WO2010113202A1

WO2010113202A1 - Management system

Info

Publication number: WO2010113202A1
Application number: PCT/IT2010/000144
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniele Pulcini
Original assignee: Energhera S.P.A.
Priority date: 2009-04-03
Filing date: 2010-04-02
Publication date: 2010-10-07
Also published as: ITRA20090012A1

Abstract

Management system (1) for managing at least one energy user (100) comprising a telematic network (2) composed by at least one node (10) and provided with at least one first node (12) of control suitable, in use, to adjust the value of at least one operating parameter of a respective user (100); each node (10) being provided with communication means (20) to exchange information with at least one further node (10); at least one first node (12) being provided with processing means (50) programmed to manage dynamically the operativity of at least one respective user (100) in a manner autonomous and substantially independent of any other first node (12) of the telematic network (2).

Description

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a managing system. In particular, the present invention relates to a managing system for managing energy users. More in particular, the present invention relates to a managing system for managing energy users, provided with a telematic network suitable to interconnect electric and electronic devices with each other. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is well known that the progressive reduction in the availability of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, and the increasingly strong energy demand in the developing countries are causing an increase in energy costs. In addition to this, the use of non-renewable energy sources, in particular fossil fuels, causes the release in the atmosphere of significantly high quantities of carbon dioxide and other pollutant gases, hazardous and noxious for the ecosystem balance, such as for example sulphurous and nitric anhydride causing the atmospheric phenomena known as acid rain.

In view of what described above, in addition to the use of more environmentally friendly fuels, the need has been increasingly important of optimising the energy consumption, limiting the energy waste and maximising the exchange efficiency between energy producers and users.

At this point, it should be noted that, to minimise waste and optimise energy exchange, control devices have been designed, suitable to monitor in real time the energy consumption of one or more electric devices, usually indicated as energy users. These control devices are furthermore suitable, in use, to act on one or more operating parameters of these users to vary, substantially in real time, operating modes thereof, and therefore the respective energy consumption, so as to adapt them according to the actual current needs.

These devices usually comprise a central control unit, connected to a plurality of users and environmental sensors through a network of the substantially telematic type. In this way, the centra'l unit is suitable to monitor in real time the consumption of the energy users and the environmental parameters, in which these users operate. For example, with reference to an apartment, the central control unit can know the electric consumption of the lamps, the air-conditioning system and other electrical appliances, and, at the same time, it can adjust the activity of these users according to the data on temperature and lightness given by the environmental sensors or according to the trend of the overall electric absorption in the apartment.

Again by way of example, it should be mentioned the energy management service "Iink2web Energy management system" (L2W EMS) , developed by the Swedish company BFM AB, specialised in electric power distribution for industrial uses, in collaboration with the multinational company Meshnetics, specialised in development of ICT applications based on wireless networks. This management system comprises a control central server connected with at least one coordinator device for coordinating a wireless network composed by the same coordinator and by a plurality of nodes that can be linked either to temperature sensors or to devices for the environmental control inside an industrial shed, for example air-conditioning devices, devices for forced ventilation or for water or oil temperature adjustment used in industrial processing. In use, the server is therefore suitable to acquire, about every 10 minutes, the thermal status of the crucial points of the industrial plant and of the surrounding environment, so as to adjust accordingly and automatically the operation of the air-conditioning devices, the devices for forced ventilation, and the regulating devices for the machine cooling water or waste gases, etcetera. In other words, L2W EMS allows to adjust automatically operating parameters of the environmental control devices, so as to maintain always at an optimal value the temperature of the work environment and of the main components of an industrial plant, in order to maximise workers' safety and comfort and to minimise energy waste. The server is furthermore connected to a control room, where operators can control in real time the status of the plants and the choices made autonomously by the server and, as the case may be, they can intervene manually to adjust the value of the reference parameters of the control server.

L2W EMS has proved to be efficient, allowing a nearly 30% reduction in the yearly energy consumption of a medium/large industrial plant; however its network structure, organised substantially in a star with a central server, presents some disadvantages and vulnerabilities. It should be noted in particular that all the operations for controlling and adjusting the operating parameters of the users are performed by a single server acting as central control unit of the system, which needs one or more coordinators suitable to act as network concentrators to allow the interconnection of a significant number of nodes. Consequently, damage of the server or of one of the network coordinators/concentrators makes all the management system unusable. Furthermore, the use of a single central server for real-time automatic control of the users makes the implementation of L2W EMS difficult when a complex environment must be managed, for example a hospital or a hotel, provided with a particularly high number of users, also of highly different type from each other, and of environmental sensors.

Therefore, the problem of having available a management system for managing energy users, suitable to optimise the energy exchange in a given environment, for example an industrial, hospital, hotel, or domestic environment, is currently not solved in a satisfactory manner.

It would be in particular advisable to have available a management system for managing energy exchange, which is economical, easy to be implemented and highly versatile, so that it can be reconfigured each time users or environments must be removed from the control of the management system. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a managing system. In particular, the present invention relates to a managing system for managing energy users. More in particular, the present invention relates to a managing system for managing energy users, provided with a telematic network suitable to interconnect electric and electronic devices with each other.

