Systems and methods for apportioning usage of a utility in a multi-unit building
AssigneeHP Ventures A/S
InventorMorten Gravild Bjerregaard Jaeger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Usage of a utility in a multi-unit building is apportioned to a single unit by measuring the total usage of the utility using a meter unit to produce a total usage measurement, then positioning at least one sensor unit in a single unit of the multi-unit building and monitoring usage of the utility by the single unit using the at least one sensor unit to produce monitoring data. Then a processor unit receives the total usage measurement and the monitoring data and correlates them to generate correlated data. Finally, the processor unit apportions the total usage measurement to the single unit based on the correlated data.
Claims15
A method for apportioning usage of a utility in a multi-unit building, the method comprising:
- (a) measuring total usage of the utility by the multi-unit building using a meter unit to produce a total usage measurement;
- (b) positioning at least one sensor unit in each of a plurality of single units of the multi-unit building;
- (c) monitoring usage of the utility by each of the plurality of the single units using the sensor units to produce monitoring data;
- (d) receiving the total usage measurement and the monitoring data at a processor unit;
- (e) correlating the total usage measurement and the monitoring data using the processor unit to generate correlated data;
- and
- (f) apportioning the total usage measurement to the plurality of single units using the processor unit based on the correlated data;
- wherein monitoring usage of the utility by the single unit comprises:
- (i) determining a start time for usage of the utility;
- and
- (ii) determining a stop time for usage of the utility;
- and
- wherein apportioning the total usage measurement to the plurality of single units comprises:
- (i) if the start and stop times of a particular single unit are unique to the particular single unit, assigning the total usage measurement to the particular single unit;
- (ii) if the time period between start and stops times for at least two single units overlap, but are not identical, assigning a portion of the total usage measurement to each of the at least two single units based on the difference in the total usage measurement between one of the start times and the stop times;
- and
- (iii) if the start and stop times of at least two single units are identical, assigning a portion of the total usage measurement to each of the at least two single units based on historic usage of the utility by each of the at least two single units.
A system for apportioning utility usage in a multi-unit building, the system comprising:
- (a) a meter unit mounted to a main feed pipe for measuring the usage of the utility by the multi-unit building to generate a total usage measurement, the main feed pipe supplying the utility to the multi-unit building;
- (b) at least one sensor unit positioned in each of a plurality of single units of the multi-unit building for monitoring usage of the utility by the single unit to generate monitoring data, the at least one sensor unit being configured to determine a start time for usage of the utility and determine a stop time for usage of the utility;
- (c) a processor unit for:
- receiving the total usage measurement from the meter unit;
- receiving the monitoring data from the plurality of sensor units;
- correlating the total usage measurement and the monitoring data to generate correlated data;
- and
- apportioning the total usage measurement to the plurality of single units based on the correlated data;
- wherein apportioning the total usage measurement to the plurality of single units comprises:
- (i) if the start and stop times of a particular single unit are unique to a particular single unit, assigning the total usage measurement to the particular single unit;
- (ii) if the time period between start and stops times for at least two single units overlap, but are not identical, assigning a portion of the total usage measurement to each of the at least two single units based on the difference in total usage measurement between one of the start times and the stop times;
- and
- (iii) if the start and stop time of at least two single units are identical, assigning a portion of the total usage measurement to each of the at least two single units based on historic usage of the utility by each of the at least two single units.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.