Abstract:
The present invention provides a system and method for a datamining service vendor to provide subscribing power customers with electrical consumption data services. The system and method provide a mechanism by which electrical consumption is measured at the point of consumption over incremental periods of time. Customers can subscribe to a datamining service vendor which monitors and collects customer electrical consumption data at each addressed location within the customer&#39;s electrical network and provides the customer with a detailed report of power consumption statistics and trends. This allows the customer to make informed consumption choices resulting in cost savings to the customer and conservation of power generation resources.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    This invention relates to the field of home or business electrical power consumption management. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for measurement and reporting of electrical loads in residential and commercial premises by a centralized resource.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    For some years, there has been a great deal of interest in achieving more efficient utilization of electrical power generation capabilities and measuring consumption by users. With a growing awareness of the ecological impact and economic cost of inefficient utilization of resources, electrical power customers have become aware of the desirability of altering their usage patterns. Some power companies already offer rates which vary according to the time of day, to encourage customers to operate appliances such as clothes dryers, pool pumps and dishwashers during off-peak times. Generally, a high rate is charged during certain hours of peak demand and a lesser rate is charged during other hours of off-peak demand. An alternative approach would permit extension of time-of-day rate setting to allow more frequent (e.g., hourly) changes in rates. That would require, though, that the customer be advised of each rate change. To automate this process, it is necessary that the power customer be able to monitor and control power usage by the more significant loads in the customer&#39;s residence or business.  
           [0005]    The current art reveals the benefits of time-managed appliance usage to the customer only when they receive and study a monthly power bill, which ordinarily provides very little information. The customer does not really know, under real usage conditions, how much it costs to operate one appliance when compared with another. One cannot determine, from a monthly bill, the cost of operating a specific appliance attached to a specific outlet or even the comparative cost of operating two different appliances, or how much will be saved by operating a given appliance at any specific rate. Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method which will provide to a customer informative statistical reports on the amount of power consumed by one or more appliances at specific power outlets and the cost of operating those appliances.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides a system and method for a datamining service vendor to provide power customers with instant, up to the minute, electrical consumption data. The system and method provide a mechanism by which electrical consumption is measured at the point of consumption over incremental periods of time. Customers can subscribe to a datamining service vendor which monitors and collects data regarding the customer&#39;s electrical consumption at various points within the customer&#39;s electrical system and provides the customer with a detailed report of power consumption statistics and trends. This allows the customer to make informed power consumption choices resulting in cost savings to the customer and conservation of power generation sources.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram of a distributed data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a server depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram illustrating a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 shows a block diagram illustrating a data processing and control system for a “smart” appliance or outlet in which the present invention may be implemented;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process for datamining utilizing “smart” appliances and outlets depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process depicting one embodiment of the present invention wherein the datamining service vendor interacts with a customer computer via the internet, a local intranet, or the World Wide Web, to obtain consumption data.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]    As used below, the term “datamining service vendor” refers to a third party entity which monitors customer power consumption and provides power consumption data to customers which subscribe to and pay for the datamining service. The terms “consumer”, “customer” and “subscriber” refer to any person or entity which utilizes the data services provided by the datamining service vendor. “Utility” shall, unless it appears otherwise from the context, be understood to include a utility that distributes electric power and which may or may not be the direct generator of that power. Likewise, many aspects of the invention will have value to other utility and non-utility service providers as well.  
         [0014]    With reference to FIG. 1, a datamining service vendor  104  is connected to network  102  along with a data storage unit  106 . In addition, customer  110  and utility service  112  also are connected to network  102 . Customer  110  and datamining service vendor  104  may be, for example, personal computers or network computers. The datamining service vendor  104  is a third party which monitors the power consumed by a subscribing customer and provides a detailed power consumption and utilization report to subscribing customers for a monthly fee or on a fee per report basis. For purposes of this application, a network computer is any computer, coupled to a network, which receives a program or other application from another computer coupled to the network. In the depicted example, datamining service vendor  104  provides data, such as boot files, operating system images, and applications to customer  110 . Distributed data processing system  100  may include additional servers, clients, and other devices not shown. Distributed data processing system  100  may be the Internet with network  102  representing a worldwide collection of networks  102  and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols to communicate with one another. Of course, distributed data processing system  100  also may be implemented as a number of different types of networks, such as for example, a wireless internet network, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN). FIG. 1 is intended as an example, and not as an architectural limitation for the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 also depicts a typical network arrangement for the invention disclosed herein. Utility company  108  supplies power to the customer system which is comprised of electrical network  114  which supplies power to appliances  116  that are connected to power outlets  112 . The power consumed at each outlet  112  is measured and the resulting data is collected and stored by onsite computer  110 , “smart” outlets  112  or appliances  116 , or offsite storage medium  106 . The data can be transmitted in real time, near real time, on a store and forward basis, or as queried by datamining service vendor  104 , customer  110  or utility service  112  for analysis via network  102 . Datamining service vendor  104  transmits a statistical report of the customer&#39;s power consumption via network  102  to the customer  110 .  
