ITRA20090012A1 - MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Google Patents

Description

PROSPECTUS FORM A

PATENT APPLICATION FOR INDUSTRIAL INVENTION

TITLE

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

SUMMARY

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (1) OF AT LEAST ONE (100) ENERGY USER INCLUDING A NETWORK (2) TELEMATICS COMPOSED OF

AT LEAST ONE NODE (10) IS EQUIPPED WITH AT LEAST ONE FIRST NODE (12) OF CONTROL ACT, IN USE, TO ADJUST THE VALUE OF

AT LEAST ONE OPERATING PARAMETER OF A RESPECTIVE USER (100); EACH KNOT (10) BEING EQUIPPED WITH MEANS OF

COMMUNICATION (20) TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION WITH AT LEAST ONE FURTHER NODE (10); AT LEAST ONE FIRST KNOT

(12) BEING EQUIPPED WITH PROCESSING MEANS (50) PROGRAMMED TO DYNAMICALLY MANAGE THE OPERATION OF

AT LEAST ONE RESPECTIVE USER (100) INDEPENDENTLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY INDEPENDENT FROM ANY OTHER FIRST NODE

(12) NETWORK (2) TELEMATICS.

DESCRIPTION

of the patent for industrial invention entitled "MANAGEMENT SYSTEM"

The present invention relates to a management system. In particular, the present invention relates to an energy user management system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrical user management system provided with a telematic network suitable for interconnecting electrical and electronic devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART

It is well known that the progressive reduction in the availability of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, and the increasing demand for energy from developing countries is causing the increase in energy costs. In addition, the use of non-renewable energy sources, and in particular of fossil fuels, causes the release into the atmosphere of enormous quantities of carbon dioxide and other polluting gases and potentially dangerous for the ecosystem balance, such as for example sulfur dioxide and nitric dioxide which are the basis of atmospheric phenomena known as acid rain.

With this in mind, in addition to the use of more eco-compatible fuels, the need to optimize energy consumption by limiting waste and trying to maximize the efficiency of exchanges between energy producers and consumers is becoming increasingly important.

At this point it should be noted that, to minimize waste and optimize energy exchanges, control devices have been designed to monitor in real time the energy consumption by one or more electrical devices, commonly referred to as electrical users. . In addition, these control apparatuses are suitable, in use, to intervene on one or more operating parameters of these users to vary, substantially in real time, the operating modes, and therefore the respective energy consumption, in such a way as to adapt them. according to the real needs of the moment.

Such apparatuses commonly comprise a central control unit connected to a plurality of users and environmental sensors by means of a substantially telematic network. In this way, the central unit is able to monitor in real time the consumption of electrical users and the environmental parameters in which these users operate. For example, with reference to a house, the central control unit will be able to know the electricity consumption of the lamps, the air conditioning system and other household appliances and at the same time will be able to regulate the activity of these users according to the temperature and brightness provided by environmental sensors or based on the trend of the overall electrical absorption of the house.

Again by way of example, it may be appropriate to mention the energy management system "link2web Energy management System" (L2W EMS) developed by the Swedish company BFM AB, specialized in the distribution of electricity for industrial uses, in collaboration with the multinational Meshnectics, specialized in the development of ICT applications based on wire-less networks. This management system comprises a central control server connected to at least one coordinator device of a wireless network composed of the coordinator himself and a plurality of nodes that can be connected either to temperature sensors or to devices for environmental control inside a an industrial warehouse, for example air conditioning, forced ventilation or water or oil temperature regulation devices used in industrial manufacturing processes. In use, the server is therefore able to acquire, at intervals of about 10 minutes, the thermal state of the nerve centers of the industrial plant and the surrounding environment in such a way as to be able to adjust accordingly and automatically the operation of the air conditioning, forced ventilation, machine cooling water or exhaust gas regulation devices, etc. In other words, the L2W EMS allows you to automatically adjust the operating parameters of the environmental control devices in such a way as to always keep the temperature of the working environment and the main components of an industrial plant at an optimal value, in order to maximize the safety and comfort of workers and minimize energy waste. In addition, the server is connected via internet to a control room where operators can check in real time the status of the systems and the choices made independently by the server and possibly intervene manually to adjust the value of the reference parameters of the control server.

The L2W EMS has proven to be efficient, allowing the annual energy consumption of a medium / large industrial plant to be reduced by about 30%, however its network structure, essentially organized in a star shape with a central server, has some disadvantages and vulnerabilities. . In particular, it should be noted that all the control and adjustment operations of the operating parameters of the users are carried out by a single server which acts as a central control unit of the system which requires one or more coordinators capable of acting as network concentrators to allow the interconnection of a significant number of nodes. Consequently, the damage to the server or to one of the network coordinators / concentrators makes the entire management system unusable. Furthermore, the use of a single central server for automatic and real-time control of users makes the implementation of L2W EMS critical when you want to manage a complex environment, for example a hospital or a hotel, equipped with a particularly high number. of users, even of very different types, and of environmental sensors.

Therefore, the problem of having an energy user management system, suitable for optimizing the energy exchanges taking place in a specific environment, for example of an industrial, health, hotel or domestic type, is not currently solved satisfactorily.