The object of the present invention is to provide a management system for managing energy users provided with a telematic network suitable, in use, to connect a plurality of these users to each other and to coordinate them; this management system is suitable to solve the above described disadvantages and to satisfy a plurality of requirements that to date have still not been addresses, and therefore suitable to represent a new and original source of economic interest, and capable of modifying the current market of the management of energy plants and domotics.

According to the present invention, a management system is provided, whose main characteristics will be described in at least one of the appended claims.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a node for a telematic network aimed at optimising energy consumption, which is suitable, in use, to manage the operativity ' of a respective energy user connected with it. According to the present invention, a node for a telematic network is provided, whose main characteristics will be described in at least one of the appended claims.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an energy user designed so as to cooperate with a management system for managing energy consumption.

According to the present invention, an energy user is provided, whose main characteristics will be described in at least one of the appended claims.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for automatic management of the operating parameters of at least one energy user. According to the present invention a method is provided for managing automatically at least one energy user, and the main characteristics of this method will be described in at least one of the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the management system according to the present invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some non-limiting examples of embodiment, in which identical or corresponding parts of the device are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular: figure 1 is an overall schematic view of a management system for managing energy users according to the present invention;

- figure 2 illustrates, in enlarged scale and in a plurality of variants, a detail extracted from figure 1; and figure 3 schematically illustrates a management system for managing an energy user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In figure 1, number 1 indicates, in its entirety, a management system usable to monitor and manage the operativity of at least one energy user 100. In this regard, it should be specified that hereinafter the term user 100 will indicate generically each type of device suitable to consume energy to perform a respective given activity. For example, this term will indicate any electric user, i.e. any electric, electronic or electromechanical device suitable to consume electricity, for example light sources, air-conditioning devices, forced-ventilation devices or generic domestic appliances, etcetera. Similarly, energy users 100 will also indicate non- electrically powered devices, for example boilers, suitable to burn a respective fuel to allow heating of respective environments .

With reference to figure 1, it should be noted that the management system 1 preferably comprises a telematic network 2 designed so as to connect each energy user 100 to be managed through the management system 1. In particular, the telematic network 2 comprises a plurality of nodes 10 interconnected to each other to exchange information preferably according to a bidirectional communication mode. In this regard it should be noted that, for the purposes of the present invention, it is not important which is the connection mode or technology used to connect nodes 10 that, for example, can be indifferently part of a wired network, for example an Ethernet network, of a wireless network or of a hybrid network, wherein both cable and wireless connections are used. Therefore, as the type of technology used to connect the nodes 10 is indifferent, hereinafter reference will be made exclusively to a telematic network 2 of the wireless type, without however limiting the general scope of the present invention.

As it will be more apparent from the description below, each node 10 of the telematic network 2 is designed to perform at least one respective given function and, for this purpose, each node 10 can be produced preferably, although without limitation, according to one of the variants schematically illustrated in figure 2. It should be noted that each node illustrated in figure 2 is provided with at least one communication device 20, which will preferably comprise a transmitting-and-receiving unit 21 and the respective control electronics, known and therefore not illustrated, which is suitable, in use, to put distinct nodes 10 into communication according to a respective given wireless communication protocol. With particular reference to figure 2A, at least one node 10 of the telematic network 2 will comprise preferably a first interface 31 designed to connect at least one sensor 32 suitable, in use, to measure a first given physical quantity, for instance the temperature or the local lightness of an environment. The set of all the sensors 32 associated to a given node 10 and of the respective first interface 31 can be therefore interpreted as a measuring device 30 suitable to give, substantially at each instant, the current value of at least one given first physical quantity. Consequently, this node 10 provided with a measuring device 30 can be interpreted as a first sensor node 11 for this/these first physical quantity/quantities. In this regard, it should be noted that hereinafter reference will be made indifferently both to physical quantities varying continuously, such as temperature, lightness or water vapour concentration in the air, and to physical quantities that, for their nature, are discontinuous, such as for example the presence of a person in a room or the number of people present at a given instant in a given environment or the switching status of a switch. Therefore, each sensor 32 can alternatively comprise a measuring unit "for measuring a continuous first physical quantity, for example a thermometer, a light meter or a hygrometer, but also a device for detecting discontinuous physical quantities, such as for example a presence sensor or a meter or the switch status detector. With reference to figure 2A again, each first sensor node 11 comprises, preferably although without limitation, a processing unit 50 (CPU) , preferable of the programmable type, for controlling the reading and data acquisition operations of each sensor 32 associated with the respective node 11 and controlling the information exchange with further nodes 10 of the telematic network 2. The processing unit 50 is in turn associated with a storage device 55 comprising at least one first memory unit 56 suitable, in use, to record measurements made by at least one sensor 32 and therefore current values of at least one given first physical quantity. These current values of each first physical quantity measured by a first sensor node 11 will be preferably stored in the form of a memory table to facilitate operations of search and acquisition of the data performed by the other nodes of the telematic network 2. Furthermore, the storage device 55 of at least one node 11 can comprise a second non-volatile memory unit 57 designed, and therefore adequately dimensioned, to record the trend over time of the values of each first physical quantity measured by the measuring device 30. This second memory unit 57 is therefore suitable to record a log-file of the measurements made by the respective node 11 and is particularly useful when a user, for example an administrator of the management system 1, wants to monitor the activity of the telematic network 2 and of the respective nodes 10. At this point it should be specified that the processing unit 50 can be programmed to recognise the type of each sensor 32 associated with the respective node 11 and consequently to associate to each logical or numerical value, obtained as the result of a measurement/reading of a sensor 32, a respective label corresponding to the measured first physical quantity. This recognition of each sensor 32 can be performed by the processing unit 50 in an automatic manner, for example through the recognition of an identification signal emitted by the sensor or through the presence of an adequate identification pin, or it can be set during an installation and/or maintenance phase of the telematic network 2 by an operator programming the processing unit 50. It should be noted that associating a respective label to each measurement made by a sensor 32 allows to organise these information in at least one respective memory table recorded in the first storage unit 56 and therefore to simplify sharing operations of these information with further nodes 10, which are for example enabled to access the data contained in the storage device 55.

