ENERGY VIRTUALIZATION LAYER WITH A UNIVERSAL SMART GATEWAY

• US 20180359109A1
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Published: 12/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SynCells, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SynCells, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Hora, Gerard
• Granted Patent: US 11,271,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

An energy virtualization system may include a physical interface gateway that may include a plurality of common interfaces. The plurality of common interfaces may be coupled to a plurality of energy-producing devices, a plurality of energy-control devices, and a plurality of energy-consuming devices. The system may also include a building network, where the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices can communicate through building network. The system may additionally include a computing device running an energy virtualization layer. The virtualization layer may include a plurality of virtual devices representing the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices; and the plurality of energy-consuming devices. The virtualization layer may also direct energy from the energy-producing devices to the energy-consuming devices according to information received from the energy-control devices.

Claims

1. An energy virtualization system comprising:

a physical interface gateway comprising a plurality of common interfaces, wherein the plurality of common interfaces are coupled to;

a plurality of energy-producing devices;

a plurality of energy-control devices; and

a plurality of energy-consuming devices;

a building network, wherein the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices communicate through building network; and

a computing device running an energy virtualization layer, wherein;

the virtualization layer comprises a plurality of virtual devices representing the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices; and

the virtualization layer directs energy from the energy-producing devices to the energy-consuming devices according to information received from the energy-control devices.

2. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices communicate through building network according to an IP protocol.

3. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the energy virtualization system is installed in a commercial building.

4. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the energy virtualization system is installed in a residential building.

5. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy-consuming devices comprises an electric vehicle.

6. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the energy virtualization layer is configured to:

receive an indication that a new device has been connected to the physical interface gateway;

determine whether the new device is authorized;

receive information associated with a profile from the new device; and

interface with the new device according to the profile.

7. The energy virtualization system of claim 6, wherein the profile comprises an operating current and voltage for the new device.

8. The energy virtualization system of claim 7, wherein the operating current and voltage for the new device are supplied by the new device to the energy virtualization system.

9. The energy virtualization system of claim 7, wherein the operating current and voltage for the new device are provided to the new device from the energy virtualization system.

10. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy-consuming devices comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

11. A method of operating an energy virtualization system, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of energy-producing devices through a plurality of common interfaces in a physical interface gateway of the energy virtualization system;

receiving a plurality of energy-control devices through a plurality of common interfaces in a physical interface gateway of the energy virtualization system;

receiving a plurality of energy-consuming devices through a plurality of common interfaces in a physical interface gateway of the energy virtualization system;

communicating between the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices through a building network;

representing the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices as a plurality of virtual devices on a virtualization layer running on a computing device; and

directing energy from the energy-producing devices to the energy-consuming devices according to information received by the virtualization layer from the energy-control devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices communicate through building network according to an IP protocol.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the energy virtualization system is installed in a commercial building.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the energy virtualization system is installed in a residential building.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of energy-consuming devices comprises an electric vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an indication that a new device has been connected to the physical interface gateway;

determining whether the new device is authorized;

receiving information associated with a profile from the new device; and

interfacing with the new device according to the profile.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the profile comprises an operating current and voltage for the new device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the operating current and voltage for the new device are supplied by the new device to the energy virtualization system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the operating current and voltage for the new device are provided to the new device from the energy virtualization system.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of energy-consuming devices comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.