Systems, methods and apparatus for monitoring and managing device-level energy consumption in a smart-home environment

• US 9,523,993 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weaver, Jason C., Kayton, Bradley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US14/473,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20140371922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/291, 700/292, 700/295, 702183-185
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• 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: F24F 2130/20 Sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34306 Power down, energy saving
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1927 using a plurality of sensors G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 : User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 : Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 : The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 : Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• 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: 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 12/2827 : Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 : involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 : using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 : using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• 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: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• 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: Y02P 90/82 : Energy audits or management systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

Accessing an energy management policy for a plurality of devices is described, wherein the devices are coupled with a first structure. The energy usage of the devices is monitored. An energy usage rule and energy usage is then compared. The energy management policy and energy usage is also compared. Based on the comparing, an instruction is generated to modify an energy usage profile of said device to correlate with the energy usage rule associated with the devices and the energy management policy, thereby enabling efficient energy management.

Claims

1. A system for managing energy consumption of a plurality of devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:

an energy manager device;

a plurality of energy measurement modules, each energy measurement module being;

associated with a device from the plurality of devices,

configured to measure an amount of energy consumed by the device, and

capable of wirelessly communicating energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device to the energy manager device; and

a plurality of energy usage modifier modules, each energy usage modifier module being;

associated with a device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; and

configured to control energy consumption of the device which is also associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules in response to an instruction received from the energy manager device;

the energy manager device being configured to;

wirelessly receive from each of the plurality of energy measurement modules the energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device associated with the energy measurement module;

receive duration information indicative of a length of time an energy-consuming device has been in operation;

calculate an energy consumption for the energy-consuming device based on the duration information;

determine desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on a peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household for which the energy manager device manages energy usage; and

in response to receiving an instruction from a user, wirelessly communicate an instruction to each of the energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy manager device includes a graphical user interface and is configured to receive the instruction from the user via the graphical user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy manager device is further configured to communicate with a user device located outside of the enclosure, and to receive the instruction from the user via the user device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy manager device includes a touch screen panel and is configured to display information to the user and receive the instruction from the user via the touch screen panel, and at least one of the energy measurement modules and an associated one of the energy usage modifier modules are integrated into a single hardware component.

5. A method for managing energy consumption of a plurality of energy consuming devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:

establishing communication over a wireless protocol between a plurality of energy measurement modules and an energy management device, each energy measurement module being associated with an energy consuming device from the plurality of energy consuming devices associated with the enclosure;

establishing a wireless communication between a plurality of energy usage modifier modules and the energy management device, each energy usage modifier module being associated with an energy consuming device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules;

measuring, by each energy measurement module, an amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module;

wirelessly communicating, by each energy measurement module to the energy management device, energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module;

receiving duration information indicative of a length of time an energy consuming device has been in operation at the energy management device;

calculating, by the energy management device, an energy consumption for the energy consuming device based on the duration information;

determining, by the energy management device, desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household in which the energy manager device is situated;

receiving an instruction from a user indicative of a modification to energy consumption for the enclosure;

in response to receiving the user instruction, wirelessly communicating an instruction from the energy management device to each of the plurality of energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective energy consuming devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each energy consuming device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the energy consuming device; and

controlling, by each energy usage modifier module, the energy consumption of the energy consuming device associated with the energy usage modifier module in accordance with the instruction.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

calculating, by the energy management device, a sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices;

receiving a measurement of a total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure at the energy management device;

generating, by the energy management device, a passive power consumption analysis by comparing the total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure with the sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the passive power consumption analysis indicates an amount of power consumed other than by devices turned on; and

communicating, by the energy management device, the passive power consumption analysis to the user.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an instruction at the energy management device from an energy company regarding a demand-response event; and

modifying, by the energy management device, the desired energy usage profile for an energy consuming device in response to receiving the instruction from the energy company.

