Energy virtualization layer for commercial and residential installations

• US 10,203,738 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SynCells, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SynCells, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Hora, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Darrin D
• Application Number:
  US15/621,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20180356867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/06 by electronic methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

An energy virtualization system may include a physical interface gateway that may include a plurality of common interfaces. The plurality of common interfaces may be coupled to a plurality of energy-producing devices, a plurality of energy-control devices, and a plurality of energy-consuming devices. The system may also include a building network, where the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices can communicate through building network. The system may additionally include a computing device running an energy virtualization layer. The virtualization layer may include a plurality of virtual devices representing the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices; and the plurality of energy-consuming devices. The virtualization layer may also direct energy from the energy-producing devices to the energy-consuming devices according to information received from the energy-control devices.

Claims

1. An energy virtualization system comprising:

a physical interface gateway comprising a plurality of common interfaces, wherein the plurality of common interfaces are coupled to;

a plurality of energy-producing devices;

a plurality of energy-control devices; and

a plurality of energy-consuming devices;

a building network, wherein the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices communicate through the building network; and

a computing device running an energy virtualization layer, wherein;

the virtualization layer comprises a plurality of virtual devices representing the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices;

the virtualization layer is distributed across a plurality of computing devices and acts as a hypervisor layer for the plurality of virtual devices;

the virtualization layer selects and controls which of the energy-producing devices provide energy to specific ones of the energy-consuming devices according to information received from the energy-control devices; and

the virtualization layer is configured to;

poll the plurality of virtual devices to determine device statuses;

receive an indication that a new device has been connected to the physical interface gateway;

receive information associated with a profile from the new device;

using the profile, determine whether the new device is an energy-producing device, an energy-control device, or an energy-consuming device based at least in part on the profile received from the new device;

determine whether the new device is authorized; and

interface with the new device if the new device is authorized according to the profile.

2. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices communicate through building network according to an IP protocol.

3. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the energy virtualization system is installed in a commercial building.

4. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the energy virtualization system is installed in a residential building.

5. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy-consuming devices comprises an electric vehicle.

6. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the profile comprises an operating current and voltage for the new device.

7. The energy virtualization system of claim 6, wherein the operating current and voltage for the new device are supplied by the new device to the energy virtualization system.

8. The energy virtualization system of claim 6, wherein the operating current and voltage for the new device are provided to the new device from the energy virtualization system.

9. The energy virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy-consuming devices comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

10. A method of operating an energy virtualization system, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of energy-producing devices through a plurality of common interfaces in a physical interface gateway of the energy virtualization system;

receiving a plurality of energy-control devices through a plurality of common interfaces in a physical interface gateway of the energy virtualization system;

receiving a plurality of energy-consuming devices through a plurality of common interfaces in a physical interface gateway of the energy virtualization system;

communicating between the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices through a building network;

representing the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices as a plurality of virtual devices on a virtualization layer running on a computing device, wherein the virtualization layer is distributed across a plurality of computing devices and acts as a hypervisor layer for the plurality of virtual devices;

selecting, by the virtualization layer, and controlling which of the energy-producing devices provide energy to specific ones of the energy-consuming devices according to information received from the energy-control devices;

polling, by the virtualization layer, the plurality of virtual devices to determine device statuses;

receiving, by the virtualization layer, an indication that a new device has been connected to the physical interface gateway;

receiving by the virtualization layer, information associated with a profile from the new device;

using the profile, determining, by the virtualization layer, whether the new device is an energy-producing device, an energy-control device, or an energy-consuming device based at least in part on the profile received from the new device;

determining, by the virtualization layer, whether the new device is authorized; and

interfacing, by the virtualization layer, with the new device if the new device is authorized according to the profile.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of energy-producing devices, the plurality of energy-control devices, and the plurality of energy-consuming devices communicate through building network according to an IP protocol.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the energy virtualization system is installed in a commercial building.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the energy virtualization system is installed in a residential building.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of energy-consuming devices comprises an electric vehicle.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the profile comprises an operating current and voltage for the new device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the operating current and voltage for the new device are supplied by the new device to the energy virtualization system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the operating current and voltage for the new device are provided to the new device from the energy virtualization system.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of energy-consuming devices comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.