Electrical power switch control with usage data display

• US 9,683,867 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2016
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curtis E. Quady
• Original Assignee: Curtis E. Quady
• Inventors: Quady, Curtis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/052,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20170122774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/14 Displaying of utility usage with respect to time, e.g. for monitoring evolution of usage or with respect to weather conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/16 Displaying of utility pricing or cost
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/12 for adjusting voltage in ac networks by changing a characteristic of the network load
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

A device to be connected to first electrical power wiring and for displaying electrical power usage information of at least one first electrical load connected to the first electrical power wiring, the device including terminals to electrically connect to the first electrical power wiring of a building, a controller to receive information representing at least a current to the at least one first electrical load, determine first electrical power usage information of the at least one first electrical load using the received information, a user interface to display the determined first electrical power usage information of the at least one first electrical load, and a communications interface to transmit the determined first electrical power usage information to at least one second electrical device for display, and receive determined second electrical power usage information of at least one second electrical load from the at least one second electrical device for display.

Claims

1. An electrical device configured to be electrically connected to first electrical power wiring and for displaying electrical power usage information of at least one first electrical load connected to the first electrical power wiring, the electrical device comprising:

a plurality of electrical terminals configured to electrically connect to the first electrical power wiring of a building;

a controller configured to;

receive information representing at least a current to the at least one first electrical load;

determine first electrical power usage information of the at least one first electrical load using the received information;

control or modify at least the current to the at least one first electrical load;

a user interface configured to display the determined first electrical power usage information of the at least one first electrical load; and

a communications interface configured to;

transmit the determined first electrical power usage information to at least one second electrical device for display;

receive determined second electrical power usage information of at least one second electrical load from the at least one second electrical device for display; and

transmit instructions to the at least one second electrical device that controls or modifies at least a current to the at least one second electrical load, wherein the at least one second electrical load is distinct from the at least one first electrical load.

2. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to receive input selecting the at least one second electrical device.

3. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the at least one second electrical device is configured to be electrically connected to second electrical power wiring, and wherein the first electrical power wiring and the second electrical power wiring are in the same building.

4. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the at least one second electrical device is configured to be electrically connected to second electrical power wiring, and wherein the first electrical power wiring and the second electrical power wiring are in different buildings.

5. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive electrical price information, and wherein the user interface is configured to display the electrical price information.

6. The electrical device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to determine electrical power usage cost information using the electrical price information.

7. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to control or modify at least the current to one or both of the at least one first electrical load and the at least one second electrical load, wherein the at least one second electrical device is configured to be electrically connected to second electrical power wiring, and wherein the at least one first electrical load and the at least one second electrical load are located in the same building or are located in different buildings.

8. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical terminals configured to electrically connect to the first electrical power wiring of the building include electrical terminals configured to receive individual wires of the electrical power wiring.

9. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical terminals configured to electrically connect to the first electrical power wiring of the building include at least one multi-pronged plug configured to mate with an electrical outlet.

10. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the electrical device is configured to be powered by power provided by the first electrical power wiring of the building.

11. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery, wherein the device is configured to be powered by power provided by the battery.

12. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to display at least one electrical power usage information graph based on at least one of the determined first electrical power usage information and the determined second electrical power usage information.

13. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive information representing a total current drawn by at least one electrical service wire at a main electrical service panel of a building;

determine the electrical power usage information of the main electrical service panel using the received information; and

wherein the user interface is configured to display the determined electrical power usage information of the main electrical service panel.

14. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor, wherein the controller is configured to receive information from the at least one sensor and determine whether motion occurred or whether motion did not occur, and wherein the at least one sensor is in the same building as the controller or in a different building.

15. The electrical device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to either turn on or turn off at least one light in the same building as the controller or in a different building in response to the determination.

16. The electrical device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to communicate an alert in response to the determination, wherein the controller is configured to communicate the alert in the same building as the controller or to a different building.

17. The electrical device of claim 16, wherein the alert includes at least one of an audio alert and visual alert.

18. The electrical device of claim 17, further comprising:

a frame adjacent at least one side of the user interface, the frame including electronic visual display material, wherein the frame is configured to display the visual alert.

19. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive user input defining a lighting schedule, and wherein the controller is configured to either turn on or turn off the at least one light in accordance with the lighting schedule, wherein the light is in the same building as the controller or in a different building.

20. The electrical device of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to receive user input defining a security alert schedule, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate the alert in accordance with the security alert schedule, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate the alert in the same building as the controller or to a different building.

21. The electrical device of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a camera.

22. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is in the same building as the controller or in a different building.

23. The electrical device of claim 22, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to capture and scan information on a product label.

24. The electrical device of claim 22, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense at least one environmental condition.

25. The electrical device of claim 24, wherein the environmental condition is selected from the group consisting of:

carbon monoxide, toxins, temperature, humidity, allergens, air quality, altitude, and atmospheric pressure.

26. The electrical device of claim 22, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to receive information related to a user'"'"'s health.

27. The electrical device of claim 26, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to receive information related to at least one of heart rate, glucose, blood pressure, body temperature, oxygen saturation, activity, and lack of activity.

28. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive information from at least one external sensor that is configured to be connected to the electrical device.

29. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is configured to communicate using a wireless connection.

30. The electrical device of claim 29, wherein the wireless connection is selected from the group consisting of:

a proprietary wireless protocol, a packet communication connection, a cellular connection, a WiFi connection, a radio connection, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and a Bluetooth connection.

31. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is configured to communicate using a wired connection.

32. The electrical device of claim 31, wherein the wired connection is selected from the group consisting of electrical power wiring, a public switched telephone network, an attached computer, a local area network, and an Internet connected network.

33. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is configured to bi-directionally communicate with at least one of an interactive property communications system and a programmer, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory comprising instructions that cause the processor to execute;

a broker service module, the broker service module including software configured to execute on a network and to control bidirectional communications with one or more of a plurality of property communication devices at one or more individual premises of various premises, the broker service module including;

a communications interface configured to;

control communications between property communication devices at the one or more individual properties of the various premises;

perform bidirectional communications with the one or more of the plurality of property communication devices;

receive at least one broker service communication authorization instruction from at least one of a plurality of subscribers or at least one authorized user, the at least one broker service communication authorization instruction allowing communications with the broker service module;

receive content from a broker service,

wherein the broker service module acts as an interface configured to enable each subscriber of the plurality of subscribers or at least one authorized user access to a broker service acting as a third party that provides the goods and/or the services or acting as a broker to at least one third party that provides the goods and/or the services.

34. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive user input defining at least one alert condition, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate the alert in the same building as the controller or in a different building in accordance with the at least one alert condition.

35. The electrical device of claim 34, wherein the at least one alert condition is selected from the group consisting of:

no power usage, high power usage, low power supply battery, security schedule, lighting schedule, an environmental condition detected by one or more sensors, and a health condition detected by one or more sensors, wherein the sensors includes sensors integral with and/or external to the electrical device in the same or different building.

36. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor selected from the group consisting of an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a camera configured to take pictures, and a camera configured to capture video.