Systems, methods and apparatus for monitoring and managing device-level energy consumption in a smart-home environment
First Claim
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1. A system for managing energy consumption of a plurality of devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:
- an energy manager device;
a plurality of energy measurement modules, each energy measurement module being;
associated with a device from the plurality of devices,configured to measure an amount of energy consumed by the device, andcapable of wirelessly communicating energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device to the energy manager device; and
a plurality of energy usage modifier modules, each energy usage modifier module being;
associated with a device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; and
configured to control energy consumption of the device which is also associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules in response to an instruction received from the energy manager device;
the energy manager device being configured to;
wirelessly receive from each of the plurality of energy measurement modules the energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device associated with the energy measurement module;
receive duration information indicative of a length of time an energy-consuming device has been in operation;
calculate an energy consumption for the energy-consuming device based on the duration information;
determine desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on a peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household for which the energy manager device manages energy usage; and
in response to receiving an instruction from a user, wirelessly communicate an instruction to each of the energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the device.
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Abstract
Accessing an energy management policy for a plurality of devices is described, wherein the devices are coupled with a first structure. The energy usage of the devices is monitored. An energy usage rule and energy usage is then compared. The energy management policy and energy usage is also compared. Based on the comparing, an instruction is generated to modify an energy usage profile of said device to correlate with the energy usage rule associated with the devices and the energy management policy, thereby enabling efficient energy management.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for managing energy consumption of a plurality of devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:
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an energy manager device; a plurality of energy measurement modules, each energy measurement module being; associated with a device from the plurality of devices, configured to measure an amount of energy consumed by the device, and capable of wirelessly communicating energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device to the energy manager device; and a plurality of energy usage modifier modules, each energy usage modifier module being; associated with a device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; and configured to control energy consumption of the device which is also associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules in response to an instruction received from the energy manager device; the energy manager device being configured to; wirelessly receive from each of the plurality of energy measurement modules the energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device associated with the energy measurement module; receive duration information indicative of a length of time an energy-consuming device has been in operation; calculate an energy consumption for the energy-consuming device based on the duration information; determine desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on a peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household for which the energy manager device manages energy usage; and in response to receiving an instruction from a user, wirelessly communicate an instruction to each of the energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for managing energy consumption of a plurality of energy consuming devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:
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establishing communication over a wireless protocol between a plurality of energy measurement modules and an energy management device, each energy measurement module being associated with an energy consuming device from the plurality of energy consuming devices associated with the enclosure; establishing a wireless communication between a plurality of energy usage modifier modules and the energy management device, each energy usage modifier module being associated with an energy consuming device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; measuring, by each energy measurement module, an amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module; wirelessly communicating, by each energy measurement module to the energy management device, energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module; receiving duration information indicative of a length of time an energy consuming device has been in operation at the energy management device; calculating, by the energy management device, an energy consumption for the energy consuming device based on the duration information; determining, by the energy management device, desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household in which the energy manager device is situated; receiving an instruction from a user indicative of a modification to energy consumption for the enclosure; in response to receiving the user instruction, wirelessly communicating an instruction from the energy management device to each of the plurality of energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective energy consuming devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each energy consuming device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the energy consuming device; and controlling, by each energy usage modifier module, the energy consumption of the energy consuming device associated with the energy usage modifier module in accordance with the instruction. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method for managing energy consumption of a plurality of energy consuming devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:
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establishing communication over a wireless protocol between a plurality of energy measurement modules and an energy management device, each energy measurement module being associated with an energy consuming device from the plurality of energy consuming devices associated with the enclosure; establishing a wireless communication between a plurality of energy usage modifier modules and the energy management device, each energy usage modifier module being associated with an energy consuming device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; measuring, by each energy measurement module, an amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module; wirelessly communicating, by each energy measurement module to the energy management device, energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module; determining, by the energy management device, desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household in which the energy manager device is situated; receiving an instruction from a user indicative of a modification to energy consumption for the enclosure; in response to receiving the user instruction, wirelessly communicating an instruction from the energy management device to each of the plurality of energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective energy consuming devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each energy consuming device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the energy consuming device; controlling, by each energy usage modifier module, the energy consumption of the energy consuming device associated with the energy usage modifier module in accordance with the instruction; generating, by the energy management device, a history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices based at least in part on the energy consumption information wirelessly communicated from each energy measurement module to the energy management device; storing, by the energy management device, the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices; receiving an energy efficiency rating for a replacement device at the energy management device; calculating, by the energy management device, an estimate of cost savings in energy consumption for replacing an energy consuming device with the replacement device based on the energy efficiency rating of the replacement device and the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming device; and communicating, by the energy management device, the estimate of cost savings to the user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for managing energy consumption of a plurality of devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:
