System for energy sensing analysis and feedback
View Patent ↗A system is described where the existing proliferation of standard electrical junction boxes in a typical home or building implement a form of “Bio-Feedback for Home Energy”, increasing user awareness and enabling more effective and efficient energy usage. Energy-related information is gathered by way of EMAC (Energy Monitoring And Control) points typically installed at standard electrical junction boxes used for power plug receptacles and wall switches. In addition to being visually displayed at the point of energy use or measurement, energy-related information—electrical and thermal—is typically communicated through a powerline or wireless data link to a centrally located intelligent device where it is monitored, analyzed, profiled, viewed, and also used for energy-related control functions. Energy consumption can be alternately displayed in terms of cost-per-time. Energy monitoring may be also added at the electrical breaker box to supplement distributed EMAC points.
1. A portable energy monitoring point designed to plug into a standard power plug receptacle at an electrical junction box, including within said portable energy monitoring point:
a plurality of power plug receptacles;
integral current sensors capable of determining measured levels of electrical current consumed by electrical loads connected to any of said plurality of power plug receptacles;
an integral circuit for providing said measured levels of electrical current in digital form;
an integral digital communications circuit capable of sending and receiving digital information, including said measured levels of electrical current consumed, to and from a remote device; and
an integral digitally controlled display.
2. The portable energy monitoring point of claim 1 , where said digital communications circuit capable of sending and receiving digital information to and from a remote device does so by way of a power line connection available at the junction box.
3. The portable energy monitoring point of claim 2 , further including:
an integral sensor for measuring an ambient temperature; and
an integral circuit for providing said measured ambient temperature in digital form and making said digital ambient temperature available to said digital communications circuit and/or an integral display.
4. The portable energy monitoring point of claim 1 , further including:
an integral sensor for measuring an ambient temperature; and
an integral circuit for providing said measured ambient temperature in digital form and making said digital ambient temperature available to said digital communications circuit and/or an integral display.