PROCESSING AND REPORTING USAGE INFORMATION FOR AN HVAC SYSTEM CONTROLLED BY A NETWORK- CONNECTED THERMOSTAT
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Abstract
Systems and methods are described for interactively, graphically displaying and reporting performance information to a user of an HVAC system controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat. The information is made on a remote display device such as a smartphone, tablet computer or other computer, and includes a graphical daily or monthly summary each of several days or months respectively. In response to a user selection of a day, detailed performance information is graphically displayed that can include an indication of HVAC activity on a timeline, the number of hours of HVAC activity, as well as one or more symbols on a timeline indicating setpoint changes, and when a setpoint was changed due to non-occupancy.
35 Citations
54 Claims
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1-37. -37. (canceled)
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38. A method for characterizing the operation of an HVAC system controlled by an HVAC controller, the method comprising:
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receiving first historical data representative of actual HVAC usage by said HVAC system for each of a first historical time interval and a second historical time interval;
processing said first historical data to determine an HVAC usage difference between said first historical time interval and said second historical time interval;receiving second historical data representative of one or more parameters characterizing each of a preselected plurality of causative agents over each of said first and second historical time intervals, each said causative agent being known to at least partially influence HVAC usage by said HVAC system; processing said first and second historical data to generate, for each said causative agent, a model that characterizes a relationship between said one or more causative agent parameters and an associated HVAC usage estimate of said HVAC system; processing said second historical data in conjunction with said plurality of causative agent models to compute a relative contribution of each of said causative agents toward said HVAC usage difference between said first and second historical time intervals; generating an energy usage report that includes at least (i) said HVAC usage difference between said first and second historical time intervals, and (ii) an attribution of a primary causative agent from said plurality of causative agents as a primary reason for said HVAC usage difference, wherein said primary causative agent has the highest relative contribution from said plurality of causative agents toward said HVAC usage difference; and displaying said energy usage report on an electronic display. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for generating an energy usage report for an HVAC system controlled by a programmable thermostat, the method comprising:
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gathering data on plurality of metrics related to energy consumption by said HVAC system during a time period; modeling a plurality of candidate contributors using data on said plurality of metrics for said time period to form a plurality of candidate models, wherein at least one of said plurality of candidate contributors is potentially qualified for causing usage or non-usage of said HVAC system during said time period; determining qualified candidate contributors from each of said plurality of candidate models, wherein said qualified candidate contributors are attributed to cause usage or non-usage of said HVAC system during said time period; quantifying an estimated HVAC usage or non-usage during said time period for at least one of said qualified candidate contributors from at least one of said plurality of candidate models; and reporting at least said estimated HVAC usage or non-usage for said at least one qualified candidate contributor on said energy usage report. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification