BACKGROUND SCHEDULE SIMULATIONS IN AN INTELLIGENT, NETWORK-CONNECTED THERMOSTAT

• US 20130274928A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nest Labs Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: MATSUOKA, Yoky, MALHOTRA, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,417,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that initially aggressively learn, and then continue, in a steady-state mode, to monitor, learn, and modify one or more control schedules that specify a desired operational behavior of a device, machine, system, or organization controlled by the intelligent controller. An intelligent controller generally acquires one or more initial control schedules through schedule-creation and schedule-modification interfaces or by accessing a default control schedule stored locally or remotely in a memory or mass-storage device. The intelligent controller then proceeds to learn, over time, a desired operational behavior for the device, machine, system, or organization controlled by the intelligent controller based on immediate-control inputs, schedule-modification inputs, and previous and current control schedules, encoding the desired operational behavior in one or more control schedules and/or sub-schedules.

Claims

1. A method for promoting energy efficiency in association with an HVAC system of a climate controlled enclosure, the HVAC system being controlled by a network-connected thermostat having a user interface controllable by a user, the method comprising:

receiving a first HVAC schedule comprising a plurality of setpoints, each setpoint comprising an indication of a setpoint time and a setpoint temperature for the climate controlled enclosure;

operating, over a period of time, the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule;

measuring, over said period of time, an actual ambient temperature in the climate controlled enclosure;

receiving an update corresponding to at least one of;

a real-time setpoint change, a schedule change, and an occupancy profile, wherein the real-time setpoint change comprises a desired temperature for immediate implementation entered by the user using the user interface during the period of time, wherein the schedule change comprises at least one of (i) a change to the setpoint temperature or setpoint time of one or more setpoints of said first HVAC schedule, (ii) the removal of the one or more setpoints from the first HVAC schedule, and (iii) the addition of one or more new setpoints to the first HVAC schedule, and wherein the occupancy profile comprises indications over said period of time of whether one or more occupants is present in the climate controlled enclosure;

processing said received update in conjunction with said first HVAC schedule to generate a second HVAC schedule representative of what would have been generated by a first automated schedule learning algorithm operating over said period of time;

subsequent to said period of time, generating a cost difference indicator corresponding to a cost difference between an actual cost of operating the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule over said period of time and a hypothetical cost of operating the HVAC system according to the second HVAC schedule over said period of time and

displaying said cost difference indicator to the user using said user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said user interface is remote.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input indicating one of;

desired activation of an automated learning algorithm; and

desired non-activation of said automated learning algorithm; and

performing the other steps of claim 1 if the automatic learning algorithm is not activated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a first runtime profile indicating the time intervals for which the HVAC system was actively heating or cooling over the time period.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining the energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said first runtime profile.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the energy consumed by the HVAC system comprises receiving an indicator of a relationship between HVAC system energy consumption and said first runtime profile.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said generating the cost difference indicator comprises:

receiving outside temperature data for said period of time corresponding to ambient temperature in an area outside the climate controlled enclosure;

processing said actual ambient temperature in the enclosure over the period of time in conjunction with the outside temperature over the period of time and said first runtime profile to generate a thermal model of the enclosure;

processing said outside temperature data in conjunction with said thermal model of the enclosure and said second HVAC schedule to generate a second runtime profile.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said generating the cost difference indicator further comprises:

determining the actual cost of operating the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule over said period of time using the determined energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said first runtime profile;

determining the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said second runtime profile over said period of time; and

determining the hypothetical cost of operating the HVAC system according to the second HVAC schedule over said period of time using the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said second runtime profile over said period of time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determination of the actual cost of operating the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule over said period of time further uses the a measure of per unit energy cost.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the measure of per unit energy cost comprises actual per unit energy cost data collected over said time period.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the measure of per unit energy cost comprises estimated per unit energy cost data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a thermostat.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying said cost difference indicator to the user further comprises displaying a query to the user as to whether the HVAC system should operate according to said second HVAC schedule.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to operate the HVAC system according to said second HVAC schedule; and

transitioning to operating the HVAC system according to said second HVAC schedule over a transition period.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transition period comprises two weeks.

16. A method for promoting energy efficiency in association with an HVAC system of a climate controlled enclosure, the HVAC system being controlled by a network-connected thermostat having a user interface controllable by a user, the method comprising:

measuring an actual ambient temperature in a climate controlled enclosure over a period of time;

generating a plurality of control signals over said period of time according to at least one of a first HVAC schedule and an update, wherein the first HVAC schedule comprises a plurality of setpoints, each setpoint comprising an indication of a setpoint time and a desired setpoint temperature for the climate controlled enclosure, wherein the update comprises at least one of a real-time setpoint change, a schedule change, and an occupancy profile, and wherein the control signals direct the operation of an HVAC system;

determining the actual energy consumed by operating the HVAC system according to the plurality of control signals over said period of time;

receiving data indicative of the ambient temperature of an area outside the climate controlled enclosure;

processing said actual ambient temperature in the enclosure over said period of time in conjunction with the outside temperature over said period of time and said control signals to generate a thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure;

generating a hypothetical runtime profile from the first HVAC schedule, said period of time, said update, said thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure, the actual ambient temperature in the climate controlled enclosure, and the data indicative of the temperature of the ambient temperature of the area outside the climate controlled enclosure;

calculating the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said hypothetical runtime profile during said period of time;

generating an indicator of the difference between the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system and the actual energy consumed by the HVAC system for said period of time;

providing the indicator of the difference to a user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising processing said received update in conjunction with said first HVAC schedule to generate a second HVAC schedule representative of what would have been generated by a first automated schedule learning algorithm operating over said period of time.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said processing to generate a thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure further comprises:

calculating a temperature response of the climate controlled enclosure, wherein the temperature response comprises a speed with which the actual ambient temperature of said climate controlled enclosure approaches the ambient temperature of the area outside the climate controlled enclosure; and

calculating a thermal property of the climate controlled enclosure.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said thermal property of the climate controlled enclosure comprises an insulative property of the climate controlled enclosure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said insulative property is calculated from the temperature response, the actual ambient temperature of the climate controlled enclosure, and the data indicative of the ambient temperature of the area outside the climate controlled enclosure.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the indicator of the difference between the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system and the actual energy consumed by the HVAC system is an indicator of the price difference between\the actual energy consumed and the hypothetical energy consumed.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying a query as to whether to operate the HVAC system according to the second HVAC schedule.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to operate the HVAC system according to said second HVAC schedule; and

transitioning to operating the HVAC system according to said second HVAC schedule over a transition period.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the method is performed by a thermostat.

25. A system for promoting energy efficiency in association with an HVAC system of a climate controlled enclosure, the HVAC system being controlled by a network-connected thermostat having a user interface controllable by a user, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to measure ambient temperature in a climate controlled enclosure; and

a processor configured to;

request measurement of an actual ambient temperature in a climate controlled enclosure over a period of time;

generate a plurality of control signals over said period of time according to at least one of a first HVAC schedule and an update, wherein the first HVAC schedule comprises a plurality of setpoints, each setpoint comprising an indication of a setpoint time and a desired setpoint temperature for the climate controlled enclosure, wherein the update comprises at least one of a real-time setpoint change, a schedule change, and an occupancy profile, and wherein the control signals direct the operation of an HVAC system;

determine the actual energy consumed by operating the HVAC system according to the plurality of control signals over said period of time;

receive data indicative of the ambient temperature of an area outside the climate controlled enclosure;

process said actual ambient temperature in the enclosure over said period of time in conjunction with the outside temperature over said period of time and said control signals to generate a thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure;

generate a hypothetical runtime profile from the first HVAC schedule, said period of time, said update, said thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure, the actual ambient temperature in the climate controlled enclosure, and the data indicative of the temperature of the ambient temperature of the area outside the climate controlled enclosure;

calculate the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said hypothetical runtime profile during said period of time;

generate an indicator of the difference between the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system and the actual energy consumed by the HVAC system for said period of time; and

provide the indicator of the difference to a user.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a thermostat, wherein the processor is located in the thermostat.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to process said received update in conjunction with said first HVAC schedule to generate a second HVAC schedule representative of what would have been generated by a first automated schedule learning algorithm operating over said period of time.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate a temperature response of the climate controlled enclosure, wherein the temperature response comprises a speed with which the actual ambient temperature of said climate controlled enclosure approaches the ambient temperature of the area outside the climate controlled enclosure; and

calculate a thermal property of the climate controlled enclosure.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the indicator of the difference between the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system and the actual energy consumed by the HVAC system is an indicator of the price difference between\the actual energy consumed and the hypothetical energy consumed.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an instruction to operate the HVAC system according to said second HVAC schedule; and

transition to operating the HVAC system according to said second HVAC schedule over a transition period.