Building automation system with geo-fencing
First Claim
1. A mobile device having location services for determining a location of the mobile device, the mobile device comprising:
- a user interface;
a memory for storing a building control application program;
a controller operatively coupled to the user interface and the memory, the controller configured to allow a user of the mobile device to select the building control application program for execution, and once executed, and from within the building control application, the building control application is configured to allow the user to identify a location of a home via the user interface, accept, via the user interface, a selection to change a sensitivity of the mobile device when entering and exiting the home, use the selection to change the sensitivity to select either a predefined smaller geo-fence or a predefined larger geo-fence, and use the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence and not the unselected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence in determining a relative location of the mobile device with respect to the home, where the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence are predefined in the building control application program;
the building control application program further configured to report when the location of the mobile device crosses the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence to a remote server that is remote from the home, wherein the remote server, in response to receiving a report that the location of the mobile device crossed the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence, notifies a building automation controller in the home of the mobile device to change a building set point; and
wherein the change in setting is reported back to the mobile device, and the controller of the mobile device is configured to display the changed building set point on the user interface of the mobile device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A building automation system may adjust operation of a building system based upon information regarding the relative location of one or more users of the building automation system. In some embodiments, a mobile device having location services for determining a location of the mobile device may provide this information. A mobile device may include a user interface, a memory for storing two or more predetermined geo-fences each defining a different sized region about a home of a user of the mobile device and a controller operatively coupled to user interface and the memory, the controller configured to accept a selection of one of the two or more predetermined geo-fences via the user interface. The controller may report when the location of the mobile device crosses the selected one of the two or more predetermined geo-fences to a remote device. Other geofencing approaches are also described.
845 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A mobile device having location services for determining a location of the mobile device, the mobile device comprising:
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a user interface; a memory for storing a building control application program; a controller operatively coupled to the user interface and the memory, the controller configured to allow a user of the mobile device to select the building control application program for execution, and once executed, and from within the building control application, the building control application is configured to allow the user to identify a location of a home via the user interface, accept, via the user interface, a selection to change a sensitivity of the mobile device when entering and exiting the home, use the selection to change the sensitivity to select either a predefined smaller geo-fence or a predefined larger geo-fence, and use the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence and not the unselected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence in determining a relative location of the mobile device with respect to the home, where the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence are predefined in the building control application program; the building control application program further configured to report when the location of the mobile device crosses the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence to a remote server that is remote from the home, wherein the remote server, in response to receiving a report that the location of the mobile device crossed the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence, notifies a building automation controller in the home of the mobile device to change a building set point; and wherein the change in setting is reported back to the mobile device, and the controller of the mobile device is configured to display the changed building set point on the user interface of the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing building control application program including instructions for facilitating a user of a mobile device having location services in configuring a wireless HVAC controller, wherein execution of the building control application program by one or more processors of the mobile device causes the mobile device to carry out the steps of:
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from within the building control application program, allowing the user to identify a location of a home using the location services of the mobile device; from within the building control application program, displaying on the mobile device a screen that permits a selection to change a sensitivity of the mobile device when entering and exiting the home; from within the building control application program, accepting the selection to change the sensitivity; from within the building control application program, using the selection to change the sensitivity to select between a predefined smaller geo-fence and a predefined larger geo-fence, where the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence are predefined in the building control application program; using the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence and not the unselected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence in determining a relative location of the mobile device with respect to the home; reporting to a remote server that is remote from the home when the location of the mobile device crosses the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence but not reporting to the remote server when the location of the mobile device crosses the unselected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence so that the remote server can, in response to receiving a report that the location of the mobile device has crossed the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence, notifies a building automation controller in the home to change a building set point for controlling one or more building control functions of the home; and reporting the change in building set point back to the mobile device, and the mobile device displaying the changed building set point on a user interface of the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A method of using a mobile device with location services in regulating operation of a building automation controller that controls a building automation system in a person'"'"'s home, the method comprising:
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accepting, via a user interface, a selection to change a sensitivity of the mobile device when entering and exiting a home; using the selection to change the sensitivity to select one of a predefined smaller geo-fence and a predefined larger geo-fence via the user interface, where the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence are not user defined; using the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence and not the unselected ones of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence in determining a relative location of the mobile device with respect to the home; the mobile device reporting to a remote server when the location of the mobile device crosses the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence; the remote server notifying a building automation controller in the home to change a building set point in response to receiving a report that the location of the mobile device crossed the selected one of the predefined smaller geo-fence and the predefined larger geo-fence; and displaying the changed building set point on the user interface of the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification