Apparatus and method for instrumenting devices to measure power usage using a multi-tier wireless network
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- establishing communication with a plurality of networked power monitors deployed at particular points in a facility, each power monitor of the plurality of networked power monitors being configured to monitor power consumption of a different one of a plurality of electronic devices in the facility;
associating a subset of the plurality of networked power monitors with a primary communication hub, the primary communication hub being configured as a node in a wireless sensor network;
periodically obtaining system data from each of the plurality of networked power monitors using the wireless sensor network, the system data including power consumption data corresponding to associated electronic devices;
routing the system data in messages between nodes of the wireless sensor network by transiting through at least one intermediate node of the wireless sensor network;
using the primary communication hub to aggregate the system data from the subset of the plurality of networked power monitors, the primary communication hub and the subset of the plurality of networked power monitors forming a local network within the wireless sensor network;
routing the system data in the wireless sensor network by transiting through the primary communication hub and at least one other communication hub of the wireless sensor network; and
using the system data to control operation of the plurality of electronic devices in the facility.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for instrumenting devices to measure power usage using a multi-tier wireless network. An example embodiment includes: establishing communication with a plurality of networked power monitors deployed at particular points in a facility, each power monitor of the plurality of networked power monitors being configured to monitor power consumption of a different one of a plurality of electronic devices in the facility; periodically obtaining system data from each of the plurality of networked power monitors using a wireless sensor network, the system data including power consumption data corresponding to associated electronic devices; using a communication hub to aggregate the system data from a plurality of associated power monitors, the communication hub and the plurality of associated power monitors forming a local network within the wireless sensor network; and using the system data to control operation of the plurality of electronic devices in the facility.
163 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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establishing communication with a plurality of networked power monitors deployed at particular points in a facility, each power monitor of the plurality of networked power monitors being configured to monitor power consumption of a different one of a plurality of electronic devices in the facility; associating a subset of the plurality of networked power monitors with a primary communication hub, the primary communication hub being configured as a node in a wireless sensor network; periodically obtaining system data from each of the plurality of networked power monitors using the wireless sensor network, the system data including power consumption data corresponding to associated electronic devices; routing the system data in messages between nodes of the wireless sensor network by transiting through at least one intermediate node of the wireless sensor network; using the primary communication hub to aggregate the system data from the subset of the plurality of networked power monitors, the primary communication hub and the subset of the plurality of networked power monitors forming a local network within the wireless sensor network; routing the system data in the wireless sensor network by transiting through the primary communication hub and at least one other communication hub of the wireless sensor network; and using the system data to control operation of the plurality of electronic devices in the facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions embedded thereon, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:
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establish communication with at plurality of networked power monitors deployed at particular points in a facility, each power monitor of the plurality of networked power monitors being configured to monitor power consumption of a different one of a plurality of electronic devices in the facility; associate a subset of the plurality of networked power monitors with a primary communication hub, the primary communication hub being configured as a node in a wireless sensor network; periodically obtain system data from each of the plurality of networked power monitors using the wireless sensor network, the system data including power consumption data corresponding to associated electronic devices; route the system data in messages between nodes of the wireless sensor network by transiting through at least one intermediate node of the wireless sensor network; use the primary communication hub to aggregate the system data from the subset of the plurality of networked power monitors, the primary communication hub and the subset of the plurality of networked power monitors forming a local network within the wireless sensor network; route the system data in the wireless sensor network by transiting through the primary communication hub and at least one other communication hub of the wireless sensor network; and use the system data to control operation of the plurality of electronic devices in the facility. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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an analysis processor in data communication via a wide-area network; a gateway in data communication via the wide-area network and a wireless sensor network; a primary communication hub in data communication via the wireless sensor network; and a plurality of networked power monitors deployed at particular points in a facility, each power monitor of the plurality of networked power monitors being configured to monitor power consumption of a different one of a plurality of electronic devices in the facility, a subset of the plurality of networked power monitors being associated with the primary communication hub, the primary communication hub being configured as a node in the wireless sensor network;
the primary communication hub being configured to periodically obtain system data from associated power monitors of the plurality of networked power monitors using the wireless sensor network, the system data including power consumption data corresponding to associated electronic devices;
the primary communication hub being configured to route the system data in messages between nodes of the wireless sensor network by transiting through at least one intermediate node of the wireless sensor network;
the primary communication hub being configured to aggregate the system data from the associated power monitors, the primary communication hub and the associated power monitors forming a local network within the wireless sensor network, the primary communication hub being configured to route the system data in the wireless sensor network by transiting through the primary communication hub and at least one other communication hub of the wireless sensor network; and
the analysis processor being configured to use the system data to control operation of the plurality of electronic devices in the facility. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification