ATTRIBUTING CAUSATION FOR ENERGY USAGE AND SETPOINT CHANGES WITH A NETWORK-CONNECTED THERMOSTAT

• US 20130211783A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nest Labs Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fisher, Evan J., Sloo, David, Matsuoka, Yoky, Rogers, Matthew Lee, Fadell, Anthony Michael, Bruck, Timo A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,346,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• 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 2221/32 preventing human errors during the installation, use or maintenance, e.g. goofy proof
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for attributing a primary causative agent for HVAC system usage being above or below an average, the HVAC system being controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat. Systems and method are also described interactively and graphically displaying schedule information to a user of an HVAC system controlled by a network-connected thermostat. The displayed information can include indications of the manner in which one or more setpoints was created or last modified. Historical HVAC performance information can also be displayed that can include details of certain energy-effecting events such as setpoint changes, adaptive recovery, as well as automatic and manually set non-occupancy modes.

Claims

1. A method of attributing a primary causative agent for HVAC system usage being above or below an average, the HVAC system being controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat, the method comprising:

using the thermostat, gathering information relating to HVAC system usage over a plurality of days;

using the thermostat, gathering information relating to one or more thermostat setpoints over the plurality of days;

calculating an average value for HVAC system usage for the plurality of days based on the gathered information relating to HVAC system usage;

determining whether HVAC system usage for a candidate day, being one of the plurality of days, is above or below the calculated average value;

hierarchically evaluating a plurality of potential causative agents for the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above or below average; and

attributing a primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above or below average based on the hierarchical evaluation.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said hierarchically evaluating and attributing is carried out on a processing system housed within the thermostat.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said hierarchically evaluating and attributing is carried out on a processing system which is not housed within the thermostat.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the processing system is part of a server system that is located in a location remote from the thermostat.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein if the HVAC system usage for candidate day'"'"'s usage is close to the calculated average value then no primary causative agent is attributed for the candidate day.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the candidate day is a day immediately preceding a day on which said calculating, determining, evaluating and attributing are carried out.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of days are seven days immediately preceding the day on which said calculating, determining, evaluating and attributing are carried out.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the primary causative agent is selected from a group including:

a user, weather, and one or more thermostat features.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the one or more thermostat features includes one or more types of features selected from a group consisting of:

occupancy detection, automatic setpoint scheduling, auto-dehumidification, and an automated schedule adjustment algorithm.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said hierarchically evaluating comprises:

evaluating a first potential primary causative agent which is attributed as the primary causative agent if a first set of predetermined criteria are met relating to the first primary causative agent are met; and

evaluating a second potential primary causative agent which is attributed as the primary causative agent if a second set of predetermined criteria are met relating to the second primary causative agent are met, and if neither the first or second sets of predetermined criteria are met, attributing a third potential primary causative agent is attributed as the primary causative agent.

11. A method of interactively and graphically displaying schedule information to a user of an HVAC system controlled by a network-connected thermostat, the method comprising:

using the thermostat, gathering information relating to HVAC system usage, the thermostat controlling the HVAC system according to a plurality of temperature setpoints, the gathered information including for each temperature setpoint information indicative of a manner in which the temperature setpoint was set;

on a display device in a location remote from the thermostat, graphically displaying a plurality of graphical representations each corresponding to one of the plurality of temperature setpoints; and

on the display device and based at least in part on the gathered information displaying information indicative of the manner in which a first temperature setpoint was set, the first temperature setpoint being one of the plurality of temperature setpoints.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the manner in which temperature setpoint was set is of a type selected from a group potential manner types including:

direct user interaction with the thermostat, and remote interaction with the thermostat via a network connection.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the displayed information indicative of the manner in which the first temperature setpoint was set includes information indicative of a type of remote device used to remotely interact with the thermostat in order to set the temperature setpoint.

14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the displayed information indicative of the manner in which the first temperature setpoint was set includes information indicative of a name of a remote device used to remotely interact with the thermostat in order to set the temperature setpoint.

15. A method according to claim 12 wherein the group of potential manner types includes set by a self-learning automatic scheduling algorithm.

16. A method according to claim 11 wherein said manner in which the first temperature setpoint includes the manner in which the setpoint was created or the manner in which the setpoint was most recently modified.

17. Method according to claim 11 wherein said displaying information indicative of the manner in which a first temperature setpoint was set is carried out in real-time and responsive to receiving a selection from a user indicating which of the plurality of temperature setpoints corresponds to the first temperature setpoint.

18. A method of interactively and graphically displaying performance information to a user of an HVAC system controlled by a network-connected thermostat, the method comprising:

using the thermostat, gathering information relating to HVAC system usage, the thermostat controlling the HVAC system according to a plurality of temperature setpoints, the setpoints being set by any of a plurality of methods including direct user interaction with the thermostat and remote interaction with the thermostat via network connection;

on a display device in a location remote from the thermostat, graphically displaying performance information based on the gathered information, the displayed performance information including a graphical daily summary for each of a plurality of days;

graphically displaying on the display device detailed performance information for one of the plurality of days, the information including a plurality of setpoint symbols;

receiving user input indicating a selection of one of the plurality of setpoint symbols; and

in real time and in response to the received input indicating the selection of one of the plurality of setpoint symbols, displaying on the display device for the selected one of the plurality setpoint symbols, information indicative of a manner in which the selected setpoint was set.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising receiving user input indicating a selection of the one of the plurality of days, wherein the graphically displaying of detailed performance information for the one of the plurality of days is carried out in real time and in response to the received user input indicating the selection of the one of the plurality of days.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein the information indicative of a manner in which the selected setpoint was set is indicative of whether the selected setpoint was set by direct user interaction with the thermostat, or remote interaction with the thermostat via a network connection.

21. A method according to claim 18 wherein the information indicative of a manner in which the selected setpoint was set is indicative of whether the selected setpoint was a scheduled setpoint or the selected setpoint was a real-time setpoint change.

22. A method according to claim 18 wherein said detailed performance information for one of the plurality of days, further includes graphical representations indicative of one or more energy events that relating to an energy-effecting thermostat functionality.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the energy-effective thermostat functionality is of a type selected from a group consisting of:

adaptive recovery, automatic non-occupancy detection, manually activated non-occupancy, switching the thermostat off, and switching the thermostat between heating and cooling modes.

24. A method according to claim 18 wherein the display device is a touch sensitive display on mobile computing device.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the mobile computing device is a smartphone, and the user input indicating a selection of one of the plurality of setpoint symbols is made by the user touching a location of the display corresponding to the selected setpoint symbol.

26. A method according to claim 18 wherein the display device is a touch sensitive display on a tablet computer, and the user input indicating a selection of one of the plurality of setpoint symbols is made by the user touching a location of the display corresponding to the selected setpoint symbol.

27. A method according to claim 18 wherein the display device is a personal computer, and the user input indicating a selection of one of the plurality of setpoint symbols is made by the user clicking on a location corresponding to the selected day using a pointing device.