Apple has filed a wide ranging patent application for a home energy management system. While the patent is fairly complex, the concept is typically Apple: Elegant and easy to implement for the user. From what my non-engineer’s mind can see, the system adds a component to any household outlet (via a plugin adaptor or in the outlet itself). When you plug a device into the outlet it knows the actual power requirements of this device (speaker, iPod, TV, Laptop, printer, etc.) and it only delivers the power the device needs, no more. Given that electronics that are plugged in usually draw power even when they are turned off, this starts the savings.

The patent also covers the distribution of wireless signals around the house, balancing weak spots with strong. This same wireless capability provides for the distribution of any kind of digital content via the electrical system of the house, meaning you can route movies, TV, music, Internet, etc., from any device or location to any other.

Not only does this save a lot of money, it also centralizes control onto any iPhone, iPod Touch or, dare I say it, tablet. You get a dashboard that tells you how much energy you are consuming and that has a remote control for everything in the house, a remote that can be updated via software updates indefinitely.

There are business implications for this technology that are far-reaching. Managing power usage across devices and machines is a big cost saver but retrofitting existing electrical systems is very costly. As I read it, the proposed Apple system sits on top of the existing wiring and does the management at each device with wireless protocols handling the communications and control. This is a big deal.