ES2350996B1 - INTELLIGENT ENERGY SAVING SYSTEM FOR ACCESSIBLE ROOMS WITH ID CARD - Google Patents

Abstract

Intelligent energy saving system for accessible rooms with identification card (12) comprising: # - sensor modules in the room: # - motion and temperature sensor module (1) to detect movement of people and ambient temperature; # - sensor module door / window (15) to detect the opening or closing of doors / windows; # - the control unit (8) with: # - reception means to accommodate the card (12); # - identification card reader module ( 10) to: # - detect the presence of the card (12) in the receiving means; # - read the information contained in the card (12); # - check that the card (12) has room access permission ; # - actuators (11) to activate or deactivate room loads; # - wireless communications module (7) to communicate with the sensor modules (1, 15); # with the control unit (8) configured to activate or deactivate disable certain room charges according to information ion received by the sensor modules (1, 15).

Description

Intelligent energy saving system for accessible rooms with identification card.

Field of the Invention

The present invention refers to an energy saving system oriented to rooms in residential environments.

Background of the invention

The hotels currently have different types of power disconnectors. First, the simple disconnects, whose operation is to insert the access card to the room to act on a microswitch by weight or contact, and immediately activates the room light and air conditioning. These systems can be tricked by introducing any card or cardboard that performs that function, while the guest is absent from the room with the room access card that allows him to then open the lock again, or by leaving the access card inserted the room of his companion. When the client leaves the room (for example, for dinner), you can leave the card inserted in the power disconnector, so that the light and above all, the air conditioning are kept running even if the client is outside, with the consequent waste of energy.

The alternative to these simple disconnectors are the intelligent disconnectors, with RFID microchips that verify that it is an authorized card - with valid reservation or payments per day, without being a cleaning employee who usually has restricted telephone, minibar and heating uses. But these smart disconnectors can also be tricked because the guest - especially in student residences, long stay and more relevant energy expenses - introduces a valid RFID card to have their information and any other that acts as a switch for the weight: the reader reads the chip of one and grants the assigned uses but does not recheck that information because the “trap” card continues to activate the microswitch, so that the guest takes out the “good” card and leaves the other and all the devices consuming without control .

Description of the invention

The system object of the present invention is designed to continuously monitor human movement in the room, such that at the moment it is detected that a maximum time has elapsed without movement in the room, despite the identification support If it is inserted in the control unit, the system automatically disconnects the elements of more electrical consumption of the room such as air conditioning, heating, etc.

The system is able to control the opening of doors or windows to perform the same previous action, disconnect the elements of more electricity consumption in the room, in the same moment you detect that a door or window has been opened.

Another feature of the system is the ability to set a comfort temperature for the room while a person is not in it. Once a person is detected in the room the temperature control becomes manual.

Finally, the system has the possibility to visualize the state of the room, occupied or unoccupied, without having to enter it.

The biggest advantage of the system is that it is a complete system completely compatible between all the elements that compose it, the sensor elements are very low consumption and are powered by batteries which do not require power wiring and communications between the different The devices that make up the system are wireless, so it is not necessary to install communications wiring.

Therefore, to try to solve the problems exposed to the smart power disconnector, a wireless device is added so that it can communicate wirelessly with other devices. One of these devices is a wireless motion sensor. This equipment is a device that is installed on the ceiling, and includes a motion sensor, a wireless device and alkaline batteries for power.

The operation is as follows:

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The client accesses the room.

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Insert the card into the power disconnector.

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The disconnector communicates wirelessly with the wireless motion sensor installed in the room and it sends you information about whether or not there is movement in it.

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In case there is movement, the disconnect will activate the corresponding light and air conditioning.

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If there is no movement for x minutes (programmable), it will inform the disconnector that there is no one in the room even if the card is inserted in it. The motion sensor will conduct a motion survey every x minutes (programmable).

In this way, this solution avoids the aforementioned problem, causing the hotelier to save energy in an important way.

Therefore, the system is designed to identify a person upon entry into the room. For this, this person must use an identification support, which can be of different forms and technologies, and insert it into a control unit. Once the person has been correctly identified, the control unit automatically connects the room lighting and the additional services available to the room. At the moment in which this person removes his identifier from the control unit, a programmable timing starts, at the end of which the lighting and additional services are switched off.

