Method and system to control thermostat using biofeedback
First Claim
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1. A thermostat comprising:
- a communication port configured to interface with a climate-control system of a building; and
a controller configured to establish, via the communication port, at least one control setpoint of the climate-control system, the control setpoint associated with controlling at least one of temperature, humidity, and ventilation of a controlled space in the building,the controller further configured to, in response to receiving biofeedback data from a sensor associated with an occupant in the controlled space, determine an activity state of the occupant based on at least the biofeedback data;
wherein determining the activity state includes;
(i) determining that the occupant is sleeping and in response, setting the control setpoint to a first setting;
(ii) determining that the occupant is exercising and in response, setting the control setpoint to a second setting; and
(iii) determining that the controlled space is unoccupied and in response, setting the control setpoint to a third setting;
wherein the biofeedback data comprises at least one of a breathing rate, or a body temperature of the occupant;
the controller further configured to, during a learning period for at least a selected activity state included in the activity states;
(i) vary the control setpoint to a plurality of different energy usage states according to a set of pre-determined routines that define a plurality of operational states of the climate-control system to be established during the selected activity state,(ii) monitor physiological responses or activities of the occupant for each of the different energy usage states during the selected activity state to identify a discomfort threshold of the occupant in the selected activity state, wherein the discomfort threshold is identified from the biofeedback data received from the sensor during the learning period, and(iii) reset the control setpoint to a setting specific to the selected activity state based on an energy usage state corresponding to the discomfort threshold of the occupant identified during the selected activity state;
wherein after resetting the control setpoint, the controller being configured to control the climate-control system to operate based on at least the reset control setpoint to change at least one of the temperature, the humidity, or the ventilation of the controlled space when the occupant subsequently engages in the selected activity state after the learning period.
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Abstract
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for receiving physiological data of occupants of a building and using the information to control or regulate a controllable setpoint of a climate-control system for the building. The system may operatively interface with biofeedback sensors including wearable sensors and mountable sensors placed within a controlled space within the building. The system may adjust the controllable setpoint of the climate-control system based on a comfort metric associated with at least one of the occupant of the building, the comfort metric derived from the biofeedback data.
246 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A thermostat comprising:
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a communication port configured to interface with a climate-control system of a building; and a controller configured to establish, via the communication port, at least one control setpoint of the climate-control system, the control setpoint associated with controlling at least one of temperature, humidity, and ventilation of a controlled space in the building, the controller further configured to, in response to receiving biofeedback data from a sensor associated with an occupant in the controlled space, determine an activity state of the occupant based on at least the biofeedback data; wherein determining the activity state includes; (i) determining that the occupant is sleeping and in response, setting the control setpoint to a first setting; (ii) determining that the occupant is exercising and in response, setting the control setpoint to a second setting; and (iii) determining that the controlled space is unoccupied and in response, setting the control setpoint to a third setting; wherein the biofeedback data comprises at least one of a breathing rate, or a body temperature of the occupant; the controller further configured to, during a learning period for at least a selected activity state included in the activity states; (i) vary the control setpoint to a plurality of different energy usage states according to a set of pre-determined routines that define a plurality of operational states of the climate-control system to be established during the selected activity state, (ii) monitor physiological responses or activities of the occupant for each of the different energy usage states during the selected activity state to identify a discomfort threshold of the occupant in the selected activity state, wherein the discomfort threshold is identified from the biofeedback data received from the sensor during the learning period, and (iii) reset the control setpoint to a setting specific to the selected activity state based on an energy usage state corresponding to the discomfort threshold of the occupant identified during the selected activity state; wherein after resetting the control setpoint, the controller being configured to control the climate-control system to operate based on at least the reset control setpoint to change at least one of the temperature, the humidity, or the ventilation of the controlled space when the occupant subsequently engages in the selected activity state after the learning period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of controlling a climate-control system in a building, the climate-control system having a control setpoint associated with at least one of temperature, humidity, and ventilation of a controlled space in the building, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a controller, biofeedback data from a plurality of biofeedback sensors that monitor data from at least one occupant, at least one of the plurality of biofeedback sensors including at least one of a wearable biofeedback sensor worn by the at least one occupant of the building and a mountable biofeedback sensor mounted within the controlled space; determining, via a processor of the controller, an activity state of the occupant based on at least the biofeedback data; wherein determining the activity state includes; (i) determining that the occupant is sleeping and in response, setting the control setpoint to a first setting; (ii) determining that the occupant is exercising and in response, setting the control setpoint to a second setting; and (iii) determining that the controlled space is unoccupied and in response, setting the control setpoint to a third setting; wherein the biofeedback data comprises at least one of a breathing rate, or a body temperature of the occupant; via the processor of the controller, and during a learning period for at least a selected activity state included in the activity states; (i) varying the control setpoint to a plurality of different energy usage states according to a set of pre-determined routines that define a plurality of operational states of the climate-control system to be established during the selected activity state, (ii) monitoring physiological responses or activities of the occupant for each of the different energy usage states during the selected activity state to identify a discomfort threshold of the occupant in the selected activity state, wherein the discomfort threshold is identified from the biofeedback data received from the sensor during the learning period, and (iii) resetting the control setpoint to a setting specific to the selected activity state based on an energy usage state corresponding to the discomfort threshold of the occupant identified during the selected activity state; and after resetting the control setpoint, controlling the climate-control system to operate based on at least the reset control setpoint to change at least one of the temperature, the humidity, or the ventilation of the controlled space when the occupant subsequently engages in the selected activity state after the learning period. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing a computer program product comprising program code for controlling a climate-control system of a residential building, the climate-control system having a control setpoint associated with at least one of temperature, humidity, and ventilation of a controlled space in the residential building, the computer program product when executed by a processor causes the processor to:
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receive, by the controller via a communication port, biofeedback data from a plurality of biofeedback sensors, at least one of the plurality of biofeedback sensor including a wearable biofeedback sensor worn by an occupant of the residential building and a mountable biofeedback sensor mounted within the controlled space; determine, via the processor of the controller, an activity state of the occupant based on at least the biofeedback data; wherein determining the activity state includes; (i) determining that the occupant is sleeping and in response, setting the control setpoint to a first setting; (ii) determining that the occupant is exercising and in response, setting the control setpoint to a second setting; and (iii) determining that the controlled space is unoccupied and in response, setting the control setpoint to a third setting; wherein the biofeedback data comprises at least one of a breathing rate, or a body temperature of the occupant; during a learning period for at least a selected activity state included in the activity states; (i) vary the control setpoint to a plurality of different energy usage states according to a set of pre-determined routines that define a plurality of operational states of the climate-control system to be established during the selected activity state, (ii) monitor physiological responses or activities of the occupant for each of the different energy usage states during the selected activity state to identify a discomfort threshold of the occupant in the selected activity state, wherein the discomfort threshold is identified from the biofeedback data received from the sensor during the learning period, and (iii) reset the control setpoint to a setting specific to the selected activity state based on an energy usage state corresponding to the discomfort threshold of the occupant identified during the selected activity state; and control the climate-control system, after setting the control setpoint, to operate based on at least the control setpoint to change at least one of the temperature, the humidity, or the ventilation of the controlled space when the occupant subsequently engages in the selected activity state after the learning period.
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Specification