In particular, it would be useful to have an energy exchange management system that is economical, easy to implement and extremely versatile in such a way as to be easily reconfigured whenever it is desired to submit or remove users or environments to the control of the management system itself.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a management system. In particular, the present invention relates to an energy user management system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrical user management system provided with a telematic network suitable for interconnecting electrical and electronic devices.

The object of the present invention is to provide a management system for energy users provided with a telematic network able, in use, to connect and coordinate a plurality of such users among themselves; this management system is capable of solving the drawbacks illustrated above and satisfying a set of needs at the current state of affairs still unanswered, and is therefore also capable of representing a new and original source of economic interest, capable of modifying the current sectors management of energy systems and home automation.

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

A further object of the present invention is to provide a node for a telematic network aimed at optimizing energy consumption, which is able, in use, to manage the operation of a respective energy user associated with it.

According to the present invention, a node for a telematic network is realized and the main characteristics of this node will be described in at least one of the following claims.

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

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

Further characteristics and advantages of the handle according to the present invention will become clearer from the following description, shown with reference to the attached figures which illustrate some non-limiting embodiments, in which identical or corresponding parts of the device itself are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

- figure 1; is a schematic overall view of a management system for energy users according to the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates, on an enlarged scale and in a plurality of variants, a detail extracted from Figure 1; And

- figure 3 schematically illustrates a method of managing an energy user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In Figure 1, 1 indicates as a whole a management system that can be used to monitor and manage the operation of at least one energy user 100. In this regard, it should be pointed out that here and hereinafter, the term user 100 will generally indicate any type of device capable of consuming energy to perform a respective determined activity. For example, this term will indicate any electrical user, i.e. any electrical, electronic or electromechanical device capable of consuming electrical energy, such as light sources, air conditioning devices, forced ventilation devices or generic household appliances, etc. . Similarly, non-electrically powered devices 100 will also be indicated as energy users, for example boilers, suitable for burning a respective fuel to allow the heating of respective rooms.

With reference to Figure 1, it should be noted that the management system 1 preferably comprises a telematic network 2 arranged to connect each energy user 100 that it is desired to manage by means of the management system 1 itself. 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 relevant which connection method or technology is used to connect nodes 10 which, for example, can indifferently be part of a wired network, for example an ethernet network, a wirelless network or a hybrid network in which both cable and wireless connections are used. Therefore, since the type of technology used to connect nodes 10 is irrelevant, here and hereinafter reference will be made exclusively to a telematic network 2 of the wire-less type, without thereby wishing to limit the general scope of the present invention. As will be more evident from the following, each node 10 of the network 2 is designed to perform at least one respective determined function and, for this purpose, each node 10 can be preferably, but not limitedly, produced 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 transceiver unit 21 and the respective control electronics, known and therefore not illustrated, which is suitable, in use, to put in communication nodes 10 distinct according to a respective determined wireless communication protocol. With particular reference to Figure 2A, at least one node 10 of the telematic network 2 will preferably comprise a first interface 31 arranged to connect at least one sensor 32 suitable, in use, to measure a first determined physical quantity, for example the temperature or the local lighting. of an environment. Therefore, the set of all sensors 32 associated with a given node 10 and of the respective first interface 31 can be interpreted as a measuring device 30 capable of providing, substantially at any instant, the current value of at least a first determined physical quantity . Consequently, this node 10 provided with a measuring device 30 can be interpreted as a first sensor node 11 of this first physical quantity (s). In this regard, it should be noted that here and in the following reference will be made indifferently both to physical quantities that vary continuously, such as temperature, luminosity or the concentration of water vapor in the air, and to physical quantities which, by their nature, they are discontinuous, such as the presence of a person in a room or the number of people present at a given moment in a given environment or the switching state of a switch. Therefore each sensor 32 may alternatively comprise a unit of measurement of a first continuous physical quantity, for example a thermometer, an exposure meter or a hygrometer, but also a device for detecting discontinuous physical quantities, such as, for example, a presence sensor or a counter or the detector of the switching state of a switch. Again with reference to Figure 2A, each first sensor node 11 preferably, but not limitedly, comprises a processing unit 50 (CPU), preferably of the programmable type, designed to control the reading and data acquisition operations of each sensor 32 associated with the respective node 11 and manage the exchange of information 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 a first memory unit 56 able, in use, to record the measurements made by at least one sensor 32 and therefore the current values of at least a first physical quantity determined. These current values of each first physical quantity measured by a first sensor node 11 will preferably be stored in the form of a memory table to facilitate the tracing and acquisition of such data by the other nodes of the telematic network 2. In addition, the device storage 55 of at least one node 11 may comprise a second non-volatile memory unit 57 arranged, and therefore suitably sized, to record the trend over time of the values of each first physical quantity measured by the measuring device 30. This second unit of measurement memory 57 is therefore suitable for recording a "history" of the measurements carried out by the respective node 11 and is particularly useful when a user, for example an administrator of the management system 1, wishes to monitor the activity of the telematic network 2 and of the respective nodes 10 At this point it should be pointed out that the processing unit 50 can be programmed for recognize the type of each sensor 32 associated with the respective node 11 and consequently to associate to each logical or numerical value obtained as a result of a measurement / reading of a sensor 32 a respective logical label corresponding to the first physical quantity measured. This recognition of each sensor 32 can be carried out by the processing unit 50 automatically, for example by recognizing an identification signal emitted by the sensor or by the presence of a suitable recognition pin, or it can be set during a phase installation and / or maintenance of the telematic network 2 by programming the processing unit 50 by an operator. It should be noted that the association of a respective label to each measurement carried out by a sensor 32 allows such information to be organized in at least one respective memory table recorded in the first memory unit 56 and therefore to simplify the operations of sharing such information with of the further nodes 10 which, for example, are granted the authorization to access the data contained in the storage device 55.