In view of the above description, each node 11 produced according to the variant illustrated in figure 2a will be therefore managed in a dynamic manner by the respective processing unit 50 so as to control the detection, storage and sharing operations of each datum acquired by the measuring device 30.

Alternatively, it is possible to provide simplified sensor nodes, devoid of a real control unit and the respective memory, but suitable, in use, to act as wireless repeaters that, even if not queried, periodically emit a signal to communicate to the other nodes the current result of the measurements made by the respective sensors.

Figure 2b illustrates a second variant of node 10, wherein the first interface 31 has been replaced with a second interface 41 designed to connect at least one respective actuator 42 suitable, in use, to adjust the value of at least one' given operating parameter of a respective user 100. Just by way of example, an actuator 42 can comprise alternatively a switch, to enable or disable a user 100, or a dimmer to adjust continuously the light intensity of a light source, or a thermostat suitable to control the activation of an air-conditioning and/or a heating device. The set of the second interface 41 and of each respective actuator 42 can be therefore interpreted as a control device 40 of at least one respective user 100 and therefore each node 100 provided with a respective control device 40 can be interpreted as a second node 12 of control devoid of a device suitable, in use, to manage the operativity of at least one respective energy user 100 by adjusting at least one respective given operating parameter thereof through a respective actuator 42. In more detail, each second node 12 of control comprises preferably a respective processing unit 50 (CPU) provided with a respective arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) and programmed to manage the operativity of each user 100 connected with the respective second node 12 through the second interface 41. At this point it should be noted that, as it will be better explained below, with reference to the management method for managing the users 100 that can be implemented through each second node 12 of the telematic network 2, the processing unit 50 of each second node 12 is suitable, in use, to manage each respective user 100 based upon information obtained by querying at least one node 11 provided with at least one sensor 32 suitable to monitor a first physical quantity, whose value is linked with, and is therefore relevant for, the operativity of this/these user/users 100. In particular, it should be noted that hereinafter a first physical quantity will be indicated as linked with a respective user 100 if the operativity of this user is able, in use, to modify over time the value of this first physical quantity. For example, with reference to a light source, the respective second node 12 will be able, in use, to adjust a respective light intensity based upon the local lightness measured by at least one light meter 32 associated with a sensor node 11 so as to assure constantly optimal light conditions, or anyway conditions compatible with reference parameters preset during a programming phase of the processing unit 50. In this regard it should be noted that a second node 12 of control provided with the respective processing unit 50 can manage each respective user 100 both directly, through a respective actuator 42 connected with the second interface 41, and indirectly, by- exploiting a node 10 connected to a user 100 through a respective control device 40, but devoid of a processing unit 50 for the regulation of the operating parameters of the users 100 associated to it. In other words, the telematic network 2 can also comprise substantially passive nodes 10 that are interfaced with respective users 100 to adjust respective operating parameters thereof, but they do not have the necessary control electronics to manage dynamically this adjustment and therefore they are controlled remotely by at least one respective node 12 of control. In this regard it should be noted that, for the purposes of the present invention, a user 100 is intended to be associated with and managed by a given second node 12 even if this user is physically connected to a further node 10 devoid of a processing unit 50 and controlled remotely by the second node 12, for example through the respective wireless communication device 20.

Furthermore, each second node 12 of control can comprise a second non-volatile memory unit 57 designed, and therefore adequately dimensioned, to record the trend over time of at least one operating parameter of at least one respective user 100. This second non-volatile memory unit 57 will be therefore able to file a log file of the operativity of these users IOO usable to verify subsequently the correct functioning of the management system 1. At this point, with reference to figure 2c it should be noted that it is possible to produce nodes 10 comprising both a first interface 31 for at least one respective sensor 32, and a second interface 41 for at least one respective control actuator 42 for controlling an operating parameter of a respective user 100. In other words, each node 10 produced according to the schematic representation of figure 2c can be interpreted both as a first sensor node 11 and as a second node 12 of control of a respective user 100 or, in other words, a second node 12 produced according to the figure 2c will match with a first node 11. Therefore, each node 12 of control produced in this way can manage the operativity of each respective user 100 based both upon the measurements made by any sensor 32 associated to the node 12, and the information acquired querying any other sensor node 11.

