System and Method of Energy Conservation via Device Monitoring and Intelligent Presentation of Upgrade and Replacement Options.

Publication Summary

This publication discloses a method for monitoring devices and providing easy options for upgrading said devices in order to conserve energy. It monitors real-time device and associated energy usage patterns, compares the current device to newer or more state of the art replacement devices, and where sufficient energy savings can be attained from a replacement product, one or more recommended upgrades may be presented to the consumer.

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Language	English (United States)

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System and Method of Energy Conservation via Device Monitoring and Intelligent Presentation of Upgrade and Replacement Options .

Many consumers purchase and continue to use devices (e.g. refrigerators, dishwashers, televisions, lighting systems, power tools, etcetera) until they become very old, or become defective and need replacement. Many consumers do not even think about energy consumption when purchasing replacement devices. Recent technology advances allow for a consumer to now measure the power consumption of individual devices within their homes. The concept of "smart appliances" and "smart homes" is known in the art and provides capabilities such as shutting off or dimming lights when a room is unoccupied, and reducing power used by some appliances based on external conditions. These technologies are ripe for placement into future high-tech homes, however, they do not address the myriad devices currently in use that are woefully inefficient in the area of power usage. Additionally, although the current trend is towards rapid introduction of new, more efficient, less expensive devices; it is not yet known in the art to monitor power consumption and cost of aging devices, and in an automated fashion to recommend replacement devices when it makes economic sense.

This invention enables automatic flagging of inefficient devices combined with convenient options for replacement of these devices. Once a device is determined to be operating inefficiently, its specifications are examined to match it with potential replacement devices currently available for sale. The real-time price and availability data from vendors is displayed, allowing user to easily select a replacement or upgrade. A home or business may have many old and otherwise inefficient devices that consume excessive amounts of energy and should be replaced. Convenient methods do not currently exist to alert device owners and users to this problem, or to assist in finding optimal upgrades or replacements.

Customer premise

Send power & specs

Send power & specs

Central Control System

One possible embodiment of this invention would include a Central Control System (CCS) in a home or business that gathers device profile data, energy consumption data,

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Figure 1: High Level System Architecture

External data (e.g.weather feed)

Efficiency Advisor

Device specification by vendor

Energy tiers and prices

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and usage patterns, along with an Efficiency Advisor (EA) subsystem that collects associated external data inputs, analyzes replacement and upgrade options, and makes intelligent upgrade and replacement recommendations. Figure 1 below provides a high level graphic representation of one possible system architecture. It should be noted that the CCS and EA could be combined into a single logical...

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