         [0016]    Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a server, such as utility server  112  in FIG. 1, is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Data processing system  200  may be a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system including a plurality of processors  202  and  204  connected to system bus  206 . Alternatively, a single processor system may be employed. Also connected to system bus  206  is memory controller/cache  208 , which provides an interface to local memory  209 . I/O bus bridge  210  is connected to system bus  206  and provides an interface to I/O bus  212 . Memory controller/cache  208  and I/O bus bridge  210  may be integrated as depicted. Peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus bridge  214  connected to I/O bus  212  provides an interface to PCI local bus  216 . A number of modems may be connected to PCI bus  216 . Typical PCI bus implementations will support four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors. Communications links to network computers  104 - 112  in FIG. 1 may be provided through modem  218  and network adapter  220  connected to PCI local bus  216  through add-in boards.  
         [0017]    Additional PCI bus bridges  222  and  224  provide interfaces for additional PCI buses  226  and  228 , from which additional modems or network adapters may be supported. In this manner, data processing system  200  allows connections to multiple network computers such as customer  110 . A memory-mapped graphics adapter  230  and hard disk  232  may also be connected to I/O bus  212  as depicted, either directly or indirectly.  
         [0018]    Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware depicted in FIG. 2 may vary. For example, other peripheral devices, such as optical disk drives and the like, also may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted. The depicted example is not meant to imply architectural limitations with respect to the present invention. The data processing system depicted in FIG. 2 may be, for example, an IBM RISC/System  6000  system, a product of International Business Machines Corporation in Armonk, N.Y., running the Advanced Interactive Executive (AIX) operating system.  
         [0019]    With reference now to FIG. 3, a block diagram illustrating a data processing system is depicted in which the present invention may be implemented. Data processing system  300  is an example of a computer, such as computer  110  in FIG. 1. Further, data processing system  300  may be modified to include fewer components for use in devices consuming power at a customer location, such as a household appliance  116  or outlet  112 . Data processing system  300  employs a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) local bus architecture. Although the depicted example employs a PCI bus, other bus architectures such as Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) and Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) may be used. Processor  302  and main memory  304  are connected to PCI local bus  306  through PCI bridge  308 . PCI bridge  308  also may include an integrated memory controller and cache memory for processor  302 . Additional connections to PCI local bus  306  may be made through direct component interconnection or through add-in boards. In the depicted example, local area network (LAN) adapter  310 , SCSI host bus adapter  312 , and expansion bus interface  314  are connected to PCI local bus  306  by direct component connection. In contrast, audio adapter  316 , graphics adapter  318 , and power monitor adapter  319  are connected to PCI local bus  306  by add-in boards inserted into expansion slots. In this example, power monitor adapter  319  is connected to an electrical network, such as electrical network  114  in FIG. 1. Expansion bus interface  314  provides a connection for a keyboard and mouse adapter  320 , modem  322 , and additional memory  324 . Small computer system interface (SCSI) host bus adapter  312  provides a connection for hard disk drive  326 , tape drive  328 , and CD-ROM drive  330 . Typical PCI local bus implementations will support three or four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors.  
         [0020]    An operating system runs on processor  302  and is used to coordinate and provide control of various components within data processing system  300  in FIG. 3. The operating system may be a commercially available operating system, such as Windows 2000, which is available from Microsoft Corporation. An object oriented programming system such as Java may run in conjunction with the operating system and provide calls to the operating system from Java programs or applications executing on data processing system  300 . “Java” is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Instructions for the operating system, the object-oriented operating system, and applications or programs are located on storage devices, such as hard disk drive  326 , and may be loaded into main memory  304  for execution by processor  302 .  
         [0021]    Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in FIG. 3 may vary depending on the implementation. Other internal hardware or peripheral devices, such as flash ROM (or equivalent nonvolatile memory) or optical disk drives and the like, may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted in FIG. 3. Also, the processes of the present invention may be applied to a multiprocessor data processing system.  