Again with reference to figure 2, it should be specified that the set of the main components of each node 10, i.e. the set of the communication device 20, of the first interface 31 and/or of the second interface 41, and the processing unit 50, if any, provided with the respective storage device 55, is preferably produced in a single chip 5 so as to maximise the integration of the electronic components present in the node 10 and to reduce large-scale production costs of each node 10. In particular, considering that the cost per unit of a chip decreases when the overall number of produced pieces increases, it would be particularly useful and economically advantageous to compose each telematic network 2 exclusively with nodes 10 produced according to the variant of figure 2c, so as to decrease the production costs thereof and to implement nodes presenting high versatility for the connection both with sensors 32 and with respective users 100. With reference to figure 2 again, it should be noted that each node 10 comprises a power-supply unit 6 suitable to assure the correct functioning of the node 10 and of any sensors 32 and actuators 42 associated to it, for a prolonged period of time, whose duration is preferably greater than some years. In particular, this power-supply unit can comprise at least one respective battery 6', preferably of the rechargeable type, as illustrated in figure 2a, or a voltage reducer 6' ' which can be connected to the ordinary supply network, as illustrated in figure 2B. As a further alternative, the node 10 can be electrically powered through an external power supply 6'¹¹, for example the same power supply which supplies electricity to a user 100 associated to the same node 10, as illustrated in figure 2C. It should be furthermore specified that the telematic network 2 can also comprise nodes 10 produced as further variants of what illustrated in figure 2 and suitable, in use, to perform specific functions. For instance, the telematic network 2 can comprise a third node 13 provided with a third interface 25, , for example an IRDA, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi port, designed to allow an administrator or an authorised user remotely to access data recorded in the storage devices 55 of the nodes 10.

At this point, after having synthetically illustrated how different variants of the nodes 10 can be produced and which respective functions these nodes 10 can perform within the management system 1 for managing energy users 100, it should be noted that each node 10 can be produced as a distinct electronic device designed to be connected to each respective sensor 32 and/or actuator 42, through adequate connectors, during a phase of installation and/or upgrade of the 'telematic network 2. Alternatively, a node 10 can be produced so as to comprise at least one sensor 32 and/or at least one actuator 42 integrated inside the respective chip 5 or anyway connected directly to a respective first and/or second interface and integrated on the same board housing the chip 5 of the node 10. Lastly, as further alternative, a second node 12 of the telematic network 2 can be produced so as to be integrated directly with a respective user 100 and be therefore housed inside the same container or case delimiting the user 100. For example light sources 100 (light bulbs, neon lamps, etcetera) , or household appliances 100, can be produced, and therefore marketed, that already from the factory integrate a respective second node 12 of control which, in use, is suitable to adjust operating parameters of these users 100 and to allow the connection thereof with an energy management system 1. At this point, with reference to the communication device 20, with which each node 10 is equipped, it should be specified that the telematic network 2 is preferably a wireless network produced according to the Zigbee standard. In fact, a telematic network 2 produced and operating according to the Zigbee standard presents a plurality of advantages: first of all, the chips 5 and the electronics for managing the nodes 10 can be produced with a high integration rate and at extremely reduced costs in regard to the performed control functions; furthermore, each node 10 produced according to the Zigbee standard requires a minimum energy consumption and, if battery-operated, it can therefore present an extremely high mean operating life, in the order of some years. Furthermore, the Zigbee standard allows to produce extremely versatile telematic networks, capable automatically to configure themselves if the network configuration modifies following removal, damage or insertion of a riode 10.

At this point, after having schematically illustrated an embodiment of the management system 1 based upon a respective wireless network 2, preferably produced according to the Zigbee standard, it should be described in detail a management method for managing energy users which can be implemented through the management system 1 and, in particular, the decision algorithms used by the second nodes 12 of control to adjust efficiently at least one operating parameter of the respective users 100.

In this regard it should be firstly noted that each user 100 is managed by a relative second node 12 of control, which is suitable, in use, to adjust given operating parameters of one or more users 100. Therefore, contrarily to the prior art, wherein a single control centre is provided for all the energy users, the management system 1 is substantially distributed and can comprise a plurality of second nodes 12 of control. In particular, if each second node 12 manages a single user 100, the overall number of the control centres of the management system 1 will be not lower than, but preferably equal to, the number of the users 100 associated to the telematic network 2. In use, each second node 12 of control is suitable to adjust the value of one or more operating parameters of a respective user 100 so that the operativity of this user meets some reference conditions, usually indicated as

"Quality of Service" or QoS, which are inserted in the programming of the second node 12 during an installation or maintenance phase of the management system 1. This programming can be implemented in a native manner in the control electronics of each second node 12, or it can be transferred to software, executed, in use, by the processing unit 50 of each respective second node 12. In particular, with reference to figure 3, in order that the operativity, and therefore the performances, of each user 100 meets the respective QoS, the respective second node 12 of control is programmed so as to acquire at least one current value of a first given physical quantity, whose value can be modified by the user 100. This current value can be acquired both through a measuring device 30 associated to a second node 12, and querying an external information source. It should be noted in this regard that the term information source will be used hereinafter to indicate in a generic manner any subject presenting information in electronic and/or digital format, preferably organised as an information text. For example, information sources will be considered first sensor nodes 11 provided with respective memory units 56 and/or 57, a measuring device 30 associated to a second node 12 of control, each electronic databank that a second node 12 can access through the Internet or through a given dial-up connection and in general a data aggregate of any type in electronic format organised or which can assimilated to an information text. In particular, an information source for each node 12 will be considered also each memory table associated to an environmental control system, if any, or to a video surveillance system distinct from the telematic network 2.

