Determining occupancy with user provided information

• US 10,197,979 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Warren, Jeremy B., Bunker, Brandon, Lyman, Jefferson, Hwang, Jungtaik
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pellett, Daniel T
• Application Number:
  US14/291,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20150347916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for determining occupancy with user provided information. According to at least one embodiment, a method for determining occupancy with user provided information includes using at least one sensor to detect occupancy in a building over time, determining a predictive schedule based on the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor, and requesting information relevant to the predictive schedule from a user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for determining occupancy with user provided information, comprising:

using at least one sensor to detect occupancy in a building over time;

determining, by a processor, a predictive schedule based on the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor;

determining, by the processor, that information relevant to the predictive schedule is missing from the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor;

determining, by the processor, whether a confidence score associated with the predictive schedule satisfies a threshold, wherein the confidence score associated with the predictive schedule is based at least in part on the missing information relevant to the predictive schedule;

transmitting, by the processor, a request for the missing information relevant to the predictive schedule to a user to determine whether the at least one sensor has a blind spot, wherein requesting the information is based at least in part on determining that the confidence score associated with the predictive schedule satisfies the threshold;

receiving, by the processor, information from the user;

verifying, by the processor, that the information received from the user is associated with the missing information relevant to the predictive schedule;

identifying, by the processor, a location in the building where the at least one sensor has the blind spot based at least in part on the information received from the user and the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor;

changing, by the processor, the confidence score about ascertained data relevant to the predictive schedule based at least in part on the identified location;

updating, by the processor, the predictive schedule based at least in part on changing the confidence score; and

automatically performing a task associated with the building, by the processor, based at least in part on updating the predictive schedule, wherein performing the task may be at least one of activating an alarm at the building, adjusting a climate control setting, opening a door, closing a door, locking a door, unlocking a door, controlling a security parameters, managing settings associated with energy consumption;

control lighting associated with the building, control cameras associated with the building, send a notification regarding an event associated with the building, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for the information relevant to the predictive schedule to the user comprises sending a question to a device associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for the information relevant to the predictive schedule to the user comprises asking a question of the user about missing data relevant to the predictive schedule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for the information relevant to the predictive schedule to the user comprises asking a question of the user about ascertained data relevant to the predictive schedule associated with an unreliable confidence score.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the predictive schedule based on the information from the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for the information relevant to the predictive schedule to the user comprises requesting data about a period of time where no occupancy is detected.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for the information relevant to the predictive schedule to the user comprises requesting the information about a number of occupants with location tracking mobile devices.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising suggesting to install another sensor at the location in response to identifying the blind spot.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising making a hypothesis about a detail relevant to the predictive schedule.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the request for the information relevant to the predictive schedule to the user comprises requesting the user to confirm an accuracy of the hypothesis.

11. A computing device configured for determining occupancy with user provided information, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

use at least one sensor to detect occupancy in a building over time;

determine a predictive schedule based on the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor;

determine that information relevant to the predictive schedule is missing from the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor;

determine whether a confidence score associated with the predictive schedule satisfies a threshold, wherein the confidence score associated with the predictive schedule is based at least in part on the missing information relevant to the predictive schedule;

transmit a request for the missing information relevant to the predictive schedule to a user to determine whether the at least one sensor has a blind spot, wherein requesting the information is based at least in part on determining that the confidence score associated with the predictive schedule satisfies the threshold;

receive information from the user;

verify that the information received from the user is associated with the missing information relevant to the predictive schedule;

identify a location in the building where the at least one sensor has the blind spot based at least in part on the information received from the user and the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor; and

change the confidence score about ascertained data relevant to the predictive schedule based at least in part on the identified location;

update the predictive schedule based at least in part on changing the confidence score; and

automatically perform a task associated with the building based at least in part on updating the predictive schedule, wherein performing the task may be at least one of activating an alarm at the building, adjusting a climate control setting, opening a door, closing a door, locking a door, unlocking a door, controlling a security parameters, managing settings associated with energy consumption;

control lighting associated with the building, control cameras associated with the building, send a notification regarding an event associated with the building, or a combination thereof.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to ask a question of the user about missing data relevant to the predictive schedule.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to request data about a period of time where no occupancy is detected.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to ask a question of the user about ascertained data relevant to the predictive schedule associated with an unreliable confidence score.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to request the information about a number of occupants with location tracking mobile devices.

16. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to request data relevant to the predictive schedule from the user to confirm an accuracy of a hypothesis about a detail affecting the predictive schedule.

17. A computer-program product for determining occupancy with user provided information, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions being executable by a processor to:

use at least one sensor to detect occupancy in a building over time;

determine a predictive schedule based on the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor;

determine that information relevant to the predictive schedule is missing from the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor;

make a hypothesis about a detail affecting the predictive schedule;

determine whether a confidence score associated with the hypothesis satisfies a threshold, wherein the confidence score associated with the predictive schedule is based at least in part on the missing information relevant to the predictive schedule;

transmit a request for the missing information to a user to confirm the hypothesis to determine whether the at least one sensor has a blind spot, wherein requesting the information is based at least in part on determining that the confidence score associated with the hypothesis satisfies the threshold;

receive information from the user;

verify that the information received from the user is associated with the missing information relevant to the predictive schedule;

identify a location in the building where the at least one sensor has the blind spot based at least in part on the information received from the user and the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor; and

change the confidence score about ascertained data relevant to the predictive schedule based at least in part on the identified location;

update the predictive schedule based at least in part on changing the confidence score; and

automatically perform a task associated with the building based at least in part on updating the predictive schedule, wherein performing the task may be at least one of activating an alarm at the building, adjusting a climate control setting, opening a door, closing a door, locking a door, unlocking a door, controlling a security parameters, managing settings associated with energy consumption;

control lighting associated with the building, control cameras associated with the building, send a notification regarding an event associated with the building, or a combination thereof.