Power node with network switch

• US 8,335,936 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Greenwave Reality, Pte Ltd. (Greenwave Reality, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jonsson, Karl, Diehl, William, Lyons, Timothy, Manniche, Martin, Windstrup, Sonny
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Fahmida
• Application Number:
  US13/289,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20120060044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713320-324, 713/330, 713/340, 307/31, 307112-113, 307125-126, 307130-131, 307/139, 361/641, 361/643, 361/647
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/14 Displaying of utility usage with respect to time, e.g. for monitoring evolution of usage or with respect to weather conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/24 Identification of individual loads, e.g. by analysing current/voltage waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/703 operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. dual-continuity coupling partH01R13/71 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/16 The load or loads being an Information and Communication Technology [ICT] facility
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/66 one of the loads acting as master and the other or others acting as slaves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/70 Load identification
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/60 Planning or developing urban green infrastructure
• 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: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 : Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 : the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A power node provides energy management and network expansion features in a networked data communications and control environment that may be utilized in an energy management system implementing a method of managing energy. Network expansion may be provided by integrating a networking bridge from a power line network to one or more wired network ports or a wireless network. The power outlet on the power node providing power to a device may be identified and associated with information about the device.

Claims

1. A power node comprising:

a power plug;

one or more power sockets including a particular power socket;

a power switch interposed between the power plug and the particular power socket to control a flow of power from the power plug to the particular power socket;

a voltage sensor operable to measure voltage at the particular power socket;

a current sensor operable to measure current flowing through the particular power socket;

a first network interface utilizing a powerline communication physical layer to communicate through the power plug;

bridge circuitry to bridge the first network interface to a second network interface utilizing a second physical layer; and

a processor that is configured to;

receive information, through the second network interface, about one or more devices plugged into the one or more power sockets;

measure at least one electrical parameter of the particular power socket;

compare the at least one electrical parameter to expected values for the one or more devices based on the information received about the one or more devices;

identify a particular device of the one or more devices that receives power from the particular power socket based, at least in part, on the comparison;

send at least some of the information about the particular device and an identifier of the particular power socket across the first network interface;

send a message across at least the first network interface containing information based on the at least one electrical parameter;

receive a command over the first network interface; and

control the power switch based on the received command.

2. The power node of claim 1, wherein the processor identifies the particular device based, at least in part, on a predetermined association between the particular power socket and a network connector coupled to the second network interface that is used to receive the information about the particular device.

3. The power node of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to turn off the power switch and attempt to communicate with the one or more devices through the second network interface to identify the particular device.

4. The power node of claim 1, wherein the second network interface includes one or more ethernet connectors and uses a wired ethernet physical layer.

5. The power node of claim 1, further comprising:

an insertion switch coupled to the processor and having an electrical state indicating whether a device plug is inserted in the particular power socket;

wherein the processor is further configured to identify the particular device in response to a change in the electrical state of the insertion switch.

6. The power node of claim 1, further comprising:

a selector device configured to provide an environmental variable from a plurality of selectable environmental variables;

wherein the processor is further configured to use the environmental variable received from the selector device to communicate over the bridged network.

7. The power node of claim 1, the power switch being a first power switch, the power node further comprising:

a second power socket of the one or more power sockets;

a second power switch interposed between the power plug and the second power socket; and

a first network connector and a second network connector communicatively coupled to the second network interface and physically accessible from outside the housing;

wherein the particular power socket is associated with the first network connector;

the second power socket is associated with the second network connector; and

the processor is further configured to identify a second device of the one or more devices that receives power from the second power socket.