Therefore, as illustrated above, each node 11 produced according to the variant illustrated in Figure 2a is managed dynamically by the respective processing unit 50 in such a way as to supervise the operations of detection, storage and sharing of each given purchase from the measurement device. 30.

Alternatively, it is possible to think of simplified sensor nodes, without a real control unit and the respective memory, but able, in use, to act as wireless repeaters that periodically, even when not interrogated, emit a signal to communicate to the other nodes the current result of the measurements made <'> from the respective sensors.

Figure 2b illustrates a second variant of node 10 in which the first interface 31 has been replaced by a second interface 41 arranged to connect at least one respective actuator 42 able, in use, to regulate the value of at least one determined operating parameter of a respective user 100. By way of example only, an actuator 42 may alternatively comprise a switch, to activate or deactivate a user 100, or a dimmer to continuously adjust the luminous intensity of a light source, or a thermostat adapted to regulate the '' activation of an air conditioning and / or heating device. Therefore the whole of the second interface 41 and of each respective actuator 42 can be interpreted as a control device 40 of at least one respective user 100 and therefore each node 10 provided with a respective control device 40 can be interpreted as a second node 12 control device without a device able, in use, to manage the operation of at least one respective energy user 100 by regulating at least one respective operating parameter determined by means of a respective actuator 42 itself. More in detail, each second control node 12 preferably comprises a respective processing unit 50 (CPU) provided with a respective logic-mathematical unit (ALU) and programmed to manage the operation of each user 100 connected to the respective second node 12 through the second interface 41. At this point it should be noted that, as will be explained better below, with reference to the user management method 100 which can be implemented by means of each second node 12 of the telematic network 2, the processing unit 50 of each second node 12 is able, in use, to manage each respective user 100 on the basis of information obtained by interrogating at least one node 11 provided with at least one sensor 32 suitable for monitoring a first physical quantity whose value is correlated with, and therefore relevant for, the operation of such a user / s 100. In particular, it should be noted that here and hereinafter a first physical quantity will be indicated as correlated with a respective user za 100 if the operation of this user is capable, in use, of modifying the value of this first physical quantity over time. For example, with reference to a light source, the respective second node 12 will be able, in use, to adjust a respective light intensity on the basis of the local brightness measured by at least one light meter 32 associated with a sensor node 11 in such a way as to constantly guarantee optimal lighting conditions or in any case compatible with predetermined reference parameters during a programming phase of the processing unit 50. In this regard it should be noted that a second control node 12 equipped with the respective processing unit 50 will be able to manage each respective user 100 both directly, by means of a respective actuator 42 connected to the second interface 41, and indirectly by exploiting a possible node 10 connected to a user 100 by means of a respective control device 40, but without a processing unit 50 responsible for regulation of the operating parameters of the users 100 associated with it. In other words, the telematic network 2 may also comprise substantially passive nodes 10 which are interconnected with respective users 100 to regulate their respective operating parameters, but do not have the control electronics necessary to dynamically manage this regulation and therefore they are remotely controlled by at least one respective control node 12. In this regard it should be noted that, for the purposes of the present invention, it will be considered that a user 100 is associated and managed by a second node 12 determined even when this user is physically connected to a further node 10 without a processing unit. 50 and remotely controlled by the second node 12, for example, by means of the respective wire-less communication device 20.

In addition, each second control node 12 may comprise a second non-volatile memory unit 57 arranged, and therefore suitably sized, to record the trend over time of at least one operating parameter of at least one respective user 100. This second memory unit 57 non-volatile will therefore be able to archive a "history" of the operations of these users 100 that can be used to verify the correct functioning of the management system 1.

At this point, with reference to Figure 2c, it is possible to note how it is possible to produce nodes 10 which comprise both a first interface 31 for at least one respective sensors 32, and a second interface 41 for at least one respective 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 for controlling a respective user 100 or, in other words, a second node 12 produced according to figure 2c will coincide with a first node 11. Therefore, each control node 12 thus produced will be able to manage the operation of each respective user 100 on the basis of both the measurements carried out by any sensor 32 associated with node 12 itself , and the information acquired by interrogating any other 11 sensor nodes.

