James K Hollister

US Patent:

8024073, Sep 20, 2011

Filed:

Nov 17, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/948208

Inventors:

Kevin Imes - Austin TX, US
James Hollister - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Allure Energy, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G05B 11/01
G05B 15/00

US Classification:

700276, 700 19

Abstract:

According to an aspect of the disclosure, a home energy management system and method includes a network device disposed at a residence and a wireless home energy network capable of establishing communication with the network device. A server is disposed remotely from the residence and capable of generating a control action report to control the network devices. A controller is located at the residence and in communication with the server and configured to establish the wireless home energy network; initiate a plurality of operating status requests of the network device; receive device data in response to at least one of the operating status requests; generate a site report including the device data; initiate a communication of the site report to the remote server; and detect an availability of the control action report at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the site report.

US Patent:

8082065, Dec 20, 2011

Filed:

Nov 18, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/948806

Inventors:

Kevin Imes - Austin TX, US
James Hollister - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Allure Energy, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G05D 23/00

US Classification:

700276, 700295

Abstract:

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an energy management apparatus for a home energy management system and method includes a processor operable to manage energy use at a site. The processor is configured to convert an incoming message received from a wireless energy network into XML enabled output data and format an outgoing message to be output to the wireless energy network using XML enabled input data. A communication interface is configured to enable access to a communication device having access to the wireless energy network, wherein the communication interface is further configured to detect the outgoing message formatted by the processor to be output using the wireless energy network; configure the outgoing message to a message bus format, detect the incoming message received from the wireless energy network, and convert the incoming message from the message bus format to access the incoming network device data.

US Patent:

8099195, Jan 17, 2012

Filed:

Sep 29, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/893327

Inventors:

Kevin R. Imes - Austin TX, US
James Hollister - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Allure Energy, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G05D 23/00

US Classification:

700278, 700276

Abstract:

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for an energy management system includes a controller having an application interface configured to use at least a portion of an incoming message communicated using a home energy network at a residential site. The incoming message includes at least a portion of a first user energy management schedule, and the controller is capable of altering use of a resource in response to the first user energy management schedule. A first communication interface is operably coupled to the application interface and configured to communicate with a first network operably associated with the home energy network; and a second communication interface is operably coupled to the application interface and configured to communicate with a second network operably associated with the home energy network, wherein the second network is different than the first network.

US Patent:

8108076, Jan 31, 2012

Filed:

Nov 18, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/948889

Inventors:

Kevin Imes - Austin TX, US
James Hollister - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Allure Energy, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G05D 23/00

US Classification:

700278, 700276, 3406866

Abstract:

A system and method migrating virtualized environments is disclosed. According to an aspect of the disclosure, a home energy management system and method includes a database configured to store site report data received from a plurality of residential sites using a wireless home energy network at each site. Each residential site includes a thermostat accessible to the wireless home energy network. A processor is operably coupled to the database and configured to access the site report data and detect a current temperature set-point of the thermostat at a first residential site; detect a first seasonal profile of the thermostat; detect a current operating mode of a HVAC system operably coupled to the thermostat; and determine a thermostat schedule of the thermostat using the first seasonal profile and the current operating mode of the HVAC system.

US Patent:

8174381, May 8, 2012

Filed:

Mar 30, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/075221

Inventors:

Kevin R. Imes - Austin TX, US
James Hollister - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Allure Energy, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G08B 1/08
G08B 23/00
G05B 11/01
G06F 17/00
H04M 3/00

US Classification:

34053923, 34053911, 3405731, 700 13, 700 90, 455420

Abstract:

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an energy management apparatus for a mobile energy management system and method includes detecting an availability of at least one network device at a site, displaying a proximity control selector within a graphical user interface of a mobile device associated with the site that can be toggled to enable and disable proximity detection using the mobile device, detecting a distance of the mobile device relative to the site in response to enabling proximity detection on the mobile device, and initiating a change to the operating condition of the network device in response to detecting a change in the distance of the mobile device relative to the site and the setting of the proximity control selector. According to an aspect of the disclosure, the network device may be a thermostat associated with the HVAC system of the site or other energy consuming appliances.

US Patent:

8396602, Mar 12, 2013

Filed:

Apr 19, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/089817

Inventors:

Kevin R. Imes - Austin TX, US
James Hollister - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Allure Energy, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G05B 13/00
G05B 15/00
G05D 23/00

US Classification:

700276, 700286, 700291

Abstract:

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an energy management system and method includes managing energy use of a site comprising the steps of: acquiring a network device data from a network device joined to a wireless energy network; translating the network data into device report data comprised of at least one Java based object; detecting an interval to generate a site report of the wireless energy network; translating the device report data into site report data comprised of XML formatted data; and generating the site report including the site report data at the interval. A wireless energy network communication device is configured to communicate with a wireless energy network and a processor is operably coupled to the wireless energy communication device and configured to perform the steps of managing energy use of the site.

US Patent:

8396604, Mar 12, 2013

Filed:

Feb 2, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/364706

Inventors:

Kevin R. Imes - Austin TX, US
James Hollister - Round Rock TX, US
John Frederick Cottrell - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

Allure Energy, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G05D 3/12

US Classification:

700286, 370338, 455567

Abstract:

A method of managing energy use of a network device located at a site with a mobile device is provided. The method proceeds by determining a plurality of zones about the site and detecting a current location of the mobile device relative to the plurality of zones. The method continues by altering the operating condition of the network device in response to detecting the mobile device changing zones. A graphical user interface (GUI) is displayed within the display screen of the mobile device. A map presenting the site location, the plurality of zones disposed about the site location, and the current location of the mobile device is displayed within the GUI along with a distance selector including selectable distance values. The method further includes automatically scaling the plurality of zones and the map in response to changing the selectable distance value using the distance selector.

US Patent:

8412382, Apr 2, 2013

Filed:

Apr 28, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/096115

Inventors:

Kevin R. Imes - Austin TX, US
James Hollister - Round Rock TX, US
John Frederick Cottrell - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

Allure Energy, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G01M 1/38
G05B 13/00
G05B 15/00
G05D 23/00
G05D 11/00
G05D 3/12
G05D 5/00
G05D 17/00

US Classification:

700277, 700275, 700276, 700278, 700282, 700284, 700296, 340602, 3405451, 3406866, 701204, 701207, 701213

Abstract:

According to an aspect of the disclosure, a zone based energy management system includes controlling at least one network device at a site using the proximity detection of a mobile device which may be based upon the detection of a plurality of zones. The network device may be a thermostat associated with the HVAC system of the site or other energy consuming appliances. Each of the zones may be associated with a corresponding temperature set-point of the thermostat or other energy consuming device where the temperature set point corresponding to a zone may be different from the temperature set points corresponding with each of the other zones.