Controlling a Resource Demand System

• US 20120253529A1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HydroPoint Data Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: HydroPoint Data Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Carlson, Peter, Spain, Christopher C., Dansereau, Danny A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,712,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors

Abstract

Methods of controlling a resource demand system are disclosed. One method includes obtaining weather data from at least one data source that collects weather data at a plurality of areas. A weather value for a target location is calculated from the weather data. A weather value is sensed for the target location. The calculated weather value is compared with the sensed weather value to validate at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value, and a control value is calculated based on at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a resource demand system, comprising:

obtaining weather data from at least one data source that collects weather data at a plurality of areas;

calculating a weather value for a target location from the weather data;

sensing a weather value for the target location;

comparing the calculated weather value with the sensed weather value to validate at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value; and

calculating a control value based on at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the control value to a control device that controls the resource demand system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

based on the comparison between the calculated weather value with the sensed weather value, comparing a calculated weather value for a collected weather data location with collected weather data, if within a margin, then concluding that the sensed weather value is erroneous.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising if the sensed weather value is erroneous, then providing an alert that a sensor that senses the sensed weather value is faulty.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein if the sensed weather value is erroneous, then calculating the control value comprises setting the control value to be the calculated weather value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising

based on the comparison between the calculated weather value with the sensed weather value, comparing a calculated weather value for collected weather data location with collected weather data, if outside a margin, then concluding that the calculated weather value is erroneous.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising if the calculated weather value is erroneous, then providing an alert that the calculated weather value is erroneous.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein if the calculated weather value is erroneous, then calculating the control value comprises setting the control value to be the sensed weather value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the calculated weather value with the sensed weather value to validate at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value comprises:

comparing a plurality of calculated weather values against sensed weather values over time to establish a trend.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if over time a difference between the calculated weather values and the sensed weather values are determined to be an anomaly, then validating a sensor that generates the sensed weather value, and using the sensed weather value to adjust the calculated weather value.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein if over time a difference between the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value is determined to be continuous, then determining which of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value is erroneous.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining which of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value is erroneous comprises comparing a calculated weather value for a collected weather data location with collected weather data, if within a margin, then concluding that the sensed weather value is erroneous.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining which of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value is erroneous comprises comparing a calculated weather value for collected weather data location with collected weather data, if outside a margin, then concluding that the calculated weather value is erroneous.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising modifying the control value based on at least one landscape specific parameter.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a plurality of sub-target control values for a plurality of sub-target locations based the control value and at least one landscape specific parameter.

16. A method of controlling a resource demand system, comprising:

obtaining weather data from at least one data source that collects weather data at a plurality of areas;

calculating a weather value for a target location from the weather data;

sensing a weather value for the target location;

calculating a control value based on at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value;

providing the control value for a control device that controls the resource demand system.

17. A method for a resource demand system, comprising:

obtaining weather data from at least one data source that collects weather data at a plurality of areas;

calculating a weather value for at least one target location from the weather data;

sensing at least one weather value for the at least one target location;

comparing a plurality of calculated weather values against the at least one sensed weather value to establish a trend over at least one of location and time.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising adaptively updating a method of calculating the weather value based on the established trend.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

calculating at least one control value base on at least one of the calculated weather values and the sensed weather values;

providing the control value to at least one control device that controls at least one resource demand system.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a visual representation of the established trend.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the visual representation provides location and time representations of the trends.

22. A method of controlling a resource demand system, comprising:

obtaining weather data from at least one data source that collects weather data at a plurality of areas;

calculating a weather value for a target location from the weather data; and

sensing a weather value for the target location.

calculating a control value based on at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value.

23. A method of controlling a resource demand system, comprising:

obtaining weather data from at least one data source that collects weather data at a plurality of areas;

calculating a weather value for a target location from the weather data;

comparing the calculated weather value with the sensed weather value to validate at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value; and

calculating a control value based on at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value.

24. A resource demand system, comprising:

at least one data source that collects weather data at a plurality of areas;

means for calculating a weather value for a target location from the weather data;

a sensor sensing a weather value for the target location;

means for comparing the calculated weather value with the sensed weather value to validate at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value; and

means for calculating a control value based on at least one of the calculated weather value and the sensed weather value.