US 9,852,486 B2 · Utility monitoring device, system and method

Abstract

A monitoring device, system and method are provided for in-home/on-premises monitoring of usage of utilities, such as electricity and other services. The monitoring device receives information from a smart meter, and displays usage through a display, illuminating an area using a color indicative of the current cost of consumption, and varying the illuminated area at a rate indicative of a rate of consumption or other metric, the varying of the illuminated area simulating movement in the display. The display provides a consumer with “at a glance” visual information on current usage. Optionally a digital display screen provides detailed alphanumeric and graphical information, through a number of selectable display modes. One or more devices may be networked, and interface directly or indirectly with a transceiver of a smart metering system, or a retrofit transceiver for a conventional meter. Monitoring of other utilities and services may alternatively or additionally be provided.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A device comprising:

a display comprising a display area;
a receiver for receiving metric data relating to a plurality of utility metrics, each utility metric relating to a predetermined utility and communicating said metric data to a controller of the device;
the controller for controlling the generation and rendering of a visual element upon the display to a user relating to two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics;
wherein
a first aspect of the visual element is established in dependence upon a first utility metric of the two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics and is one of a group consisting of:
a color, a dimension, a temporal variation, a direction of the visual element relative to the display, and a motion of the visual element relative to the display;
a second aspect of the visual element is established in dependence upon a second utility metric of the two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics and is another one of the group consisting of:
a color, a dimension, a temporal variation, a direction of the visual element relative to the display, and a motion of the visual element relative to the display other than the one associated with the first aspect;
and
the visual element is not alphanumerically based or a form of graph.

7 more elements

A method of rendering utility metric data to a user comprising:

receiving with a receiver metric data relating to a plurality of utility metrics, each utility metric relating to a predetermined utility;
controlling with a controller associated with a display the generation and rendering of a visual element upon the display to a user relating to two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics;
wherein
a first aspect of the visual element is established in dependence upon a first utility metric of the two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics and is one of a group consisting of:
a color, a dimension, a temporal variation, a direction of the visual element relative to the display, and a motion of the visual element relative to the display;
a second aspect of the visual element is established in dependence upon a second utility metric of the two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics and is another one of the group consisting of:
a color, a dimension, a temporal variation, a direction of the visual element relative to the display, and a motion of the visual element relative to the display other than the one associated with the first aspect;
and
the visual element is not alphanumerically based or a form of graph.

6 more elements

A non-volatile non-transitory memory storing computer readable instructions for execution by a microprocessor, the computer readable instructions relating to a method of rendering utility metric data to a user comprising:

receiving with a receiver coupled to the microprocessor metric data relating to a plurality of utility metrics, each utility metric relating to a predetermined utility;
controlling with the microprocessor associated with a display the generation and rendering of a visual element upon the display to a user relating to two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics;
wherein
a first aspect of the visual element is established in dependence upon a first utility metric of the two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics and is one of a group consisting of:
a color, a dimension, a temporal variation, a direction of the visual element relative to the display, and a motion of the visual element relative to the display;
a second aspect of the visual element is established in dependence upon a second utility metric of the two utility metrics of the plurality of utility metrics and is another one of the group consisting of:
a color, a dimension, a temporal variation, a direction of the visual element relative to the display, and a motion of the visual element relative to the display other than the one associated with the first aspect;
and
the visual element is not alphanumerically based or a form of graph.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Utility monitoring device, system and method

Life of this patent

Utility monitoring device, system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20