8. A method for managing energy consumption of a plurality of energy consuming devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:

establishing communication over a wireless protocol between a plurality of energy measurement modules and an energy management device, each energy measurement module being associated with an energy consuming device from the plurality of energy consuming devices associated with the enclosure;

establishing a wireless communication between a plurality of energy usage modifier modules and the energy management device, each energy usage modifier module being associated with an energy consuming device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules;

measuring, by each energy measurement module, an amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module;

wirelessly communicating, by each energy measurement module to the energy management device, energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module;

determining, by the energy management device, desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household in which the energy manager device is situated;

receiving an instruction from a user indicative of a modification to energy consumption for the enclosure;

in response to receiving the user instruction, wirelessly communicating an instruction from the energy management device to each of the plurality of energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective energy consuming devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each energy consuming device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the energy consuming device;

controlling, by each energy usage modifier module, the energy consumption of the energy consuming device associated with the energy usage modifier module in accordance with the instruction;

generating, by the energy management device, a history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices based at least in part on the energy consumption information wirelessly communicated from each energy measurement module to the energy management device;

storing, by the energy management device, the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices;

receiving an energy efficiency rating for a replacement device at the energy management device;

calculating, by the energy management device, an estimate of cost savings in energy consumption for replacing an energy consuming device with the replacement device based on the energy efficiency rating of the replacement device and the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming device; and

communicating, by the energy management device, the estimate of cost savings to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a cost of the replacement device at the energy management device;

calculating, by the energy management device, a break-even point based on the cost of the replacement device and the estimate of cost savings in energy consumption; and

communicating, by the energy management device, the break-even point to the user.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

calculating, by the energy management device, an energy cost based on the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming devices, and

communicating, by the energy management device, the energy cost to the user.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving identification information for an energy consuming device;

storing the identification information; and

associating the identification information with the measured amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device.

12. A system for managing energy consumption of a plurality of devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:

an energy manager device;

a plurality of energy measurement modules, each energy measurement module being;

associated with a device from the plurality of devices,

configured to measure an amount of energy consumed by the device, and

capable of wirelessly communicating energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device to the energy manager device; and

a plurality of energy usage modifier modules, each energy usage modifier module being;

associated with a device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules; and

configured to control energy consumption of the device which is also associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules in response to an instruction received from the energy manager device;

the energy manager device being configured to;

wirelessly receive from each of the plurality of energy measurement modules the energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the device associated with the energy measurement module;

determine desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on a peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household for which the energy manager device manages energy usage;

in response to receiving an instruction from a user, wirelessly communicate an instruction to each of the energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the device;

generate a history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices based at least in part on the energy consumption information wirelessly communicated from each energy measurement module to the energy management device;

store the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices;

receive an energy efficiency rating for a replacement device at the energy management device;

calculate an estimate of cost savings in energy consumption for replacing an energy consuming device with the replacement device based on the energy efficiency rating of the replacement device and the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming device; and

communicate the estimate of cost savings to the user.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a smart meter configured to measure a total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure and wirelessly communicate energy consumption information indicative of the total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure to the energy manager device,

wherein the energy manager device is further configured to communicate the total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure to the user.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a thermostat controller module operatively coupled to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit and configured to receive a temperature reading from a temperature sensor, transmit the temperature reading to the energy manager device, receive a thermostat set-point from the energy manager device, and control operation of the HVAC unit based on the thermostat set-point.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an ambient light sensor coupled to the energy manager; and

a humidity sensor coupled to the energy manager,

wherein the energy manager device is further configured to receive readings from the ambient light sensor and the humidity sensor, and modify the desired energy usage of a profile based on the readings.

