Electrical energy management and monitoring system, and method

• US 9,652,014 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Original Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Inventors: Warwick, Timothy J., Simms, Matthew J., Vander Till, Gerald N., Burdi, Roger D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles
• Application Number:
  US13/794,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 700286, 700295
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• 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 20/221 General power management systems
• 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 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A system and method are provided for managing electrical power consumption by individual electrical circuits in a building. The system includes a power control device in electrical communication with a multi-circuit power infeed and a multi-circuit power output, each of which includes at least two electrical conductors on separate circuits. The power control device includes respective electrical switches associated with the conductors of the power infeed and power output, an electronic communications module, and a computer processor in communication with the switches and the communications module. The processor is operable to open and close the electrical switches independently, in response to an occupancy signal and/or a trigger or scheduled event stored by the power control device. When a period of non-use is detected or anticipated, the power control device de-energizes one or more circuits, to limit unnecessary energy consumption within the system. A receptacle-level power control is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An electrical power management system comprising:

a power control device in electrical communication with a multi-circuit power infeed including at least first and second electrical infeed conductors on separate circuits, said power control device comprising;

first and second electrical switches associated with said first and second electrical infeed conductors and operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

an electronic communications module; and

a computer processor in communication with said first and second electrical switches and with said electronic communications module, wherein said computer processor is operable to open and close each of said first and second electrical switches independently of one another in response to at least one of (i) an occupancy signal received via said electronic communications module and (ii) a trigger event detected by said computer processor;

wherein said computer processor is further operable to open and close each of said first and second electrical switches independently of one another in response to an occupancy signal received via said electronic communications module, and wherein the occupancy signal is indicative of whether an area is occupied by a person, the occupancy signal being generated by an occupancy detector having a transmitter for generating the occupancy signal, and wherein the transmitter is in communication with said electronic communications module;

a multi-circuit power output including first and second electrical output conductors associated with the separate circuits of the first and second electrical infeed conductors, whereby said first electrical output conductor is in electrical communication with said first electrical infeed conductor when a first of said switches is closed, and said second electrical output conductor is in electrical communication with said second electrical infeed conductor when a second of said switches is closed; and

a plurality of junction blocks each comprising an electrical power outlet configured to receive an electrical plug of an electrical consumer, wherein each electrical power outlet of said plurality of junction blocks is in electrical communication with said first electrical output conductor, such that a first electrical power outlet of a first junction block of said plurality of junction blocks provides electricity to a first electrical consumer when said first electrical switch is closed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said power control device further comprises a memory module in communication with said computer processor and configured to store a trigger event detected by said computer processor, said computer processor being operable to open and close said first and second electrical switches independently of one another in response to the trigger event stored in said memory module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the trigger event stored in said memory module comprises at least one chosen from a time of day and a day of the week.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said power control device comprises an internal real-time clock in communication with said computer processor, and wherein said computer processor is operable to open or close at least one of said first and second electrical switches when said computer processor determines that the trigger event time coincides with a current time of day provided by said internal real-time clock.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said occupancy detector comprises a motion sensor or a heat detector.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic communications module is in communication with a computer having a display, said electronic communications module configured to receive program instructions from the computer, the program instructions including one or more of the trigger events.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said power control device is operable to run the program instructions substantially autonomously without further instructions from the computer.

8. An electrical power management system comprising:

a multi-circuit power infeed having at least two electrically hot infeed conductors, at least one electrically neutral infeed conductor, and at least one electrically grounded infeed conductor;

a power control device in electrical communication with said power infeed, said power control device comprising;

an electrical switch associated with each of said electrically hot infeed conductors and operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

a memory module;

an electronic communications module; and

a computer processor in communication with each of said electrical switches, said memory module, and said electronic communications module, wherein said computer processor is operable to open and close each of said electrical switches independently of one another in response to at least one of (i) an occupancy signal received via said electronic communications module, and (ii) a trigger event detected by said computer processor;

wherein said computer processor receives an occupancy signal received from said electronic communications module, and wherein the occupancy signal is indicative of whether an area is occupied by a person, the occupancy signal being generated by an occupancy detector having a transmitter for generating the signal;

