Systems and methods for energy-efficient control of an energy-consuming system

• US 10,175,668 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony Michael, Matsuoka, Yoky, Sloo, David, Plitkins, Michael, Matas, Michael James, Rogers, Matthew Lee, Fisher, Evan J., Lee, Eric A., Hales, IV, Steven A., Stefanski, Mark D., Sharan, Rangoli
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles R
• Application Number:
  US15/244,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20170045864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/32 preventing human errors during the installation, use or maintenance, e.g. goofy proof
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for efficiently controlling energy-consuming systems, such as heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example, an electronic device used to control an HVAC system may encourage a user to select energy-efficient temperature setpoints. Based on the selected temperature setpoints, the electronic device may generate or modify a schedule of temperature setpoints to control the HVAC system.

Claims

1. A first electronic device to effect control over a second electronic device of a building environment, the first electronic device comprising:

a user input interface configured to receive a user selection of a user-selectable setting of the second electronic device; and

a processor configured to cause a substantially immediate consequence and a longer-term consequence based at least in part on the selection of the user-selectable setting of the second electronic device, wherein the substantially immediate consequence comprises adjusting a current setting of the second electronic device to the user-selectable setting, and wherein the longer-term consequence comprises adjusting a schedule of future settings of the second electronic device based at least in part on the selection of the user-selectable setting, and wherein said schedule of future settings is based at least in part on detected patterns in a time of day at which each of a plurality of said user selections are made, and wherein said adjusting comprises clustering of similarly-timed user inputs across multiple days, including weekdays and weekend days, said clustering being characterized in that plural user selections corresponding to a common time of day interval associated with weekdays are represented by a single representative user selection corresponding to that common time of day interval and that plural user selections corresponding to a common time of day interval associated with weekend days are represented by another single representative user selection corresponding to that common time of day interval.

2. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device comprises a security system of the building environment and the user-selectable setting of the second electronic device comprises an alarm state of the security system of the building environment.

3. The first electronic device of claim 2, wherein the schedule of future settings of the second electronic device comprises a schedule of future settings of the security system.

4. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is configured to effect control over the second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device comprises a water-using device of the building environment and the user-selectable setting of the second electronic device comprises a water-usage characteristic of the water-using device of the building environment.

5. The first electronic device of claim 4, wherein the water-using device of the building comprises a component of an irrigation system of the building environment.

6. The first electronic device of claim 5, wherein the water-usage characteristic of the water-using device of the building environment comprises a flow rate.

7. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device comprises a light of the building environment and the user-selectable setting of the second electronic device comprises an on/off state of the light of the building environment.

8. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device comprises a light of the building environment and the user-selectable setting of the second electronic device comprises a dim state of the light of the building environment.

9. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device comprises a light of a plurality of lights of the building environment, wherein the user-selectable setting comprises an on/off state of the light or a dim state of the light, and wherein the schedule of future settings of the second electronic device comprises a schedule of future settings of the plurality of lights.

10. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor updates a social setting on a social network based at least in part on the selection of the user-selectable setting.

11. An electronic device to effect control over one or more lights of a building environment, the electronic device comprising:

a user input interface configured to receive an indication of a user selection of, or a user navigation to, a user-selectable setting of the one or more lights; and

a processor configured to cause a substantially immediate consequence and a longer-term consequence based at least in part on the selection of the user-selectable setting of the one or more lights, wherein the substantially immediate consequence comprises adjusting a current setting of the one or more lights to the user-selectable setting, and wherein the longer-term consequence comprises adjusting a schedule of future settings of the one or more lights based at least in part on the selection of the user-selectable setting, wherein said schedule of future settings is based at least in part on detected patterns in a time of day at which each of a plurality of said user selections are made, and wherein said adjusting comprises clustering of similarly-timed user inputs across multiple days, including weekdays and weekend days, said clustering being characterized in that plural user selections corresponding to a common time of day interval associated with weekdays are represented by a single representative user selection corresponding to that common time of day interval and that plural user selections corresponding to a common time of day interval associated with weekend days are represented by another single representative user selection corresponding to that common time of day interval.

12. The first electronic device of claim 11, comprising an electronic display, wherein the electronic display displays one or more colors based on a state of the one or more lights to provide information about the user-selectable setting as the selection or navigation to the user-selectable setting varies.

13. The first electronic device of claim 11, wherein the user-selectable setting of the one or more lights comprises an on/off state of the one or more lights of the building environment.

14. The first electronic device of claim 11, wherein the user-selectable setting of the second electronic device comprises a dim state of the one or more lights of the building environment.

15. The first electronic device of claim 11, wherein the user-selectable setting comprises an on/off state of the one or more lights or a dim state of the one or more lights, and wherein the schedule of future settings of the one or more lights comprises a schedule of future settings of the one or more lights.

16. A method for controlling a security system of a building environment comprising:

receiving, via a processor, an indication of;

a user selection of a setting of an alarm state of the security system;

or

an occupancy of the building environment;

or

a combination thereof; and

causing, via the processor, a substantially immediate consequence and a longer-term consequence based at least in part on the user selection of the setting or the occupancy of the building environment, or the combination thereof, wherein the substantially immediate consequence comprises adjusting a current setting of the security system, and wherein the longer-term consequence comprises adjusting a schedule of future settings of the security system, and wherein said schedule of future settings is based at least in part on detected patterns in a time of day at which each of a plurality of said user selections are made or the occupancy of the building environment, or the combination thereof, and wherein said adjusting comprises clustering of similarly-timed user inputs or occupancy across multiple days, including weekdays and weekend days, said clustering being characterized in that plural user selections corresponding to a common time of day interval associated with weekdays are represented by a single representative user selection corresponding to that common time of day interval and that plural user selections corresponding to a common time of day interval associated with weekend days are represented by another single representative user selection corresponding to that common time of day interval

wherein said adjusting comprises clustering of similarly-timed user inputs or occupancy of the building across multiple days, said clustering being characterized in that plural user selections corresponding to a common daytime interval are represented by a single representative user selection corresponding to that time interval.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

detecting the occupancy of the building via an occupancy sensor to generate the indication of the occupancy of the building environment; and

adjusting the current setting of the alarm system to an active alarm state when the building environment is not occupied.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising:

detecting the occupancy of the building via an occupancy sensor to generate the indication of the occupancy of the building environment; and

causing the current setting of the alarm system to remain in an inactive state while the building environment is occupied.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising:

detecting a change in light in the building environment via a light sensor; and

when the change in light indicates that the building environment is occupied, causing the current setting of the alarm system to remain in an inactive state.

20. The method of claim 16, comprising:

detecting a change in light in the building environment via a light sensor; and

when the change in light indicates that the building environment is not occupied, causing the current setting of the alarm system to be set to an active state.