Again with reference to Figure 2, it should be pointed out 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 possible processing 50 provided with the respective storage device 55, is preferably produced in a single chip 5 in such a way as to maximize the integration of the electronic components present in the node 10 and reduce the large-scale production costs of each node 10 itself. In particular, considering that the cost per unit of a chip decreases as the total number of pieces produced increases, it may be particularly useful and economically advantageous to compose each telematic network 2 exclusively with nodes 10 produced according to the variant of figure 2c in such a way as to reduce production costs and implement nodes with high connection versatility both with sensors 32 and with respective users 100.

Again with reference to Figure 2, it should be noted that each node 10 comprises a power supply unit 6 suitable for ensuring the correct operation of the node 10 and of any sensors 32 and actuators 42 associated with it, for a prolonged period of time whose duration is preferably more than a few years. In particular, this power supply unit may comprise at least a 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 power supply network, as illustrated in figure 2B. As a further alternative, the node 10 can be electrically powered through an external power supply 6 '' ', for example the same power supply that supplies electricity to a user 100 associated with the node 10 itself, as illustrated in Figure 2C.

In addition, it should be specified that the telematic network 2 may also include nodes 10 produced as further variants of what is illustrated in Figure 2 and suitable, in use, to perform specific functions. For example, network 2 may comprise a third node 13 provided with a third interface 25, for example an IRDA, Bluethoot or Wi-Fi port, designed to allow remote access by an administrator or an authorized user to registered data. in the storage devices 55 of the nodes 10.

At this point, after having briefly illustrated how different variants of the nodes 10 can be produced and which respective functions these nodes 10 are able to perform within the management system 1 of energy users 100, it may be appropriate to note that each node 10 it can be produced as a separate electronic device designed to be connected to each respective sensor 32 and / or actuator 42, by means of suitable connectors, during an installation and / or updating phase of the telematic network 2. Alternatively, a node 10 can be produced in such a way as to comprise at least one sensor 32 and / or at least one actuator 42 integrated within the respective chip 5 or in any case directly connected to a respective first and / or second interface and integrated thereon. board that houses chip 5 of node 10 itself. Finally, as a further alternative, a second node 12 of the telematic network 2 can be produced in such a way as to be directly integrated with a respective user 100 and therefore housed inside the same container or casing that delimits the user 100 itself. For example, light sources 100 (light bulbs, neon lamps, etc.) or household appliances 100 which already factory integrate a respective second control node 12 which, in use, is able to regulate operating parameters of these users 100 and to allow their connection to an energy management system 1.

At this point, with reference to the communication device 20 which equips each node 10, it should be pointed out that the telematic network 2 is preferably a wire-less network produced according to the Zeegbee standard. In fact, a telematic network 2 produced and operating according to the Zeegbee standard has a plurality of advantages: first of all the chips 5 and the management electronics of the nodes 10 can be produced with a high integration rate and at extremely low costs in relation to the functions of moreover, each node 10 produced according to the Zeegbee standard requires a minimum current consumption and therefore, if powered by battery, can have an extremely high average operating life of the order of a few years. In addition, the Zeegbee Standard makes it possible to produce extremely versatile telematic networks capable of automatically reconfiguring themselves when the network configuration changes following the removal, damage or insertion of a node 10.

At this point, after having schematically illustrated an embodiment of the management system 1 based on a respective wire-less network 2, preferably produced according to the zigbee standard, it is appropriate to describe in detail a method for managing energy users that can be implemented by means of the management system 1 and, in particular, what are the decision-making algorithms used by the second control nodes 12 to effectively regulate at least one operating parameter of the respective users 100.

In this regard, it should first of all be noted that each user 100 is managed by a relative second control node 12 which will be able, in use, to regulate certain operating parameters of one or more of these users 100. Therefore, contrary to the prior art in which a single control center is provided for all energy users, the management system 1 is substantially distributed and can comprise a plurality of second control nodes 12. In particular, if each second node 12 manages a single user 100, the total number of control centers of the management system 1 will be no less, but preferably identical, to the number of users 100 associated with the telematic network 2.

