# How Smart Home Devices Automatically Connect to Utility Energy Programs

> A system that lets smart home devices like thermostats enroll in energy-saving programs without the user needing to manually provide their utility account number.

- **Patent:** US 9998475
- **Original title:** Streamlined utility portals for managing demand-response events
- **Owner:** Google LLC
- **Granted:** 2018
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 7
- **Field:** consumer_electronics, energy, software

## What it does

The patent describes a digital handshake between a smart home device management server (like Google Nest) and a utility company's computer system. Instead of forcing a user to hunt down a physical utility bill to find an account number, the system sends identifying information, such as a name and address, to the utility's API. The utility's system checks if that information matches an existing customer account. If it matches and the device is eligible, the system automatically triggers the enrollment process for demand-response programs, which help manage power grid load during peak usage.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover manual enrollment processes where a user must input a utility account number.
- Does not cover systems that do not use an API to communicate between the device server and the utility provider.
- Does not cover the actual hardware design or internal sensors of the smart home device itself.
- Does not cover methods for controlling the device once enrolled, only the enrollment authorization process.

## The clever bit

The system bypasses the need for the user to know or provide their utility account number by using the device's existing registration data to perform a 'fuzzy' match against the utility's database.

## Real-world examples

1. Google Nest thermostat enrollment in utility energy-saving programs
2. Smart home energy management platforms
3. Utility demand-response portals

## Why it matters

This technology simplifies participation in demand-response programs, which pay homeowners to reduce energy use during peak grid stress. By removing the friction of account verification, it increases the number of devices contributing to grid stability, which is essential for modern smart grid management.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How Smart Home Devices Automatically Connect to Utility Energy Programs cover?

A system that lets smart home devices like thermostats enroll in energy-saving programs without the user needing to manually provide their utility account number.

### Who owns patent US 9998475?

Google LLC owns this patent, granted in 2018.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on June 12, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What is patent US 9998475 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 7 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This technology simplifies participation in demand-response programs, which pay homeowners to reduce energy use during peak grid stress. By removing the friction of account verification, it increases the number of devices contributing to grid stability, which is essential for modern smart grid management.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover manual enrollment processes where a user must input a utility account number.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9998475/azure-iot-hub

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US9998475

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._