Device and method for energy management in a household

• US 9,083,537 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Finch, Michael Francis, Bingham, David C, Kobraei, Henry Nader, Koehler, Elliott Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Brian F
• Application Number:
  US13/270,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 726/22, 726/3, 726/1, 726/27, 726/2, 713/100, 713/1, 455/411
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• 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 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

An energy management system comprises one or more appliances, a remote device, and a communication device. In one embodiment, the communication device forms a physical connection with the remote device and thereafter a physical connection with an associated appliances. The first physical connection binds the communication to the remote device, thereby forming a secure connection over which inputs and outputs can be exchanged between the remote and the associated appliance when the communication device is connected to the appliance.

Claims

1. A method for establishing communication between an appliance and a remote device configured to monitor operation of the appliance, each of the appliance and the remote device comprising a processor, a memory, a wireless radio, and a port, said method comprising:

connecting a communication device to the port on the remote device to form a first physical connection between the communication device and the remote device;

exchanging security data via the first physical connection to securely bind the communication device with the remote device to form a secure connection for wireless communication between the communication device and the remote device, the security data including a first security key stored on the memory of the remote device and a second security key stored in the memory of the communication device, wherein the remote device is configured to transmit the first security key to the communication device and the communication device is configured to transmit the second security key to the remote device in response to the first security key from the remote device, and wherein the first security key stored on the memory of the remote device and the second security key stored on the memory of the communication device comprise a serial number, an Internet Protocol address, and a code established by one or more security protocols that associate the remote device with the communication device when physically connected together; and

connecting the communication device to the port on the appliance to form a second physical connection that enables the remote device to exchange operating data with the appliance using the communication device and the secure connection for wireless communication between the communication device and the remote device,

wherein disconnecting the second physical connection disallows the appliance and the remote device from communicating using the secure connection for wireless communication between the communication device and the remote device, and

wherein the exchange of operating data requires the communication device and the remote device to engage to form the first physical connection prior to the appliance physically connecting with the communication device to engage to form the second physical connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first appliance and the second appliance having different communication devices connected thereto.

3. A system for home energy management, comprising:

an appliance, a remote device, and a communication device that is configured to permit wireless communication between the appliance and the remote device when the communication device is engaged with the appliance;

wherein the remote device comprises;

a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and one or more executable instructions stored on the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the one or more executable instructions comprising instructions for;

sensing a first physical connection with the communication device; and

exchanging security data with the communication device in response to and over the first physical connection to form a secure connection for wireless communication between the communication device and the remote device;

wherein the appliance comprises;

a port configured to engage with the communication device to form a second physical connection; and

a control circuit coupled to the port,

wherein the control circuit is configured to sense the second physical connection of the communication device to the port on the appliance and, in response to the second physical connection, permit the appliance to exchange operating data with the remote device using the communication device and the secure connection for wireless communication between the communication device and the remote device,

wherein the exchange of operating data requires the communication device and the remote device to engage to form the first physical connection prior to the appliance physically connecting with the communication device to engage to form the second physical connection,

wherein the remote device is configured to transmit the first security key to the communication device and the communication device is configured to transmit the second security key to the remote device in response to the first security key,

wherein first security key and the second security key are stored in memory of each respective device, and

wherein the first security key and the second security key comprise a serial number, an Internet Protocol address, and a code established by one or more security protocols that associate the remote device with the communication device when physically connected together.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote device further comprising instructions for receiving the operating data from the appliance over the secure connection.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote device further comprising a port configured to receive a connector on the communication device to form the first physical connection.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the connector is coupled to a wire that is connected to a computing device.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote device further comprising instructions for:

monitoring the operating data; and

transmitting, the operating data to a computing device.