In use, each second control node 12 is adapted to regulate the value of one or more operating parameters of each respective user 100 in such a way that the operation of this user satisfies certain reference conditions, commonly referred to as "Quality of Service" o QoS, which are inserted in the programming of the second node 12 itself during an installation or maintenance phase of the management system 1. This programming can be implemented natively in the control electronics of each node according to 12 or can be delegated to a software executed, in use, by the processing unit 50 of each respective second node 12. In particular, with reference to Figure 3, so that the operation, and therefore the performance, of each user 100 satisfies the respective QoS, the respective second control node 12 is programmed to acquire at least one current value of a first determined physical quantity whose value can be modified by the user 100. current hours can be acquired either by means of a possible measuring device 30 associated with a second node 12, or by querying an external information source. In this regard, it should be pointed out that here and in the following the term source of information will be used to indicate in a generic way every subject presenting information in electronic and / or digital format, preferably organized as an informative text. For example, information sources of the first nodes 11 sensors provided with respective memory units 56 and / or 57 will be considered, a measuring device 30 associated with a second control node 12, each electronic database to which a second node 12 can access through the internet or through a specific remote connection and in general any aggregate of data in organized electronic format or similar to an informative text. In particular, every memory table associated with a possible environmental control or video surveillance system distinct from the telematic network 2 will be considered as an information source for every second node 12. At this point, the processing unit 50 of each second node 12 is programmed to calculate the value of a determined function F which has among its variables at least one current value of at least one first determined physical quantity whose value can be modified, in use, by the user 100. Subsequently, the processing unit 50 compares the value calculated for the function F determined with a first reference value F 'to verify whether the value of this function is related to the respective first value of reference F 'according to a given mathematical relation. If the function F is actually in relation to the respective first reference value F 'according to this determined mathematical relationship, the QoS is satisfied and the second node 12 will keep every operating parameter of the respective user 100 unaltered so that this condition of satisfaction of the QoS remains. . Conversely, if a current value of the function F is not in the expected ratio with the respective first reference value F ', the processing unit 50 will vary at least one operating parameter of the user 100 in such a way that the latter influences a current value of each respective first physical quantity and therefore the value of function F. More in detail and always with reference to Figure 3, each processing unit 50 is programmed to recursively perform the steps of calculating a current value of function F of a first physical quantity, the step of comparing a current value of the function F with a respective first reference value F 'and the eventual step 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. By way of example, consider a light source 110 connected to or comprising a respective second control node 12 adapted, in use, to control the light intensity of said source 110, and programmed to cause the brightness of the room in which the source 110 is found to have a determined average value. In this example, the light source 110 can be interpreted as an energy user 100, the brightness of the room 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 regulated by the respective second control node 12. In use, this second node 12 will acquire one or more current values of the brightness of the room which can be measured both by the second node 12 itself and by a plurality of first sensor nodes 11 arranged inside the room in an arbitrary manner. At this point the processing unit 50 will calculate a function F on the basis of the current measured values of the brightness of the room; this function F can therefore be interpreted as an estimate of the overall brightness of the room and can be compared with a reference value F 'expected for the brightness of the room itself. Consequently, if the function F has a current value lower than the respective reference value F ', the control node 12 will gradually increase, preferably by step, the light intensity of the source 110 until the value of the function F equals or exceeds the expected brightness value for the room.

Taking a cue from the example illustrated above, it should be noted that, in case a second node 12 is able, in use, to acquire a plurality of values for a respective first physical quantity, the respective determined function F can be calculated either as a function having a number of independent variables equivalent to the number of current values measured for the first physical quantity or as a function having as a 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 weights statistics are associated with the different values of the first physical quantity on the basis of a respective source of information of origin, it can be prefixed in a programming and / or installation / maintenance phase of the respective second control node 12. Alternatively, each second node 12 will be able to dynamically calculate these statistical weights associated with the respective sources of information by means of a self-learning algorithm aimed at identifying exclusively the sources of information, and therefore also the nodes 10, suitable for providing information. actually relevant for the operation of a respective user 100. In particular, this self-learning algorithm is able to define the value of each statistical weight as a function of the ratio between a variation of a respective current value of a first determined physical quantity and the corresponding variation of the respective operating parameter determined by the user 100 which generated this variation of the first determined physical quantity. In other words, the algorithm outlined above allows to assign a statistical weight to each source of information, so that the function F which is associated with a global value of the first determined physical quantity depends more on the current values of the first quantity physics that the second node 12 acquires from the sources of information most sensitive to a change in the first physical quantity determined caused by a change in the operating parameter managed by this second node 12. For example, with reference to the case of a light source 110 outlined above, the statistical weights associated with the measurements of the first physical quantity acquired by the first nodes 11 sensors arranged in the center of the room could have a greater value than those associated with nodes placed in remote corners of the room, while the statistical weight associated with the first nodes should be zero 11 sensors placed in an adjacent room since the brightness measures made by these nodes are not affected by the operation of the light source 110. Therefore, whenever the self-learning algorithm is executed, the processing unit 50 of a second node 12 will be able to identify each source of information suitable for providing data relevant to the operation of each respective user 100 and for assigning to each of these sources of information a respective statistical weight for the calculation of the function F. In this regard it should be noted that the self-learning algorithm can be performed cyclically by every second node 12 at determined time intervals, which can be substantially defined at will, or be executed by every second node 12 only each time the latter detects a change 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 F 'for a respective function F may be constant over time and, for example substantially preset at will by an administrator of the management system 1, or this reference value may vary over time as a function of a second determined physical quantity. For example, with reference to the case of a light source 110, the reference value F 'for the lighting of the room can be zero when the number of people inside the room is zero and equal to a certain and constant value when it is present at least one person inside the room housing the light source 110. In addition, it is possible to provide a specific fourth node 14 suitable to act as a voice interface between each human user and the management system 1 and by means of which each authorized user can provide voice instructions to modify the reference values F '. In particular, the processing unit 50 of this third node 15 may present an artificial intelligence and therefore be able to autonomously define reference values F 'on the basis of any statements and / or interviews of human users, for example judgments relating to the adequacy of the lighting or temperature of a given environment.

