Power control system and method

• US 8,666,560 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanergy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanergy, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheung, Lee, Lu, Jin, Kelly, Todd Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOPEZ ALVAREZ, OLVIN
• Application Number:
  US13/872,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20130245842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 700/289, 726/12
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• 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 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; 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 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• 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 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control 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 power control system/method implementing Internet based access to hybrid home automation networks is disclosed. The system utilizes a smart gateway power controller (SGPC) to selectively switch an AC power source to a load device under control of local or remote network commands that may be routed through a variety of network interfaces and protocols present within home or other structure-local communications network. SGPC configurations may be nested within a home automation network to permit separation of control for load devices within a common home automation environment. Present invention methods may include routing protocols between disparate home automation networks as well as remote access protocols that permit control of disparate home automation networks via the Internet using a wide variety of remote access interfaces including mobile devices, tablet computers, laptops, desktop computers, and the like.

Claims

1. A Smart Gateway Power Control (SGPC) system comprising:

(a) power source plug;

(b) power load receptacle;

(c) power switch;

(d) power monitor;

(e) computing device; and

(f) wireless communication interface;

wherein

said power switch comprises a primary and secondary contactor, said primary and secondary contactor electrically connected in response to a control input;

said power source plug is electrically connected to said primary contactor of said power switch;

said power load receptacle is electrically connected to said secondary contactor of said power switch;

said power monitor produces a power value output in response to the electrical power flowing through said power load receptacle;

said computing device is electrically connected to said power switch control input;

said computing device is electrically connected to said power monitor power value output;

said computing device is configured to communicate to a first computer network via said wireless communication interface and modulates the state of said power switch control input in response to commands received from a user interface communicating with a second computer network using a communication device;

said computing device is configured to communicate with said first computer network via said wireless communication interface and transmits said power value output through said second computer network in response to commands received from said user interface communicating with said second computer network using said communication device;

said computing device is configured to send a periodic message from said SGPC to a proxy server containing the ID, password, router IP ADR, port, and subnet vector or path of said SGPC;

said computing device is configured to store said SGPC periodic message with a proxy server in an SGPC ID translation database;

said communication device is configured to request a SGPC ID translation by said proxy server from said user interface;

said communication device is configured to validate said SGPC ID and password provided by said user interface using said proxy server;

said communication device is configured to determine if said SGPC ID and password are valid, and if so, return the router IP ADR, port, and subnet vector or path for said SGPC to said user interface; and

said communication device is configured to determine if said SGPC ID and password are valid, and if not, return an error code to said user interface.

2. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said second computer network comprises the Internet.

3. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) operating on a computing device selected from a group consisting of:

a cellphone, smartphone, laptop computer, desktop computer, and tablet computer.

4. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises multiple disparate wireless communication interfaces on separate subnets with each of said disparate wireless communication interfaces supporting different communication subnet protocols.

5. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises multiple disparate wireless communication interfaces with each of said disparate wireless communication interfaces supporting different communication protocols with said system operating as a subnet sub-gateway between said disparate wireless communication interfaces.

6. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises a ZIGBEE®

wireless communication interface.

7. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to a schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

8. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to a time-based schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

9. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to an event-based schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

10. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said computing device transmits to an e-mail address defined by said user interface data responsive to the current status of said power switch control input or the current status of said power output value.

11. A tangible non-transitory computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means comprising a power control method wherein said method controls a Smart Gateway Power Control (SGPC) system comprising:

(a) power source plug;

(b) power load receptacle;

(c) power switch;

(d) power monitor;

(e) computing device; and

(f) wireless communication interface;

wherein

said power switch comprises a primary and secondary contactor, said primary and secondary contactor electrically connected in response to a control input;

said power source plug is electrically connected to said primary contactor of said power switch;

said power load receptacle is electrically connected to said secondary contactor of said power switch;

said power monitor produces a power value output in response to the electrical power flowing through said power load receptacle;

said computing device is electrically connected to said power switch control input;

said computing device is electrically connected to said power monitor power value output;

said computing device communicates to a first computer network via said wireless communication interface and modulates the state of said power switch control input in response to commands received from a user interface communicating with a second computer network; and

said computing device communicates with said first computer network via said wireless communication interface and transmits said power value output through said second computer network in response to commands received from said user interface communicating with said second computer network;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(1) sending a periodic message from said SGPC to a proxy server containing the ID, password, router IP ADR, port, and subnet vector or path of said SGPC;

