Automated control-schedule acquisition within an intelligent controller

• US 10,684,038 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Yoky, Lee, Eric A., Hales, Steven A., Stefanski, Mark D., Sharan, Rangoli
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US16/026,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20190003736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 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 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A method of using a server to update stored control schedules for environmental controllers includes communicating with an environmental controller that controls, during a monitoring period, an environmental system in an enclosure according to a stored control schedule; receiving a first immediate-control input provided through the environmental controller during the monitoring period; receiving a first control-schedule change provided through the environmental controller during the monitoring period; receiving a second immediate-control input provided through a user device during the monitoring period; receiving a second control-schedule change provided through the user device during the monitoring period; processing at least the first immediate-control input, the first control-schedule change, the second immediate-control input, and the second control-schedule change together to generate an updated control schedule; and causing the environmental controller to control the environmental system according to the updated control schedule.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory devices comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to;

communicate with an environmental controller, wherein the environmental controller is configured to control, during a monitoring period, an environmental system in an enclosure according to a stored control schedule, wherein a length of the monitoring period is at least 24 hours in length;

receive a first immediate-control input provided through the environmental controller during the monitoring period, wherein the first immediate-control input comprises an input setpoint that overrides the stored control schedule by directing the environmental controller to control the environmental system according to the input setpoint;

receive a first control-schedule change provided through the environmental controller during the monitoring period, wherein the first control-schedule change comprises adding, modifying, or removing setpoints in the stored control schedule;

receive a second immediate-control input provided through a user device during the monitoring period;

receive a second control-schedule change provided through the user device during the monitoring period;

process at least the first immediate-control input, the first control-schedule change, the second immediate-control input, and the second control-schedule change together to generate an updated control schedule; and

cause the environmental controller to control, after the monitoring period, the environmental system according to the updated control schedule.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the server to provide a user interface for the environmental controller or the user device.

3. The server of claim 2, wherein the user interface is sent to the environmental controller, and the environmental controller is mounted on a wall of the enclosure.

4. The server of claim 2, wherein the user interface is sent to the user device, and the user device comprises a smart phone.

5. The server of claim 2, wherein the user interface comprises a control interface for the environmental controller.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the first immediate-control input is made through the control interface of the user interface.

7. The server of claim 2, wherein the user interface comprises a schedule interface for adjusting scheduled setpoints in the stored control schedule.

8. The server of claim 7, wherein the first control-schedule change is made through the schedule interface of the user interface to change, add, or remove a setpoint in the stored control schedule.

9. The server of claim 1, wherein:

a setpoint in the stored control schedule comprises a time and a target value for the environmental system; and

changing, adding, or moving the setpoint comprises changing the target value while the time remains unchanged.

10. The server of claim 1, wherein:

a setpoint in the stored control schedule comprises a time and a target value for the environmental system; and

changing, adding, or moving the setpoint comprises changing the time while the target value remains unchanged.

11. The server of claim 1 wherein generating the updated control schedule comprises:

clustering immediate-control inputs and control-schedule changes into one or more clusters;

resolving each of the one or more clusters to generate one or more setpoints; and

generating the updated control schedule to include the one or more setpoints.

12. The server of claim 11 wherein clustering immediate-control inputs and control-schedule changes into one or more clusters comprises collecting together, as a separate cluster, each group of immediate-control inputs and control-schedule changes that are each within a first threshold time interval of each other.

13. The server of claim 12 wherein resolving each of the one or more clusters to generate one or more setpoints comprises replacing each of the one or more clusters with one of:

no event, when no control-change trend is discerned in the cluster;

one event, when a single-event control-change trend is discerned in the cluster; and

two events, when a two-event control-change trend is discerned in the cluster.

14. A method of using a server to update stored control schedules for environmental controllers, the method comprising:

communicating with an environmental controller, wherein the environmental controller is configured to control, during a monitoring period, an environmental system in an enclosure according to a stored control schedule, wherein a length of the monitoring period is at least 24 hours in length;

receiving a first immediate-control input provided through the environmental controller during the monitoring period, wherein the first immediate-control input comprises an input setpoint that overrides the stored control schedule by directing the environmental controller to control the environmental system according to the input setpoint;

receiving a first control-schedule change provided through the environmental controller during the monitoring period, wherein the first control-schedule change comprises adding, modifying, or removing setpoints in the stored control schedule;

receiving a second immediate-control input provided through a user device during the monitoring period;

receiving a second control-schedule change provided through the user device during the monitoring period;

processing at least the first immediate-control input, the first control-schedule change, the second immediate-control input, and the second control-schedule change together to generate an updated control schedule; and

causing the environmental controller to control, after the monitoring period, the environmental system according to the updated control schedule.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a user interface for the environmental controller or the user device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user interface is sent to the environmental controller, and the environmental controller is mounted on a wall of the enclosure.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the user interface is sent to the user device, and the user device comprises a smart phone.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the user interface comprises a control interface for the environmental controller.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first immediate-control input is made through the control interface of the user interface.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the user interface comprises a schedule interface for adjusting scheduled setpoints in the stored control schedule, and the first control-schedule change is made through the schedule interface of the user interface to change, add, or remove a setpoint in the stored control schedule.