ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
An energy management system includes a controller located at a site and configured to establish at least one network capable of communicating with at least one of a smart meter and at least one device disposed at the site. The controller is also configured to receive energy information of the site from the smart meter and receive energy information of the at least one device from the at least one network. The controller is also configured to communicate the energy information of the site and the at least one device to a display device associated with the site.
1 . An energy management system comprising:
a controller located at a site and configured to:
establish at least one network capable of communicating with at least one of a smart meter and at least one device disposed at the site;
receive energy information of the site from the smart meter;
receive energy information of the at least one device from said at least one network; and
communicate the energy information of the site and the at least one device to a display device associated with the site.
2 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said at least one network is an 802.11 based network.
3 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said at least one network is a ZigBee based network.
4 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said at least one network includes a first network in communication with the at least one device and the controller is configured to communication with a second network, wherein said second network is different than said first network.
5 . The energy management system of claim 2 wherein said second network is an AMI network in communication with the smart meter.
6 . The energy management system of claim 5 wherein said first network is an 802.11 based network.
7 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to communication with the display device using a broadband connection of the site.
8 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein the display device is a server disposed remotely from the site.
9 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein the display device has a graphical user interface.
10 . The energy management system of claim 9 wherein the display device is a personal computer.
11 . The energy management system of claim 9 wherein the display device is a mobile device.
12 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to receive the energy information of the site and the at least one device at an acquisition interval.
13 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to:
estimate future energy use of the site and the at least one network device in response to the energy information of the site and the at least one device; and
communicate the future energy use of the site and the at least one network device to the display device associated with the site.
14 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to:
receive energy pricing information from the smart meter; and
communicate the energy information to the display device associated with the site.
15 . The energy management system of claim 14 wherein the energy pricing information includes at least one of a real-time energy pricing and a tiered energy pricing and a future energy pricing.
16 . The energy management system of claim 14 wherein said controller is further configured to estimate costs of energy use at the site based on the energy information of the site and the at least one device and the energy pricing information.
17 . The energy management system of claim 14 wherein said controller is further configured to communicate the estimated costs of energy use at the site to the display device associated with the site.
18 . The energy management system of claim 14 wherein said controller is further configured to:
generate an energy alert message in response to the energy pricing information; and
communicate the energy alert message to the display device associated with the site.
19 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to receive a control action from the display device to alter an operating condition of the at least one network device.
20 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller includes a memory to store the energy information of the site and the at least one device.
21 . The energy management system 20 wherein said controller is further configured to:
generate historical energy information of the site using the stored energy information of the site;
generate historical device information of the site using the stored energy information of the at least one device; and
communicate the historical energy and device information to the display device associated with the site.
22 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller is a plug-device configured to be plugged directly into a wall socket or other power receptacle.
23 . The energy management system of claim 22 wherein said plug device includes a right angle plug.
24 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller includes an Ethernet port to establish a direct connection with a gateway disposed at the site.
25 . The energy management system of claim 24 wherein the gateway includes one or more of a personal computer, a cable modem, a set-top box, a router, a media gateway, a smart energy gateway, DSL gateway, a cable system gateway or a fiber optic gateway.
26 . The energy management system of claim 22 wherein said controller includes an internal AC, DC, AC to DC converter power module.
27 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller is a plug computer.
28 . The energy management system of claim 27 wherein said plug computer includes at least a 1 GHz processor.
29 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said controller is capable of communicating the energy information of the site and the at least one network device with a server disposed remotely from the site.
30 . The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said at least one network device includes one or more of a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart phone, a cellular or mobile phone a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server or storage device, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a refrigerator system, a washing machine system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router and a wireless router.