Energy cost reduction and ad delivery

• US 7,953,518 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Priyantha, Nissanka Arachchige B., Goraczko, Michel, Zhao, Feng, Kansal, Aman
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh B
• Application Number:
  US12/206,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20100063644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 700/22, 700/286, 700/291, 700295-297, 323299-303, 705/10, 702 60- 62
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates managing energy consumption with an energy sink device in order to reduce energy costs. An energy sink device can consume a portion of energy. An interface component can receive a portion of data related to at least one of a real time energy rate or a user presence. An energy manager can dynamically control the energy sink device for efficient consumption of the portion of energy for reduced energy costs based at least in part upon the evaluation of the portion of received data. The energy manager can leverage the real time energy rate and the user presence in order to employ at least one of a power on the energy sink device, a power off the energy sink device, or an adjust a setting for the energy sink device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an energy sink configured to consume a portion of energy;

an interface component configured to receive a portion of data related to detection of an occupancy;

an energy manager configured to dynamically control the energy sink with respect to consumption of the portion of energy based at least in part upon an evaluation of the portion of received data; and

the energy manager configured to employ at least one of a power on or power off of the energy sink, or an adjustment of a setting for the energy sink, based on the detection of the occupancy.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy sink includes at least one of a heating unit, a heater, an HVAC system, an air conditioner, a light, a refrigerator, a household appliance, a freezer, an electronic unit, a cable box, a tuner, a receiver, a stereo, a photo copy machine, a fax machine, a computer, a machine, or a display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of data includes a portion of external energy data related to a location, the portion of external energy data including at least one of energy pricing data, weather data, a peak load warning, grid instability data, a discount for energy reduction, a social networking service, a portion of calendar data, email information, a global positioning service (GPS) device, a portion of group information, forum information, a purchase, monetary information, medical information, sensors, or a portion of state information external to a location related to the energy sink device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of data includes a portion of internal energy data related to a location, the portion of internal energy data including at least one of a portion of energy sink data, a heating property, a cooling property, a heat loss characteristic, a heat gain characteristic, a network resource within the location, a motion sensor, a heat sensor, a portion of security data, an amount of lighting use, a portion of thermostat data, or a portion of state information internal to a location related to the energy sink device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the portion of state information relates to the location and is includes least one of an absence, an anticipated absence, a presence, or an anticipated absence.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the portion of external energy data is configured to be communicated via at least one of a network, the Internet, a website, a web forum, a service, an entity, a business, a device, or a machine.

7. The system of claim 4, further comprising a security component configured to require consent for collection of the internal energy data in accordance with at least first and second levels of sensitivity of the internal energy data.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an ad component configured to identify at least a portion of an advertisement based on the evaluation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the ad component is configured to communicate the portion of the advertisement.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the ad component is configured to communicate the portion of the advertisement via at least one of a television, a monitor, a computer, a smartphone, a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a gaming device, a portable media player, an energy control device, a gaming console, a portable digital assistance (PDA), a laptop, a hand-held, a portable media device, or a data browsing device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the ad component is configured to communicate information via at least one of a wired channel or a wireless channel.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the energy control device includes at least one of a switch, a thermostat, a power switch, a digital switch, a mode, a setting on a device, or a control module related to the energy sink.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a security component configured to receive the portion of data based at least partly on first and second levels of sensitivity associated with the portion of data.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computation engine configured to utilize an energy/cost optimization algorithm to control the energy sink device to provide at least one of the following:

at least one of an energy loss or an energy gain determined via training;

implementation of a model to formulate an optimization problem; and

adaptation of a result of the energy/cost optimization algorithm based upon the portion of data changing.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the algorithm configured to process data corresponding to at least one of an energy price change and or a weather change.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the algorithm is configured to process data related to at least one of a presence, an absence, a portion of weather data, or an energy price change.

17. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

collecting a portion of data related to detection of an occupancy of a location;

analyzing the portion of data to determine a control setting for an energy sink within the location; and

adjusting the energy sink in accordance with the analyzing, for cost reduction of utilizing the energy sink.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising utilizing the energy sink in the form of at least one of a heating unit, a heater, an HVAC system, an air conditioner, a light, a refrigerator, a household appliance, a freezer, an electronic unit, a cable box, a tuner, a receiver, a stereo, a photo copy machine, a fax machine, a computer, a machine, or a display.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising applying security with regard to collection of the portion of data in accordance with at least first and second levels of sensitivity associated with the portion of data.

20. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions if executed by a computing device causing the computing device to perform operations comprising:

utilizing an energy sink to consume a portion of energy;

receiving a portion of data related to detection of an occupancy;

for dynamically controlling the energy sink with respect to consumption of the portion of energy based at least in part upon an evaluation of the portion of received data; and

via the dynamically controlling, employing at least one of a power on of the energy sink device, a power off of the energy sink device, or an adjustment of a setting for the energy sink device.