The intelligent energy saving system for accessible rooms with identification card object of the invention comprises, for each accessible room with identification card:

-

a plurality of sensor modules located inside the room, comprising:

•

at least one battery-powered motion and temperature sensor module, responsible for detecting the movement of a person in the room and the ambient temperature, and for communicating said information to a control unit by means of a wireless communications module;

•

at least one battery-powered door / window sensor module, each installed in the frame of a door or window and in charge of detecting its opening or closing and communicating said information to the control unit by means of a wireless communications module;

-

The control unit, located inside the room, which has:

•

a power supply;

•

reception means for accommodating the room identification card;

•

an identi fi cation card reader module configured to:

-

detecting the presence of said identification card in the reception means;

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read the information contained on the identification card;

-

verify that said identification card corresponds to an identification card with permission to access the room;

•

a plurality of actuators, each of them in charge of activating or deactivating a load in the room;

•

a wireless communications module configured to communicate with the sensor modules.

The control unit is configured to activate or deactivate certain room loads depending on the information received by the sensor modules.

The control unit is preferably configured to determine the state of the room, occupied or unoccupied, based on the information received by the sensor modules and the presence or absence of the identification card in the receiving means. The system can additionally comprise a status display of the room located outside the room, powered by batteries and in charge of:

-

receive from the control unit the state of the room through a wireless communications module;

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display said room status through a display element.

The display element can be, for example, a LED, a display or an electrochromatic module.

In a preferred embodiment, the control unit is configured to, in case of detecting that there has been no movement in the room for a predetermined time, the identification card being inserted in the receiving means of the control unit, disconnecting certain loads of the room.

The control unit can be additionally configured to, in case of detecting that a door or window has been opened, the identification card inserted in the reception means of the control unit, disconnecting certain loads from the room.

The actuators of the control unit are preferably power relays. The loads controlled by the control unit can be, among others, lighting, air conditioning and heating

tion.

The motion and temperature sensor module preferably comprises a PIR sensor and a digital thermostat.

Each door / window sensor module preferably has two parts, a magnetized part arranged in the mobile part of the door or window and a magnetic sensor (for example, a reed vial) arranged in the fixed part thereof, said two being aligned parts such that when the door or window is closed the magnetic sensor detects the presence of the magnet and when the door or window is open the magnetic sensor does not detect the presence of the magnet.

Each door / window sensor module comprises a reflex sensor configured to emit an infrared light signal and:

-

detect its reflection in the door or window frame when it is closed;

-

Do not detect its reflection when it is open.

The control unit is preferably set to, in case the room is unoccupied, control the appropriate room loads so that the room's room temperature reaches a previously obtained setpoint temperature.

The ID card reader module can be selected from the following:

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magnetic stripe card reader;

-

smartcard reader;

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RFID reader;

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NFC reader.

The wireless communication modules of the different system elements preferably operate according to the

IEEE802.15.4 standard at 2.4 Ghz.

The various elements of the system that communicate with the control unit may have a configuration button to synchronize the element with the control unit. Brief description of the drawings

A series of drawings that help to better understand the invention and that expressly relate to an embodiment of said invention which is presented as a non-limiting example thereof is described very briefly below.

Figure 1 shows the components of the system object of the invention.

Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

The system of the invention has a set of devices that, together, allow optimizing the control and energy consumption of a room. The system is made up of the elements shown in Figure 1:

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a motion sensor and thermostat 1;

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an energy control unit 8;

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ID card 12;

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door / window sensors 15;

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optionally, a status display of room 19.

The energy control unit 8 is able to identify the person entering the room by inserting the identification card 12, connecting and disconnecting the lighting of the room and the various additional services available, such as air conditioning, heating, etc., receive and process the information of the different sensors that make up the system and act accordingly by activating or deactivating the elements with the highest energy consumption.

The power control unit 8 is fed from the power grid and incorporates a power supply 9 that converts the voltage of the power grid into direct voltage for the power supply of the different electronic circuits. It also incorporates a series of power relays 11 that allow to connect and disconnect the different loads that are connected to the control unit 8. Charges are understood as the different additional services available to the room. In addition, you must process the information on the identification card 12 of the person entering the room using a support read / write module 10 that may vary depending on the type of support used in each case between the different available technologies ( magnetic stripe card, contact chip card or smartcard, proximity RFID transponder card or support according to ISO14443A & B, ISO15693, NFC device). Finally, it incorporates a wireless communications module 7 that allows the control unit 8 to receive and send information wirelessly to the different sensors. This is wireless communication according to the IEEE802.15.4 2.4 Ghz standard. It allows to achieve distances of about 15 m in residential environments inside buildings.

