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US 8,390,473 B2Granted
System, method and apparatus for advanced utility control, monitoring and conservation
AssigneeOpenPeak Inc.
InventorsPaul Krzyzanowski, David Barclay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present application is directed to a system and method of providing flexible real-time two-way energy control and monitoring between utility providers and consumers. Consumer friendly nodes permit communication of targeted information and control, while permitting the utility provider to remotely communicate and control in a real-time environment. Data collection of and accessibility by a community of utility consumers provides social feedback through comparative usage statistics.
Claims21
A system, comprising:
- a utility meter including a communications interface for communicating usage data;
- and
- an IP multi-media device comprising:
- a first communications interface configured to receive the usage data from the utility meter,
- a second communications interface configured to communicate in real-time with a central monitoring station, wherein the second communications interface transmits the received usage data to the central monitoring station and receives at least one of control signals, data and information from the central monitoring station, and
- a third communications interface configured to communicate in real-time with a database aggregator, wherein the third communications interface transmits the received usage data to the database aggregator and receives at least one of aggregated information and statistical information from the database aggregator, and wherein the at least one of aggregated information and statistical information includes comparative real-time feedback from a community of utility consumers.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first communications interface configured to receive usage data from a utility meter;
- a second communications interface configured to communicate in real-time with a central monitoring station, wherein the second communications interface transmits the received usage data to the central monitoring station and receives at least one of control signals, data and information from the central monitoring station;
- and
- a third communications interface configured to communicate in real-time with a database aggregator, wherein the third communications interface transmits the received usage data to the database aggregator and receives at least one of aggregated information and statistical information from the database aggregator, wherein the at least one of aggregated information and statistical information includes comparative real-time feedback from a community of utility consumers.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- receiving, with a communications device, usage data from a utility meter;
- transmitting, with the communications device, the usage data to a central monitoring station via a first real-time communications link;
- receiving, with the communications device, at least one of control signals, data and information from the central monitoring station via the first real-time communications link;
- transmitting, with the communications device, the usage data to a database aggregator via a second real-time communications link;
- and
- receiving, with the communications device and from the database aggregator, at least one of aggregated information and statistical information, wherein the at least one of aggregated information and statistical information includes comparative real-time feedback from a community of utility consumers.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.