Apparatus and Method for Determining Load of Energy Consuming Appliances Within a Premises

Abstract

Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of apparatus and methods for determining and/or monitoring load of energy consuming appliances within a premises. In an exemplary embodiment, there is a thermostat for monitoring energy consumption associated with an HVAC unit having a compressor. The thermostat is configured to communicate information on energy consumption and/or information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit to a user. In another exemplary embodiment, there is a system for monitoring energy consumption for an energy consuming load in a premises that is supplied with power monitored by a utility meter. A gateway is in connection with the controller for enabling connection via the internet to a website. At least one of the gateway and the controller is configured to communicate information on energy consumption associated with the energy consuming load to an energy service provider and/or a consumer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermostat for monitoring energy consumption associated with an HVAC unit having a compressor, the thermostat comprising:
 a sensor operable for providing an output indicative of a temperature within a space of a premises; and   a processor operable for controlling activation of at least the compressor of the HVAC unit to control temperature in the space relative to a desired set-point temperature, the processor configured to receive energy consumption information from a utility meter for the premises prior to activation of the compressor and subsequent to activation of the compressor, the processor further configured to estimate energy consumption of the HVAC unit based at least in part upon the difference between the energy consumption prior to activation and the energy consumption subsequent to activation of the compressor;   wherein the thermostat is configured to communicate information on energy consumption and/or information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit to a user.   
     
     
         2 . A system comprising the thermostat of  claim 1 , and further comprising a gateway for enabling connection via the internet to a website, wherein the thermostat is configured to communicate the information on energy consumption and/or the information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit to the gateway to thereby permit an energy service provider and/or a consumer to access the information on energy consumption and/or the information on duration of time of operation. 
     
     
         3 . A system comprising the thermostat of  claim 1  and a display device of an electronic device that is operable for displaying the information on energy consumption and/or the information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit. 
     
     
         4 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the thermostat includes a display device operable for displaying the information on energy consumption and/or the information on duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit. 
     
     
         5 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the information on energy consumption and/or the duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit is displayed graphically or pictorially to a user. 
     
     
         6 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the thermostat includes a display device operable for displaying a graph indicating estimated cost of energy consumed by the HVAC unit for days within a given month. 
     
     
         7 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is configured to communicate the information on the duration of time of operation associated with the HVAC unit only or separately from the information on energy consumption to an energy service provider or a consumer. 
     
     
         8 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the duration of time of operation is expressed as hours of a day within a given month or as hours of an entire month. 
     
     
         9 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is configured to allow a consumer to cancel HVAC activation if energy usage exceeds a preset limit or exceeds the duration of time of operation for a given day. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising the thermostat of  claim 1 , and further comprising a gateway for enabling connection via the internet to a website, wherein the gateway is operable for communicating energy usage information from a device to an energy service provider and/or a consumer. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the device is a water heater or a smart plug. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the system is configured to allow a user to deactivate the water heater or the smart plug through the gateway. 
     
     
         13 . A system for monitoring energy consumption for an energy consuming load in a premises that is supplied with power monitored by a utility meter, the system comprising:
 a controller;   a gateway in connection with the controller, for enabling connection via the internet to a website, the gateway including:
 a transmitter operable for transmitting wireless signals to a utility meter for the premises to request energy consumption information; and 
 a receiver operable for receiving wireless signals including energy consumption information from the utility meter; 
   wherein at least one of the gateway and the controller is configured to estimate energy consumption of the energy consuming load based at least in part upon a difference between energy consumption during operation and energy consumption during non-operation of the energy consuming load; and   wherein at least one of the gateway and the controller is configured to communicate information on energy consumption associated with the energy consuming load to an energy service provider and/or a consumer.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the energy consuming load is a water heater or a smart plug. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the system is configured to allow a user to deactivate the water heater or the smart plug through the gateway. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the information on energy consumption associated with the energy consuming load is displayed graphically or pictorially. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the information on energy consumption is displayed graphically or pictorially on a display of a thermostat, a computer, or a mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is a thermostat. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the gateway and the controller is configured to communicate information on duration of time of operation associated with the energy consuming load to an energy service provider and/or a consumer. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the information on duration of time of operation is displayed graphically or pictorially.