Elizabeth T Main

US Patent:

20190171174, Jun 6, 2019

Filed:

Feb 7, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/269869

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
Angela S. Bassa - Stoneham MA, US
Elizabeth J. Main - Boulder CO, US

International Classification:

G05B 19/042
G05B 15/02

Abstract:

An occupancy-based traffic control system for augmenting traffic control mechanisms corresponding to buildings of one or more building types within a geographic subsector is provided. The system includes, a subsector aggregator, an other facility occupancy estimator, and a subsector processor. The subsector aggregator receives energy consumption and outside temperature streams corresponding to a portion of the buildings, and employs occupancy components to generate average occupancy components corresponding to each building type. The other facility occupancy estimator matches the average occupancy components to remaining ones of the buildings not in the first portion according to building type. The subsector processor uses the first and second aggregated occupancy components modify defaults of traffic control devices based on the occupancy estimate to optimize flow of automotive vehicles.

US Patent:

20190171175, Jun 6, 2019

Filed:

Feb 7, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/269878

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
Angela S. Bassa - Stoneham MA, US
Elizabeth J. Main - Boulder CO, US

International Classification:

G05B 19/042
G05B 15/02

Abstract:

An occupancy-based traffic control system for augmenting traffic control mechanisms corresponding to buildings of one or more building types within a geographic subsector is provided. The system includes, a subsector aggregator, an other facility occupancy estimator, and a subsector processor. The subsector aggregator receives energy consumption and outside temperature streams corresponding to a portion of the buildings, and employs occupancy components to generate average occupancy components corresponding to each building type. The other facility occupancy estimator matches the average occupancy components to remaining ones of the buildings not in the first portion according to building type. The subsector processor uses the first and second aggregated occupancy components modify defaults of traffic control devices based on the occupancy estimate to optimize flow of pedestrians.

US Patent:

20170322525, Nov 9, 2017

Filed:

May 3, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/144979

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
ELIZABETH J. MAIN - Cambridge MA, US
ANGELA S. BASSA - Stoneham MA, US

International Classification:

G05B 15/02
H04L 12/28
G05F 1/66

Abstract:

An apparatus for controlling consumption of a resource by a facility is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of devices, a network operations center (NOC), and a plurality of control nodes. The plurality of devices is disposed within the facility, each consuming a portion of the resource when turned on, and the each capable of performing a corresponding function within an acceptable operational margin by cycling on and off. The NOC is disposed external to the facility, and is configured to generate a plurality of run time schedules, where the plurality of run time schedules coordinates run times for the each of the plurality of devices to control the consumption of the resource while maintaining corresponding local environments while operating within corresponding acceptable operating margins, and is configured to adjust the plurality of run time schedules based upon occupancy components and occupancy levels generated by the NOC, where the occupancy components and the occupancy levels are exclusively generated based on the consumption of the resource and outside temperature. The plurality of control nodes is disposed within the facility, each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of devices, where the plurality of control nodes is coupled together via an energy management network that is operatively coupled to the NOC, and where the plurality of control nodes transmits sensor data and device status to the NOC via the energy management network for generation of the plurality of run time schedules, and where the plurality of control nodes executes selected ones of the run time schedules to cycle the plurality of devices on and off.

US Patent:

20170322529, Nov 9, 2017

Filed:

May 3, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/145041

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
ELIZABETH J. MAIN - Cambridge MA, US
ANGELA S. BASSA - Stoneham MA, US

International Classification:

G05B 19/042

Abstract:

An occupancy based traffic control system for augmenting traffic control mechanisms corresponding to one or more buildings of one or more building types within a geographic subsector is provided. The occupancy based traffic control system includes, a subsector occupancy aggregator, an other facility occupancy estimator, and a subsector traffic control processor. The subsector occupancy aggregator is configured to receive energy consumption and outside temperature streams corresponding to a portion of the one or more buildings, and is configured to employ occupancy components for each of the portion of the one or more buildings to process the streams, and is configured to generate average occupancy components corresponding to each building type within the portion of the one or more buildings and a first aggregated occupancy component for the first portion of the one or more buildings, where the occupancy components are generated by exclusively processing the streams. The other facility occupancy estimator is coupled to the subsector occupancy aggregator, and is configured to receive the average occupancy components, and is configured to match the average occupancy components to remaining ones of the one or more buildings not in the first portion according to building type, and is configured to generated a second aggregated occupancy component for the remaining ones. The subsector traffic control processor is configured to employ the first and second aggregated occupancy components to determine an occupancy estimate for the one or more buildings, and is configured to modify defaults of one or more corresponding traffic control devices based on the occupancy estimate to optimize flow of pedestrians and automotive vehicles.

