Point-of-use status indicator

• US 8,063,787 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Parker, Kevin L., Glasgow, David R., Brown, Scott R., Filippenko, Alexander S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie
• Application Number:
  US12/653,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20110140901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/635
• 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 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• 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: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A point-of-use energy status indicator monitoring the presence or absence of energy at a monitored device that is required for proper operation of a point-of-use device. The point-of-use indicator being in two-way communication with a status determining device that monitors the monitored device. The status determining device being capable of overriding a utility or energy management system curtailment of energy to the monitored device in response to receiving a signal from a means for overriding located in the point-of-use energy status indicator.

Claims

1. A point-of-use energy status indicator comprising:

a first display indicating the status of energy provided by a utility to a monitored device required for proper operation of an appliance or device located at the point-of-use;

a second display indicating a reason for which energy provided by the utility is not available at the monitored device, at least one of which is an energy curtailment imposed by one of the utility or an energy management system;

means for overriding the energy curtailment imposed on the monitored device by either the utility or the energy management system.

2. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 1, wherein the first indicator includes at least one of a red indicating device for indicating the utility energy OFF status or a green indicating device for indicating the utility energy ON status.

3. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 2, wherein the first indicator is a LED.

4. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 1, wherein the second indicator comprises a text message display.

5. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 4, wherein the text message is defined by the user.

6. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 1, wherein the point-of-use energy status indicator further includes a microprocessor and means for two-way communications with a status determining device monitoring energy to the monitored device.

7. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 6, wherein the means for two-way communications can be hard wired or wireless.

8. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 6, wherein the means for two-way communications is a ZigBee device.

9. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 6, wherein the status determining device can be remotely operated by the means for overriding to restore energy to the monitored device.

10. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 6, wherein the status determining device is a remotely controllable circuit breaker.

11. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 6, wherein the status determining device is a relay.

12. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 1, further including a housing for supporting and protecting the first and second displays, the means for overriding and their associated electronics, the housing being configured for attachable placement on, to or near the point-of-use appliance or device.

13. A point-of-use energy status indicator comprising:

a first status indicator for indicating the status of energy at a monitored device required for proper operation of a point-of-use device;

a second status indicator for indicating a reason for which energy is not available at the monitored device;

a means for overriding an energy curtailment imposed on the monitored device by the utility or an energy management system.

14. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, wherein the first indicator can be either a visual indicator or an audible indicator.

15. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, wherein the second indicator can be either a visual indicator or an audible indicator.

16. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, wherein the second indicator can be a text message display.

17. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 16, wherein the text message is defined by the user.

18. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, wherein the monitored device and the point-of-use device are remote from one another.

19. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, wherein the monitored device and the point-of-use device are the same.

20. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, further includes a microprocessor and means for two-way communications with a status determining device in electrical communication with the monitored device.

21. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 20, wherein the means for two-way communications can be hard wired or wireless.

22. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 20, wherein the status determining device can be remotely operated by the means for overriding to restore utility energy to the monitored device.

23. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 20, wherein the status determining device is a remotely controllable circuit breaker.

24. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 20, wherein the status determining device is a relay.

25. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 20, wherein the monitored device is a water heater and the point-of-use device can be any one of a shower, a bath tub, a dishwasher, a clothes washer or a sink faucet.

26. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, wherein the reasons for which energy from the utility is not available at the first appliance or device can be selected from a menu or user defined.

27. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, wherein the reasons for which energy from the utility is not available at the monitored device can include utility demand response, peak demand period, energy management curtailment, circuit breaker tripped, circuit breaker off, utility power outage, backup generator.

28. The point-of-use energy status indicator of claim 13, wherein the point-of-use status indicator can include an occupancy sensor for initiating the status indicator operation when a potential point-of-use device user enters a room in which the point-of-use device is located.