Energy management system and method

• US 8,457,797 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US12/893,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20110046800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700/276, 455/567, 370/338
• 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, a system and method includes a network device disposed at a first site, wherein the network device is capable of being altered, and a network device disposed at a second site, wherein the network device is also capable of being altered. A proximity detection module is configured to initiate altering an operating condition of each of the network devices in response to a proximity detection of a location reporting device associated with each of the sites.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first network device disposed at a first site, wherein the network device is capable of being altered;

a first location reporting device associated with the first site;

a second network device disposed at a second site, wherein the network device is capable of being altered;

a second location reporting device associated with the second site; and

a proximity detection module configured to;

detect a first relative location between the first location reporting device and the first site;

detect a second relative location between the second location reporting device and the second site;

alter a first operating condition of the first network device disposed at the first site in response to the first relative location of the first location reporting device; and

alter a second operating condition of the second network device disposed at the second site in response to the second relative location of the second location reporting device.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the proximity detection module is further configured to:

detect a plurality of first zones operably associated with the first site; and

detect a plurality of second zones operably associated with the second site.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the proximity detection module is further configured to:

determine whether the first relative location is disposed within the first zones;

determine whether the second relative location is disposed within the second zones;

alter the first operating condition of the network device disposed at the first site in response to the first relative location being disposed within one of the first zones; and

alter the second operating condition of the network device disposed at the second site in response to the second relative location being disposed within one of the second zones.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a processor configured to:

generate a first control data in response to the first relative location of the first location reporting device;

generate a second control data in response to the second relative location of the second location reporting device;

alter the first operating condition of the network device at the first site using the first control data; and

alter the second operating condition of the network device at the second site using the second control data.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

a first user profile associated with the first location reporting device;

a second user profile associated with the second location reporting device; and

said proximity detection module configured to;

alter the operating condition of the network device disposed at the first site in response to the first relative location and the user profile of the first location reporting device; and

alter the operating condition of the network device disposed at the second site in response to the second relative location and the user profile of the second location reporting device.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

the first user profile including a first enabled proximity setting;

the second user profile including a second enabled proximity setting; and

said proximity detection module is further configured to;

alter the first operating condition of the network device disposed at the first site in response to the first relative location and the first enabled proximity setting of the first user profile; and

alter the second operating condition of the network device disposed at the second site in response to the second relative location and the second enabled proximity setting of the second user profile.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, further comprising an Internet Service Provider gateway including the processor.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a mobile device including the proximity detection module and the processor.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a cloud service configured including the proximity detection module.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

the first network device includes a processor capable of altering the operating condition in response to the proximity detection; and

the second network device includes a processor capable of altering the operating condition in response to the proximity detection.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the network device includes at least one of a personal computer, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, or a wireless router.

12. A method comprising:

detecting a network device at a first site;

detecting a first reporting device associated with the first site;

detecting a network device at a second site;

detecting a second reporting device associated with the second site;

detecting a first relative location between the first location reporting device and the first site;

detecting a second relative location between the second location reporting device and the second site;

altering a first operating condition of the network device disposed at the first site in response to the first relative location of the first location reporting device; and

altering a second operating condition of the network device disposed at the second site in response to the second relative location of the second location reporting device.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a plurality of first zones operably associated with the first site; and

detecting a plurality of second zones operably associated with the second site.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether the first relative location is disposed within the first zones;

determining whether the second relative location is disposed within the second zones;

altering the first operating condition of the network device disposed at the first site in response to the first relative location being disposed within one of the first zones; and

altering the second operating condition of the network device disposed at the second site in response to the second relative location being disposed within one of the second zones.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

generating a first control data in response to the first relative location of the first location reporting device;

generating a second control data in response to the second relative location of the second location reporting device;

altering the first operating condition of the network device at the first site using the first control data; and

altering the second operating condition of the network device at the second site using the second control data.

16. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a first user profile associated with the first location reporting device;

detecting a second user profile associated with the second location reporting device;

altering the first operating condition of the network device disposed at the first site in response to the first relative location and the user profile of the first location reporting device; and

altering the second operating condition of the network device disposed at the second site in response to the second relative location and the user profile of the second location reporting device.

17. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising detecting a mobile device associated with both sites and capable of altering an operating condition of the first network device and the second network device.