         [0022]    As another example, data processing system  300  may be a stand-alone system configured to be bootable without relying on some type of network communication interface, whether or not data processing system  300  comprises some type of network communication interface. The depicted example in FIG. 3 and above-described examples are not meant to imply architectural limitations. For example, data processing system  300  also may be a notebook computer or a device in a black box connected to a power supply system at a customer location.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 depicts one embodiment of a control mechanism for a sensor device  400  which can be integrated into “smart” customer outlets  112  or “smart” appliances  116  connected to electrical network  114 . Control mechanism for sensor device  400  may include a processor unit  402  connected to system bus  404 . A communication unit  406  for sending and receiving data and messages is connected to system bus  404 , along with a memory unit  408  for data storage. A current monitor unit  410  is connected to system bus  404  which monitors and collects power consumption data by measuring the amount of current flow at the outlet  112  or appliance  116 . In alternative embodiments, sensor device  400  may be retrofitted to existing outlets or appliances as a black box attachment to outlets  112  or appliances  116 .  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 5, a flowchart of a process for monitoring data usage is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The process begins with a customer such as customer  108  in FIG. 1 receiving power supplied by utility via standard power transmission means (Step  504 ). The customer subscribes to the datamining service vendor via a graphical user interface and establishes a customer account (Step  508 ). The customer may access the network by means of a wireless device such as a web enabled digital wireless phone or personal digital assistant. The customer account contains pertinent personal identification information, including name, address, and debit or credit card information to which the costs and commissions of the transaction will be posted. Also, the customer may input instructions for the datamining service vendor to alert the customer when data received from the customer electrical network or “smart” outlets or appliances, indicates potential device malfunctions or other problems associated with the operation of the particular outlet, device or electrical network. Alternatively, the datamining service vendor may generate alerts for the customer based on historical or standardized data related to the operation of customer&#39;s outlets, devices and electrical network. The customer account is maintained and stored by the datamining service vendor to allow for repeated access and transactions by the customer as is generally known in the art.  
         [0025]    Next, the customer&#39;s electrical outlets or appliances are assigned unique addresses by either the datamining service vendor, utility service or customer (Step  512 ). Although any addressing mechanism may be used, the depicted examples assign Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to the outlets. The datamining service vendor monitors the power provided to and consumed at each outlet or appliance via sensor devices attached at each outlet or appliance (Step  516 ). The power supply and consumption data is then transmitted via the network to the datamining service vendor for statistical analysis (Step  520 ). The datamining service vendor performs appropriate statistical analysis on the power consumption data and prepares a consumption report (Step  524 ). The customer orders a report or requests access to real time consumption duty via the network (Step  528 ). The collected data and analytical report may be recorded, stored and transmitted in XML, HTML or other available computer language format. Next, the customer&#39;s account is debited for the provision of the datamining service vendor&#39;s services (Step  532 ). The consumption report is then transmitted to the customer at predetermined intervals of time (e.g. on a monthly basis), transmitted in real time or at the request of the customer. The method is then repeated for the next increment of time or as instructed by the by the customer or datamining service provider.  
         [0026]    Referring now to FIG. 6, a flowchart of a process for monitoring power consumption at customer outlets and appliances is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The automated power measurement and monitor system according to this invention includes a local area network connected with a home automation data bus such as the CEBus of the Electronic Industries Association, components for implementation of which are marketed by Intellon Corporation of Ocala, Fla. Each appliance or socket electrical load to be monitored by the system is connected to the bus via a sensor device. The sensor device monitors the power supplied and consumed by each outlet or appliance (Step  600 ). The sensor device may contain a current monitor for monitoring the current flow at each outlet or appliance connected to the electrical network or a power monitor for monitoring the electrical power consumed by each outlet or appliance connected to the electrical network. Next, the datamining service vendor queries the sensor devices at each outlet or appliance for power consumption data (Step  604 ). The sensor devices may place on the bus or network, in response to a query message, data regarding the power being supplied to each outlet and the loads consumed by each appliance connected thereto. The customer sensor devices transmits the consumption data to the datamining service vendor (Step  608 ). The datamining service vendor receives the consumption data and prepares a statistical analysis (Step  612 ). Various datamining analysis can be applied to the consumption data. One example is to provide a usage classification based on the power consumed by a device connected to the customer electrical network during operation of the service. Alternatively, the measurement can be based on incremental units of time. Additional classification reports can be provided based on the noise characteristics of the device. Furthermore, classification can be done based on the digital signature emitted by the device connected to the customer electrical network.  
         [0027]    Next, the datamining service vendor transmits the results of the statistical analysis to the customer in report form which presents the customer&#39;s power consumption and usage statistics and trends(Step  616 ). The customer&#39;s credit card/debit account is debited for the services rendered by the datamining service vendor (Step  620 ). The system is then reset or may continue gathering data as instructed by the customer or datamining service vendor.  
         [0028]    It is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include recordable-type media, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a RAM, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and transmission-type media, such as digital and analog communications links, wired or wireless communications links using transmission forms, such as, for example, radio frequency and light wave transmissions. The computer readable media may take the form of coded formats that are decoded for actual use in a particular data processing system.  
         [0029]    The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Although the depicted illustrations show the mechanism of the present invention embodied on a single server, this mechanism may be distributed through multiple data processing systems. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.