the at least one mobile device relative to the apparatus based on data received and initiate implementation of a home mode or an away mode of the apparatus in response to the determined location of the mobile device. The processor configured to initiate implementation of the away mode of the apparatus in response to a manual input received from a graphical user interface of the at least one mobile device.

Claims

1. A temperature controlling apparatus, comprising:

a display configured to present an operating condition of the apparatus;

a communication module configured to communicate with at least one mobile device associated with the apparatus;

a processor in communication with a proximity detection module configured to determine a location of the at least one mobile device relative to the apparatus based on data received and initiate implementation of a home mode or an away mode of the apparatus in response to the determined location of the mobile device; and

the processor configured to initiate implementation of the away mode of the apparatus in response to a manual input received from a graphical user interface of the at least one mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the manual input received from the graphical user interface includes a manual selection of an energy savings mode, a vacation mode or a smart energy mode.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the away mode can be manually implemented for a predetermined period of time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximity detection module is a mobile device enabled proximity detection module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximity detection module is configured to detect the location of the at least one mobile device relative to at least one geofence associated with the apparatus and initiate the home mode or the away mode based on the detected location relative to the at least one geofence.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mobile device includes a first mobile device and a second mobile device and the proximity detection module is configured to:

detect a presence of the first mobile device and the second mobile device relative to the at least one geofence;

initiate the home mode based on the detected presence of either the first mobile device or the second mobile device within the at least one geofence; and

initiate the away mode based on the detected presence of the first mobile device and the second mobile device each outside the geofence.

7. The system of claim 1, further including:

means for monitoring performance data of the apparatus, and

means for determining and sending an energy alert to the at least one mobile device associated with the user in response to the monitored performance data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity detection module is a server enabled proximity detection module.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to initiate implementation of the away mode in response to a web-based manual input.

10. A temperature controlling apparatus to be disposed at a site for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:

a display configured to present an operating condition of the apparatus;

a communication module configured to communicate with at least one mobile device associated with the apparatus;

a processor in communication with a proximity detection module disposed remotely from the site, the proximity detection module configured to determine a location of the at least one mobile device relative to the site based on data received and initiate implementation of a home mode or an away mode of the apparatus in response to the determined location of the mobile device;

the processor configured to initiate implementation of the away mode in response to a manual input received from a graphical user interface of the at least one mobile device; and

the processor in communication with a proximity control selector provided on the graphical user interface of the mobile device, the processor configured to enable and disable control of the apparatus based on the proximity detection module in response to a manual selection of the proximity control selector.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the manual input received from the graphical user interface includes a manual selection of an energy savings mode, a vacation mode, or a smart energy mode.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the away mode can be manually implemented for a predetermined period of time

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the proximity control selector is provided as a push button or a toggle switch on the graphical user interface of the mobile device.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the display comprises a touch screen display.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the proximity detection module is disposed on a remote cloud-based server, and wherein the communication module is configured to connect to a WIFI network at a site and can communicate with the server enabled proximity detection module using the WIFI network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the proximity detection module is disposed on the mobile device, and wherein the communication module is configured to connect to a WIFI network at a site and communicate with the mobile device enabled proximity detection module using the WIFI network.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising at least one geofence associated with the temperature controlling apparatus and wherein the proximity detection module is configured to:

detect a presence of at least one mobile device relative to the at least one geofence; and

initiate the home mode or the away mode based on the detected location relative to the at least one geofence.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one mobile device includes a first mobile device and a second mobile device and the proximity detection module is configured to:

detect a presence of the first mobile device and the second mobile device relative to the at least one geofence;

initiate the home mode based on the detected presence of either the first mobile device or the second mobile device within the at least one geofence; and

initiate the away mode based on the detected presence of the first mobile device and the second mobile device each outside the geofence.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further including:

means for monitoring performance data of the apparatus, and

means for determining and sending an energy alert to the at least one mobile device associated with the user in response to the monitored performance data.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to initiate implementation of the away mode in response to a web-based manual input.

21. A temperature controlling apparatus to be disposed at a site for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:

a touch screen display configured to present an operating condition of the apparatus and including a selector to allow for manual altering of the operating condition;

a communication module configured to communicate with at least one mobile device and allow for altering of the operating condition;

a processor configured to implement the operating condition manually altered by the selector and the operating condition remotely altered by the mobile device;

the processor in communication with a proximity detection module disposed remotely from the apparatus, the proximity detection module configured to determine a location of the at least one mobile device relative to a boundary associated with the site based on data received and initiate implementation of a home mode in response to detecting the at least one mobile device inside the boundary and initiate implementation of an away mode of the apparatus in response to the detecting the at least one mobile device outside the boundary;

the processor in communication with a proximity control selector provided on the graphical user interface of the mobile device, the processor configured to enable and disable control of the apparatus based on the proximity detection module in response to a manual selection of the proximity control selector; and

the processor configured to initiate implementation of the away mode in response to a manual input received from the graphical user interface of the at least one mobile device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the manual input received from the graphical user interface includes a manual selection of an energy savings mode, a vacation mode, or a smart energy mode.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the energy savings mode can be manually implemented for a predetermined period of time

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the proximity control selector is provided as a push button or a toggle switch on the graphical user interface of the mobile device.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the proximity detection module is disposed on a remote cloud-based server, and wherein the communication module is configured to connect to a WIFI network at a site and can communicate with the proximity detection module using the WIFI network.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the communication module is configured to receive firmware updates from the remote server using the WIFI network.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the touch screen display includes a weather forecast display configured to display forecasted weather conditions received by an external data source.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one mobile device includes a first mobile device and a second mobile device and the proximity detection module is configured to:

detect a presence of the first mobile device and the second mobile device relative to the at least one boundary;

initiate the home mode based on the detected presence of either the first mobile device or the second mobile device within the at least one boundary; and

initiate the away mode based on the detected presence of the first mobile device and the second mobile device each outside the at least one boundary.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, further including:

an energy rating module in communication with the processor and configured to monitor performance data of the apparatus, and

a messaging module in communication with the processor and configured to determine and send an energy alert to the at least one mobile device associated with the user in response to the monitored performance data.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to initiate implementation of the away mode in response to a web-based manual input.