Rule-Based Remote Energy Control Using Occupancy Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home and business security systems lack integrated solutions for remote energy management and automation, failing to efficiently conserve energy while maintaining user convenience and security.
Innovation Solution
A method for remote device control and energy monitoring that utilizes sensors to analyze user presence and device status, applying rules to automatically adjust energy-consuming devices such as thermostats and lighting, and sending alerts for energy-saving suggestions, incorporating weather data, geographic location, and user identity for optimized energy management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If alarm systems are equipped with basic security sensors and control panels, then security monitoring capability is improved, but energy management and automation functionality is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The alarm system control panel is enhanced to serve multiple functions: traditional security monitoring, remote device control, energy consumption tracking, and automated energy management. This multi-functional approach allows the same system to provide both security reliability and energy management versatility without requiring separate dedicated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines energy management components (energy sensors, device controllers, monitoring modules) with the existing alarm system infrastructure. By merging these previously separate functions into a unified system, the alarm panel becomes a central hub for both security and energy operations, resolving the contradiction between maintaining security reliability and adding energy management versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If remote device control and energy monitoring features are added to alarm systems, then energy management capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The energy management system is divided into modular components: energy sensors that monitor consumption, device controllers that manage individual appliances, and a central control panel that coordinates operations. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function independently while integrating seamlessly into the existing alarm system, adding capability without proportionally increasing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control panel acts as an intermediary between users and the energy management system. It provides a unified interface for controlling devices, monitoring energy consumption, and receiving alerts, thereby simplifying user interaction despite the underlying system complexity. The intermediary absorbs much of the complexity while presenting a straightforward interface to end users.
3Loss of energy
If automated device control based on sensor data analysis is implemented, then energy conservation efficiency is improved, but user convenience may be reduced due to automation
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors energy consumption data from sensors and provides real-time feedback to users through the control panel. This feedback mechanism allows users to see the impact of automated controls and manually adjust settings when desired, balancing automated energy conservation with user convenience and awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically adjusting device settings based on sensor data (such as turning off devices in unoccupied areas or adjusting thermostats based on environmental conditions). These automated preliminary actions conserve energy proactively while users retain the ability to override or modify decisions through the control interface, maintaining convenience while achieving energy efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described for providing remote device (e.g., thermostat, lighting, appliance, etc.) control and/or energy monitoring. A system monitors sensor data captured by one or more sensors that sense attributes relevant to user presence at one or more monitored properties and status of one or more energy consuming devices associated with the one or more monitored properties. The system analyzes the monitored sensor data and the monitored device status with respect to a set of one or more rules and performs an operation related to controlling the one or more energy consuming devices based on the analysis of the monitored sensor data and the monitored device status with respect to the set of one or more rules.