Automation devices, systems, architectures, and methods for energy management and other applications

• US 9,575,472 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autani, LLC
• Original Assignee: Autani, LLC
• Inventors: Clayton, Randy, Noppinger, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Du, Thuan
• Application Number:
  US13/719,497
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/310, 700/19, 700/22, 700/83
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• 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 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

An automation system including a plurality of peripheral devices, each configured to perform at least one function relating to energy consumption in a facility and an automation controller in communication with the plurality of peripheral devices and providing for the control of the performance of the function by each device, wherein the automation controller includes a compiler configured to take high level rules and information about the peripheral devices and produce at least one program that will respond to data from the peripheral devices and to timer, calendar, clock, and preprogrammed events and a server component that provides the data as input to the at least one program and takes actions based on the output of the program.

Claims

1. A method of reducing energy consumption in a facility using an automation system comprising:

providing a plurality of peripheral devices configured to perform at least one function relating to energy consumption in a facility and in communication with an automation controller in an automation system;

storing, via the automation system, peripheral energy information corresponding to peripheral devices and associated energy reductions;

receiving an energy reduction request and levels of incentives from an external demand-response client including at least one of a utility and an energy broker;

establishing, by an administrator of the automation system, a target incentive; and

,

implementing energy reduction, via the automation controller, based on the peripheral energy information until the target incentive is achieved.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing includes implementing energy reduction via the automation controller by enabling peripheral devices associated with energy consuming systems to be one of turned off and operated at lower power settings.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the demand-response client to control at least one peripheral device independently of the automation controller and the automation system during a demand-response event.

4. A method of responding to an external demand response request by an automation system in a facility, comprising:

providing a plurality of peripheral devices configured to perform at least one function relating to energy consumption in a facility and in communication with an automation controller in an automation system;

storing, via the automation system, peripheral energy information corresponding to peripheral devices and associated energy reductions;

receiving an energy reduction request including levels of incentives from an external demand-response client including at least one of a utility and an energy broker;

establishing, by an administrator of the automation system, a target incentive amount to achieve; and

,

implementing energy reduction via the automation controller according to the peripheral energy information until the target incentive amount is achieved.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing, by the external demand response client, varying levels of incentives corresponding to energy reduction extents, wherein the establishing the target incentive includes establishing the target incentive amount in response to the incentive levels provided by the external demand-response client.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising enabling the demand-response client to control at least one peripheral device independently of the automation controller and the automation system during a demand-response event.

7. An automation system comprising:

a plurality of peripheral devices, each configured to perform at least one function relating to energy consumption in a facility;

an automation controller in communication with the plurality of peripheral devices and providing for the control of the performance of the function by each device, the automation controller being programmed to;

store peripheral energy information corresponding to peripheral devices and associated energy reductions;

receive an energy reduction request and levels of incentives from an external demand-response client including at least one of a utility and an energy broker;

establish a target incentive provided by an administrator of the automation system; and

,

implement energy reduction via the automation controller based on the peripheral energy information until the target incentive is achieved.

8. The automation system of claim 7 further comprising, the automation controller being programmed to enable the demand-response client to control at least one peripheral device independently of the automation controller and the automation system during a demand-response event.