ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110054710A1
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/75 for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 : variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 : Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 : Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 : Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 : Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 : Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities 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 12/2818 : from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 : Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 : Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 : Photovoltaic [PV]
• 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: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems

Abstract

According to an aspect of the disclosure, a home energy management system and method includes a network device disposed at a residence and a wireless home energy network capable of establishing communication with the network device. A server is disposed remotely from the residence and capable of generating a control action report to control the network devices. A controller is located at the residence and in communication with the server and configured to establish the wireless home energy network; initiate a plurality of operating status requests of the network device; receive device data in response to at least one of the operating status requests; generate a site report including the device data; initiate a communication of the site report to the remote server; and detect an availability of the control action report at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the site report.

Claims

1. An energy management system comprising:

a network device disposed at a residence;

a wireless home energy network capable of establishing communication with the network device;

a server disposed remotely from the residence and capable of generating a control action report to control the network devices; and

a controller located at the residence and in communication with the server and configured to;

establish the wireless home energy network;

initiate a plurality of operating status requests of the network device;

receive device data in response to at least one of the operating status requests;

generate a site report including the device data;

initiate a communication of the site report to the remote server; and

detect an availability of the control action report at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the site report.

2. The energy management system of claim 1 wherein the control action report includes control data generated in response to a detection of a travel direction and a distance between a location reporting device and the residence.

3. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein:

the network device includes a wireless thermostat;

the server includes a proximity detection module configured to;

detect a location reporting device within a first zone;

detect a current thermostat setting and an indoor temperature of the residence communicated within the site report;

calculate a percentage adjustment to adjust the current thermostat setting in response to the first zone and the current thermostat setting and the indoor temperature;

calculate a new set point value in response to the percentage adjustment;

include the new set-point value in the control data of the control action report; and

the controller is configured to;

detect the new set-point value within the control action report;

identify the wireless thermostat; and

initiate an outputting of the new set-point value to the wireless thermostat using the wireless home energy network.

4. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises:

a ZigBee enabled communication device capable of initiating the wireless home energy network; and

a WIFI enabled communication device capable of initiating a WIFI network operable to be coupled to a location reporting device when located near the residence.

5. The energy management system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to:

alter an operating condition of the network device in response to detecting the location reporting device establishing a WIFI connection to the WIFI network; and

alter an operating condition of the network device in response to detecting a loss of the WIFI connection.

6. The energy management system of claim 4, further comprising:

a first user schedule accessible to the controller and operably linked to the location reporting device wherein the first user schedule includes a first schedule event configured to alter an operating condition of the network device in response to detecting the location reporting device establishing or losing a WIFI connection to the WIFI network.

7. The energy system of claim 6, further comprising:

a second user schedule accessible to the controller, wherein the second user schedule includes a second schedule event configured to alter an operating condition of the network device, wherein the second user schedule is not linked to any location reporting device; and

wherein the controller is configured to use the second schedule event in response to a detection of the location reporting device losing the WIFI connection.

8. The energy system of claim 6, further comprising:

a second location reporting device operably linked to a second user schedule;

wherein the controller is configured to use the second schedule event in response to a detection of the second location reporting device establishing a WIFI connection; and

wherein the controller is configured to disable use of the second scheduled event in response to a detection of the second location reporting device losing the WIFI connection.

9. The energy management system of claim 4, further comprising:

wherein the location reporting device is configured to;

connect to the WIFI network initiated by the controller;

receive information to be communicated to the controller using a wireless information network; and

wherein the controller is configured to;

receive the information from the location reporting device over the WIFI network; and

use at least a portion of the received information with the wireless home energy network.

10. The energy management system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to:

detect a Zigbee device accessible by the wireless home energy network; and

initiate a request to access a ZigBee profile of the ZigBee device using the WIFI network and the location reporting device.

11. The energy management system of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the network device includes a wireless thermostat configured to join the wireless home energy network;

wherein the wireless thermostat does not include an enabled local programming schedule configured to control an HVAC system of the residence; and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

initiate joining the wireless thermostat to the wireless home energy network using a unique identifier of the network device received from the remote server.

12. The energy management system of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the controller is capable of detecting an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) wireless network output by a smart energy network device;

a communication interface configured to enable joining the smart energy network device and the controller;

wherein the controller is capable of joining the AMI wireless network at a first security level;

wherein the controller is capable of establishing the wireless home energy network at a second security level; and

wherein the controller is capable of using information received from the AMI network to alter the operating condition of the network device using the wireless home energy network.

13. The energy management system of claim 2, wherein the server includes an energy pricing monitor configured to:

detect energy pricing within an energy market;

generate control data to curtail use of the network device in response to an unfavorable pricing condition and the detection of the travel direction and the distance between the location reporting device and the residence; and

generate control data to initiate use of the network device in response to a favorable pricing condition and the detection of the travel direction and the distance between the location reporting device and the residence.

14. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein the server includes a demand response module configured to:

detect a grid condition favorable to a demand response event;

detect a preference of an owner of the residence to participate in demand response events;

determine an energy capacity of the residence based on historical device consumption data received in the site report and a forecasted device consumption data; and

generate control data to alter an operating condition of the network device in response to the grid condition and the preference of the owner and the energy capacity of the residence.

15. The energy management system of claim 1, further comprising a residential broadband connection between the residence and the server, wherein the broadband connection includes a secure gateway connection and does not include a cellular based network.

16. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein the controller being a micro-grid controller configured to establish the wireless home energy network using a wireless mesh network.

17. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a thermostat.

18. The energy management system of claim 17, wherein the controller further includes:

an 802.15.4 based wireless communication device operable to establish the wireless home energy network; and

an 802.11 based wireless communication device operable to communicate with a mobile device and a residential broadband wireless router.

19. The energy management system of claim 18, wherein the controller includes a processor configured to deploy a web server capable of enabling web services with:

a computer system including a browser configured to access a IP address of the web server to manage the network device coupled to the wireless home energy network; and

a mobile device configured to enable access to a subscriber based wireless information network using a connection to the 802.11 based wireless communication device.

20. The energy management system of claim 19, wherein the controller includes a scheduling tool configured to be output by the web server.