Universal internet of things apparatus and methods

• US 9,052,216 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MelRok, LLC
• Original Assignee: Excorda, LLC
• Inventors: Kamel, Michel Roger, Donahue, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, TOAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/306,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 702/62, 702/57, 702 60- 61, 702 64- 67, 702/81, 702/84, 702/127, 702182-183, 702188-189, 340/540, 340/657, 34087001-87003, 340/870.11, 700/286, 700/291, 705/412
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/00 Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/34 Smart metering supporting the carbon neutral operation of end-user applications in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/84 : Greenhouse gas [GHG] management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 : Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/18 : using switches, relays or circuit breakers, e.g. intelligent electronic devices [IED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 : State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 : Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/128 : involving the use of Internet protocol

Abstract

A system to aggregate, filter, and share data for analysis receives first data from a first sensor, system, or server where the first data has a first protocol. The system samples the first data at a first sampling rate to generate first digital data, where the first sampling rate is substantially continuous. Further, the system transmits at a reporting rate that is decoupled from the first second sampling rate at least the first digital data over a network having a third protocol that is different from the first protocol. The network can be accessed by wired or wireless access and includes one or more servers in cloud configuration.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first input configured to receive first facility data, wherein the first facility data is associated with a facility and has a first protocol;

first circuitry configured to sample the first facility data at a first sampling rate to generate first digital facility data, wherein the first sampling rate is substantially continuous;

a second input configured to receive second facility data, wherein the second facility data is associated with the facility and has a second protocol different from the first protocol;

second circuitry configured to sample the second facility data at a second sampling rate to generate second digital facility data, wherein the second sampling rate is substantially continuous; and

a communication port comprising an analog I/O module configured to transmit reporting digital data over a network, the communication port further comprising a software digital I/O module configured to transmit the reporting digital data over the network using a network protocol different from the first protocol and the second protocol, wherein the reporting digital data is based, at least in part, on at least one of the first digital facility data and the second digital facility data, and wherein the reporting digital data is transmitted at a reporting rate that is decoupled from the first sampling rate and the second sampling rate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the communication port is further configured to receive information comprising at least one of control signals, control schedules, and control policies.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising memory configured to store at least one of the first digital facility data, the second digital facility data, and the reporting digital data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network comprises the Internet, and wherein the network is accessed by one or more of wired access and wireless access.

5. al) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the network comprises one or more servers in a cloud configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein memory stores the reporting digital data until confirmation that the reporting digital data has been successfully transmitted over the network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reporting rate is substantially continuous.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising analytics configured to provide an analysis based at least in part on the first facility data and the second facility data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the analysis comprises one or more of an energy analysis, an efficiency analysis, a usage analysis, an occupancy analysis, and a performance analysis.

10. A method to aggregate, filter, and share data for analysis, the method comprising:

receiving first facility data, wherein the first facility data is associated with a facility and has a first protocol;

sampling the first facility data at a first sampling rate to generate first digital facility data, wherein the first sampling rate is substantially continuous;

receiving second facility data, wherein the second facility data is associated with the facility and has a second protocol different from the first protocol;

sampling the second facility data at a second sampling rate to generate second digital facility data, wherein the second sampling rate is substantially continuous; and

transmitting reporting digital data over a network at a reporting rate that is decoupled from the first sampling rate and the second sampling rate, wherein the network has a network protocol different from the first protocol and the second protocol, wherein the reporting digital data is based, at least in part, on at least one of the first digital facility data and the second digital facility data, and further wherein the reporting digital data is transmitted using a software input/output (I/O) module and an analog I/O module.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving information comprising at least one of control signals, control schedules, and control policies.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising storing at least one of the first digital facility data, the second digital facility data, and the reporting digital data.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the network communicates with the Internet, and wherein the network is accessed by one or more of wired access and wireless access.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the network comprises one or more servers in a cloud configuration.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising storing the reporting digital data until confirmation that the reporting digital data has been successfully transmitted over the network.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the reporting rate is substantially continuous.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising comparing a value of a present data sample with a value of a prior data sample, and based at least in part on the comparison, determining if the present data sample is a valid data sample.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing an analysis based at least in part on the first facility data and the second facility data.