Scheduling for air conditioners and other appliances
First Claim
1. A method of computing a schedule for central air conditioning, said method comprising:
- utilizing at least one processor to execute computer code that performs the steps of;
receiving inputs comprising;
a monetary budget relative to a predetermined time period;
an occupancy profile relative to the predetermined time period; and
at least one of electricity rates relative to the predetermined time period, and technical specifications of the central air conditioning;
determining a target indoor temperature based on the received inputs with respect to different timepoints within the predetermined time period; and
determining an air conditioning schedule for the different timepoints within the predetermined time period;
said determining of the air conditioning schedule comprising reducing a quantitative measure relating to discomfort, wherein said reducing the quantitative measure related to discomfort comprises minimizing a number and duration of user comfort violations, as defined by deviation from the determined target indoor temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and arrangements for computing a schedule for central air conditioning. Inputs are received, including: a monetary budget relative to a predetermined time period; an occupancy profile relative to the predetermined time period; and at least one of: electricity rates relative to the predetermined time period, and technical specifications of the central air conditioning. A target indoor temperature is determined based on the received inputs, with respect to different timepoints within the predetermined time period. An air conditioning schedule is determined for the different timepoints within the predetermined time period, wherein this determining includes reducing a quantitative measure relating to discomfort. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.
10 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of computing a schedule for central air conditioning, said method comprising:
utilizing at least one processor to execute computer code that performs the steps of; receiving inputs comprising; a monetary budget relative to a predetermined time period; an occupancy profile relative to the predetermined time period; and at least one of electricity rates relative to the predetermined time period, and technical specifications of the central air conditioning; determining a target indoor temperature based on the received inputs with respect to different timepoints within the predetermined time period; and determining an air conditioning schedule for the different timepoints within the predetermined time period; said determining of the air conditioning schedule comprising reducing a quantitative measure relating to discomfort, wherein said reducing the quantitative measure related to discomfort comprises minimizing a number and duration of user comfort violations, as defined by deviation from the determined target indoor temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for computing a schedule for central air conditioning, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising; computer readable program code configured to receive inputs comprising; a monetary budget relative to a predetermined time period; an occupancy profile relative to the predetermined time period; and at least one of electricity rates relative to the predetermined time period, and technical specifications of the central air conditioning; computer readable program code configured to determine a target indoor temperature based on the received inputs with respect to different timepoints within the predetermined time period; and computer readable program code configured to determine an air conditioning schedule for the different timepoints within the predetermined time period, via reducing a quantitative measure relating to discomfort, wherein the reducing the quantitative measure related to discomfort comprises minimizing a number and duration of user comfort violations, as defined by deviation from the determined target indoor temperature.
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18. A computer program product for computing a schedule for central air conditioning, said computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising; computer readable program code configured to receive inputs comprising; a monetary budget relative to a predetermined time period; an occupancy profile relative to the predetermined time period; and at least one of electricity rates relative to the predetermined time period, and technical specifications of the central air conditioning; computer readable program code configured to determine a target indoor temperature based on the received inputs with respect to different timepoints within the predetermined time period; and computer readable program code configured to determine an air conditioning schedule for the different timepoints within the predetermined time period via reducing a quantitative measure relating to discomfort, wherein the reducing the quantitative measure related to discomfort comprises minimizing a number and duration of user comfort violations, as defined by deviation from the determined target indoor temperature.
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19. A method comprising:
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receiving inputs comprising; a monetary budget relative to a predetermined time period; an occupancy profile relative to the predetermined time period; electricity rates relative to the predetermined time period; technical specifications of central air conditioning; data relative to forecasted weather for the predetermined time period; and data input manually by a user comprising at least one of updated monetary budget data, and updated data for the occupancy profile; determining a target indoor temperature based on the received inputs with respect to different timepoints within the predetermined time period; and determining an air conditioning schedule for the different timepoints within the predetermined time period; said determining of the air conditioning schedule comprising minimizing a quantitative measure relating to discomfort comprising deviation from a predefined target indoor temperature; and said minimizing comprising minimizing a number and duration of user comfort violations, as defined by the deviation from the predefined target indoor temperature.
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Specification