Granted Patent B2

US 8,099,195 · App. 12/893,327 · Granted Jan 17, 2012

Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (45)

1. An apparatus comprising:

an application interface configured to use at least a portion of an incoming message communicated using a home energy network at a residential site;

wherein the incoming message includes at least a portion of a first user energy management schedule;

a controller capable of altering use of a resource in response to the first user energy management schedule;

a first communication interface operably coupled to the application interface and configured to communicate with a first network operably associated with the home energy network;

a second communication interface operably coupled to the application interface and configured to communicate with a second network operably associated with the home energy network, wherein the second network is different than the first network;

wherein one of the communication interfaces is configured to detect a WIFI network connection of a mobile device connected to a WIFI enabled network;

wherein the mobile device is associated with the first user energy management schedule;

wherein the application interface is further configured to initiate use of the first user energy management schedule in response to a detection of a connection of the mobile device and the WIFI enabled network; and

wherein the application interface is further configured to initiate altering use of the resource in response to a detection of an absence of a connection between the mobile device and the WIFI enabled network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a multi-network communications interface that includes the first communication interface and the second communication interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first communication interface is configured to communicate using a ZigBee enabled communication protocol; and

the second communication interface is configured to communicate using a WIFI enabled communication protocol.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:

a WIFI enabled communication device operably coupled to the second communication interface;

wherein the application interface is further configured to receive the incoming message as an incoming WIFI message from a WIFI network coupled to the WIFI enabled communication device; and

wherein the incoming WIFI message includes the first portion of the first user energy management schedule.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:

wherein the WIFI enabled communication device is capable of receiving the first portion of the first user energy management schedule.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the incoming WIFI message includes a first control action data.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:

wherein the incoming WIFI message is communicated from an energy client operable to be coupled to the WIFI enabled network; and

wherein the at least a portion of the first user energy management schedule is generated from a scheduling application accessible to the energy client.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:

a Zigbee enabled communication device capable of communicating with the first communication interface;

wherein the application interface is further configured to use at least a first portion of a second user energy management schedule received using the first communication interface; and

wherein the second user energy management schedule is different from the first user energy management schedule.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the first portion of the first user energy management schedule includes a first control action;

wherein the second communication interface is configured to receive a first portion of a second user energy management schedule including a second control action;

wherein the application interface is configured to use both the first portion of the first user schedule and the first portion of the second user schedule;

wherein the first portion of the second user schedule is received after the first portion of the first user schedule;

wherein the second control action is configured to control the resource prior to the first control action;

wherein the controller is configured to enable use of the second control action; and

wherein the controller is configured to enable use of the first control action after the second control action.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the application interface is configured to use a second incoming message communicated using the second network;

wherein the second incoming message includes a second control action data representing a portion of a second user energy management schedule;

wherein the second control data is configured in response to a detection of a distance between a mobile device associated with a user of the second user energy management schedule and the residential site.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless thermostat accessible using a WIFI enabled electronic device operable to be used to remotely control use of the wireless thermostat.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising an energy management scheduling tool accessible using a WIFI network communication device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the first communication interface is configured to receive an operating status of the resource; and

wherein the controller is configured to receive a first portion of a second energy management schedule enabled in response to the operating status of the resource, wherein the second energy management schedule is different from the first energy management schedule.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (8)