The motion sensor and thermostat 1 is an element capable of measuring or detecting two parameters, one is the movement of a person in the room and another is the ambient temperature of the room. It is a zenith mount sensor that is capable of controlling the movement of a person within a radius of 360º and with an angle of approximately 45º with respect to the mounting position. The sensor uses PIR (Passive InfraRed) technology to detect real movement of a body that emits certain infrared radiation and moves from a certain speed. The sensor sends the information of whether there is a presence in the room and of the room temperature, wirelessly to the power control unit from time to time, and the control unit is responsible for processing this information.

If a person is in the room and has identified himself in the control unit, but a programmable time X has passed without any movement in the room being detected, the control unit disconnects the elements with the highest electrical energy consumption.

If a person is not in the room (not identified in a control unit), there is the option to program a comfort temperature so that the room is maintained at a certain temperature. The control unit processes the temperature information received from the sensor and acts accordingly by activating or deactivating the heating or air conditioning elements.

On the other hand, the motion sensor and thermostat 1 is powered by alkaline batteries 5 and has a current consumption of tens of microamps which allows it to operate autonomously without wiring over several years without changing the batteries. On the other hand, it has a wireless communication module 3 that allows you to send and receive information from the control unit without the need for any type of wiring. This is wireless communication according to the IEEE802.15.4 2.4 Ghz standard. As sensor elements it has a PIR 4 (Passive InfraRed) sensor with a built-in optics that allows to control the movement of a person and a digital thermostat 2 with a resolution of + -1.5ºC that measures the ambient temperature. Finally, it has a configuration button 6 that allows the sensor to be synchronized with the control unit during system startup so that each sensor is paired with its control unit.

The door / window sensor 15 is an element that is mounted in the frame of a window or a door and is capable of detecting the open or closed position thereof by means of magnetism. The sensor uses a magnet 18 fixed in the moving part of the door / window and a reed vacuum ampule 16 (or reed switch) in the window / door frame, to detect the correct alignment between the two parts that compose it (15, 18). The door / window sensor 15 can also be of other technologies, such as a reflective sensor that emits a modulated infrared light signal that is reflected in the door frame and returns to the bounced sensor. In the event that the door is opened the signal could not bounce off the frame and therefore the sensor would not detect it by giving an indication of an open door or window.

During assembly of the door / window sensor 15 the two parts must be perfectly aligned when the door or window is closed. The moment the door / window opens the two pieces are misaligned and the sensor detects the opening. At that time the sensor sends the information that a door or window has been opened, wirelessly to the power control unit, and the control unit is responsible for processing this information and deactivating the air conditioning, heating or the service that is scheduled.

The door / window sensor 15 is powered by alkaline batteries 14 and has a current consumption of tens of microamps allowing it to operate autonomously without wiring over several years without changing the batteries. On the other hand, it has a wireless communications module 13 that allows you to send and receive information from the control unit without the need for any type of wiring. This is wireless communication according to the IEEE802.15.4 2.4 Ghz standard. As sensor elements it has a reed ampoule 16 or similar that allows to detect the proximity of a magnetized part 18. Finally, it has a configuration button 17 that allows the sensor to be synchronized with the control unit during system start-up so that Each sensor is paired with its control unit.

Finally, the status display of the room 19 is an element that is mounted on the outside of the room and that is capable of displaying the status of the same, occupied or unoccupied in a display element 22. For this, the status display of room 19 communicates wirelessly with the control unit

of energy 8 which is what indicates the state of the room. The state of the room depends on whether the person's identification card 12 is inserted in the power control unit 8 and the movement information provided by the motion sensor and thermostat 1. The room status display 19 is powered by batteries alkaline 21 and has a current consumption of dozens of microamps which allows it to operate autonomously without wiring over several years without changing the batteries. On the other hand, it has a wireless communication module 20 that allows it to send and receive information from the control unit without the need for any type of wiring. This is wireless communication according to the IEEE8.2.15.4 2.4 Ghz standard. As display element 22, several technologies may be available: fixed or intermittent low consumption LED, display, electrochromatic element / module, etc.

Finally, it has a configuration button 23 that allows synchronizing the status display of room 19 with the control unit during system startup, so that it is paired with its control unit.

