Electrical panel for determining information about devices using different sets of features

Abstract

An electrical panel may process an electrical power signal to provide information about the operation of devices in a building to a user. The information communicated to a user may include historical information and real-time information. In determining the real-time information, it may be desired to provide the information quickly and use a smaller set of features that are available more quickly. In determining the historical information, it may be desired to provide more accurate information and use a larger set of features. An electrical panel may compute real-time information and historical information using different sets of features.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, implemented by an electrical panel of a building, for determining a state change of a device in the building, comprising:
 receiving an electrical signal, wherein the electrical signal is used to power a plurality of devices in the building;   computing a first feature using a first portion of the electrical signal, wherein the first portion comprises a first time and ends at a first end time;   computing a second feature using a second portion of the electrical signal, wherein the second portion comprises the first time and ends at a second end time, wherein the second end time is later than the first end time;   prior to the second end time, selecting a first state change of a first device using the first feature; and   after the second end time, processing the first feature and the second feature to (i) confirm the selection of the first state change of the first device or (ii) select a second state change of a second device.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first feature corresponds to an electrical event at the first time or wherein the first feature is a feature that is computed periodically. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the first state change of the first device comprises computing a first score using the first feature and a model, wherein the model corresponds to the first state change of the first device. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein computing the first score comprises computing the first score using a transition model that corresponds to a state change of an element of the first device and a directed graph describing a plurality of state changes of the first device. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting first information about the first state change of the first device to a server without significant delay from the first time. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising transmitting second information to a second server about (i) the first device and the first state change or (ii) the second device and the second state change. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first feature corresponds to an electrical event generated by a first device and the second feature corresponds to an electrical event generated by a second device. 
     
     
         8 . An electrical panel for determining a state change of device in a building, the electrical panel comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 receive an electrical signal, wherein the electrical signal is used to power a plurality of devices in the building, 
 compute a first feature using a first portion of the electrical signal, wherein the first portion comprises a first time and ends at a first end time, 
 compute a second feature using a second portion of the electrical signal, wherein the second portion comprises the first time and ends at a second end time, wherein the second end time is later than the first end time, 
 select, using the first feature and prior to the second end time, a first state change of a first device, and 
 process, after the second end time, the first feature and the second feature to (i) confirm the selection of the first state change of the first device or (ii) select a second state change of a second device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The electrical panel of  claim 8 , wherein the first feature is computed in response to identifying an electrical event. 
     
     
         10 . The electrical panel of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor selects the first state change of the first device by computing a first score using the first feature and a model, wherein the model corresponds to the first state change of the first device. 
     
     
         11 . The electrical panel of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
 transmit, prior to the second end time, first information about the first device and the first state change; and   transmit, after the second end time, second information about (i) the first device and the first state change or (ii) the second device and the second state change.   
     
     
         12 . The electrical panel of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor selects the first state change of the first device by computing a first score using a transition model that corresponds to a state change of an element of the first device and a directed graph describing a plurality of state changes of the first device. 
     
     
         13 . The electrical panel of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor selects the first state change of the first device by generating a directed graph with a plurality of nodes, wherein a first node of the directed graph corresponds to the first device and the first state change. 
     
     
         14 . The electrical panel of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to transmit first information about the first state change of the first device to a server without significant delay from the first time. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 an electrical panel comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the electrical panel configured to:
 receive an electrical signal, wherein the electrical signal is used to power a plurality of devices in a building; 
 compute a first feature using a first portion of the electrical signal, wherein the first portion comprises a first time and ends at a first end time; 
 compute a second feature using a second portion of the electrical signal, wherein the second portion comprises the first time and ends at a second end time, wherein the second end time is later than the first end time; 
 select, using the first feature and prior to the second end time, a first state change of a first device; and 
 process, after the second end time, the first feature and the second feature to (i) confirm the selection of the first state change of the first device or (ii) select a second state change of a second device. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the electrical panel is configured to identify an electrical event in the electrical signal and wherein the first feature corresponds to the electrical event. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first feature is computed before the second end time of the second portion of the electrical signal. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the electrical panel is configured to transmit, to a server computer, first information about the first device and the first state change. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the electrical panel is configured to select the first state change of the first device by computing a first score using a transition model that corresponds to a state change of an element of the first device and a directed graph describing a plurality of state changes of the first device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first information is used to provide real-time information about the first device to a user.