SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT

• US 20130030600A1
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Shetty, Pradeep, Foslien, Wendy, Kolavennu, Soumitri, Curtner, Keith, Mangsuli, Purnaprajna R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,115,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/300
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• 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: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2648 Central heating
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing a programmable thermostat are described herein. One or more system embodiments include a programmable thermostat having a first management profile; a data acquisition subsystem; and a data analysis subsystem. The data acquisition subsystem is configured to receive thermostat data from the programmable thermostat, and the data analysis subsystem is configured to receive the thermostat data from the data acquisition subsystem, and determine a second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on the thermostat data.

Claims

1. A system for managing a programmable thermostat, comprising:

a programmable thermostat having a first management profile;

a data acquisition subsystem configured to receive thermostat data from the programmable thermostat; and

a data analysis subsystem configured to;

receive the thermostat data from the data acquisition subsystem; and

determine a second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on the thermostat data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition subsystem is included in a single computing device communicatively coupled to the programmable thermostat and the data analysis subsystem.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition subsystem is included in a mobile device associated with a user of the programmable thermostat.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis subsystem is configured to receive location data from a mobile device that indicates that a user is returning to a structure managed by the programmable thermostat.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis subsystem is configured to receive occupancy data that indicates whether a user is present in a structure managed by the programmable thermostat.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis subsystem is configured to communicate the second management profile to a user according to a predetermined schedule.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable thermostat is configured to automatically implement the second management profile upon a determination that the second management profile will yield a lower cost to a user than the first management profile.

8. A system for managing a programmable thermostat, comprising:

a programmable thermostat having a first management profile, wherein the programmable thermostat includes a data acquisition subsystem configured to determine usage data associated with the programmable thermostat; and

a data analysis subsystem configured to;

receive the usage data from the programmable thermostat;

determine a second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on the usage data; and

communicate the second management profile to the programmable thermostat.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the usage data includes a temperature, a humidity, and a number of programmed set points of the first management profile.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the data analysis subsystem is configured to determine the second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on a predicted return time of a user.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the data analysis subsystem is configured to determine the second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on a determination of occupancy in a structure managed by the programmable thermostat.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the second management profile includes a display of a predicted monetary savings over the first management profile.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the programmable thermostat is configured to display the second management profile upon a request by a user.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the second management profile includes a number of programmed set points of the programmable thermostat, wherein programmed set points include an indication of a time that a heating system is activated.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the programmable thermostat is configured to implement the second management profile upon an input by the user at the programmable thermostat.

16. A computer-implemented method for managing a programmable thermostat, comprising:

receiving thermostat data from a programmable thermostat having a first management profile;

analyzing the thermostat data; and

determining a second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on the analysis of the thermostat data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method includes receiving the thermostat data according to a predetermined schedule.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the thermostat data includes data associated with an environmental condition outside a structure managed by the programmable thermostat.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the method includes:

receiving additional thermostat data from the programmable thermostat;

analyzing the additional thermostat data; and

determining a third management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on the analysis of the additional thermostat data.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the method includes allowing a user to modify the second management profile via a mobile device communicatively linked to the programmable thermostat.