RFID Plug Load Management System for Outlet Energy Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial buildings face challenges in managing plug loads due to their distributed and ever-changing nature, which accounts for a significant portion of energy consumption, making it difficult to monitor and control effectively.
Innovation Solution
A plug load management system that uses RFID tags, readers, and processors to identify, locate, and control plug loads by assigning identifiers to receptacles, allowing for monitoring and controlling energy usage through communication protocols such as wireless communication, enabling accurate energy management and reduction strategies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If plug loads are monitored and controlled in commercial buildings, then energy consumption can be reduced and optimized, but the distributed and ever-changing nature of plug loads makes them difficult to monitor and control effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system comprising RFID tags attached to receptacles, RFID readers connected to plug loads, and a processor that mediates between the distributed plug loads and the central control system. This intermediary infrastructure enables effective monitoring and control of plug loads despite their distributed and changing nature, resolving the contradiction between energy optimization and control complexity.
2Measurement precision
If RFID tags and readers are deployed to identify and locate plug loads, then accurate energy management and control become possible, but the system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses RFID tags that create identification copies or representations of receptacles, allowing the system to track and identify plug loads without physically monitoring each device. The processor maintains a database of identifier-receptacle mappings, enabling accurate plug load location and control through information copying rather than direct physical monitoring, thus reducing infrastructure complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively locates and identifies plug loads, enabling detailed control of energy usage, reducing energy consumption by directing plug loads to reduce energy usage, power off, or enter standby mode, thus optimizing energy efficiency in commercial buildings.
Implementation Method 1
the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, and the reader is a RFID reader
Implementation Method 2
the providing comprises using a form of near field communication (NFC)
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a plug load management system having automatic and dynamic load detection, meaning it has the ability to identify devices that are plugged into outlets of a building and determine the location of the plug load down to the specific outlet. When a device is moved, the plug load management system can determine this change and update accordingly.