16. A method for managing energy consumption of a plurality of energy consuming devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:

establishing communication over a wireless protocol between a plurality of energy measurement modules and an energy management device, each energy measurement module being associated with an energy consuming device from the plurality of energy consuming devices associated with the enclosure;

establishing a wireless communication between a plurality of energy usage modifier modules and the energy management device, each energy usage modifier module being associated with an energy consuming device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules;

measuring, by each energy measurement module, an amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module;

wirelessly communicating, by each energy measurement module to the energy management device, energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module;

calculating, by the energy management device, a sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices;

receiving a measurement of a total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure at the energy management device;

generating, by the energy management device, a passive power consumption analysis by comparing the total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure with the sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the passive power consumption analysis indicates an amount of power consumed other than by devices turned on;

communicating, by the energy management device, the passive power consumption analysis to the user;

determining, by the energy management device, desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider and a household energy profile that defines energy usage for a household in which the energy manager device is situated;

receiving an instruction from a user indicative of a modification to energy consumption for the enclosure;

in response to receiving the user instruction, wirelessly communicating an instruction from the energy management device to each of the plurality of energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective energy consuming devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each energy consuming device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the energy consuming device; and

controlling, by each energy usage modifier module, the energy consumption of the energy consuming device associated with the energy usage modifier module in accordance with the instruction.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating, by the energy management device, a history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices based at least in part on the energy consumption information wirelessly communicated from each energy measurement module to the energy management device; and

storing, by the energy management device, the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining, by the energy management device, energy consumption information for a specific period of time based on the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices; and

communicating, by the energy management device, the energy consumption information for the specific period of time to the user.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining, by the energy management device, a trend of energy consumption based on the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming devices;

calculating, by the energy management device, an estimate of energy consumption for a future period of time based on the trend; and

communicating, by the energy management device, the estimate of energy consumption to the user.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving an energy efficiency rating for a replacement device at the energy management device;

calculating, by the energy management device, an estimate of cost savings in energy consumption for replacing an energy consuming device with the replacement device based on the energy efficiency rating of the replacement device and the history of energy consumption for the energy consuming device; and

communicating, by the energy management device, the estimate of cost savings to the user.

21. A system for managing energy consumption of a plurality of devices associated with an enclosure, comprising:

means for establishing communication over a wireless protocol between a plurality of energy measurement modules and an energy management device, each energy measurement module being associated with an energy consuming device from the plurality of energy consuming devices associated with the enclosure;

means for establishing a wireless communication between a plurality of energy usage modifier modules and the energy management device, each energy usage modifier module being associated with an energy consuming device which is also associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of energy measurement modules;

means for measuring, by each energy measurement module, an amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module;

means for wirelessly communicating, by each energy measurement module to the energy management device, energy consumption information indicative of the amount of energy consumed by the energy consuming device associated with the energy measurement module;

means for determining, by the energy management device, desired energy usage profiles for each of the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the desired energy usage profiles are determined at least in part based on peak energy demand response command issued by a utility provider;

means for calculating, by the energy management device, a sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices;

means for receiving a measurement of a total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure at the energy management device;

means for generating, by the energy management device, a passive power consumption analysis by comparing the total amount of energy consumed by the enclosure with the sum amount of energy consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices, wherein the passive power consumption analysis indicates an amount of power consumed other than by devices turned on;

means for communicating, by the energy management device, the passive power consumption analysis to the user;

means for receiving an instruction from a user indicative of a modification to energy consumption for the enclosure;

means for wirelessly communicating, in response to receiving the user instruction, an instruction from the energy management device to each of the plurality of energy usage modifier modules instructing the energy usage modifier modules to control energy consumption of their respective energy consuming devices, the instruction causing energy consumption of each energy consuming device to be correlated with the desired energy usage profile of the energy consuming device; and

means for controlling, by each energy usage modifier module, the energy consumption of the energy consuming device associated with the energy usage modifier module in accordance with the instruction.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving duration information indicative of a length of time an energy consuming device has been in operation at the energy management device;

means for calculating, by the energy management device, an energy consumption for the energy consuming device based on the duration information.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for calculating, by the energy management device, a cost amount associated with a change in energy consumption from changing a setting of an energy consuming device; and

means for communicating, by the energy management device, the cost amount and the setting change to the user.