At this point it should be pointed out that each second node 12 is programmed to obtain information relevant to the operation of each user 100 associated with it by analyzing at least one specific source of information presenting or substantially similar to an information text, by executing of a semantic search aimed above all at identifying which information contained in this text is actually relevant for the management of each respective user 100. In particular, this semantic search is aimed at identifying each current value of a first physical quantity associated with the operation of at least a respective user 100 associated with the second node 12 in question.

In this regard it should be noted that here and below the term informative text will mean any text comprising a number N of words Wns written in a specific code, preferably of the ASCII type, which follow one another in an orderly manner according to the ordinal index " n "whose values are between 1 and the number N. It should be noted that this semantic search is structured in such a way as to be able to analyze any information text regardless of its respective source of information, that is, regardless of whether this information text comprises, for example, a memory table of a first sensor node 11 rather than a portion of a database belonging to a further telematic network separate from the network 2 and accessible via the internet a respective remote connection. In particular, carrying out this semantic search first of all includes the step of identifying at least one keyword of the information text that is being analyzed to acquire the value of any first physical quantity associated with this keyword. More in detail, if a memory table of a node 10 of the telematic network 2 is being analyzed, these keywords will preferably correspond with one of the logic labels associated by the processing unit 50 to measurements made with the respective measurement device 30.

The step of identifying at least one key word of the informative text includes a step of removing punctuation from this informative text followed by a step of artificially closing this text by circulating it, i.e. defining a reading order in which the N-th word is followed again by the first word of the information text which can then be read cyclically without interruption by the processing unit 50 which carry out the semantic search in question. This circularization of the informative text makes it possible to define a "distance" on this text, that is, a mathematical function, preferably of a linear type, suitable for measuring the number of words between two specific and distinct words. For example, with reference to two words Wi and Wj, with 1 ≤ i <j ≤ N, it will be possible to define a distance between words using 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 able to perform a step of calculating a normalized statistical distribution of the distances between successive occurrences in the information text under examination of each word, which presents a number of occurrences higher than a second preferably predetermined reference value during an initial programming of each second control node 12. For this purpose, the normalization 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 that particular word. Finally, the semantic search process of an informative text includes a phase of calculating, for each word that is a candidate to be a keyword, a score substantially equivalent to the standard deviation of the respective normalized distribution of the distances of the respective occurrences in the text, and a step of selecting each word whose respective score is higher than a third reference value determined which can also be defined in the programming step of each second node 12.

These selection words at the end of the semantic search process are the keywords of the information text and allow the processing unit 50 that performed this search to identify the contents of the information text and therefore to verify whether this information text contains any information. relating to at least one first physical quantity relevant for the operation of the respective user (s) 100. If the semantic search algorithm identifies the presence of information relevant to the operation of at least one user 100, the The processing unit 50 will acquire each value of a first physical quantity associated with a respective keyword and will use it for the calculation of a determined function F.

The use of the management system 1 and the method of managing an energy user 110 which can be implemented through this management system is clear from what has been described above and does not require further explanations. However, it may be appropriate to indicate some advantages presented by the management system 1 according to the present invention. First of all, the management system 1 can be implemented by means of a completely distributed telematic network 2 in which all the nodes 10, and in particular each second control node 12 of at least one respective user 100, have the same hierarchical level. Consequently, each second node 12 is able to autonomously and automatically manage each respective user 100 without the need to receive instructions from a super-node or from a server that covers a hierarchically superior role within the network 2. Therefore, the any malfunction or damage of a second control node 12 does not compromise the operation of the other control nodes as instead occurs in the prior art in the presence of a failure of the central server. Furthermore, a further advantage provided by the use of a fully distributed telematic network 2, and preferably produced according to the Zeegbee standard specifications, is that of being able to freely reconfigure the network itself by adding or removing nodes 10 without the need to reprogram a control unit. central control that manages the network as a whole. In fact, a telematic network 2 such as the one described above is self-assembling and capable of self-configuring, whenever it is necessary to modify the number or the positioning of the nodes 10, for example to adapt the management system 1 to the introduction of 100 new users or to transfer it to a new work environment. Finally, it should be noted that the programming of each second control node 12 of at least one respective user 100 allows the execution of a semantic search on each type of information source to which said nodes 12 can access, regardless of the type of such sources of information. Therefore, in order to manage each respective user, each node 12 will be able to freely query additional nodes 10 of the telematic network 2, but also any external information sources, for example databases accessible via the internet or via a specific remote connection. Furthermore, the semantic search algorithm according to the present invention allows the control unit of each second node 12 to identify and acquire only the information relevant for the management and operation of each respective user 100 by analyzing information texts of any type and therefore without the need for such information to be made available according to a predefined formatting.

Finally, it should be noted that the management system 1 according to the present invention, in addition to allowing the monitoring and optimization of the energy exchanges taking place in a specific environment, for example a hotel or a hospital, is also suitable for use at the same time as a video surveillance and security of the same environment. In fact, by coupling suitable monitoring devices, for example cameras or position sensors, to the first interface 31 and actuators for safety devices, for example badge locks or motorized doors and windows, to the second interface 41 of at least one node 12, it is possible to give the management system 1 also the functions typical of video surveillance / security systems.