At this point, the processing unit 50 of each second node 12 is programmed to calculate the value of a given function F, which has among its variables at least one current value of at least one first given physical quantity, whose value can be modified, in use, by the user 100. Subsequently, the processing unit 50 compares the value calculated for given function F with a first reference value F¹ to verify whether the value of this function is linked with the respective first reference value F¹ according to a given mathematical relation. If the function F is effectively linked with the respective first reference value F' according to this given mathematical relation, the QoS is met and the second node 12 will maintain each operating parameter of the respective user 100 unchanged, so that this condition of meeting the QoS will continue. Vice versa, if a current value of the function F is not in the desired relation with the respective first reference value F', the processing unit 50 will vary at least one operating parameter of the user 100, so that this latter affects a current value of each respective first physical quantity and therefore the value of the function F. In more detail and with reference to figure 3 again, each processing unit 50 is programmed to perform recursively the phase of calculating a current value of the function F of a first physical quantity, the phase of comparing a current value of the function F with a respective first reference value F¹ and, as the case may be, the phase of adjusting the value of at least one operating parameter of a respective user 100, so as to vary the value of this first physical quantity. Just by way of example, a light source 110 is connected to, or comprises, a respective second node 12 of control suitable, in use, to control the light intensity of this source 110 and programmed so that the lightness of the room, in which there is the source 110, presents a given average value. In this example, the light source 110 can be interpreted as an energy user 100, the room lightness represents a first physical quantity, while the light intensity emitted by the source 110 represents an operating parameter of the user 100, whose value is adjusted by the respective node 12 of control. In use, this second node 12 will acquire one or more current values of the lightness of the room, which can be measured both by the second node 12 and by a plurality of first sensor nodes 11 arranged inside the room in an arbitrary manner. At this point, the processing unit 50 calculates a function F based upon the measured current value of the -room lightness; this function F can be therefore interpreted as an estimation of the overall lightness of the room, and can be compared with an expected reference value F¹ of the lightness of the room. Consequently, if the function F presents a current value lower than the respective reference value F' , the node 12 of control will increase gradually, preferably step-by-step, the light intensity of the source 110, until the value of the function F will be equal to, or greater than, the expected room lightness value.

With reference to the above illustrated example, it should be noted that, if a second node 12 is suitable, in use, to acquire a plurality of values for a respective first physical quantity, the respective given function F can be therefore calculated either as a function presenting a number of independent variables equal to the number of the current values measured for the first physical quantity, or as a function having as single independent variable a weighted average of each current value of the first weighted quantity acquired by the second node 12. In this second case, the statistical weights are associated to the different values of the first physical quantity based upon a respective information source and can be preset in a programming and/or installation/maintenance phase of the respective second node 12 of control. Alternatively, each second node 12 can calculate dynamically these statistical weights associated to respective information sources through a self-learning algorithm aimed at identifying only the information sources, and therefore also the nodes 10, suitable to give information really relevant to the operativity of a respective user 100. In particular, this self-learning algorithm is suitable to define the value of each statistical weight according to the ratio between a variation in a respective current value of a first given physical quantity and the corresponding variation in the respective given operating parameter of the user 100, which has generated this variation of the first given physical quantity. In other words, the above defined algorithm allows to assign a statistical weight to each information source, so that the function F, which is associated to an overall value of the first given physical quantity, depends to a greater extent upon the current values of the first physical quantity that the second node 12 acquires from the information sources more sensitive to a variation in the first given physical quantity caused by a variation in the operating parameter managed by this second node 12. For instance, with reference to the above illustrated case of a light source 110, the statistical weights associated to the measurements of the first physical quantity acquired by the first sensor nodes 11 arranged in the centre of the room could present a greater value than those associated to nodes arranged in remote locations of the room, while the statistical weight associated to first sensor nodes 11 arranged in an adjacent room should be null, as the light measurements made by these nodes are not affected by the operativity of the light source 110. Therefore, every time the self-learning algorithm will be executed, the processing unit 50 of a second node 12 can identify each information source suitable to give data relevant to the operativity of each respective user 100 and to assign to each of these information sources a respective statistical weight for calculating the function F. It should be noted in this regard that the self-learning algorithm can be executed cyclically by each second node 12 at given time intervals, which can be defined substantially at will, or it can be executed by each second node 12 only when this latter detects a variation in the structure of the telematic network 2 due, for example, to the introduction or "removal of one or more nodes 10.

At this point it should be noted that each reference value F¹ for a respective function F can be constant over time and for example preset substantially at will by an administrator of the management system 1, or this reference value can vary over time as a function of a second given physical quantity. For instance, with reference to the case of a light source 110, the reference value F' for the room lightness can be null, when the number of people inside the room is zero, and equal to a given constant value when at least one person is inside the room where the light source 110 is housed. Furthermore, a specific fourth node 14 can be provided, suitable to act as a vocal interface between each human user and the management system 1, through which each authorised user can give vocal instructions to modify reference values F¹. In particular, the processing unit 50 of this third node 13 can present an artificial intelligence and it can be therefore suitable to define autonomously reference values F' based upon statements and/or speeches of human users, for example judgements on the adequacy of the lightness or of the temperature in a given environment.