US Patent:

20170322530, Nov 9, 2017

Filed:

May 3, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/145093

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
ELIZABETH J. MAIN - Cambridge MA, US
ANGELA S. BASSA - Stoneham MA, US

International Classification:

G05B 19/042

Abstract:

An apparatus for prioritizing a demand response program event based on occupancy for one or more buildings of one or more building types participating in a demand response program is provided. The apparatus has an occupancy estimator and a dispatch controller. The occupancy estimator is configured to receive energy consumption and outside temperature streams corresponding to a portion of the one or more buildings, and is configured to employ occupancy components for each of the one or more buildings within the portion to process the streams, and is configured to generate occupancy levels corresponding to the one or more buildings within the portion, where the occupancy components and the occupancy levels are generated by exclusively processing the streams, and is configured to assign the occupancy levels to remaining ones of the one or more buildings not in the first portion. The a dispatch controller is configured to employ the occupancy components to maintain a global energy use model for the one or more buildings, and is configured to transmit dispatch messages to selected ones of the one or more buildings to reduce energy consumption by a prescribed amount for a prescribed period of time, to achieve objectives of the demand response program event.

US Patent:

20170322576, Nov 9, 2017

Filed:

May 3, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/145015

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
ELIZABETH J. MAIN - Cambridge MA, US
ANGELA S. BASSA - Stoneham MA, US

International Classification:

G05F 1/66
G05B 13/04

Abstract:

An apparatus for controlling consumption of an energy resource by a facility is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of devices, a network operations center (NOC), and a plurality of control nodes. The plurality of devices is disposed within the facility, each consuming a portion of the energy resource when turned on, and the each capable of performing a corresponding function to maintain a desired level of performance by cycling on and off. The NOC is disposed external to the facility, and is configured to generate a plurality of run time schedules, where the plurality of run time schedules coordinates run times for the each of the plurality of devices to control the consumption of the energy resource while maintaining corresponding local environments and the desired level of performance, and is configured to adjust the plurality of run time schedules based upon resource utilization components and resource utilization levels generated by the NOC, where the resource utilization components and the resource utilization levels are exclusively generated based on the consumption of the energy resource and outside temperature. The plurality of control nodes is disposed within the facility, each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of devices, where the plurality of control nodes is coupled together via an energy management network that is operatively coupled to the NOC, and where the plurality of control nodes transmits sensor data and device status to the NOC via the energy management network for generation of the plurality of run time schedules, and where the plurality of control nodes executes selected ones of the run time schedules to cycle the plurality of devices on and off.

US Patent:

20170322577, Nov 9, 2017

Filed:

May 3, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/145068

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
ELIZABETH J. MAIN - Cambridge MA, US
ANGELA S. BASSA - Stoneham MA, US

International Classification:

G05F 1/66
G06F 17/30
G05B 15/02

Abstract:

An apparatus for managing energy consumption of one or more buildings of one or more building types based on occupancy is provided. The apparatus includes an occupancy estimator and a multiple facility controller. The occupancy estimator is configured to receive energy consumption and outside temperature streams corresponding to a portion of the one or more buildings, and is configured to employ occupancy components for each of the one or more buildings within the portion to process the streams, and is configured to generate occupancy levels corresponding to the one or more buildings within the portion, where the occupancy components and the occupancy levels are generated by exclusively processing the streams, and is configured to assign the occupancy levels to remaining ones of the one or more buildings not in the first portion according to building type. The multiple facility controller is configured to employ the occupancy components to maintain a global energy use model for the one or more buildings, and is configured to transmit energy reduction control messages to selected ones of the one or more buildings to reduce energy consumption by a prescribed amount for a prescribed period of time, thereby optimizing energy consumption of all of the one or more buildings.

US Patent:

20170323207, Nov 9, 2017

Filed:

May 3, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/144961

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
ELIZABETH J. MAIN - Cambridge MA, US
ANGELA S. BASSA - Stoneham MA, US

International Classification:

G06N 5/04
G06F 17/50

Abstract:

A method for determining occupancy of a facility is provided. The method includes: first generating occupancy components for the facility by processing a first data set comprising energy consumption and outside temperature data for the facility, the energy consumption and outside temperature data taken at a prescribed time increment over a first plurality of days; second generating a normalized first data set by employing the occupancy components to remove effects of occupancy of the facility from the first data set, the occupancy components comprising: a lower bound of energy consumption as a function of outside temperature; a normalized occupancy profile component as a function of the prescribed time increment; a marginal energy consumption component as a function of outside temperature; and a daily occupancy level component for each of the first plurality of days; and receiving the normalized first data set and a normalized second data set, the normalized second data set being generated from energy consumption and outside temperature data taken at the prescribed time increment over a second plurality of days, and generating and displaying comparisons of the normalized second data set with the normalized first data set over the second plurality of days.