Interactive energy device for environmental stewardship

• US 9,733,630 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• 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: Xiong, Jinjun, Ditlow, Gary S., Pickover, Clifford A., Gaucher, Brian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US13/971,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 system for operating an energy-using device, comprising:

a control unit of the energy-using device configured to monitor an energy usage over a time interval of the energy-using device and implement a recommended setting at the energy-using device; and

a hand-held device transportable to within a communication range of the energy-using device, the hand-held device configured to;

establish a communication link with the energy-using device,

receive the energy usage over the time interval, a current setting of the energy-using device and a make and model of the energy-using device from the control unit,

send the make and model to an operations specification database for the energy-using device to obtain an energy profile for the energy-using device and a setting for the energy profile from the operations specification database,

compare the energy usage over the time interval to the energy profile,

provide the comparison to a display of the hand-held device,

accept an input from a user at the hand-held device to select the recommended setting for the energy-usage device from the current setting of the energy-using device and the setting for the energy profile based on the comparison, and

send the recommended setting to the control unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held device is further configured to determine the recommended setting based on a user preference for the energy-using device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held device is further configured to provide an energy report for the energy-using device based on the current data.

4. The system 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; and

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

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising a carbon-offset provider configured to determine a carbon footprint of the energy-using device and recommend a setting to change the carbon footprint.

6. The system of claim 3, further comprising an appliance database configured to recommend of an alternate energy-using device based on the energy report for the energy-using device.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote database determines the suitable setting by accumulating energy usage from a plurality of energy-using devices have a same make and model.

8. The system 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 system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held device performs one of:

implementing the recommended setting automatically; and

enabling a user to intervene during implementation of the recommended setting.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommended setting is determined 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.

11. A hand-held apparatus for operating an energy-using device, comprising:

a processor configured to;

establish a communication link with the energy-using device when the hand-held device is transported to within a communication range of the energy-using device;

receive from the energy-using device an energy usage over a time interval, a current setting of the energy-using device and a make and model of the energy-using device;

send the make and model to an operations specification database for the energy-using device to receive an energy profile for the energy-using device and a setting for the energy profile from the operations specification database;

compare the energy usage over the time interval to the energy profile;

provide the comparison to a display;

accept an input from a user to select a recommended setting for the energy-usage device from the current setting of the energy-using device and the setting for the energy profile; and

send the recommended setting to the energy-usage device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to perform one of:

implementing the recommended settings automatically; and

enabling a user to intervene during implementation of the recommended settings.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an energy report for the energy-using device that 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.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the recommended setting from the operating specification and at least one of:

a user preference for the energy-using device;

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

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the energy-usage device includes a control unit for monitoring the energy usage over the time interval for the energy-usage device and to implement the recommended setting received from the hand-held apparatus at the energy-using device.