Patent attributes
A system is described where the existing proliferation of standard electrical junction boxes in a typical home or building implement a form of “Bio-Feedback for Home Energy”, increasing user awareness and enabling more effective and efficient energy usage. Energy-related information is gathered by way of EMAC (Energy Monitoring And Control) points typically installed at standard electrical junction boxes used for power plug receptacles and wall switches. In addition to being visually displayed at the point of energy use or measurement, energy-related information—electrical and thermal—is typically communicated through a powerline or wireless data link to a centrally located intelligent device where it is monitored, analyzed, profiled, viewed, and also used for energy-related control functions. Energy consumption can be alternately displayed in terms of cost-per-time. Energy monitoring may be also added at the electrical breaker box to supplement distributed EMAC points.