a multi-circuit power output having at least two electrically hot output conductors, at least one electrically neutral output conductor, and at least one electrically grounded output conductor, said electrical output conductors corresponding respectively to said electrical infeed conductors, wherein each of said at least two electrically hot output conductors is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said at least two electrically hot infeed conductors when corresponding ones of said electrical switches are in said closed configuration; and

a plurality of junction blocks each comprising an electrical power outlet configured to receive an electrical plug of an electrical consumer, wherein each electrical power outlet of said plurality of junction blocks is in electrical communication with a first of said at least two electrically hot output conductors, such that a first electrical power outlet of a first junction block of said plurality of junction blocks provides electricity to a first electrical consumer when said electrical switch associated with said first electrically hot infeed conductor is closed.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said memory module is configured to store the trigger event, said computer processor being operable to open and close each of said electrical switches independently of one another in response to the trigger event stored in said memory module.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the trigger event stored in said memory module comprises at least one chosen from a time of day and a day of the week.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said power control device comprises an internal real-time clock in communication with said computer processor, and wherein said computer processor is operable to open or close at least one of said electrical switches when said computer processor determines that the trigger event time coincides with a current time of day provided by said internal real-time clock.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said electronic communications module is in communication with a computer having a display, said electronic communications module configured to receive program instructions from the computer, the program instructions including one or more of the trigger events.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said power control device is operable to run the program instructions substantially autonomously without further instructions from the computer.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said electronic communications module is operable to transmit power consumption data corresponding to each circuit.

15. An electrical power management system comprising:

a power infeed including at least first and second electrical infeed conductors disposed in a flexible armored infeed conduit;

a multi-circuit power output including first and second electrical output conductors associated with electrically separate circuits and disposed in a flexible armored output conduit;

a power control device in electrical communication with said multi-circuit power infeed and said multi-circuit power output, said power control device including first and second electrical switches associated with said first and second electrical output conductors and operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration to permit selective electrical coupling of said first and second electrical output conductors to at least one of said first and second electrical infeed conductors;

wherein said power control device also includes a computer processor in communication with each of said electrical switches, and an electronic communications module, wherein said power control device is operable to select between the open and closed configurations in response to at least one of (i) an occupancy signal received via said electronic communications module, and (ii) a trigger event detected by said computer processor;

wherein said computer processor receives an occupancy signal received from said electronic communications module, and wherein the occupancy signal is indicative of whether an area is occupied by a person, the occupancy signal being generated by an occupancy detector having a transmitter for generating the signal;

an plurality of electrical junction blocks positioned along said flexible armored output conduit of said multi-circuit power output; and

a corresponding electrical power outlet positionable at each of said plurality of electrical junction blocks and configured to receive an electrical plug of an electrical consumer, wherein each electrical power outlet of said plurality of electrical junction blocks is in electrical communication with said first electrical output conductor, such that a first electrical power outlet of a first electrical junction block of said plurality of electrical junction blocks provides electricity to a first electrical consumer when said first electrical switch is closed.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said first electrical power outlet is repositionable at said first electrical junction block so as to be in electrical communication with said second electrical output conductor instead of said first electrical output conductor when said first electrical power outlet is coupled to said first electrical junction block to selectively provide electricity to said first power outlet and said first electrical consumer when said second electrical switch is closed.

17. A method of controlling the distribution of electrical power among a plurality of circuits in an electrical system, said method comprising:

electrically coupling a multi-circuit power infeed to a power control device, the power control device including first and second electrical switches associated with first and second electrical infeed conductors of the multi-circuit power infeed and controlled by a computer processor;

electrically coupling a multi-circuit power output to the power control device, the multi-circuit power output including first and second electrical output conductors that are in selective electrical communication with the first and second electrical infeed conductors according to the positions of the first and second electrical switches;

electrically coupling a plurality of electrical power outlets to one of the first and second electrical output conductors;

storing a trigger event in a memory module of the power control device;

receiving an occupancy signal via an electronic communications module or detecting the trigger event with the computer processor; and

in response to said receiving an occupancy signal or detecting the trigger event with the computer processor, selectively closing or opening either or both switches to thereby electrically energize or de-energize the first and second electrical output conductors, wherein said selectively closing or opening either or both switches is performed independently of one another in response to detecting the occurrence of the trigger event stored in the memory module, and wherein the trigger event stored in the memory module comprises at least one chosen from a time of day and a day of the week.