SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ESTIMATING THE EFFECTS OF A REQUEST TO CHANGE POWER USAGE

• US 20110046806A1
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap One LLC (Snap One Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Control4 Corporation (Snap One Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: West, William B., Nagel, Paul E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• 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: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Systems and methods for estimating the effects of a request to change power usage are described. Device data about one or more devices may be received. User behavior data about past and anticipated user behavior may be received. Effects of a request to change power usage on a power grid may be estimated using the device data and the user behavior data. Whether to send the request to change power usage may be determined based on the estimated effects.

Claims

1. A method for estimating the effects of a request to change power usage, the method comprising:

receiving device data about one or more devices from a home area network controller;

receiving user behavior data about the devices;

estimating effects of a request to change power usage on a power grid using the device data and the user behavior data; and

determining whether to send the request to change power usage based on the estimated effects.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving power data about power generation in the power grid; and

estimating effects of a request to change power usage on the power grid using the device data, the user behavior data, and the power data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving customer preferences about the devices; and

estimating effects of a request to change power usage on the power grid using the device data, the user behavior data, and the customer preferences.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user behavior data comprises one or more of the following:

past device responses to requests to change power usage, typical behavior of the devices as a function of time, suggestions for reduction in power consumption, typical loads of the devices, typical loads of the house in which the devices reside, and anticipated power consumption of the devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to change power usage is not sent based on a determination that the request to change power usage should not be sent.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the request to change power usage using one or more of the following:

Z-Wave by Zensys, ZigBee Smart Energy (ZigBee SE), ZigBee Home Automation (ZigBee HA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), any of the HomePlug standards, Broadband over Power Lines (BPL), and Power Line Communication (PLC).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device data comprises one or more of the following:

device type, geographic location, power consumption, current status, and anticipated power consumption.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the power data comprises one or more of the following:

an amount of power being generated in the power grid, sources of the power being generated, sources of stored power, current weather conditions, and the forecasted weather conditions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to change power usage is a request for reduced power consumption of one or more of the devices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the request to change power usage to the home area network controller for the home area network controller to send the request to change power usage to the more devices.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the request to change power usage to a utility meter, wherein the utility meter sends the request to change power usage to the home area network controller for the home area network controller to send the request to change power usage to the devices.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing the device data and the power data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising allowing third parties to access the stored device data and the stored power data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating reports based on the device data to assess the health of the devices.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating the effects of the request to change power usage comprises estimating a change in revenue associated with the request to change power usage.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating the effects of the request to change power usage comprises estimating a change in power consumption associated with the request to change power usage.

17. An apparatus for estimating the effects of a request to change power usage, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

receive device data about one or more devices from a home area network controller;

receive user behavior data about the devices;

estimate effects of a request to change power usage on a power grid using the device data and the user behavior data; and

determine whether to send the request to change power usage based on the estimated effects.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to:

receive power data about power generation in the power grid; and

estimate effects of a request to change power usage on the power grid using the device data, the user behavior data, and the power data.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to:

receive customer preferences about the devices; and

estimate effects of a request to change power usage on the power grid using the device data, the user behavior data, and the customer preferences.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user behavior data comprises one or more of the following:

past device responses to requests to change power usage, typical behavior of the devices as a function of time, suggestions for reduction in power consumption, typical loads of the devices, typical loads of the house in which the devices reside, and anticipated power consumption of the devices.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the request to change power usage is not sent based on a determination that the request to change power usage should not be sent.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to send the request to change power usage using one or more of the following:

Z-Wave by Zensys, ZigBee Smart Energy (ZigBee SE), ZigBee Home Automation (ZigBee HA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), any of the HomePlug standards, Broadband over Power Lines (BPL), and Power Line Communication (PLC).

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the device data comprises one or more of the following:

device type, geographic location, power consumption, current status, and anticipated power consumption.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the power data comprises one or more of the following:

an amount of power being generated in the power grid, sources of the power being generated, sources of stored power, current weather conditions, and the forecasted weather conditions.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the request to change power usage is a request for reduced power consumption of the devices.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to send the request to change power usage to the home area network controller for the home area network controller to send the request to change power usage to the more devices.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to send the request to change power usage to a utility meter, wherein the utility meter sends the request to change power usage to the home area network controller for the home area network controller to send the request to change power usage to the devices.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising instructions executable to store the device data and the power data.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising instructions executable to allow third parties to access the stored device data and the stored power data.

30. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to generate reports based on the device data to assess the health of the devices.

31. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions executable to estimate the effects of the request to change power usage comprise instructions executable to estimate a change in revenue associated with the request to change power usage.

32. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions executable to estimate the effects of the request to change power usage comprise instructions executable to estimate a change in power consumption associated with the request to change power usage.

33. A computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions for:

receiving device data about one or more devices from a home area network controller;

receiving user behavior data about the devices;

estimating effects of a request to change power usage on a power grid using the device data and the user behavior data; and

determining whether to send the request to change power usage based on the estimated effects.

34. A method for managing a device based on a request to change power usage, the method comprising:

receiving a request to change power usage;

determining how to adjust management of the device based on the request to change power usage, device data, and customer preferences;

adjusting the management of the device based on the determining; and

storing information about the adjustment.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the device data comprises one or more of the following:

device type, geographic location, power consumption, and current status.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the request to change power usage is a request for reduced power consumption by the device.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the request to change power usage is received using one or more of the following:

Z-Wave by Zensys, ZigBee Smart Energy (ZigBee SE), ZigBee Home Automation (ZigBee HA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), any of the HomePlug standards, Broadband over Power Lines (BPL), and Power Line Communication (PLC).

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the adjusting comprises one or more of the following:

taking no action, changing a setting on the device, or turning the device off based on the device data.

39. A controller for managing a device based on a request to change power usage, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

receive a request to change power usage;

determine how to adjust management of the device based on the request to change power usage, device data, and customer preferences;

adjust the management of the device based on the determining; and

store information about the adjustment.

40. The controller of claim 39, wherein the device data comprises one or more of the following:

device type, geographic location, power consumption, and current status.

41. The controller of claim 39, wherein the request to change power usage is a request for reduced power consumption by the device.

42. The controller of claim 39, wherein the request to change power usage is received using one or more of the following:

Z-Wave by Zensys, ZigBee Smart Energy (ZigBee SE), ZigBee Home Automation (ZigBee HA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), any of the HomePlug standards, Broadband over Power Lines (BPL), and Power Line Communication (PLC).

43. The controller of claim 39, wherein the instructions executable to adjust comprise instructions executable to do one or more of the following:

take no action, change a setting on the device, or turn the device off based on the device data.

44. A computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions for:

receiving a request to change power usage;

determining how to adjust management of the device based on the request to change power usage, device data, and customer preferences;

adjusting the management of the device based on the determining; and

storing information about the adjustment.