ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130332000A1
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James
• Application Number:
  US13/965,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332000A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• 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

A demand response system includes a mobile application of a mobile device that is configured to initiate altering an operating condition of a network device disposed at a site using location based services. A demand response application interface module is configured to enable access between a utility company and the network device to communicate energy management information therebetween. The network device is configured to be remotely altered by each of the demand response application interface module and the mobile application separately based on the location based services and the energy management information. A method of managing a demand response system includes detecting a user being disposed away from a site, detecting energy management information from a utility company associated with the site, and initiating a reduction in energy use at the site in response to the relative location of the user and the energy management information.

Claims

1. A demand response system comprising:

a mobile device including location based services accessible by a mobile application of the mobile device, wherein the mobile application is further configured to initiate altering an operating condition of a network device disposed at a site using the location based services;

a demand response application interface module configured to enable access between a utility company and the network device to communicate energy management information therebetween for use in altering an operating condition of the network device; and

wherein the network device is configured to be remotely altered by each of the demand response application interface module and the mobile application separately based on the location based services and the energy management information.

2. The demand response system of claim 1 wherein said energy management information includes a curtailment action to alter the operating condition of the network device associated with the site in response to the mobile device being disposed away from the site.

3. The energy management system of claim 2, further comprising:

a scheduling tool module in communication with said demand response application interface module;

said scheduling tool module including a demand response selector configured to allow a user to select a preference to participate in said curtailment action; and

said demand response application interface module further configured to generate said curtailment action in response to said energy management information and said relative location of the mobile device and said preference to participate.

4. The demand response system of claim 3, further comprising:

said preference to participate including an always participate selection and a never participate selection and a request to participate selection;

wherein said demand response application interface module is configured to;

generate said curtailment action in response to said always participate selection and said energy management information;

cancel said curtailment action in response to said never participate selection and said energy management information; and

queue said curtailment action in response to said request participate selection and said energy management information.

5. The demand response system of claim 4 wherein:

said demand response application interface module is configured to initiate a request to the user of the site in response to queuing said curtailment action to request participation in said curtailment action;

said demand response application interface module is configured to detect a user reply communicated from the user in response to said request; and

said demand response application interface module is configured to enable said curtailment action in response to said user reply.

6. The demand response system of claim 1, further comprising:

an efficiency rating module in communication with the site and configured to evaluate performance data of the network device associated with the site and configured to generate an energy capacity of the site using said performance data; and

said demand response application interface module further configured to generate said curtailment action in response to said energy management information and said relative location of the mobile device and said energy capacity.

7. The demand response system of claim 6, further comprising:

said efficiency rating module in communication with a plurality of sites and configured to generate an energy capacity of each of the sites;

a scheduling module in communication with the efficiency rating module and the demand response application interface module and configured to generate an aggregate capacity of the sites; and

said demand response application interface_module configured to coordinate said energy management information using said aggregate capacity.

8. The demand response system of claim 1 further comprising:

said energy management information includes one or more of an increase in the price of energy due to an undersupply of energy within an energy market and an oversupply of energy purchased by an energy provider of the site and a high demand period of energy and a time interval when transmission pricing to use an energy transmission period exists.

9. The demand response system of claim 1 wherein said network device is one of or a part of one of the following:

a tablet, a smart phone, an energy management system, an energy management device, a personal computer, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a broadband communication device, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a media server, a network server, a network storage device, a wireless speaker, a retail energy provider'"'"'s server, a wholesale energy provider'"'"'s server, a COOP energy provider'"'"'s server, a retail business server, a commercial site server, an industrial site server, a multi-residential site server, a temporary lodging server, a hotel server, a motel server, a condominium server, a utility provider'"'"'s server, which can include waste, water, power or combinations thereof, an energy substation, a news media server, a weather server, an advertisement server or service provider, a network radio server or service provider, a network media server or service provider, a music server or server provider, a search engine server or service provider, an information server or service provider, a wireless information network device, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat (TSTAT), an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a garage door opening system or device, a power management device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, a wireless router, an automobile or transportation device, or a network communication device.

10. A demand response system comprising:

a mobile device including location based services accessible by a mobile application of the mobile device, wherein the mobile application is further configured to initiate altering an operating condition of the network device disposed at a site using the location based services;

a demand response application interface module configured to energy management information and initiate altering an operating condition at the site in response to said energy management information and a relative location of the mobile device associated with the site; and

an electronic device operably coupled to said demand response application interface module and configured to respond to said energy management information.

11. The demand response system of claim 10 further comprising:

a first wireless module configured to receive demand response data from a smart meter located at the site; and

a second wireless module configured to receive demand response event data from an IP based communication received using a broadband connection.

12. The demand response system of claim 10, further comprising:

a WIFI module configured to communicate with the mobile device;

a proximity detection module capable of detecting whether the mobile device is located near the site using a WIFI connection to the WIFI module;

wherein the demand response application interface_module initiates the altering of the operating condition when the WIFI connection is not detected; and

wherein the demand response application interface_module does not initiate the altering of the operating condition when the WIFI connection is detected.

13. A method of managing a demand response system comprising:

detecting a user being disposed away from a site;

detecting energy management information from a utility company associated with the site; and

initiating a reduction in energy use at the site in response to the relative location of the user and the energy management information.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of detecting energy management information includes detecting one or more conditions including an increase in a price of energy due to an undersupply of energy within an energy market and an oversupply of energy purchased by utility company associated with the site and a high demand period of energy and an existence of a time interval for energy transmission pricing.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising altering an operating condition of a network device associated with the site.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a preference of a user to participate in the reduction of energy use; and

altering the operating condition in response to a user'"'"'s preference to participate.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting at least one of an always participate selection and a never participate selection and a request to participate selection;

initiating the reduction of energy use at the site in response to detecting the always participate selection and the energy management information;

not altering the operating condition in response to detecting the never participate selection and the energy management information; and

initiating a communication with a user in response to detecting the request participate selection and the energy management information.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

initiating a request to the user of the site;

detecting a user reply communicated from the user in response to the request; and

initiating the reduction of energy use at the site in response to the user reply.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving performance data of at least one network device associated with the site;

estimating an energy capacity of the site in response to the performance data; and

initiating the reduction of energy use at the site using the energy capacity.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

accessing a plurality of sites;

receiving performance data of at least one network device associated with each the sites;

estimating an energy capacity of each of the sites;

estimating an aggregate capacity of the plurality of sites; and

initiating the reduction of energy use at the site using the aggregate capacity.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting whether a user is located at the site;

altering the operating condition at the site when the user is away from the site; and

not altering the operating condition when the user is detected at the site.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

initiating a reduction in energy use of at least one of the following devices at the site;

a tablet, a smart phone, an energy management system, an energy management device, a personal computer, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a broadband communication device, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a media server, a network server, a network storage device, a wireless speaker, a retail energy provider'"'"'s server, a wholesale energy provider'"'"'s server, a COOP energy provider'"'"'s server, a retail business server, a commercial site server, an industrial site server, a multi-residential site server, a temporary lodging server, a hotel server, a motel server, a condominium server, a utility provider'"'"'s server, which can include waste, water, power or combinations thereof, an energy substation, a news media server, a weather server, an advertisement server or service provider, a network radio server or service provider, a network media server or service provider, a music server or server provider, a search engine server or service provider, an information server or service provider, a wireless information network device, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat (TSTAT), an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a garage door opening system or device, a power management device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, a wireless router, an automobile or transportation device, or a network communication device.