INTELLIGENT RECEPTACLE

• US 20140277783A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Knuth, John Jay, DeVries, Richard Nolan, Johnson, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,677,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

An intelligent receptacle (or receptacle device) enables individually monitoring and/or controlling consumption of utility service by one or more loads through a supply outlet that is associated with the receptacle device. A client device may enable a user to remotely control a provision of the utility service from the supply outlet through the receptacle device. Furthermore, a utility metering device may include a virtual metering device instance that is configured to collect utility consumption data associated with the supply outlet from the receptacle device and help calibration or synchronization of utility consumption readings of the receptacle device.

Claims

1. A receptacle device comprising:

a processing unit;

memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to perform acts comprising;

individually monitoring consumption of utility service of one or more loads through a supply outlet that is associated with the receptacle device; and

communicating utility consumption information of the one or more loads to one or more other devices.

2. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, wherein the receptacle device is integrated with the supply outlet.

3. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, wherein the receptacle device comprises an adapter to be placed between an output of the supply outlet and an input associated with the load.

4. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, the acts further comprising individually controlling the consumption of the utility service of the one or more loads through the supply outlet that is associated with the receptacle device.

5. The receptacle device as recited in claim 4, wherein individually controlling the consumption of the utility service of the one or more loads comprises individually starting, stopping and/or limiting a supply of the utility service to each of the one or more loads.

6. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more other devices comprise a utility metering device of a utility service provider, a home area network device and/or a client device of a user.

7. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, wherein individually monitoring the consumption of the utility service of the one or more loads comprises individually recording an amount of the utility service consumed by each of the one or more loads within a period of time.

8. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, wherein the receptacle device comprises an electric vehicle charger.

9. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, the acts further comprising synchronizing consumption data with a utility metering device configured to measure a total amount of utility consumption through a plurality of receptacle devices including the receptacle device.

10. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, the acts further comprising:

receiving an instruction from a mobile device of a user, a home area network device or a utility metering device of a utility service provider through a network; and

performing an operation according to the instruction.

11. The receptacle device as recited in claim 1, wherein the utility service comprises an electricity service.

12. A metering device comprising:

a processor;

memory, the memory storing;

a virtual receptacle device instance configured to communicate data with a receptacle device, and remotely control and monitor consumption of a utility service of a load through a supply outlet that is associated with the receptacle device.

13. The metering device as recited in claim 12, the memory further storing:

one or more other virtual receptacle device instances for one or more other receptacle devices;

a determination module configured to determine a total amount of utility consumption by loads that are associated with the one or more other receptacle devices and the receptacle device.

14. The metering device as recited in claim 12, wherein the virtual receptacle device instance is further configured to determine an amount of utility service delivered to a site associated with the receptacle device based on metrology associated with the metering device.

15. The metering device as recited in claim 14, wherein the virtual receptacle device instance is further configured to compare an amount of utility service consumed by the load determined by the receptacle device against the amount of utility service determined by the virtual receptacle device instance.

16. The metering device as recited in claim 15, wherein the virtual receptacle device instance is further configured to calibrate utility consumption reading of the receptacle device when a difference between the amount of utility service determined by the receptacle device and the amount of utility service determined by the virtual receptacle device instance is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

17. The metering device as recited in claim 16, wherein the virtual receptacle device instance is further configured to send data including a correct utility consumption reading to the receptacle device to calibrate the utility consumption reading of the receptacle device.

18. A method performed by a receptacle device, the method comprising:

communicating power consumption data determined by the receptacle device to a mobile device of a user;

receiving an instruction from the mobile device; and

controlling and monitoring a power consuming device associated with the receptacle device in accordance with the instruction.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the instruction comprises:

starting a supply of power to the power consuming device;

stopping the supply of power to the power consuming device;

limiting an amount of power supplied to the power consuming device within a specific amount of power included in the instruction;

or

restricting the supply or power to the power consuming device within a period of time included in the instruction.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising passing an alternating current or a direct current to the power consuming device through the receptacle device.