Claims (16)

1. Intelligent energy saving system for accessible rooms with identification card, characterized in that it comprises, for each accessible room with identification card (12):

-

a plurality of sensor modules located inside the room, comprising:

•

at least one motion and temperature sensor module (1) powered by batteries (5), responsible for detecting the movement of a person in the room and the ambient temperature, and for communicating said information to a control unit (8) by means of a wireless communications module (3);

•

at least one door / window sensor module (15) powered by batteries (14), each installed in the frame of a door or window and in charge of detecting its opening or closing and communicating said information to the control unit (8) by means of a wireless communications module (13);

-

the control unit (8), located inside the room, which has:

•

a power supply (9);

•

reception means for accommodating the room identification card (12);

•

an identification card reader module (10) configured to: - detect the presence of said identification card (12) in the receiving means; -read the information contained in the identification card (12); -check that said identification card (12) corresponds to an identification card with

room access permit;

•

a plurality of actuators (11), each of them responsible for activating or deactivating a load in the room;

•

a wireless communications module (7) configured to communicate with the sensor modules (1, 15);

and because the control unit (8) is configured to activate or deactivate certain room loads based on the information received by the sensor modules (1, 15). 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (8) is configured to determine the state of the room, occupied or unoccupied, based on the information received by the sensor modules (1, 15) and the presence or no of the identification card (12) in the reception means; and because the system additionally comprises a room status display (19) located outside the room, powered by batteries (21) and in charge of:

-

receive from the control unit (8) the state of the room through a wireless communication module (20);

-

display said room status through a display element (22).

3.

System according to claim 2, characterized in that the display element (22) is selected from the following: led diode, display, electrochromatic module.

Four.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (8) is configured to, in case of detecting that there has been no movement in the room for a predetermined time, the identification card (12) being inserted in the means of reception of the control unit (8), disconnect certain loads from the room.

5.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (8) is configured to, in case of detecting that a door or window has been opened, the identification card being

(12) introduced into the reception means of the control unit (8), disconnect certain loads from the room. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuators (11) of the control unit (8) are power relays.

7.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the loads controlled by the control unit (8) comprise at least one of the following: lighting, air conditioning, heating.

8.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one motion and temperature sensor module (1) comprises a PIR sensor (4) and a digital thermostat (2).

9.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each door / window sensor module (15) has two parts, a magnetized part (18) arranged in the mobile part of the door or window and a magnetic sensor (16) arranged in the fixed part thereof, said two parts being aligned so that when the door or window is closed the magnetic sensor (16) detects the presence of the magnet and when the door or window is open the magnetic sensor (16) does not detect The presence of the magnet.

10. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the magnetic sensor (16) is a reed vial.

eleven.

System according to any of claims 1-8, characterized in that each door / window sensor module (15) comprises a reflex sensor configured to emit an infrared light signal and:

-detect its reflection in the frame of the door or window when it is closed; -do not detect its reflection when it is open.

12.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (8) is configured to, in case the room is unoccupied, control the appropriate room loads so that the room's ambient temperature reaches a temperature of setpoint previously obtained.

13.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the identification card reader module (10) is selected from the following: - magnetic stripe card reader; - smartcard reader;

-RFID reader; -NFC reader.

14.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wireless communication modules (3, 7, 13, 20) of the different elements of the system (1, 8, 15, 19) operate according to the IEEE802.15.4 standard at 2.4 Ghz.

fifteen.

System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the different elements of the system (1, 15, 19) that communicate with the control unit (8) have a configuration button (6, 17, 23) to synchronize the element with the control unit (8).

8 9 SPANISH PATENTS AND BRANDS OFFICE Application no .: 200930235 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 29.05.2009

REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

Priority Date: 00-00-0000 00-00-0000 00-00-0000

51 Int. Cl.:

See additional sheet

 RELEVANT DOCUMENTS  

Category

56 Documents cited Claims Affected

X

US 6275166 B1 (DEL et al.) 14.08.2001, column 3, line 64 column 9, line 35; figures. 1-15

TO

US 5318224 A (DARBY et al.) 07.06.1994, column 3, line 17 column 17, line 68; Figures 1 and 2. 1-15

TO

US 2005264414 A1 (SWEENEY et al.) 01.12.2005, paragraphs [00170025]; figures. 1-8

TO

JP 2002175570 A (DX ANTENNA) 21.06.2002, summary; figures. 9-10

TO

JP 2004326609 A (MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS LTD) 18.11.2004, summary; figures. eleven