At this point it should be specified that each second node 12 is programmed to obtain information relevant to the operativity of each user 100 associated to it, by analysing at least one given information source which presents, or which can be substantially assimilated to, an information text, by performing a semantic search aimed first of all at identifying which information, contained in this text, are really relevant to the management of each respective user 100. In particular, this semantic search aims at identifying each current value of a first physical quantity associated with the operativity of at least one respective user 100 associated with the second node 12 in question.

It should be noted in this regard that the term information tex't hereinafter will refer to any text comprising a number N of words W_n written in a given code, preferably of the ASCII type, following each other in an ordered manner according to the ordinal index "n", whose values are comprised between 1 and the number N. It should be noted that this semantic search is structured so as to be suitable to analyse any information text, independently of the respective information source thereof, i.e. even if this information text comprises, for instance, a memory table of a first sensor node 11 or a portion of databank of a further telematic network distinct from the network 2 and accessible through the Internet by means of a dial-up connection. In particular, performing this semantic search first of all comprises the phase of identifying at least one keyword of the information text under analysis, to acquire the value of any each first physical quantity associated with this keyword. In more detail, if a memory table of a node 10 of the telematic network 2 is analysed, these keywords will correspond preferably to one_. of the labels associated by the processing unit 50 to measurements made with the respective measuring device 30.

The phase of identifying at least one keyword of the information text comprises a phase of removing the punctuation from this information text, followed by a phase of closing artificially this text by circularisating it, i.e. by defining a reading order, wherein the nth word is followed again by the first word of the information text, which can be therefore read cyclically without interruptions by the processing units 50 which perform the semantic search. This circularisation of the information text allows to define on this text a "distance", i.e. a mathematical function, preferably of the linear type, suitable to measure the number of words comprised between two given distinct words. For instance, with reference to two words Wi and Wj, wherein 1 ≤ i < j ≤ N, it will be possible to define a distance between words through the linear function Dist(i,j) = (N-j)+i.

At this point, once this distance has been defined, the processing unit 50 of a second node 12 is suitable to perform a phase of calculating a statistical normalised distribution in the information text of the distances between subsequent occurrences of each word, which presents a number of occurrences greater than a second given reference value, preferably preset during an initial programming of each second node 12 of control. At this end, the normalisation factor of a distribution of a given word can be defined as the number N divided by the number of total occurrences in the text of this given word. Lastly, the process of semantic search of an information text comprises a phase of calculating, for each word that stands for a keyword, a score substantially equivalent to the standard deviation of the respective normalised distribution of the distances of the respective occurrences in the text, and a phase of selecting each word, whose respective score is greater than a third given reference value, which can be also defined in the programming phase of each node 12. These words selected at the end of the semantic search process are the keywords of the information text and allow the processing unit 50, which has performed this search, to identify the contents of the information text and therefore to verify whether this text presents information regarding at least one first physical quantity relevant to the operativity of the respective user/s 100. If the semantic search algorithm identifies the presence of information relevant to the operativity of at least one user 100, the processing unit 50 will acquire each value of a first physical quantity associated with a respective keyword and will use it for calculating a given function F.

The use of the management system 100 and of the management method for managing an energy user 100, which can be implemented through this management system, is readily apparent from the above description and requires no further explanations. However it may be advisable to specify some advantages of the management system 1 according to the present invention. First of all, the management system 1 can be implemented through a telematic network 2 completely distributed, wherein all the nodes 10, and in particular each second node 12 of control of at least one respective user 100, present the same hierarchical level. Each second node 12 is consequently able to manage autonomously and automatically each respective user 100 without the need for receiving instruction from a super-node or a server with a higher hierarchical level inside the network 2. Therefore, any malfunction or damage of a second node 12 of control does not jeopardise the operativity of the other control nodes, as on the contrary occurs in the prior art when there is a failure of the central server. In addition to this, a further advantage of the use of a completely distributed telematic network 2, preferably produced according to the Zigbee standard, is the ability to freely reconfigure the network by adding or removing nodes 10, without the need for reprogramming a central control unit managing the overall network. In fact, a telematic network 2 as that described above is self-assembling and suitable to self-configure when it is necessary to modify the number or the position of the nodes 10, for example to adapt the management system 1 to the introduction of new users 100, or to transfer it in a new working environment. Lastly, it should be noted that programming each second node 12 of control of at least one respective user 100 allows to perform a semantic search on each type of information source to which these nodes 12 access, independently of the type of these information sources. Therefore, to manage each respective user 100 each node 12 can freely queries further nodes 10 of the telematic network 2, but also any external information source, for instance databanks accessible through the Internet or through a given dial-up connection. Furthermore, the semantic search algorithm according to the present inventions allows the control unit of each second node 12 to identify and acquire only the information relevant to the management and the operativity of each respective user 100, by analysing information texts of any type and therefore without the need for this information to be accessible according to a preset formatting.