(2) storing said SGPC periodic message with a proxy server in an SGPC ID translation database;

(3) requesting a SGPC ID translation by said proxy server from said user interface;

(4) validating the SGPC ID and password provided by said user interface using said proxy server;

(5) determining if said SGPC ID and password are valid, and if not, proceeding to step (7);

(6) returning the router IP ADR, port, and subnet vector or path for said SGPC to said user interface and proceeding to step (8);

(7) returning an error code and ignoring said SGPC translation request; and

(8) terminating said method.

12. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said second computer network comprises the Internet.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) operating on a computing device selected from a group consisting of:

a cellphone, smartphone, laptop computer, desktop computer, and tablet computer.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises multiple disparate wireless communication interfaces on separate subnets with each of said disparate wireless communication interfaces supporting different communication subnet protocols.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises multiple disparate wireless communication interfaces with each of said disparate wireless communication interfaces supporting different communication protocols with said system operating as a subnet sub-gateway between said disparate wireless communication interfaces.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises a ZIGBEE®

wireless communication interface.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to a schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to a time-based schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to an event-based schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said computing device transmits to an e-mail address defined by said user interface data responsive to the current status of said power switch control input or the current status of said power output value.

21. A tangible non-transitory computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means comprising a power control method wherein said method controls a Smart Gateway Power Control (SGPC) system comprising:

(a) power source plug;

(b) power load receptacle;

(c) power switch;

(d) power monitor;

(e) computing device; and

(f) wireless communication interface;

wherein

said power switch comprises a primary and secondary contactor, said primary and secondary contactor electrically connected in response to a control input;

said power source plug is electrically connected to said primary contactor of said power switch;

said power load receptacle is electrically connected to said secondary contactor of said power switch;

said power monitor produces a power value output in response to the electrical power flowing through said power load receptacle;

said computing device is electrically connected to said power switch control input;

said computing device is electrically connected to said power monitor power value output;

said computing device communicates to a first computer network via said wireless communication interface and modulates the state of said power switch control input in response to commands received from a user interface communicating with said a second computer network; and

said computing device communicates with said first computer network via said wireless communication interface and transmits said power value output through said second computer network in response to commands received from said user interface communicating with said second computer network;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(1) registering a communication device with said SGPC using an e-mail address, phone number, or other device identifier;

(2) notifying said communication device via said SGPC of any change in the SGPC IP address, port number, subnet vector by periodically sending update messages to said communication device;

(3) retrieve the latest IP address or port for said SGPC from said received SGPC update messages and retain said latest IP address or port for use in communicating with said SGPC; and

(4) terminating said method.

22. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said second computer network comprises the Internet.

23. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) operating on a computing device selected from a group consisting of:

a cellphone, smartphone, laptop computer, desktop computer, and tablet computer.

24. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises multiple disparate wireless communication interfaces on separate subnets with each of said disparate wireless communication interfaces supporting different communication subnet protocols.

25. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises multiple disparate wireless communication interfaces with each of said disparate wireless communication interfaces supporting different communication protocols with said system operating as a subnet sub-gateway between said disparate wireless communication interfaces.

26. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said wireless communication interface comprises a ZIGBEE®

wireless communication interface.

27. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to a schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

28. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to a time-based schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

29. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said computing device activates said power switch control input in response to an event-based schedule defined by said user interface and received by said computing device via said wireless communication interface.

30. The computer usable medium of claim 21 wherein said computing device transmits to an e-mail address defined by said user interface data responsive to the current status of said power switch control input or the current status of said power output value.