Communication Interface for Wireless Energy Networks

• US 8,082,065 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin, Hollister, James
• Primary Examiner(s): JARRETT, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/948,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20110051823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/278, 700/286, 700/295, 700/297
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/75 for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• 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: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 : variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 : Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 : Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 : Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 : Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 : Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• 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 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 : Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 : Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 : Photovoltaic [PV]
• 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: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• 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

Abstract

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an energy management apparatus for a home energy management system and method includes a processor operable to manage energy use at a site. The processor is configured to convert an incoming message received from a wireless energy network into XML enabled output data and format an outgoing message to be output to the wireless energy network using XML enabled input data. A communication interface is configured to enable access to a communication device having access to the wireless energy network, wherein the communication interface is further configured to detect the outgoing message formatted by the processor to be output using the wireless energy network; configure the outgoing message to a message bus format, detect the incoming message received from the wireless energy network, and convert the incoming message from the message bus format to access the incoming network device data.

Claims

1. An energy management apparatus comprising:

a processor operable to manage energy use at a site, wherein the processor is configured to;

convert an incoming message received from a wireless energy network into XML enabled output data;

format an outgoing message to be output to the wireless energy network using XML enabled input data, wherein the XML enabled input data includes a network device identifier of a network device accessible using the wireless energy network; and

a communication interface configured to enable access to a communication device having access to the wireless energy network, wherein the communication interface is further configured to;

detect the outgoing message formatted by the processor to be output by the communication device using the wireless energy network;

convert the outgoing message from a message bus format to a communication device format associated with the communication device, wherein the outgoing message includes network device data configured to be output to the wireless energy network;

detect the incoming message received from the wireless energy network using the communication device, wherein the incoming message includes incoming network device data; and

convert the incoming message from the communication device format associated with the communication device to the message bus format to allow the processor to access the incoming network device data.

2. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless data module accessible to the processor and configured to generate profile data to be used with the outgoing message; and

a network device profile module accessible to the wireless data module, wherein the network device profile module includes a network device profile of the network device accessible to the wireless energy network.

3. The energy management apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a profile modifier module including profile modification data of the network device not available within the network device profile.

4. The energy management apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

wherein the device profile includes a Zigbee enabled thermostat device profile having home automation profile data and smart energy profile data; and

wherein the profile modification data includes at least one thermostat operating state condition.

5. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first user profile accessible to the processor, wherein the first user profile includes;

a first time schedule to operate the network device;

at least one control setting to control the network device;

a first user identifier to identify the first user; and

the network device identifier to identify the network device;

a second user profile accessible to the processor, wherein the second user profile is different from the first user profile and includes;

a second time schedule to operate the network device;

at least one control setting to control the network device;

a second user identifier to identify the second user;

the network device identifier to identify the network device; and

wherein the processor is further configured to;

determine when to use the first user profile or the second user profile;

initiate an outgoing message using the first user schedule or the second user schedule; and

update the first user profile and the second user profile in response to user interacting with the network device during use of the first user schedule or the second user schedule.

6. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor including a Linux enabled processor configured to:

convert an incoming Zigbee enabled message to the XML enabled output data; and

format the XML enabled input data to an outgoing Zigbee enabled message.

7. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

enable a Java operating environment;

initiate generation of a Java output object using the XML enabled input data, wherein the Java output object includes network device data of a ZigBee enabled network device accessible to the wireless energy network; and

initiate generation of XML enabled output data from an incoming message using a Java input object, wherein the Java input object accesses network device data using a network device profile.

8. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication interface includes an application program interface (API) configured to enable access to a ZigBee enabled communication device operably coupled to a communication bus accessible to the API.

9. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a Zigbee enabled communication device capable of coordinating the wireless energy network;

a network connector coupled to a data communication interface operable to be coupled to an information network; and

a home controller module configured to;

initiate coordinating the wireless energy network;

initiate outputting the XML enabled output data as site report data to the data communication interface;

receive control report data including the XML enabled input data using the data communication interface; and

initiate generation of Zigbee enabled output messages using the XML enabled input data.

10. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

initiate coordinating the wireless energy network at a first security level;

enable access to the network device at the first security level;

initiate receipt of the incoming message using the first security level;

disable access to the network device;

initiate access to a second network device at a second security level;

enable access to the second network device using the second security level;

initiate receipt of a second incoming message using the second security level; and

disable access to the second network device.

11. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first wireless communication device operably coupled to the processor, wherein the first wireless communication device is capable of coordinating the wireless energy network; and

a second wireless communication device operably coupled to the processor, wherein the second wireless communication device is capable of joining a second wireless energy network.

12. The energy management apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second wireless energy network includes an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) enabled network operably associated with an AMI enabled smart meter.

13. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) enabled network interface capable of initiating access to an AMI enabled smart meter;

wherein the communication interface is further configured to use the AMI enabled network interface to receive AMI data from the AMI enabled smart meter;

wherein the processor is further configured to initiate altering an operating condition of the network device in response to detecting AMI data received from the AMI enabled smart meter;

wherein the processor is further configured to detect a smart energy control request output by the AMI enabled smart meter; and

wherein the processor is further configured to initiate use of the smart energy control request at the network device.

14. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a information network interface configured to access an information network that does not include the wireless energy network.

15. The energy management apparatus of claim 14, wherein the information network can be used to access a wireless information network and a non-wireless information network.

16. The energy management apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a wireless communication device capable of accessing the wireless energy network; and

a WIFI device coupled to the wireless information network interface, wherein the WIFI device is configured to connect to a WIFI network device using a WIFI network, wherein the WIFI network device is capable of initiating control of the network device.

17. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a proximity detection module configured to:

detect a distance between a location reporting device and the site;

identify an current operating condition of the network device;

identify an updated operating condition of the network device in response to the detected distance; and

initiate generation of the outgoing message including the updated operating condition.

18. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is configured as one or more of the following:

a serial bus interface;

a parallel bus interface;

a serial —

parallel bus interface;

a universal serial bus interface;

industry standard bus interface;

controller area network bus interface;

a serial peripheral interface;

a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter interface;

a control bus interface; and

standard digital input output interface.

19. The energy management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is configurable to use one or more of:

powerline communication;

wire line communication;

wireless communication

Zigbee based communication;

802.15 based communication;

INSETEON communication;

X10 communication;

Z-Wave communication;

Bluetooth communication;

WiMAX based communication;

802.16 based communication;

WIFI based communication; and

802.11 based communication.

20. An energy management apparatus comprising:

a Linux based server housed within a plug computer operable to manage energy use at a site; and

wherein the plug computer includes;

a Java enabled processor;

memory configured to store incoming and outgoing wireless energy network messages;

a Zigbee based communication device capable of accessing a wireless energy network;

a network communication interface capable of communicating with an information network;

a communication interface operably coupled to a communication bus and the Zigbee based communication device;

wherein the processor is configured to;

convert an incoming message received from the wireless energy network into XML enabled output data;

format an outgoing message to be output to the wireless energy network using XML enabled input data, wherein the XML enabled input data includes a network device identifier of a network device accessible using the wireless energy network; and

wherein the communication interface is configured to;

detect the outgoing message formatted by the processor to be output by the communication device using the wireless energy network;

convert the outgoing message from a message bus format to a communication device format associated with the communication device, wherein the outgoing message includes network device data configured to be output to the wireless energy network;

detect the incoming message received from the wireless energy network, wherein the incoming message includes incoming network device data; and

convert the incoming message from the communication device format to the message bus format to allow the processor to access the incoming network device data.