Lastly, it should be noted that the management system 1 according to the present invention, in addition to allow to monitor and to optimise energy exchanges in a given environment, for example a hotel or a hospital, can be used at the same time as a video-surveillance and security system of the same environment. In fact, by coupling adequate monitoring devices, for examples cameras or position sensors, to the first interface 31, and actuators for safety devices, for examples badge locks or motorised windows or doors, to the second interface 41 of at least one node 12 of control, it is possible to give the management system 1 also functionalities typical of the video-surveillance/safety systems .

Claims

1. Management system (1) for managing at least one energy- user (100) comprising a telematic network (2) composed by at least one node (10) and provided with at least one control node (12) suitable, in use, to adjust the value of at least one operating parameter of a respective said user (100); each said node (10) being provided with communication means (20) so as to be suitable to exchange information with at least one further said node (10) of said telematic network (2); at least one said control node (12) being provided with processing means (50) programmed so as to adjust in a dynamic manner the value of at least one said operating parameter of at least one respective said user (100) based upon a value of at least one first given physical quantity; characterised in that each said control node (12) provided with respective said processing means (50) is suitable, in use, to manage the operativity of each respective said user (100) in a manner autonomous and substantially independent of any other said control node (12) of said telematic network (2); each said control node (12) being programmed so as to analyse, in use, at least one given information source in order to acquire information on at least one respective said first given physical quantity.

2. A management system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said telematic network (2) comprises at least one sensor node (11) provided with measuring means (30) for measuring at least one given physical quantity; at least one said given information source comprising a said sensor node (11).

3. A management system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that at least one said given information source comprises, alternatively or in combination, storage means (55) of a said node (10), a data bank outside said telematic network (2), a site or a data bank accessible via the Internet or through a remote access, a memory table associated with 'a computer, a data aggregate of any type in electronic format organised or which can be assimilated to an information text.

4. A management system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that at least one said node (10, 11, 12) is provided with storage means (55) suitable, in use, to store values of at least one given physical quantity and/or of at least one given operating parameter of at least one respective said user (100).

5. A management system as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that at least one said sensor node (11) is provided with said storage means (55) so as to record, substantially in real time, current values of at least one said given physical quantity, measured through the respective said measuring means (30).

6. A management system as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterised in that at least one said node (10, 11, 12) provided with said storage means (55) is programmed so as to store information acquired by querying at least one further said node (10, 11, 12) of said telematic network (2) .

7. A management system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that said storage means (55) associated with at least one said node (10, 11, 12) comprise a non volatile memory unit (57) designed and dimensioned so as to record the trend over the time of at least one value of at least one given physical quantity and/or of at least one given operating parameter of at least one respective said user (100) .

8. A management system according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that at least one said control node (12) provided with respective said processing means (50) is programmed so as to analyse at least one said information source through a semantic search algorithm aimed at identifying said information related to at least one said first physical quantity; said processing means (50) of said sensor node (12) being programmed so as to adjust a value of at least one said operating parameter of a respective said user (100) based upon said given information identified through said semantic search algorithm.

9. A management system as claimed in any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said processing means (50) of at least one said control node (12) associated with at least one said user (100) are programmed so as to calculate a value of a given function (F) of at least one respective said first given physical quantity linked to this respective said user (100); this said control node (12) being programmed so as to adjust in a dynamic manner a value of at least one respective said given operating parameter of a respective said user (100) so that said value of said given function (F) is, instant by instant, linked with a respective first reference value (F¹) according to a given relation.

10. A management system as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that a said value of at least one said given function (F) is calculated by respective said processing means (50) of a control node (12) based upon a plurality of current values of a respective said first physical quantity; each said current value being acquired by said sensor node (12) from a respective said given information source.

11. A management system as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said given function (F) is a function of a weighted average of each said current value of at least one said first given physical quantity; the value of each statistical weight associated with a respective said current value being calculated based upon the respective said information source.

12. A management system as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that each said statistical weight can assume a value comprised between 0 and 1; each said statistical weight being substantially null for each said information source which does not comprise significant information for the calculation of said given function (F).

13. A management system as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterised in that each said statistical weight is calculated by said processing means (50) through a self learning algorithm based upon a ratio between a change in the respective said current value of a said first given physical quantity and a respective change in a respective said given operating parameter of a said user (100).

14. A management system as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that each said self learning process is performed by a respective said control node (12) in a periodic manner at given time intervals which can be defined substantially at will and/or every time this respective said control node (12) detects a change in the structure of said telematic network (2) due to the removal, the malfunction or the insertion of at least one said node (10).

15. A management system as claimed in any one of the previous claims, characterised in that each said reference value (F' ) is constant over the time and can be adjusted substantially at will or, alternatively, it changes over the time as a given function of a second given physical quantity.

16. A management system as claimed in any one of the previous claims, characterised in that all said nodes (10, 11, 12) of said telematic network (2) present the same hierarchical level so that said telematic network (2) is a completely distributed network.

17. A management system as claimed in any one of previous claims, characterised in that said telematic network (2) is a wireless network and in that said communication means

(20) of each said node (10) comprise a transmitting-and- receiving unit (21) suitable, in use, to put into communication some of said nodes (10) according to a given wireless protocol.

