Thermostat with direction handoff features

• US 10,546,472 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2018
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Alberth, Jr., William P., Reichenberger, Karl F., Sinha, Sudhi, Ribbich, Joseph R., Ribbich, Michael L., Gaidish, Charles J., Cipolla, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Tanmay K
• Application Number:
  US16/030,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20180330586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 34087007
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/08 Actuation involving the use of explosive means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

A first thermostat of a building includes a communications interface configured to communicate with at least one of a second thermostat or a network server, a user interface configured to display information to a user and receive input from the user, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to generate building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building, cause the user interface to display a first building navigation direction based on the generated building navigation direction data, and cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display a second building navigation direction on a second display of the second thermostat based on the generated building navigation direction data.

Claims

1. A first thermostat of a building, the first thermostat comprising:

a communications interface configured to communicate with at least one of a second thermostat or a network server;

a user interface configured to display information to a user; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive, via the communications interface, an indication of an emergency relating to the building;

generate building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building based on the indication of the emergency;

cause the user interface to display a first building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data; and

cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display a second building navigation direction on a second display of the second thermostat based on the building navigation direction data, wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct the user to follow an evacuation route, wherein the first thermostat and the second thermostat are positioned along the evacuation route.

2. The first thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display the second building navigation direction on the second display of the second thermostat by communicating with at least one of the second thermostat or the network server via the communications interface.

3. The first thermostat of claim 1, wherein the first thermostat is mounted on a first wall of the building and the second thermostat is mounted on a second wall of the building, wherein the first thermostat and the second thermostat are configured to control environmental conditions of the building by generating control signals for controlling building equipment.

4. The first thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communications interface, the indication of the emergency from at least one of a wearable device of an occupant of the building or a hand held device of the occupant of the building, the indication indicating that the occupant is experiencing a health emergency and comprising an occupant location of the occupant in the building; and

generate the building navigation direction data based on the occupant location of the occupant, a first thermostat location of the first thermostat, and a second thermostat location of the second thermostat;

wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct a caregiver towards the occupant location of the occupant.

5. The first thermostat of claim 1, wherein the indication of the emergency comprises a first location of an active shooter in the building as determined by a shot detection system configured to detect the first location of the active shooter within the building;

and

the processing circuit is configured to;

generate the building navigation data based on a first thermostat location of the first thermostat, a second thermostat location of the second thermostat, and the first location of the active shooter;

determine, based on the building navigation data, the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction, wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct a user to evacuate the building on a first route that avoids the shooter within the building;

receive, via the communications interface, a second indication of the emergency comprising a second location of the active shooter in the building; and

update the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction based on the first thermostat location of the first thermostat, the second thermostat location of the second thermostat, and the second location of the active shooter, wherein an updated first building navigation direction and an updated second building navigation direction direct the user to evacuate the building on a second route that avoids the shooter within the building.

6. The first thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

receive, via the communications interface, a second indication of a second emergency relating to the building;

determine that the second emergency has a higher priority than the emergency relating to the building; and

generate the building navigation data based on the second indication of the second emergency.

7. The first thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive one or more data streams via the communications interface, the one or more data streams comprising a plurality of messages indicating the emergency associated with the building;

analyze the one or more data streams to identify a type of emergency within the building; and

generate the building navigation data based on the received one or more data streams and the type of emergency within the building.

8. The first thermostat of claim 7, wherein the one or more data streams comprise at least one of a weather data stream indicating weather conditions associated with the building, a news data stream indicating one or more events associated with the building, or a social media data stream indicating one or more social media postings or comments indicating the emergency.

9. A method for displaying navigation directions in a building, comprising:

providing a communication session between a first thermostat of the building and at least one of a second thermostat or a network server;

receiving one or more data streams via a communications interface, the one or more data streams comprising a plurality of messages indicating an emergency associated with the building;

analyzing the one or more data streams to identify a type of emergency within the building;

generating, by the first thermostat, building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building based on the one or more data streams and the type of emergency within the building;

displaying, on a first display of the first thermostat, a first building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data; and

causing, by the first thermostat, a second display of the second thermostat to display a second building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein causing, by the first thermostat, the second display of the second thermostat to display the second building navigation direction comprises communicating, by the first thermostat, with at least one of the second thermostat or the network server via the communication session.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling, by the first thermostat and the second thermostat, environmental conditions of the building by generating control signals for controlling building equipment.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising:

receiving, by the first thermostat, a first indication of the emergency relating to the building; and

generating, by the first thermostat, the building navigation data based on an indication of the emergency.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication of the emergency comprises a first location of an active shooter in the building as determined by a shot detection system configured to detect the first location of the active shooter within the building, the method further comprising:

generating the building navigation data based on a first thermostat location of the first thermostat, a second thermostat location of the second thermostat, and the first location of the active shooter;

determining, based on the building navigation data, the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction, wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct a user to evacuate the building on a first route that avoids the shooter within the building;

receiving, via the communications interface, a second indication of the emergency comprising a second location of the active shooter in the building; and

updating the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction based on the first thermostat location of the first thermostat, the second thermostat location of the second thermostat, and the second location of the active shooter, wherein an updated first building navigation direction and an updated second building navigation direction direct the user to evacuate the building on a second route that avoids the shooter within the building.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the first thermostat, a second indication of a second emergency relating to the building;

determining, by the first thermostat, that the emergency has a higher priority than the second emergency; and

generating the building navigation data based on an indication of the second emergency in response to determining that the emergency has a higher priority than the second emergency.

