Nikkei Electronics Asia -- November 2009
Green Device -- Report
4Home's Smart Meter Software Saves Energy in the Home

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Nov 18, 2009 00:00 interviewed by Phil Keys

The term "Smart Grid" - meaning an integration of the electric power infrastructure with information and communication technology (ICT) - is echoing throughout the US energy industry. The major goal of the Smart Grid is to provide a communication path between the electric utilities and the users, utilizing information exchange to reduce electricity consumption in the home. The key technology is the Home Energy Management System (HEMS), and in the last few years HEMS-related companies in the US have been springing up like mushrooms after the rain.

4Home Inc of the US is one such high-tech start-up aiming at the HEMS market. The company has been attracting considerable attention in the industry as a home automation software developer. Nate Williams and Jim Hunter (see photo) of 4Home speak here about the company's plans for the HEMS market.

What makes 4Home stand out from the rest of the companies in the HEMS field?

NW: We have had a strategy of providing only software platforms to our clients involved in home automation ever since our establishment in 2005. In other words, we don't compete with them in the market. A number of communication protocols are in use in the HEMS market, such as ZigBee* and Z-Wave*, but we build them all into our software so it can be used with any network. Our software development kit (SDK) makes it easy for users to utilize these protocols when needed.

* ZigBee: A low-speed, low-power, short-range radio communication standard designed for use in home and other applications. In the US it is usually in the 900MHz waveband, with a data transfer rate of 40Kbps.

* Z-Wave: A low-speed, low-power radio communication protocol developed by Zensys S/A of Denmark and the Z-Wave Alliance. It uses the 900MHz waveband, with a data rate of 9.6Kbps or 40Kbps.

JH: We've always been working to provide user interfaces (UI) for televisions, personal computers (PC), mobile phones and the like. And because it was quite a challenge to provide support for so many protocols, we developed our own eXtensible Markup Language (XML) to make it possible. 

NW: We developed technology to display an interface for a piece of user equipment; for example, an automatic thermostat, on a large screen in a form that is as close as possible to the real thing (see Fig).

How will development of the Smart Grid affect you?

NW: If the Smart Grid makes it possible to obtain detailed information on electricity prices, then it will be possible for consumers to directly grasp the benefits of saving energy. With our platform it will be possible for the electric utilities to directly manage user washing machines, air conditioners and other equipment via smart meters*. We are already building partnerships with smart meter manufacturers, electric utilities and other companies in the field. The Smart Grid makes the merits of installing a home automation system clear, and should stimulate the market quite a bit. 

* Smart meter: A watt-hour meter equipped with functions for communication, detailed data acquisition, etc.

Can you tell us a little about your relationship with Sigma Designs Inc of the US?

NW: Sigma Designs is a major player in microprocessors for set-top boxes (STB). We are building our core technology into the software running on their STB reference design. It will make it easy for companies manufacturing STBs, home gateways, etc, to implement functions for managing a variety of equipment in the home.

In addition to Sigma Designs, we are expanding our relationships with a number of semiconductor manufacturers, making it possible to utilize six microprocessor architectures. This means we will support a wide range of terminals, including mobile phones, netbooks and home displays. We are making preparations now to show all this in detail at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2010.