18. Node (10, 12) for a telematic network (2) associated with a management system for managing at least one energy user (100), comprising communication means (20) so as to be suitable to exchange information with at least one further said node (10) of said telematic network (2); control means (40) for managing the operativity of at least one respective said user (100); processing means (50) programmed so as to adjust in a dynamic manner the value of at least one operating parameter of at least one respective said user (100) based upon a value of at least one first given physical quantity; characterised by being programmed so as to analyse, in use, at least one given information source through a semantic search algorithm in order to acquire information related to at least one respective said first given physical quantity.

19. A node as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that said processing means (50) are programmed so as to calculate a value of a given function (F) of at least one respective said first given physical quantity correlated with at least one respective user (100) , and to adjust in a dynamic manner a value of at least one respective said given operating parameter of a respective said user (100) so that said value of said given function (F) is, instant by instant, linked with a respective first reference value (F') according to a given relation.

20. A node as claimed in claim 19, characterised in that a said value of said at least one given function (F) is calculated by respective said processing means (50) based upon a plurality of current values of a respective said first physical quantity; each said current value being acquired by said sensor node (12) from a respective said given information source.

21. A node as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that said given function (F) is a function of a weighted average of each said current value of at least one said first given physical quantity; the value of each statistical weight associated with a respective said current value being calculated by said processing means based upon the respective said information source.

22. A node as claimed in claim 21, characterised in that each said statistical weight is calculated by said processing means (50) through a self learning algorithm based upon a ratio between a change in the respective said current value of a said first given physical quantity and a respective change in a respective said given operating parameter of a said user (100).

23. A node as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 22, characterised in that said control means comprise at least one first interface (41) designed so as to couple at least one actuator (42) suitable, in use, to adjust the value of at least one said operating parameter of a respective user (100) .

24. A node as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 23, characterised by comprising measuring means (30) provided with at least one second interface (31) designed so as to couple at least one sensor (32) suitable, in use, to measure at least one value of a said first physical quantity.

25. A node as claimed in any one of claims 18-24, characterised by comprising storage means (55) suitable, in use, to record at least one current value of at least one first given physical quantity and/or of at least one said operating parameter of a respective user (100).

26. A node as claimed in any one of claim s 18 to 25, characterised in that at least one said given information source comprises, alternatively or in combination, storage means (55) of a said node (10, 12), associated with said telematic network (2), a data bank outside said telematic network (2), a site or a data bank accessible via the Internet or through a remote access, a memory table associated with a computer, and/or any data aggregate in electronic format or which can be assimilated to an information text.

27. Method for managing an energy user (100) associated with a control node (12) of a telematic network (2); said method comprising a phase of acquiring given information significant for the operativity of said user (100) and a phase of adjusting at least one operating parameter of said user (100) by means of said control node (12) based upon said given information; characterised in that said phase of acquiring given information associated with said user (100) comprises the phase of analysing at least one said information source which presents, or which can be associated with, a given information text by performing a semantic search aimed at identifying each said given information that is significant for managing the operativity of said user (100).

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, characterised in that said given information comprises the value of at least one said given physical quantity correlated with the operativity of said user (100); said phase of adjusting at least one operating parameter of said user (100) comprising a phase of comparing the value of at least one given function (F) of at least one said first given physical quantity with a respective first reference value (F') and a phase of adjusting the value of at least one said operating parameter of said user (100) so that the value of said function (F) is, instant by instant, linked with the respective said first reference value (F') according to a given relation.

29. A method as claimed in claim 27 or 28, characterised in that said phase of analysing at least one said information source by performing a semantic search comprises a phase of identifying at least one keyword associated with said information text so as to acquire the value of each said first physical quantity associated with each said keyword.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, characterised in that said phase of identifying at least one keyword of said given information text comprises the phase of removing punctuation from said given information text; the phase of artificially closing said given information text by circularisation so as to allow a given linear distance to be applied between the words forming said information text, the phase of calculating a normalised statistical distribution of the distances between subsequent occurrences in said information text of each said word presenting a number of occurrences greater than a second given reference value, the phase of calculating a score for each said word substantially equivalent to the standard deviation of the respective normalised distribution of the distances of the respective occurrences, and a phase of selecting all said words whose respective score is greater than a third given reference value.

31. A method as claimed in claim 28 or according to claim 28 and any one of claims 29 to 31, characterised in that said phase of comparing the value of at least one given function (F) is preceded by a phase of associating to each value of said first given physical quantity acquired from a respective information source a respective given statistical we'ight corresponding to the respective information source, and by the phase of calculating the said given function (F) as a function of a weighted average of a plurality of current values of the first given physical quantity.

32. A method as claimed in any one of claims 27-31, characterised by comprising a phase of sending an alarm signal through said telematic network (2) if it is not possible successfully to perform said phase of adjusting the value of at least one said operating parameter of said user (100) so that the value of said function (F) is, instant by instant, linked with the respective said first reference value (F') according to a given relation.

33. A method as claimed in any one of claims 27-32, characterised in that at least one said given information source comprises, alternatively or in combination, storage means (55) of a said node (10), a data bank outside said telematic network (2), a site or a data bank accessible via the Internet or through a remote access, a memory table associated with a computer, a data aggregate of any type in electronic format organised or which can be assimilated to an information text.

34. Energy user (100), characterised by comprising a said control node (12) produced according to any one of claims 18-26.