SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL USING

UTILITY OUTLETS

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure is related to the use of utility outlets for temperature control and more particularly to systems and methods for calculating the temperature for a premises using data collected from a number of utility outlet locations. The disclosure also includes using the data collected to predict power consumption.

BACKGROUND QF THE INVENTION

A typical premises has a thermostat to regulate the temperature within and around a premises. For localized heating and cooling, thermostats work well. However, for broad area coverage, a single thermostat is not very efficient because it measures the temperature at only one point (i.e. at the thermostat itself) and based on that reading, heating and cooling is applied to an area. As an example, if a thermostat for a floor of a large building is located in an area that is warmer than other areas on the rest of the floor, then most of the floor is likely to be cooled to a temperature lower than the thermostat setting. Thus, if the thermostat is set at 75 ⁰ F, occupants on that floor, in large part, may experience a temperature of 70 ⁰ F because the air conditioning unit is responding to the higher temperature being measured at the single thermostat location. The same principle applies to other devices that regulate other environmental conditions in premises.

In addition, on a more global basis, decisions on power supply consumption are routinely made based on available data of environmental conditions, such as temperature from weather stations located in particular areas. However, the accuracy of the prediction of power consumption depends heavily on whether the temperature or other environmental condition from the weather station accurately reflects the environmental conditions of all the premises in an area. A more direct relationship exists between the temperature in the immediate environs of each

premises and the actual power consumed by those premises than the environmental conditions at a weather station and the actual power consumed.

To illustrate, the thermometer in a weather station is located in the shade. Therefore, a temperature from a weather station may not give a good indication of the cooling needed in a community with newly built homes and small trees that do not provide any shade. Thus, the temperature from a weather station may record a temperature of 95 ⁰ F while a temperature on the outside wall of one of the homes in a new community might record 100 ⁰ F. Measuring the temperature of the actual environment that is being controlled (each of the premises), and using those temperatures to calculate a composite temperature for the community would bear a more direct relationship to the power needed for that community, for cooling or heating, than using a single temperature from a weather station in the area to calculate the expected power consumption. Therefore, there is a need for systems to measure the actual temperatures or other controllable conditions of an environment. These measured temperatures or other environmental conditions can then be used to more accurately control the environmental condition and also to predict electrical power consumption required to control the environmental condition.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to devices, systems and methods involving the measuring of environmental conditions from a plurality of points in an area. These measurements are then used to control the environmental condition in that area and/or to more accurately predict the power consumption needed in that area. In one embodiment, the measurements are used within the premises while in another embodiment the information is assembled for several premises, which informs decisions regarding a group of premises or community. The invention applies to or makes use of many environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, pollen count, smog level and wind speed.

Utility outlets of premises are conveniently located to measure the environmental conditions in and around a premises. The wire network connecting these utility

outlets within the premises provides a means for communicating the measured conditions. Additionally, the power grid connected to but external to the premises and through which power is supplied to the premises, serves as a means of transmitting the measured data to locations external to the premises. Utility outlets include power sockets, electrical switches and permanently mounted light sockets.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a utility outlet equipped to measure environmental conditions; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a premises utilizing one embodiment of the current invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGURE 1 shows a utility outlet 10 equipped to measure environmental conditions. Utility outlet 10 includes power sockets 101 for connecting devices to the premises' power supply. Thermometer 102 measures the temperature of the immediate surroundings of utility outlet 10. Meter 103 may be able to measure other environmental conditions such as humidity, pollen count, smog level and wind speed. Transceiver 104, which may be connected to thermometer 102 and/or meter 103, is capable of transmitting and receiving readings from thermometer 102 and meter 103. These readings may be transmitted to a central processing unit (CPU) 105. CPU 105 may be located in utility outlet 10 or it may be located in a device such as a computer. CPU 105 has the ability to process the data from thermometer 102 and meter 103 for use in applications such as the prediction of power consumption or the control of an environmental condition.

FIGURE 2 shows premises 20 utilizing one embodiment of the current invention. Premises 20 has utility outlets 1 Oa ...1 On. Utility outlets 1 Oa ...1 On may be equipped with any combination of devices selected from a thermometer 102, meter 103, transceiver 104 and a CPU 105. Premises 20 is supplied with electricity from power company 24 through power cable 23. Utility outlets may be located inside premises 20 or on the exterior of premises 20. Thermometer 22 is located in a weather station 25 somewhere in the community in which premises 20 is located. Weather station 25 provides shade for thermometer 22 and thus thermometer 22 gives a reading in the shade for the whole community in which premises 20 is located. This temperature from thermometer 22 is, typically, the temperature used by utility providers such as power companies to predict the power that is likely to be consumed by the community in which premises 20 is located.

A temperature measurement taken at utility outlet 1Og (which is located on the outside wall of premises 20) is likely to be a more reliable predictor of the power that will be needed to cool premises 20. An even more reliable means of predicting the power that will be needed to cool premises 20 may be derived from

measurements, made by utility outlets 10a....1Og, of the temperature or other environmental condition in and outside premises 20. A collation of all the temperature readings within premises 20 as compared with the temperature immediately outside premises 20 provides better data on which to base predictions of power consumption than a temperature from a weather station. Moreover, meter 103 of utility outlets 10a . . . 1On may measure any of the other environmental conditions such as humidity, pollen count, smog level and wind speed. This is additional measured data that may be used to predict power consumption or to control one or more of the environmental conditions.

All utility outlets 10a...1 On could transmit temperature readings and other environmental readings to one of utility outlets 10a...1On. This utility outlet may then process the data. Processing includes any of: collating the data (temperature or other environmental condition) and calculating a composite value of the temperature or other environmental condition from measured data. Processing may be done by CPU 105. As such, processed data may then be transmitted via power cable 23 to power utility company 24. Alternatively, each of utility outlets 10a...1On could transmit measurements, such as temperature measurements, directly to power utility company 24 where the processing is done. The system illustrated in FIGURE 2 for premises 20 can be replicated for all the premises in a community. The processed data applicable to a plurality of premises may be used to predict the power consumption required for a community in which said premises are located. Thus, power utility company would have data specific to each premises from which a more accurate prediction of power consumption than is done currently, can be made.

The temperatures measured by utility outlets 10a...1On in premises 20 can also be used to more efficiently control the air conditioning (AJC) unit used to cool or heat premises 20. Thus, rather than relying on a single thermostat 26 in premises 20 to control how much heating or cooling is applied to premises 20, the A/C unit relies on the composite of temperatures measured by utility outlets 10a...1On. The data from the utility outlets can be transmitted via the power cables within premises 20.

This data may be transmitted for processing at one of the utility outlets 10a . . .1On or they may be sent directly from each utility outlet to the A/C unit where that data is processed.

The processed data would provide information for operating the A/C unit. The information provided to the A/C unit may include a composite temperature. Another option is to provide various temperatures to the A/C unit, each such temperature identified with a particular location in the premises (i.e., the locations of the utility outlets measuring the temperature). The A/C unit could then use the location specific temperatures to apply appropriate heating or cooling. In other words, locations recorded as having temperatures further away from a control temperature would be heated or cooled (whichever applicable) more than locations with temperatures closer to the control temperature. This principle would similarly be applicable to equipment using or controlling other environmental conditions such as humidity, pollen count, smog level and wind speed.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

Industrial Applicability

The present disclosure is directed to devices, systems and methods involving the measuring of environmental conditions from a plurality of points in an area. These measurements are then used to control the environmental condition in that area and/or to more accurately predict the power consumption needed in that area.