Realization of energy savings potential through feedback

• US 8,954,201 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energyhub Incorporated (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Energyhub Incorporated (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tepper, Michele, Frader-Thompson, Seth, Johnson, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/486,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/295
• 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• 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: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/961 Operator interface with visual structure or function dictated by intended use

Abstract

Feedback is provided to a user based on a setting for a set of energy consuming devices. While a user modifies a thermostat'"'"'s schedule or provides user commands to adjust a setting for the set of energy consuming devices, a user interface component generates feedback to the consumer in response to an adjusted setting based on a condition for a predetermined function. A positive feedback component generates a positive feedback, such as a positive image in the user interface if the setting meets or exceeds a recommended performance metric for an operational parameter for the set of energy consuming devices. A negative feedback component generates a negative feedback, such as a negative image if the setting meets or exceeds a second condition, such as a discouraged performance metric.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

a memory that stores executable components; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the executable components, the executable components including;

a user interface component configured to receive a user command that controls a setting to an operational parameter of a set of energy consuming devices;

a feedback component configured to

in response to the user command being determined to have been received by the user interface component, generate feedback data that comprises information about the setting and the setting of the set of energy consuming devices,

in response to reception of the user command generate an indication of whether the user command adjusts the setting to satisfy a defined condition associated with a predetermined threshold of the operational parameter for the set of energy consuming devices while the setting is being adjusted,

in response to a determination that an adjustment of the setting by the user command satisfies the defined condition, generate other feedback data, including an indication of a quality of an impact that a selection of the user command from among user commands for the setting will have toward the set of energy consuming devices, and

render the other feedback data including the indication by the user interface component;

an optimization component configured to adjust the setting of the set of energy consuming devices based on a set of predetermined operational programmed settings that meet or exceed the defined condition;

a setting component configured to set and display the setting of the set of energy consuming devices, wherein, in response to reception of the user command, the setting component is further configured to adjust the setting of the set of energy consuming devices; and

a comparison component configured to receive home data of the set of energy consuming devices of a home, generate a comparison of the home data with home data of homes meeting a set of predetermined criteria and display the comparison via the user interface component.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the defined condition includes the user command for the setting meeting or exceeding a performance metric of the operation parameter related to operation of at least one of the set of energy consuming devices, and the other feedback data comprises at least one of a positive image associated with the user command or a negative image associated with the user command satisfying the defined condition.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the executable components further comprise:

a server component that is configured to generate an electronic message with at least one of an energy profile of the set of energy consuming devices, a cost saving recommendation, CO₂ data, runtime data, on-site power consumption data, on-site power generation data, or on-site storage data for the set of energy consuming devices, and to generate an input command control with the electronic message that enables an input to be received that activates a recommendation associated with the set of energy consuming devices.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the executable components further comprise:

a command analysis component configured to analyze the user command, generate an analysis of the user command with respect to an adjustment from a first setting to a second setting of the set of energy consuming devices, and display the analysis via the user interface component as the feedback data that includes at least one of cost change feedback and energy consumption change feedback in response to the adjustment from the first setting to the second setting.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing executable instructions; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the executable instructions to at least;

receive a set of user commands that control at least one setting of a set of energy consuming devices, and render, in response to receiving the set of user commands, feedback comprising information about the at least one setting being displayed from the set of user commands before the at least one setting is entered to operate the set of energy consuming devices;

in response to reception of the set of user commands, determine whether the set of user commands adjust the at least one setting to satisfy a defined condition associated with the set of energy consuming devices;

in response to a determination that an adjustment of the at least one setting based on the set of user commands satisfies the defined condition, generate other feedback including an indication of a quality of an impact of the set of user commands determined based on the defined condition having been satisfied, for render by a user interface; and

adjust the at least one setting based on a set of predetermined operational programmed settings that meet or exceed the defined condition and in response to a user selection for the set of predetermined operational programmed settings, wherein the set of predetermined operational programmed settings includes at least one predetermined operational programmed setting that modifies the set of energy consuming devices towards a net zero energy consumption and meets or exceeds the defined condition including a recommended setting of the set of energy consuming devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the executable instructions to generate positive feedback indicating the quality of the impact of the set of user commands to be an increase of a defined positive characteristic of the set of energy consuming devices based on the defined condition being determined to be satisfied, wherein the positive feedback includes a positive image, and wherein the defined condition includes an operational setting of the set of energy consuming devices being set by the set of user commands that meets or exceeds a recommended setting for operation of the set of energy consuming devices.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the executable instructions to generate a negative image via the user interface in response to the defined condition being determined to be satisfied, and the defined condition includes an operational setting of the set of energy consuming devices being set by the the set of user commands that meets or exceeds a discouraged setting for operation of the set of energy consuming devices that is discouraged based on a predetermined energy usage, a predetermined cost, or a predetermined outcome of the operational setting.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of a programmable communicating thermostat, a home energy manager, a mobile device, or a website server, and the set of energy consuming devices includes a demand response appliance configured to manage power consumption by responding to communication commands for a building structure, or a home.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the executable instructions to analyze the set of user commands, generate an analysis of the set of user commands with respect to at least one of a cost change and an energy consumption change feedback from a first operational setting to a second operational setting of the set of energy consuming devices, and display the analysis via a user interface with the at least one of the cost change and the energy consumption change feedback of the set of energy consuming devices related to a change of the first operational setting to the second operational setting, wherein the analysis is based on at least one of a thermodynamic model of a home, past data related to the set of energy consuming devices, heuristical data or an average data based on other homes or energy consuming devices having a defined similarity to the set of energy consuming devices.