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of realization of the report 11.10.2010

Examiner J. Herrando Calvo Page 1/5

REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE CLASSIFICATION OBJECT OF THE APPLICATION G05D 23/19 (2006.01) H02J 3/00 (2006.01) G06K 7/00 (2006.01) Minimum documentation sought (classification system followed by classification symbols) G05D, H02J Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, search terms used) INVENTIONS, EPODOC, WPI  WRITTEN OPINION Date of Completion of Written Opinion: 11.10.2010

Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims 3-15 Claims 1,2 IF NOT

Inventive activity

Claims _____________________________________ YES

(Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims 1-15 NO

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published.  WRITTEN OPINION 1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

US 6275166 B1 14.08.2001

D02

US 5318224 A 07.06.1994

D03

US 2005264414 A1 01.12.2005

D04

JP 2002175570 A 06.21.2002

D05

JP 2004326609 A 11/18/2004

2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulations for the execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement The main object of the invention is an intelligent energy saving system for accessible rooms with card ID. Document D01 is considered as the closest state of the art document to the object claimed, which affects the novelty and the inventive activity of the claims, as explained below: R1 independent claim The features of claim R1 are already known from document D01 (column 3, line 64-column 9, line 35; figures) where an intelligent wireless energy saving system with at least one sensor module is described temperature and movement, a door / window sensor and a control unit that has a card reader module and a plurality of actuators; which activates / deactivates the connected loads based on the information received. Therefore, claim R1 is not new in view of the state of the known art (Article 6.1 LP). R2 dependent claim The object of the invention set forth in claim R2 derives directly and without any ambiguity from document D01 (column 3, line 64-column 9, line 35; figures). Therefore, claim R2 is also not new in view of the state of the art known (Article 6.1 LP). Dependent claims R3-R15 The object of claim R3 is simply one of several obvious possibilities that one skilled in the art would select according to the circumstances, without the exercise of inventive activity, as a visualizing element. The object in claims R4 and R5 comprises only embodiments (enable / disable loads depending on the state of the sensors) and cannot be considered to involve inventive activity. The power relays described in claim R6 are simply one of several obvious possibilities that an expert in the subject would select according to the circumstances, without the exercise of inventive activity, as actuators of the unit of control. The features described in claim R7 are considered obvious to an expert; in view of the system it discloses Document D01 (column 3, line 64-column 9, line 35; figures), is not considered to require any inventive effort in control the loads of an energy saving system where at least one of those charges is a lighting system, air conditioning or heating. Accordingly, claim R7 does not meet the inventive activity requirement according to the Article 8.1 LP. The motion and temperature sensor described by claim R8 comprises a PIR sensor and a digital thermostat. Dice that both elements belong to the common knowledge in the state of the art to measure temperature and detect presence, These characteristics are simply one of several obvious possibilities that an expert in the field would select according to circumstances, without the exercise of inventive activity, to construct a motion and temperature sensing element as You can see in document D03 (paragraphs [0017-0025]; figures). The use of a magnetic door / window sensor module as disclosed by claims R9 and R10 is a technique well known within the state of the art as can be seen in document D04 (summary; figures) and therefore therefore, obvious to an expert in the field. The use of a reflective door / window sensor module as disclosed in claim R11 is a very technical technique. known within the state of the art as can be seen in document D05 (summary; figures) and therefore obvious For an expert in the field.  WRITTEN OPINION Additional sheet The object in claim R12 comprises only embodiments (activating / deactivating loads depending on the state of the sensors) and cannot be considered to involve inventive activity. The card reader module claimed by claim R13 is not considered to involve inventive activity, since the claimed features are slight constructive variations to implement the card reader that one skilled in the art would select according to the technology selected for identification. Claim R14 describes that the wireless communication of the communication modules is carried out under the IEEE802.15.4 standard. However, this characteristic of claim R14 is simply considered as one of several obvious possibilities that one skilled in the art would select according to the circumstances, without the exercise of inventive activity, to perform wireless communication. In view of what is known from document D01, it is not considered that it requires any inventive effort for a person skilled in the art to develop a system as described in claim R15 with a configuration button to synchronize the elements with the control unit. In conclusion, the invention claimed in claims R3-R15 does not imply inventive activity (Article 8.1 LP). Report on the State of the Art (Written Opinion additional sheet) Page 5/5