15. A system for displaying navigation directions in a building, the system comprising:

an emergency sensor configured to provide data relating to an emergency in the building; and

a first thermostat comprising;

a communications interface configured to communicate with at least one of the emergency sensor, a second thermostat, or a network server;

a user interface configured to display information to a user and receive input from the user; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive, from the emergency sensor, the data relating to the emergency;

generate building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building based on the data provided by the emergency sensor;

cause the user interface to display a first building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data; and

cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display a second building navigation direction on a second display of the second thermostat based on the building navigation direction data, wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct a user to follow an evacuation route, wherein the first thermostat and the second thermostat are positioned along the evacuation route.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display the second building navigation direction on the second display of the second thermostat by communicating with at least one of the second thermostat or the network server via the communications interface.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the data provided by the emergency sensor comprises an indication of a location of the emergency in the building;

and

wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct a user to follow an evacuation route that avoids the location of the emergency.

18. A first thermostat of a building, the first thermostat comprising:

a communications interface configured to communicate with at least one of a second thermostat or a network server;

a user interface configured to display information to a user; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive, via the communications interface, an indication of an emergency relating to the building from at least one of a wearable device of an occupant of the building or a hand held device of the occupant of the building, the indication indicating that the occupant is experiencing a health emergency and comprising a location of the occupant in the building;

generate building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building based on the indication of the emergency and further based on the location of the occupant, a first thermostat location of the first thermostat, and a second thermostat location of the second thermostat;

cause the user interface to display a first building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data; and

cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display a second building navigation direction on a second display of the second thermostat based on the building navigation direction data, wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct a caregiver towards the location of the occupant.

19. The first thermostat of claim 18, wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display the second building navigation direction on the second display of the second thermostat by communicating with at least one of the second thermostat or the network server via the communications interface.

20. A first thermostat of a building, the first thermostat comprising:

a communications interface configured to communicate with at least one of a second thermostat or a network server;

a user interface configured to display information to a user; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive, via the communications interface, an indication of an emergency relating to the building, wherein the indication of the emergency comprises a first location of an active shooter in the building as determined by a shot detection system configured to detect the first location of the active shooter within the building;

generate building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building based on the indication of the emergency and further based on a first thermostat location of the first thermostat, a second thermostat location of the second thermostat, and the first location of the active shooter, the building navigation direction data comprising a first building navigation direction and a second building navigation direction;

determine, based on the building navigation data, the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction, wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct a user to evacuate the building on a first route that avoids the shooter within the building;

receive, via the communications interface, a second indication of the emergency comprising a second location of the active shooter in the building;

update the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction based on the first thermostat location of the first thermostat, the second thermostat location of the second thermostat, and the second location of the active shooter, wherein an updated first building navigation direction and an updated second building navigation direction direct the user to evacuate the building on a second route that avoids the shooter within the building;

cause the user interface to display the updated first building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data; and

cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display the updated second building navigation direction on a second display of the second thermostat based on the building navigation direction data.

21. The first thermostat of claim 20, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive one or more data streams via the communications interface, the one or more data streams comprising a plurality of messages indicating an emergency associated with the building;

analyze the one or more data streams to identify a type of emergency within the building; and

generate the building navigation data based on the received one or more data streams and the type of emergency within the building.

22. A first thermostat of a building, the first thermostat comprising:

a communications interface configured to communicate with at least one of a second thermostat or a network server;

a user interface configured to display information to a user; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive, via the communications interface, an indication of a first emergency relating to the building;

receive, via the communications interface, a second indication of a second emergency relating to the building;

determine that the second emergency has a higher priority than the first emergency;

generate building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building based on the second indication of the second emergency;

cause the user interface to display a first building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data; and

cause, via the communications interface, the second thermostat to display a second building navigation direction on a second display of the second thermostat based on the building navigation direction data.

23. The first thermostat of claim 22, wherein the first thermostat is mounted on a first wall of the building and the second thermostat is mounted on a second wall of the building, wherein the first thermostat and the second thermostat are configured to control environmental conditions of the building by generating control signals for controlling building equipment.

24. A method for displaying navigation directions in a building, comprising:

providing a communication session between a first thermostat of the building and at least one of a second thermostat or a network server;

receiving, by the first thermostat, a first indication of a first emergency relating to the building;

receiving, by the first thermostat, a second indication of a second emergency relating to the building, wherein the second indication of the second emergency comprises a first location of an active shooter in the building as determined by a shot detection system configured to detect a location of the active shooter within the building;

determining, by the first thermostat, that the second emergency has a higher priority than the first emergency;

generating, by the first thermostat, building navigation direction data for user navigation through the building based on the second indication of the second emergency and further based on a first thermostat location of the first thermostat, a second thermostat location of the second thermostat, and the first location of the active shooter;

determining, based on the building navigation data, first building navigation direction and second building navigation direction, wherein the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction direct a user to evacuate the building on a first route that avoids the shooter within the building;

receiving, via a communication interface, another indication of the second emergency comprising a second location of the active shooter in the building;

updating the first building navigation direction and the second building navigation direction based on the first thermostat location of the first thermostat, the second thermostat location of the second thermostat, and the second location of the active shooter, wherein an updated first building navigation direction and an updated second building navigation direction direct the user to evacuate the building on a second route that avoids the shooter within the building;

displaying, on a first display of the first thermostat, the updated first building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data; and

causing, by the first thermostat, a second display of the second thermostat to display the updated second building navigation direction based on the building navigation direction data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein causing, by the first thermostat, the second display of the second thermostat to display the updated second building navigation direction comprises communicating, by the first thermostat, with at least one of the second thermostat or the network server via the communication session.