ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110307101A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James
• Application Number:
  US13/217,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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, an energy management system and method includes a method of altering an operating condition of a device located at a site. The method includes the steps of establishing communication with at least one device located at the site and acquiring device data from the device. Subsequently, the device data is communicated to a server disposed remotely from the site and an availability of a control action data is detected at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the device data. The system includes a processor operable to initiate establishing communication with the at least one device and initiate acquiring device data. A communication interface is operable to communicate the device data to the remote server and detect an availability of the control action data at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the device data.

Claims

1. A method of altering an operating condition of a device located at a site, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with at least one device located at a site;

acquiring device data from the device;

communicating the device data to a server disposed remote from the site; and

detecting an availability of a control action data at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the device data.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a set-point within the control device data; and

identifying the device associated with the set-point.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

altering an operating condition of the identified device using the set-point.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

detecting a plurality of set-points within the control device data; and

identifying the device associated with each of the set-points.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

altering an operating condition of a plurality of devices using each of the detected set-points.

6. A method as set forth in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with a location reporting device associated with the site; and

said step of altering an operating condition includes using the set-point in response to a detected status of the location reporting device.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

informing a user of the location reporting device of the altered operating condition.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising sending the location reporting device at least one of a text message or an email message or a push notice or any combination thereof.

9. A method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising using the set-point in response to the location reporting device establishing a WIFI connection with the site.

10. A method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising using the set-point in response to the location reporting device losing a WIFI connection with the site.

11. A method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising using the set-point in response to detecting a travel direction and a distance between the location reporting device and the site.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising using the set-point in response to the location reporting device moving towards the site.

13. A method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising using the set-point in response to the location reporting device moving away from the site.

14. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising acquiring device data using an acquisition interval.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

altering the acquisition interval in response to a relative distance of a location reporting device to the site.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

increasing the acquisition interval in response to the location reporting device moving towards the site; and

decreasing the acquisition interval in response to the location reporting device moving away from the site.

17. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

establishing communication with one or more of;

a smart appliance;

an HVAC system;

a water pump;

a heat pump;

a hot water heater;

a thermostat;

an energy controller;

an irrigation system;

a lighting system;

an alarm system;

a smart power outlet;

an energy detection device;

a power measurement device;

a power measurement unit;

an air handler;

an air damper;

a humidity control system;

a heat sensing device;

a motion sensing device; and

a smart power outlet.

18. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of acquiring device data includes one or more of:

a device identifier;

a network identifier;

operation data;

security data; and

energy management data.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising one or more of:

a broadband device;

a server;

a thermostat;

a home controller;

a wireless router; and

a set-top box.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor operable to;

initiate establishing communication with at least one device located at a site;

initiate acquiring device data from the device;

a communication interface operable to;

communicate the device data to a server disposed remote from the site; and

detect an availability of a control action data at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the device data.