Approach for managing power consumption in buildings

• US 6,879,883 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): CABRERA, ZOILA E
• Application Number:
  US10/863,310
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700/291, 700295-297, 340/509, 340/3.1, 340/524, 340/526, 340/825.49, 713/300, 713/320, 713/324, 713/340
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An approach for managing power consumption in a building includes receiving a signal that indicates that a user has entered or left the building. In response to receiving the signal, one or more resources in the building are transitioned between a first state and a second state. When operating in the first state, the one or more resources consume relatively less power relative to when the one or more resources are operating in the second state. A determination may also be made, based upon the signal and status data, whether the user has entered the building or left the building. If the user has entered the building, then the one or more resources are transitioned from the first state to the second state. If the user has left the building, then the one or more resources are transitioned from the second state to the first state.

Claims

1. A method for managing power consumption in a building, the method comprising:

receiving a data signal that indicates that a user has entered or left the building;

determining, based upon at least the data signal, whether the user is the only user from one or more users of a shared resource disposed in the building who is currently in the building;

if the user is the only user from one or more users of the shared resource who is currently in the building, then causing the shared resource to transition from a first state to a second state, wherein when operating in the first state, the shared resource consumes relatively less power relative to when the shared resource is operating in the second state;

determining, based upon at least the data signal, whether the user is the last user of the one or more users of the shared resource to leave the building; and

if the user is the last user of the one or more users of the shared resource to leave the building, then causing the shared resource to transition from the second state to the first state.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining, based upon the data signal, whether the user is the only user from one or more users of a shared resource disposed in the building who is currently in the building includes determining, based upon both the data signal and status, whether the user is the only user from the one or more users of the shared resource who is currently in the building, wherein the status data indicates whether each of the one or more users are in the building or out of the building.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the shared resource is a lighting system.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the shared resource is a heating/cooling system.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the shared resource is a computing system.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising causing one or more private resources associated with the user to transition from a low power state to a higher power state, wherein the one or more private resources consume relatively less power when operating in the low power state compared to the higher power state.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data signal is generated in response to detecting an identifier that identifies the user.

8. A computer-readable medium for managing power consumption in a building, the computer-readable medium carrying instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

receiving a data signal that indicates that a user has entered or left the building;

determining, based upon at least the data signal, whether the user is the only user from one or more users of a shared resource disposed in the building who is currently in the building;

if the user is the only user from one or more users of the shared resource who is currently in the building, then causing the shared resource to transition from a first state to a second state, wherein when operating in the first state, the shared resource consumes relatively less power relative to when the shared resource is operating in the second state;

determining, based upon at least the data signal, whether the user is the last user of the one or more users of the shared resource to leave the building; and

if the user is the last user of the one or more users of the shared resource to leave the building, then causing the shared resource to transition from the second state to the first state.

9. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein determining, based upon the data signal, whether the user is the only user from one or more users of a shared resource disposed in the building who is currently in the building includes determining, based upon both the data signal and status, whether the user is the only user from the one or more users of the shared resource who is currently in the building, wherein the status data indicates whether each of the one or more users are in the building or out of the building.

10. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the shared resource is a lighting system.

11. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the shared resource is a heating/cooling system.

12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the shared resource is a computing system.

13. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, further comprising additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more private resources associated with the user to transition from a low power state to a higher power state, wherein the one or more private resources consume relatively less power when operating in the low power state compared to the higher power state.

14. The computer-rcadable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the data signal is generated in response to detecting an identifier that identifies the user.

15. An apparatus for managing power consumption in a building, the apparatus comprising a memory storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

receiving a data signal that indicates that a user has entered or left the building;

determining, based upon at least the data signal, whether the user is the only user from one or more users of a shared resource disposed in the building who is currently in the building;

if the user is the only user from one or more users of the shared resource who is currently in the building, then causing the shared resource to transition from a first state to a second state, wherein when operating in the first state, the shared resource consumes relatively less power relative to when the shared resource is operating in the second state;

determining, based upon at least the data signal whether the user is the last user of the one or more users of the shared resource to leave the building; and

if the user is the last user of the one or more users of the shared resource to leave the building, then causing the shared resource to transition from the second state to the first state.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein determining, based upon the data signal, whether the user is the only user from one or more users of a shared resource disposed in the building who is currently in the building includes determining, based upon both the data signal and status, whether the user is the only user firm the one or more users of the shared resource who is currently in the building, wherein the status data indicates whether each of the one or more users are in the building or out of the building.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the shared resource is a lighting system.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the shared resource is a heating/cooling system.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the shared resource is a computing system.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the memory stores additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more private resources associated with the user to transition from a low power state to a higher power state, wherein the one or more private resources consume relatively less power when operating in the low power state compared to the higher power state.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the data signal is generated in response to detecting an identifier that identifies the user.