Claims (35)

R I V E N D I C A Z I O N I 1. Management system (1) of at least one energy user (100) comprising a telematic network (2) composed of at least one node (10) and equipped with at least a first control node (12) which is in use adjusting the value of at least one operating parameter of a respective said user (100); each said node (10) being provided with communication means (20) to be able to exchange information with at least one further said node (10) of said telematic network (2); at least one said first node (12) being provided with processing means (50) programmed to dynamically adjust the value of at least one said operating parameter of at least one respective said user (100) as a function of a value of at least one first determined physical quantity ; characterized in that each said first control node (12) provided with respective said processing means (50) is able, in use, to manage the operation of each respective said user (100) autonomously and substantially independent of each another said first node (12) of said telematic network (2); each said first node (12) being programmed to analyze, in use, at least one determined information source to acquire information relating to at least one respective said first determined physical quantity. 2. Management system according to claim 1, characterized in that said telematic network (2) comprises at least a second sensor node (11) provided with measuring means (30) for measuring at least a determined physical quantity; at least one said source of information determined by comprising a said second sensor node (11). 3. Management system according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that at least one said source of determined information comprises alternatively or in combination of the storage means (55) of a said node (10), a database external to said telematic network (2), a site or a database accessible via the internet or via a remote connection, a memory table associated with an electronic computer, any aggregate of data in an organized electronic format or comparable to an informative text. 4. Management system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that at least one said node (10,11,12) is provided with storage means (55) suitable, in use, to store the values of at least one determined physical quantity and / or of at least one determined operating parameter of at least one respective said user (100). 5. Management system according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one second sensor node (11) is provided with said storage means (55) to record, substantially in real time, the current values of at least one said physical quantity determined measured by the respective said measuring means (30). 6. Management system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that at least one said node (10,11,12) provided with said memory means (55) is programmed to store the information acquired by interrogating at least one further said node ( 10,11,12) of the said telematic network (2). 7. Management system according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that said storage means (55) associated with at least one said node (10,11,12) comprise a non-volatile memory unit (57) arranged and sized to record the trend over time of at least one value of at least one determined physical quantity and / or of at least one determined operating parameter of at least one respective said user (100). 8. Management system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one said first node (12) provided with respective said processing means (50) is programmed to analyze at least one said source of information by means of a search algorithm semantic aimed at identifying said information relating to at least one said first physical quantity; said processing means (50) of said second node (12) being programmed to adjust a value of at least one said operating parameter of a respective said user (100) on the basis of said determined information identified by means of said semantic search algorithm . Management system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said processing means (50) of at least one said first node (12) associated with at least one said user (100) are programmed to calculate a value of a determined function (F) of at least one respective said first determined physical quantity correlated with this respective said user (100); said first node (12) being programmed to dynamically adjust a value of at least one respective said determined operating parameter of a respective said user (100) so that said value of said determined function (F) is, instant by instant, in relationship with a respective first reference value (F ') according to a given relationship. 10. Management system according to claim 9, characterized in that a said value of at least one said determined function (F) is calculated by respective said processing means (50) of a first node (12) on the basis of a plurality current values of a respective said first physical quantity; each said current value being acquired by said second node (12) from a respective said source of determined information. 11. Management system according to claim 10, characterized in that said determined function (F) is a function of a weighted average of each said current value of at least one said first determined physical quantity; the value of each statistical weight associated with a respective said current value being calculated on the basis of the respective said source of information of origin. 12. Management system according to claim 11, characterized in that each said statistical weight can assume a value between 0 and 1; each said static weight being substantially null for each said source of information which does not include relevant information for the calculation of said determined function (F). 13. Management system according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that each said statistical weight is calculated by said processing means (50) by means of a self-learning algorithm as a function of a ratio between a variation of the respective said value current of a said first determined physical quantity, and a respective variation of a respective said determined operative parameter of a said user (100). 14. Management system according to claim 1, characterized in that each said self-learning process is performed by a respective said first node (12) periodically at determined time intervals which can be defined substantially at will and / or each time that respective said first node (12) detects a change in the structure of said telematic network (2) due to the removal, malfunction or insertion of at least said node (10). 15. Management system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each said reference value (F ') is constant over time and substantially adjustable at will or, alternatively, varies over time as a determined function of a second quantity determined physics. 16. Management system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all said nodes (10,11,12) of said telematic network (2) have the same hierarchical level so that said telematic network (2) is a fully distributed network. 17. Management system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said telematic network (2) is a wireless network and that the said communication means (20) of each said node (10) comprise a transceiver unit ( 21) adapted, in use, to put in communication said nodes (10) according to a determined wireless protocol. 18. Node (10,12) for a telematic network (2) associated with a management system of at least one energy user (100), including means of communication (20) to be able to exchange information with at least one further said node (10) of said telematic network (2); control means (40) for managing the operation of at least one respective said user (100); processing means (50) programmed to dynamically adjust the value of at least one operating parameter of at least one respective said user (100) determined as a function of a value of at least a first determined physical quantity; characterized in that it is programmed to analyze, in use, at least one source of information determined by means of a semantic search algorithm to acquire information relating to at least one respective said first determined physical quantity. 