Interfacing to resource consumption management devices

Abstract

The subject disclosure provides a communications architecture for managing/relaying utility information, such as energy, water or gas information. In one aspect, the system includes a hub having a first communications interface for receiving consumption data of a predetermined energy load and a second communications interface for communicating with a metering device. The second communications interface is configured to transmit the consumption data to the metering device and to receive control signals from the metering device where the consumption data is communicated using a first protocol and wherein the control signals are communicated using a second protocol.

1 . A system that provides an interface in connection with management of resource consumption, comprising:
 a user interface associated with a hub configured to communicate with multiple resource consumption-related entities;   the hub, comprising:
 a first communications component configured to communicatively couple to a resource metering device that monitors consumption of a resource at a premises or a predefined portion thereof; and 
 a second communications component configured to communicatively couple to a set of consumption endpoints that manage local consumption of the resource. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is physically remote from the hub. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is physically integrated with the hub. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to enable input associated with management of the set of consumption endpoints. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the set of consumption endpoints includes at least one of a thermostat, a temperature control unit (TCU), a smart plug, a smart power strip, a load control device, an electric vehicle charger or another electric charger, or a smart appliance. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the input defines at least one of a mode of operation, a temperature setting or another environmental or device setting associated with the premises or the predefined portion thereof, an amount of the resource to consume, an amount of the resource to consume as a function of price per unit of the resource, or an occupancy state within the premises or the predefined portion thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a policy interface that is configured to receive input that defines policies associated with the set of consumption endpoints. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the policies determine at least one of actions of at least one endpoint included in the set of consumption endpoints in response to a price associated with the resource, actions of at least one endpoint included in the set of consumption endpoints in response to an alert or load control message received from a utility resource provider or the resource metering device, a resource priority associated with the set of consumption endpoints in connection with a limitation on or a shortage of the resource, whether to opt-in or opt-out of a program or service associated with a utility resource provider, or whether a notification is issued to a user. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a scheduling interface that is configured to receive input that defines a schedule of operation of the set of consumption endpoints. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the schedule of operation determines at least one of a time of operation or inactivity, a mode of operation, a temperature setting, or an amount of the resource to consume. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to present an indication of a state of or conditions associated with the premises, the predefined portion thereof or an environment thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the indication relates to at least one of real-time consumption of the resource, real-time costs associated with the consumption of the resource, an aggregate history or portion thereof of the consumption of the resource or costs associated therewith, a forecast of future consumption of the resource or costs associated therewith, a comparison to resource consumption or associated costs in connection with one or more disparate premises, an ambient condition associated with the premises, the predefined portion thereof, or the environment thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to present an indication of a state of or a parameter associated with at least one endpoint included in the set of consumption endpoints. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the indication relates to at least one of a current ambient condition associated with the premises, the predefined portion thereof, an environment thereof, a device associated with at least one endpoint included in the set of consumption endpoints, or a cost or resource savings of the device based upon a particular model, design, setting or operation mode. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to present messages, alerts, or queries received from the resource metering device, from a utility resource provider, or from a third-party entity. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to present advertisements received from the resource metering device, from a utility resource provider, or from a third-party entity. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a network interface that is configured to manage a home area network (HAN). 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the network interface enables at least one of connection or disconnection of the hub to or from the resource metering device via the first communications component, connection or disconnection of the hub to or from the set of consumption endpoints via the second communications component, connection or disconnection of the hub to or from a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) via a third communications component, or connection or disconnection of the user interface or an associated device to or from the hub. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a setup interface that is configured to define settings of a user or of the premises or the predefined portion thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the setup interface enables presentation or review of at least one of language, location, time, date, or at least one preferred or current utility resource provider. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a support interface that is configured to access customer support. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the support interface accesses customer support associated with at least one of a utility resource provider or a third-party entity. 
     
     
         23 . A system that provides remote management of resource consumption, comprising:
 one or more temperature control unit (TCU) configured to control climate conditions associated with an interior environment; and   one or more remote user interface physically remote from and communicatively coupled to the one or more TCU, and configured to control the one or more TCU based upon input received at the one or more remote user interface.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more TCU is further configured to monitor and control climate conditions associated with the interior environment. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more TCU is further configured to communicatively couple to a sensor component that monitors climate conditions associated with the interior environment. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more remote user interface is preconfigured to pair with, or preconfigured to, upon initiation or bootup, automatically pair with, at least one of the one or more TCU or a sensor component associated with the one or more TCU. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more remote user interface and the one or more TCU communicate by way of at least one of a ZigBee smart energy (SE) protocol, a ZigBee home automation (HA) protocol, a Z-Wave protocol, a CT-485 protocol, a RS-485 protocol, a power line carrier (PLC) protocol, an Ethernet protocol, a wireless fidelity (WI-FI) protocol, or an Internet Protocol (IP). 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more remote user interface controls the one or more TCU based upon at least one of a schedule input or received by way of the one or more remote user interface, a set of policies inputted or received by the one or more remote user interface, or a policy or request from a utility resource provider or third-party entity. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more remote user interface and the one or more TCU are preconfigured with identical or substantially similar default schedules. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more remote user interface or the one or more TCU are configured to synchronize schedules. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more TCU is configured to operate in a deadman mode that applies safe or default settings when it is detected that communication with the one or more remote user interface is lost. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more remote user interface includes a display configured to present an indication of (1) a state of or conditions associated with the interior environment or an exterior environment, or (2) a state of or a parameter associated with the one or more TCU or to a device controlled by the one or more TCU. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the device controlled by the one or more TCU relates to equipment associated with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. 
     
     
         34 . A method for interfacing to a communications hub for facilitating management of resource consumption, comprising:
 networking a resource metering device for monitoring aggregate consumption of a resource at a premises to a communications hub according to a network protocol supported by the resource metering device;   networking at least one consumption endpoint for managing local consumption of the resource to the communications hub according to a network protocol supported by the at least one consumption endpoint; and   employing a user interface for monitoring and controlling the communications hub.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising at least one of the following:
 employing a physically remote user interface for monitoring and controlling the communications hub;   employing a physically integrated user interface for monitoring and controlling the communications hub;   utilizing the user interface for managing at least one consumption endpoint; or   interfacing at least one of the communications hub or the user interface to at least one of a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) according to one or more Internet Protocol (IP).   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising at least one of the following:
 controlling the at least one consumption endpoint and reacting to messages received from the resource metering device based upon input to the user interface;   receiving the input at the user interface as at least one of a policy, a schedule, an occupancy metric, or a combination thereof;   utilizing the user interface for presenting a state of or conditions associated with the premises or an environment related thereto;   utilizing the user interface for presenting a state of or a parameter associated with the at least one consumption endpoint;   utilizing the user interface for presenting at least one of a message, an alert, a query, or an advertisement received from at least one of the resource metering device, a utility resource provider, or a third-party entity; or   utilizing the user interface for managing the connection between the communications hub and at least one of the resource metering device or the at least one consumption endpoint.