Interactive energy device for environmental stewardship

• US 9,599,973 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Generac Power Systems Incorporated (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ditlow, Gary S., Gaucher, Brian P., Pickover, Clifford A., Xiong, Jinjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US13/826,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for operating an energy-using device are disclosed. Current data related to operation of the energy-using device is received at a remote device. An operating specification for the energy-using device is received at the remote device from a database. A recommended setting of the energy-using device is determined from the current data and the operating specification. The remote device communicates the recommended setting to the energy-using device. A control unit at the energy-using device receives the recommended setting and implements the recommended setting at the energy-using device.

Claims

1. A method of operating an energy-using device, comprising:

recording an energy usage of the energy-using device at the energy-using device;

transporting a hand-held device to within a communication range of the energy-using device;

communicating the energy usage of the energy-using device, a setting of the energy-using device, and a make and model of the energy-using device from the energy-using device to the hand-held device;

using the make and model of the energy-using device to receive a selected energy profile for the energy-using device and a setting for the selected energy profile from an operations specifications database for the energy-using device at the hand-held device;

comparing the energy usage of the energy-using device and the selected energy profile at the hand-held device;

providing the comparison to a display of the hand-held device;

accepting a selection of a recommended setting of the energy-using device selected from the setting for the energy profile and setting of the energy-using device at the hand-held device based on the comparison, wherein the recommended setting reduces an energy cost for the energy-using device;

communicating the recommended setting from the hand-held device to the energy-using device; and

implementing the recommended setting at the energy-using device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the recommended setting of the energy-using device based on a user preference for the energy-using device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an energy report at the hand-held device for the energy-using device based on the energy usage of the energy-using device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the energy report includes at least one of:

current energy usage;

energy usage over a selected time interval;

a histogram of energy use over a selected time interval;

a listing of current settings of the energy-using device;

a listing of recommended settings of the energy-using device;

a color that represents a summary of the quality of energy usage.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the recommended setting changes a carbon footprint of the energy-using device.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting the make, model and energy report of the energy-using device to an appliance database and receiving from the appliance database a recommendation for an alternate energy-using device based on the energy report.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining the settings at the operations specifications database by compiling energy usage from a plurality of energy-using devices having a same make and model.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand-held device is one of:

a smartphone, a wristwatch, eyeglasses, a computer mouse, a personal digital assistant, a television set and an MP3 player.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing the recommended setting via one of:

automatically; and

with a user intervention.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the recommended setting using information related to one of:

a location of the energy-using device, a current season, a current weather pattern, diurnal variations in energy usage.