System for Managing the Energy Consumption of a Building

• US 20180259919A1
• Filed: 01/05/2016
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubiant SA
• Original Assignee: Ubiant SA
• Inventors: OLIVIER, Emmanuel, MANSOUR, Saber, LEFEVRE, Olivier, BAZILLE, Romain, DEMARES, Francois
• Granted Patent: US 10,642,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• 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 23/1927 using a plurality of sensors G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence

Abstract

System (1) for managing the energy consumption of a building including at least one area, incorporating:

• • a set of sensors (8) capable of generating information representative of environmental parameters—in particular the temperature and the brightness prevailing within the area in which they are installed;
  • a set of at least one actuator (4-6) capable of acting on the temperature and/or brightness existing in the said area;
  • a computer system (2) designed to receive the said information from the said sensors (8), and to send instructions to the said actuators (4-6), while executing regulation process for the said actuators (4-6) in order to comply with a set of at least two predetermined criteria;

characterized by the fact that it also incorporates:

• • a routing device (3) connected to the said IT system (2), the said sensors (8) and the said actuators (4-6), designed to transmit information representative of environmental parameters to the IT system (2) and set levels to the said actuators (4-6);
  • a man-machine interface device (10) located in the said area, connected to said routing device (2), and incorporating:
    • a system (121) for displaying information from the IT system (2); means (131-135, 150) of entering information pertaining to the configuration of the actuators and/or sensors present in the area, and to instructions from users present in the area.

Claims

1. / System (1) for managing the energy consumption of a building including at least one area, incorporating:

a set of sensors (8) capable of generating information representative of environmental parameters—

in particular the temperature and the brightness prevailing within the area in which they are installed;

a set of at least one actuator (4-6) capable of acting on the temperature and/or brightness existing in the said area;

a computer system (2) designed to receive the said information from the said sensors (8), and to send instructions to the said actuators (4-6), and to implement a process of regulation of the said actuators (4-6) via a multi-agents system, in order to comply with a set of at least two predetermined criteria,

characterized by the fact that it also incorporates;

a routing device (3) connected to the said IT system (2), the said sensors (8) and the said actuators (4-6), designed to transmit information representative of environmental parameters to the IT system (2) and set levels to the said actuators (4-6);

a man-machine interface device (10) located in the said area, connected to said routing device (2), and incorporating;

a system (121) for displaying information from the IT system (2);

means (131-135, 150) of entering information pertaining to the configuration of the actuators and/or sensors present in the area, and to instructions from user present in the area.

2. / System in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the man-machine interface device incorporates all or part of the sensors (141-144) capable of generating information representative of environmental parameters.

3. / System in accordance with claim 2, characterized by the fact that the environmental parameters are selected from the group including energy consumption, atmospheric pressure, temperature, carbon dioxide level, sound level, brightness, relative humidity, presence of users, and the level of volatile organic compounds.

4. / System in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the man-machine interface device incorporates an electronic control unit capable of executing a program generating set levels for the actuators in the event of a break in the connection between the routing device (3) and the IT system (2).

5. / System in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the man-machine interface device (10) and the routing device (3) are incorporated within one unit.

6. / System in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that one of the actuators is a heat source and a second actuator is a light or sun blind device.

7. / System in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the information acquisition system (150) operates via contactless communication.

8. / System in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the information relating to the configuration of the actuators and/or sensors contains an identifier for the actuator and/or sensor.

9. System in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the IT system (2) incorporates a database (22) of actuators and/or sensors that can be integrated into the set of sensors and/or actuators, identified by their identifier.

10. / System in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the system (121) 20 for displaying information from the IT system shows information items selected from the group including:

an indication of the instantaneous level of energy consumption; and

an indication of the cumulative level of energy consumption as a function of the targets set by the user;

an indication pertaining to the comparison of the instantaneous energy consumption level with the level of consumption of buildings of the same type for which statistics are compiled by the computer system;

an indication pertaining to the comparison of the cumulative energy consumption level with the level of consumption of buildings of the same type for which statistics are compiled by the computer system.