Setback controls based on out-of-room presence information obtained from mobile devices

• US 10,001,791 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Inventors: Lagerstedt, Stig, Berg, Daniel, Bailin, Daniel, Robinton, Mark, Davis, Masha Leah
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US14/417,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20160077532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1932 to control the temperature of a plurality of spaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for managing energy consumption in multi-room facilities are provided. In particular, intelligent mechanisms for determining a location of a mobile device (124) associated with a room (112a, 112b . . . 112n) and then for managing energy settings, especially setback controls, of that room (112a, 112b . . . 112n) are provided. Some logic for implementing these mechanisms may be provided in a mobile device (124) and in-room device, such as a motion detector, thermostat, HVAC controller, door, lock, television, set top box, etc.

Claims

1. A method of managing a multi-room facility, comprising:

associating a mobile device with at least one room of the multi-room facility;

detecting an event associated with the at least one room, the detected event corresponding to receiving a signal from at least one of a door or lock associated with the at least one room;

in response to detecting the event, requesting location information from the mobile device;

determining, at a first time and in response to the request for location information, a first location of the mobile device; and

controlling an energy use of the at least one room based at least partially on the first location of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the mobile device further comprises:

installing a location application on the mobile device; and

registering, at an administrative device of the multi-room facility, the mobile device with an identifier, the identifier cross-referenced to the at least one room.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first location of the mobile device further comprises:

sending a message from the mobile device to an administrative device of the multi-room facility, the message reporting at least a physical location of the mobile device.

4. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

associating a mobile device with at least one room of the multi-room facility;

detecting an event associated with the at least one room, the detected event corresponding to receiving a signal from at least one of a door or lock associated with the at least one room;

in response to detecting the event, requesting location information from the mobile device;

determining, at a first time and in response to the request for location information, a first location of the mobile device; and

controlling an energy use of the at least one room based at least partially on the first location of the mobile device.

5. A method of controlling a thermostat of a room, comprising:

operating the thermostat according to a first operating condition;

determining a mobile device associated with the thermostat has left the room;

in response to determining the location of the mobile device associated with the thermostat has left the room, starting a timer with a predetermined amount of time;

waiting for the timer to expire;

after the timer has expired, sending a request for location information associated with the mobile device;

receiving a response to the request for location information associated with the mobile device, wherein the response includes a determined location of the mobile device; and

operating the thermostat according to a second operating condition based on the determined location of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein prior to operating the thermostat according to the second operating condition, the method comprises:

determining whether the location of the mobile device is within a specific zone or distance from the room.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the location of the mobile device is provided via the mobile device in communication with a setback control system associated with the room.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein prior to operating the thermostat according to the second operating condition, the method comprises:

sending a message from an administrative device associated with the room to the mobile device, wherein the message includes information corresponding to control settings of the room.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein prior to operating the thermostat according to the first operating condition, the method comprises:

determining whether the room is occupied or unoccupied;

operating the thermostat in a non-setback condition when the room is determined to be occupied; and

operating the thermostat in a setback condition when the room is determined to be unoccupied.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first operating condition corresponds to the setback condition defined by an administrator of the room and the second operating condition corresponds to a non-setback condition defined by a user of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the location of the mobile device is determined via at least one Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, Wireless Communications (WiFi) module, and telephony/cellular module.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second operating condition is based on preferences defined by a user of the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the room is occupied or unoccupied is based at least partially on at least one of a door lock and a door switch.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the room is occupied or unoccupied is based at least partially on the determined location of the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the room is determined to be occupied when the mobile device is located outside of the room and within a specific zone or distance from the room.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the room is determined to be occupied when the mobile device is located outside of the room and at least one occupant is detected inside the room.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the room is unoccupied when the mobile device is located outside of the room and outside of the specific zone or distance from the room.