19. Node according to claim 18, characterized in that said processing means (50) are programmed to calculate a value of a determined function (F) of at least one respective said first determined physical quantity correlated with at least one respective user (100 ), and to dynamically adjust a value of at least one respective said determined operating parameter of a respective said user (100) so that said value of said determined function (F) is, instant by instant, in relation to a respective first value reference (F ') according to a given relation. 20. Node according to claim 19, characterized in that a said value of at least one said determined function (F) is calculated by said processing means (50) on the basis of a plurality of current values of a respective said first physical quantity; each said current value being acquired by said second node (12) from a respective said source of determined information. A node according to claim 20, characterized in that said determined function (F) is a function of a weighted average of each said current value of at least one said first determined physical quantity; the value of each statistical weight associated with a respective said current value being calculated by said processing means on the basis of the respective said source of information of origin. 22. Node according to claim 21, characterized in that each said statistical weight is calculated by said processing means (50) by means of a self-learning algorithm as a function of a ratio between a variation of the respective said current value of a said first determined physical quantity, and a respective variation of a respective said determined operative parameter of a said user (100). 23. Node according to any one of claims 18-22, characterized in that said control means comprise at least a first interface (41) arranged to couple at least one actuator (42) able, in use, to regulate the value of at least one said operating parameter of a respective user (100). 24. Node according to any one of claims 18-23, characterized in that it comprises measuring means (30) provided with at least a second interface (31) arranged to couple at least one sensor (32) suitable, in use, to measure at least a value of a said first physical quantity. 25. Node according to any one of claims 18-24, characterized in that it comprises storage means (55) suitable, in use, to record at least one current value of at least a first determined physical quantity and / or of at least one said parameter operation of a respective user (100). 26. Node according to any one of claims 18-25, characterized in that at least one said source of determined information comprises, alternatively or in combination, the storage means (55) of a said node (10,12) associated with said network ( 2) telematics, a database external to said telematic network (2), a site or a database accessible via the internet or via a remote connection, a memory table associated with an electronic computer, and / or any aggregate of data in organized electronic format or similar to an informative text. 27. Method for managing an energy user (100) associated with a first node (12) of a telematic network (2); the said method comprising a step of acquiring certain information relevant to the operation of said user (100) and a step of adjusting at least one operating parameter of said user (100) by means of said first node (12) as a function of said information determined; characterized by the fact that said step of acquiring certain information associated with said user (100) comprises the step of analyzing at least one said source of information presenting or associable with an information text determined by performing a semantic search aimed at identifying any such determined information that is relevant and / or related to the management of the operations of the said user (100). Method according to claim 27, characterized in that said determined information comprises the value of at least one said determined physical quantity correlated to the operation of said user (100); said step of adjusting at least one operating parameter of said user (100) comprising a step of comparing the value of at least one determined function (F) of at least one said first determined physical quantity with a respective first reference value (F ') and a step of adjusting the value of at least one said operating parameter of said user (100) in such a way that the value of said function (F) is, instant by instant, in relation to the respective said first reference value (F ') according to a given relationship. 29. Method according to claim 27 or 28, characterized in that said step of analyzing at least one source of information by performing a semantic search comprises a step of identifying at least one keyword associated with said information text to acquire the value of each said first physical quantity associated with each said keyword. Method according to claim 29, characterized in that said step of identifying at least one keyword of said determined information text comprises the step of removing punctuation from said determined information text; the step of artificially closing the said determined information text by circularization to allow the application of a determined linear distance between the words that make up the said determined information text, the step of calculating a normalized statistical distribution of the distances between successive occurrences in the said information text of each said word that has a number of occurrences greater than a second determined reference value, the step of calculating a score for each said word substantially equivalent to the standard deviation of the respective normalized distribution of the distance of the respective occurrences, and a step of selecting all the said words whose respective score is higher than a third reference value determined. 31. Method according to claim 28 or according to 28 and any of claims 29-31, characterized in that said step of comparing the value of at least one determined function (F) is preceded by a step of associating each value of said first determined physical quantity acquired from a respective source of information a respective determined statistical weight corresponding to the respective source of information of origin, and from the phase of calculating said function {F) determined as a function of a weighted average of a plurality of current values of the first determined physical quantity. Method according to any one of claims 27-31, characterized in that it comprises a step of sending an alert signal through the said telematic network (2) in case it is not possible to successfully carry out the said step of regulating the value of at least a said operating parameter of said user (100) in such a way that the value of said function (F) is, instant by instant, in relation to the respective said first reference value (F ') according to a determined relationship. 33. Method according to any one of claims 27-32, characterized in that at least one said source of determined information comprises alternatively or in combination of the storage means (55) of a said node (10), a database external to the said telematic network (2), a site or a database accessible via the internet or via a remote connection, a memory table associated with an electronic computer, any aggregate of data in an organized electronic format or similar to an informative text. 34. Energy user (100), characterized in that it comprises a said control node (12) produced according to any one of claims 18-26. 35. Management system, node, user and management method as described and illustrated with reference to the attached figures.