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an energy manager device; a plurality of energy measurement modules, each energy measurement module being; associated with a device from the plurality of devices, configured to measure an amount of energy consumed by the device, and capable of wirelessly communicating energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device to the energy manager device; and a plurality of energy usage modifier modules, each energy usage modifier module being; associated with a device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; and configured to control energy consumption of the device which is also associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules in response to an instruction received from the energy manager device; the energy manager device being configured to; wirelessly receive from each of the plurality of energy measurement modules the energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device associated with the energy measurement module; determine desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on a peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household for which the energy manager device manages energy usage; in response to receiving an instruction from a user, wirelessly communicate an instruction to each of the energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the device; generate a history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices based at least in part on the energy consumption information wirelessly communicated from each energy measurement module to the energy management device; store the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices; receive an energy efficiency rating for a replacement device at the energy management device; calculate an estimate of cost savings in energy consumption for replacing an energy consuming device with the replacement device based on the energy efficiency rating of the replacement device and the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming device; and communicate the estimate of cost savings to the user. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for managing energy consumption of a plurality of energy consuming devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:
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establishing communication over a wireless protocol between a plurality of energy measurement modules and an energy management device, each energy measurement module being associated with an energy consuming device from the plurality of energy consuming devices associated with the enclosure; establishing a wireless communication between a plurality of energy usage modifier modules and the energy management device, each energy usage modifier module being associated with an energy consuming device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; measuring, by each energy measurement module, an amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module; wirelessly communicating, by each energy measurement module to the energy management device, energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module; calculating, by the energy management device, a sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices; receiving a measurement of a total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure at the energy management device; generating, by the energy management device, a passive power consumption analysis by comparing the total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure with the sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the passive power consumption analysis indicates an amount of power consumed other than by devices turned on; communicating, by the energy management device, the passive power consumption analysis to the user; determining, by the energy management device, desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household in which the energy manager device is situated; receiving an instruction from a user indicative of a modification to energy consumption for the enclosure; in response to receiving the user instruction, wirelessly communicating an instruction from the energy management device to each of the plurality of energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective energy consuming devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each energy consuming device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the energy consuming device; and controlling, by each energy usage modifier module, the energy consumption of the energy consuming device associated with the energy usage modifier module in accordance with the instruction. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for managing energy consumption of a plurality of devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:
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means for establishing communication over a wireless protocol between a plurality of energy measurement modules and an energy management device, each energy measurement module being associated with an energy consuming device from the plurality of energy consuming devices associated with the enclosure; means for establishing a wireless communication between a plurality of energy usage modifier modules and the energy management device, each energy usage modifier module being associated with an energy consuming device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; means for measuring, by each energy measurement module, an amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module; means for wirelessly communicating, by each energy measurement module to the energy management device, energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module; means for determining, by the energy management device, desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider; means for calculating, by the energy management device, a sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices; means for receiving a measurement of a total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure at the energy management device; means for generating, by the energy management device, a passive power consumption analysis by comparing the total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure with the sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the passive power consumption analysis indicates an amount of power consumed other than by devices turned on; means for communicating, by the energy management device, the passive power consumption analysis to the user; means for receiving an instruction from a user indicative of a modification to energy consumption for the enclosure; means for wirelessly communicating, in response to receiving the user instruction, an instruction from the energy management device to each of the plurality of energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective energy consuming devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each energy consuming device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the energy consuming device; and means for controlling, by each energy usage modifier module, the energy consumption of the energy consuming device associated with the energy usage modifier module in accordance with the instruction. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification