REMOTE DEVICE CONTROL AND ENERGY MONITORING BY ANALYZING DATA AND APPLYING RULES

• US 20130234840A1
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trundle, Stephen Scott, Slavin, Alison Jane, Martin, Jean-Paul, Hutz, David James
• Granted Patent: US 8,674,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.53
• 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/16 in which transmission is by pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing remote device (e.g., thermostat, lighting, appliance, etc.) control and/or energy monitoring. A system monitors sensor data captured by one or more sensors that sense attributes relevant to user presence at one or more monitored properties and status of one or more energy consuming devices associated with the one or more monitored properties. The system analyzes the monitored sensor data and the monitored device status with respect to a set of one or more rules and performs an operation related to controlling the one or more energy consuming devices based on the analysis of the monitored sensor data and the monitored device status with respect to the set of one or more rules.

Claims

1. A method for performing an operation related to controlling an energy consuming device, the method comprising:

determining status of an energy consuming device that is located within a property monitored by a monitoring system;

determining a geographic location of a user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system;

determining an operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device; and

performing, using at least one processor, the determined operation related to controlling the energy consuming device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing sensor data captured by one or more sensors that sense attributes relevant to user presence at the property monitored by the monitoring system,

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining an operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the accessed sensor data captured by one or more sensors that sense attributes relevant to user presence at the property monitored by the monitoring system, the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system, and the determined status of the energy consuming device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises:

determining a distance of the user from the property based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system,

comparing the distance of the user from the property to a threshold distance from the property,

determining that the user is within the threshold distance from the property based on the comparison, and

determining to control the energy consuming device to prepare the property for occupation based on the determination that the user is within the threshold distance from the property.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises:

determining a distance of the user from the property based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system,

comparing the distance of the user from the property to a threshold distance from the property,

determining that the user is outside the threshold distance from the property based on the comparison, and

determining to control the energy consuming device to conserve energy based on the determination that the user is within the threshold distance from the property.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining the geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining a series of geographic locations of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises;

determining a direction in which the user is traveling based on the series of geographic locations of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system,

determining that the user is traveling toward the property based on the determined direction in which the user is traveling, and

determining to control the energy consuming device to prepare the property for occupation based on the determination that the user is traveling toward the property.

6. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining the geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining a series of geographic locations of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises;

determining a direction in which the user is traveling based on the series of geographic locations of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system,

determining that the user is traveling away from the property based on the determined direction in which the user is traveling, and

determining to control the energy consuming device to conserve energy based on the determination that the user is traveling away from the property.

7. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining the geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining geographic locations of multiple users associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises determining an operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic locations of the multiple users associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device.

8. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining status of the energy consuming device that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining a temperature setting of a thermostat that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises determining an operation related to changing the temperature setting of the thermostat based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined temperature setting of the thermostat.

9. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining status of the energy consuming device that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining an operational state of a lighting device that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises determining an operation related to changing the operational state of the lighting device based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined operational state of the lighting device.

10. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining status of the energy consuming device that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining an operational state of an oven that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises determining an operation related to changing the operational state of the oven based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined operational state of the oven.

11. A monitoring system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

determining status of an energy consuming device that is located within a property monitored by a monitoring system;

determining a geographic location of a user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system;

determining an operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device; and

performing the determined operation related to controlling the energy consuming device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise accessing sensor data captured by one or more sensors that sense attributes relevant to user presence at the property monitored by the monitoring system,

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining an operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the accessed sensor data captured by one or more sensors that sense attributes relevant to user presence at the property monitored by the monitoring system, the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system, and the determined status of the energy consuming device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises:

determining a distance of the user from the property based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system,

comparing the distance of the user from the property to a threshold distance from the property,

determining that the user is within the threshold distance from the property based on the comparison, and

determining to control the energy consuming device to prepare the property for occupation based on the determination that the user is within the threshold distance from the property.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises:

determining a distance of the user from the property based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system,

comparing the distance of the user from the property to a threshold distance from the property,

determining that the user is outside the threshold distance from the property based on the comparison, and

determining to control the energy consuming device to conserve energy based on the determination that the user is within the threshold distance from the property.

15. The system of claim 11:

wherein determining the geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining a series of geographic locations of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises;

determining a direction in which the user is traveling based on the series of geographic locations of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system,

determining that the user is traveling toward the property based on the determined direction in which the user is traveling, and

determining to control the energy consuming device to prepare the property for occupation based on the determination that the user is traveling toward the property.

16. The system of claim 11:

wherein determining the geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining a series of geographic locations of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises;

determining a direction in which the user is traveling based on the series of geographic locations of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system,

determining that the user is traveling away from the property based on the determined direction in which the user is traveling, and

determining to control the energy consuming device to conserve energy based on the determination that the user is traveling away from the property.

17. The system of claim 11:

wherein determining the geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining geographic locations of multiple users associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises determining an operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic locations of the multiple users associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device.

18. The system of claim 11:

wherein determining status of the energy consuming device that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining a temperature setting of a thermostat that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises determining an operation related to changing the temperature setting of the thermostat based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined temperature setting of the thermostat.

19. The system of claim 11:

wherein determining status of the energy consuming device that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining an operational state of a lighting device that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises determining an operation related to changing the operational state of the lighting device based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined operational state of the lighting device.

20. The system of claim 11:

wherein determining status of the energy consuming device that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system comprises determining an operational state of an oven that is located within the property monitored by the monitoring system; and

wherein determining the operation related to controlling the energy consuming device in the property monitored by the monitoring system based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined status of the energy consuming device comprises determining an operation related to changing the operational state of the oven based on the determined geographic location of the user associated with the property monitored by the monitoring system and the determined operational state of the oven.