SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WEB-ENABLED ENTERPRISE ENVIRONMENT CONTROL AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT

• US 20120005590A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ecobee Inc (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ecobee Inc (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: LOMBARD, Stuart, MACHIONDO, Mark, CARRADINE, Chris, PARKINSON, Brian
• Application Number:
  US13/231,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005590A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/742
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

A system and method for an environment control and energy management. The system includes a server computer, at least one environment control device (ECD) and at least one mobile device communicatively coupled via a web-based communication system. A mobile device, also having a touch screen display, may be configured to display a replica screen of the touch screen user interface of the ECD, and allows modification of the control program accessed at the ECD.

Claims

1. A method for providing information about a selected environment control device (ECD) to a secondary registrant across a network, the method comprising:

receiving data from a plurality of ECDs at an environment control portal via the network;

receiving a registration request at the environment control portal via the network for registration of a secondary registrant;

authenticating the registration request at the environment control portal;

displaying the registration IDs for a subset of the plurality of ECDs to the secondary registrant, each ECD of the subset of the plurality of ECDs being associated with the secondary registrant;

receiving a selection request from the secondary registrant to display a subset of the data associated with a selected ECD from the subset of the plurality of ECDs; and

broadcasting the subset of data associated with the ECD to the secondary registrant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the environmental control portal from the secondary registrant, a modification made to the subset of data associated with the selected ECD; and

broadcasting the modification made to the subset of data to the selected ECD.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subset of data modified by the secondary registrant includes at least one of a company logo and contact information for display of service reminders and service issues.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the subset of data modified by the secondary registrant includes setting a service date in a web portal hosted at the server computer, the service date for sending to the ECD to remind the primary registrant of upcoming service on the service date.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the secondary registrant to view the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment error codes and status information throughout an enterprise campus managed by a web portal hosted at the server computer for aid in planning service work and expediting service delivery.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the secondary registrant to view ECD location and upcoming service dates for the primary registrant.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a secondary registrant to receive, through the web portal, performance information of the ECD in order to better understand the performance of equipment in the field.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary registrant is a contractor for the primary registrant.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the secondary registrant can apply the modification to at least two ECDs of the subset of the plurality of ECDs simultaneously.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of data includes a visual representation of the location of the selected ECD.

20. The environmental control portal of claim 1, wherein the subset of data includes a visual representation of the location of the selected ECD.

11. An environmental control portal for environment control and energy management of an enterprise, the environment control portal comprising:

a server computer having a processor; and

a memory comprising instructions stored thereon, which, when executed in the processor, cause the processor to implement the steps of

receiving data from a plurality of ECDs via the network;

receiving a registration request for via the network for registration of a secondary registrant;

authenticating the registration;

displaying the registration IDs for a subset of the plurality of ECDs to the secondary registrant, each ECD of the subset of the plurality of ECDs being associated with the secondary registrant;

receiving a selection request from the secondary registrant to display a subset of the data associated with a selected ECD from the subset of the plurality of ECDs; and

broadcasting the subset of data associated with the ECD to the secondary registrant.

12. The environmental control portal of claim 11, the processor further implementing the steps of

receiving from the secondary registrant, a modification made to the subset of data associated with the selected ECD;

and

broadcasting the subset of data associated with the ECD to the secondary registrant.

13. The environmental control portal of claim 12, wherein the subset of data modified by the secondary registrant includes at least one of a company logo and contact information for display of service reminders and service issues.

14. The environmental control portal of claim 12, wherein the subset of data modified by the secondary registrant includes setting a service date in a web portal hosted at the server computer, the service date for sending to the ECD to remind the primary registrant of upcoming service on the service date.

15. The environmental control portal of claim 11, further being operable to allow the secondary registrant to view the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment error codes and status information throughout an enterprise campus managed by a web portal hosted at the server computer for aid in planning service work and expediting service delivery.

16. The environmental control portal of claim 11, further being operable to allow the secondary registrant to view ECD location and upcoming service dates for the primary registrant.

17. The environmental control portal of claim 11, further being operable to allow the secondary registrant to receive, through the web portal, performance information of the ECD in order to better understand the performance of equipment in the field.

18. The environmental control portal of claim 11, wherein the secondary registrant is a contractor for the primary registrant.

19. The environmental control portal of claim 12, wherein the secondary registrant can apply the modification to at least two ECDs of the subset of the plurality of ECDs simultaneously.