System for Remote Control of a Condition at a Site

• US 20110231020A1
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Drew, David S., Ramachandran, Anil
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/59 for presetting
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system is provided for remote control of at least one operating condition of a site. The system includes a proximity detection module at a residential site, which is configured to receive a communication regarding a location of a location reporting device or a mobile device. The proximity detection module is configured to alter or adjust a current temperature setting for the site based on a distance or location of the location reporting device or mobile device relative to the site.

Claims

1. A system for remote control of an operating condition of a site, comprising:

a proximity detection module located at a site, including a controller having a selectively enabled proximity detection mode, wherein when the proximity detection mode is enabled, the proximity detection module is configured to detect a distance between a location reporting device and the site, and to responsively determine an adjustment to alter an operating temperature setting for the site based on the distance of the location reporting device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the location reporting device is a mobile device that includes a present location or proximity detection application.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the proximity detection mode is selectively enabled by a communication from the mobile device to the proximity detection module.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the proximity detection module is configured to initiate altering of an operating temperature setting of the associated site in response to receiving a communication regarding a location of the mobile device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the proximity detection module is configured to receive location data from the mobile device that is indicative of the location of the user of the mobile device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the proximity detection module can detect a distance a user of the mobile device may be from the site and a direction that the user may be headed.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein when the proximity detection module detects that the distance from the site has increased from a previous location, the proximity detection module determines that the user of the mobile device is moving away from the site.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein when the proximity detection module detects that the distance from the site has decreased from a previous location, the proximity detection module determines that the user of the mobile device is moving towards the site.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the mobile device is one of a cellular or mobile phone, an I-Pad®

or I-Phone®

, a Blackberry®

, an Android®

device or other equivalent smart phone device.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprises a thermostat coupled to the proximity detection module, being configured to adjust at least one temperature setting for the site based on the adjustment determined by the proximity detection module.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein data received from the mobile device further comprises velocity data or an estimated travel time for a user to return to the site.

12. A system for remote control of a temperature for a site, comprising:

a proximity detection module at a residential site, the proximity detection module being configured to detect when a mobile device is within a first zone, a second zone, or a third zone relative to the site, where the proximity detection module is configured to determine an adjustment to adjust a current temperature setting for the site based on whether the mobile device is within the first zone, the second zone or the third zone.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the adjustment is based on the proximity of the mobile device to the site.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the proximity detection module is configured to associate a mobile device with a residential site and to control a thermostat operation and/or settings based on the detected location of the mobile device for the site.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first zone is less than 1 mile from the site, the second zone is less than 3 miles from the site, and the third zone is greater than 5 miles from the site.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the temperature setting is altered by 2 degrees where the mobile device is within the first zone.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the temperature setting is altered by 3 degrees where the mobile device is within the second zone.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the temperature setting is altered by 5 degrees where the mobile device is within the third zone.

19. A system for remote control of an operating condition of a site, comprising:

a proximity detection module located at a site, having a controller with a selectively enabled proximity detection mode, wherein the controller is configured to detect when a mobile device is at the site based on the mobile device establishing a connection with a WIFI network associated with the site, wherein the controller alters the temperature setting for the site in response to detecting the mobile device establishing a connection with a WIFI network associated with the site.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the controller disables the proximity detection mode when the connection of the WIFI network is established with the mobile device.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the controller alters the temperature setting for the site in response to detecting when the connection of the WIFI network to the mobile device is lost.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the controller enables the proximity detection mode when the connection of the WIFI network is lost with the mobile device.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the proximity detection module is configured to receive communication of location data for the mobile device, and to responsively determine an adjustment to alter the temperature setting for the site based on the location of the mobile device relative to the site when the proximity detection mode is enabled.

24. A system for remote control of a temperature setting of a site based on proximity of a mobile device relative to the site, comprising:

a thermostat at a residential site, the thermostat being configured to alter a current temperature setting for the site in response to a communication of an adjustment that is based on a distance between the site and a mobile device, which is determined from location data provided by the mobile device.