Multi-network communication interfaces for wireless energy networks

• US 8,099,195 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US12/893,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20110046801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/278
• US Class Current: 700/278
• 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 apparatus for an energy management system includes a controller having an application interface configured to use at least a portion of an incoming message communicated using a home energy network at a residential site. The incoming message includes at least a portion of a first user energy management schedule, and the controller is capable of altering use of a resource in response to the first user energy management schedule. A first communication interface is operably coupled to the application interface and configured to communicate with a first network operably associated with the home energy network; and a second communication interface is operably coupled to the application interface and configured to communicate with a second network operably associated with the home energy network, wherein the second network is different than the first network.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an application interface configured to use at least a portion of an incoming message communicated using a home energy network at a residential site;

wherein the incoming message includes at least a portion of a first user energy management schedule;

a controller capable of altering use of a resource in response to the first user energy management schedule;

a first communication interface operably coupled to the application interface and configured to communicate with a first network operably associated with the home energy network;

a second communication interface operably coupled to the application interface and configured to communicate with a second network operably associated with the home energy network, wherein the second network is different than the first network;

wherein one of the communication interfaces is configured to detect a WIFI network connection of a mobile device connected to a WIFI enabled network;

wherein the mobile device is associated with the first user energy management schedule;

wherein the application interface is further configured to initiate use of the first user energy management schedule in response to a detection of a connection of the mobile device and the WIFI enabled network; and

wherein the application interface is further configured to initiate altering use of the resource in response to a detection of an absence of a connection between the mobile device and the WIFI enabled network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a multi-network communications interface that includes the first communication interface and the second communication interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first communication interface is configured to communicate using a ZigBee enabled communication protocol; and

the second communication interface is configured to communicate using a WIFI enabled communication protocol.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a WIFI enabled communication device operably coupled to the second communication interface;

wherein the application interface is further configured to receive the incoming message as an incoming WIFI message from a WIFI network coupled to the WIFI enabled communication device; and

wherein the incoming WIFI message includes the first portion of the first user energy management schedule.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

wherein the WIFI enabled communication device is capable of receiving the first portion of the first user energy management schedule.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the incoming WIFI message includes a first control action data.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

wherein the incoming WIFI message is communicated from an energy client operable to be coupled to the WIFI enabled network; and

wherein the at least a portion of the first user energy management schedule is generated from a scheduling application accessible to the energy client.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a Zigbee enabled communication device capable of communicating with the first communication interface;

wherein the application interface is further configured to use at least a first portion of a second user energy management schedule received using the first communication interface; and

wherein the second user energy management schedule is different from the first user energy management schedule.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the first portion of the first user energy management schedule includes a first control action;

wherein the second communication interface is configured to receive a first portion of a second user energy management schedule including a second control action;

wherein the application interface is configured to use both the first portion of the first user schedule and the first portion of the second user schedule;

wherein the first portion of the second user schedule is received after the first portion of the first user schedule;

wherein the second control action is configured to control the resource prior to the first control action;

wherein the controller is configured to enable use of the second control action; and

wherein the controller is configured to enable use of the first control action after the second control action.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the application interface is configured to use a second incoming message communicated using the second network;

wherein the second incoming message includes a second control action data representing a portion of a second user energy management schedule;

wherein the second control data is configured in response to a detection of a distance between a mobile device associated with a user of the second user energy management schedule and the residential site.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless thermostat accessible using a WIFI enabled electronic device operable to be used to remotely control use of the wireless thermostat.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an energy management scheduling tool accessible using a WIFI network communication device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the first communication interface is configured to receive an operating status of the resource; and

wherein the controller is configured to receive a first portion of a second energy management schedule enabled in response to the operating status of the resource, wherein the second energy management schedule is different from the first energy management schedule.