System and method for home energy monitor and control

• US 8,996,188 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energyhub Incorporated (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Energyhub Incorporated (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frader-Thompson, Seth, von Muehlen, Stephan, Kennedy, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US13/557,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 702 60- 62, 702/188, 702/57, 702/189, 705/63, 705/412, 705/14.1, 340/870.01, 340/870.02, 340/12.22, 340/12.31, 340/12.32, 700276-278, 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 700/300
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/125 Utility meter reading systems specially adapted for determining the environmental impact of user behaviour
• 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 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• 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 70/34 Smart metering supporting the carbon neutral operation of end-user applications in buildings
• 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 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

The invention generally concerns systems and methods for monitoring and controlling the power consumption of a power-consuming device. The system and method may connect to a power source and a power-consuming device, connecting the power-consuming device to the power source. The power usage of the power-consuming device may then be measured and monitored. This monitoring data may then be stored and optionally sent to a controlling device on a data network. The location of the power-consuming device may also be determined, recorded, and sent to a controlling device. The system may also control the power usage of the power-consuming device. In some cases, a remote server may connect multiple energy monitoring systems in order to gain additional efficiencies and foster a community-based social network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for auditing energy use by an energy network, comprising:

gathering, by a device comprising a processor, energy-usage data pertaining to the energy network;

gathering, by the device, baseline data pertaining to a baseline energy use of the energy network;

comparing, by the device, the energy-usage data and the baseline data resulting in compared energy-usage data;

based on an analysis of the energy network related to changes in energy usage of the energy network as a result of an exchange of an alternate target device for a target device coupled to the energy network, determining, by the device, a recommendation to exchange the alternate target device for the target device where the analysis indicates that the alternate target device is more efficient than the target device according to a defined efficiency criterion; and

facilitating, by the device, access to the recommendation, compared energy-usage data, and the baseline data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gathering the baseline data includes gathering historical energy usage information of the energy network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gathering the baseline data includes gathering historical energy usage information from another energy network other than the energy network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining another energy usage level of the energy network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gathering the baseline data includes determining a usage level of another energy network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target device is a power-consuming device coupled to the energy network, the alternate target device is another power-consuming device, and the other power-consuming device is determined to be more efficient than the power-consuming device according to the defined efficiency criterion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises the target device is a power-producing device coupled to the energy network, the alternate target device is another power-producing device, and the other power-producing device is determined to be more efficient than the power-producing device according to the defined efficiency criterion.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating, by the device, access to a review of the alternate target device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying, via a display device of the device, the review of the alternate target device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommendation comprises an advertisement for the alternate target device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, via a display device of the device, information representative of a projected effect of the exchange of the alternate target device for the target device.

12. A device, comprising:

a memory to store executable instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, that executes or facilitates execution of the executable instructions to perform operations, comprising;

receiving energy use information for an energy network, wherein the energy use information is captured by a node device located remote from the device;

determining baseline energy use information related to historical energy use at the node device;

in response to an analysis of the energy network related to altering energy usage of the energy network via a substitution of an alternate target device for a target device connected to the energy network, indicating that the alternate target device is more efficient than the target device, generating a recommendation to perform the substitution; and

facilitating access to the recommendation, the energy use information, and the baseline energy use information.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving identification information related to identifying the target device connected to the energy network;

determining energy exchange information related to energy consumed by, or produced by, the target device related to the identification information; and

facilitating access to the energy exchange information.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the alternate target device that is substitutable for the target device based on the energy exchange information of the target device being determined to have satisfied a condition related to an efficient use of energy, and other energy exchange information related to the alternate target device being determined to have satisfied another condition related to another efficient use of energy; and

facilitating access to other identification information related to the alternate target device.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

a display device that facilitates access to at least one of information related to the analysis, the energy exchange information, the other energy exchange information, the identification information, or the other identification information.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the display device displays an advertisement for the alternate target device.

17. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a device comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving energy use information for a node of an energy network, wherein the energy use information is captured by another device associated with the node of the energy network;

determining historic energy use information related to the node of the energy network;

determining a recommendation to exchange an alternate target device for a target device coupled to the energy network, wherein the determining is based on a result of an analysis of the energy network related to modification of energy usage of the energy network by the exchange of the alternate target device for the target device indicating that the alternate target device is more efficient than the target device according to a defined criterion; and

facilitating access to the recommendation, the energy use information, and the historic energy use information.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving first identification information for the target device coupled to the node of the energy network;

determining first efficiency information for the target device based on the first identification information;

determining second efficiency information for the alternative target device that is substitutable for the target device, wherein the alternative target device is determined from the first identification information;

determining energy savings information based on the first efficiency information and second efficiency information; and

facilitating access to second identification information associated with the alternative target device in response to determining a condition related to the energy savings information has been satisfied.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the facilitating access to the second identification information comprises displaying information related to the alternative target device on a display device.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the displaying information related to the alternative target device comprises an advertisement for the alternative target device.