METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GEOPOSITION-BASED CONTROL OF SYSTEMS AFFECTED BY DELAYS

• US 20150185721A1
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: tado GmbH
• Original Assignee: Tado Gmbj
• Inventors: Deilmann, Christian, Schwarz, Johannes, Munnix, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,012,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Method and device for controlling a system state of a stationary system affected by delays as a function of a variable geoposition of a person, wherein the system is to have reached a predefined presence state when the person arrives at the location of the system. The method comprises: determining the geoposition of the person; estimating the time period needed by the person from the determined geoposition until arrival at the location of the system; and specifying a reference state for changing the current system state, wherein the reference state for reaching the presence state within the estimated time period is determined as a function of the predefined presence state, the performance capability of the system and the estimated time period. The device comprises similarly designed means for determining the geoposition, estimating the time period and specifying the reference state.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a system state of a stationary system affected by delays as a function of a variable geoposition of a person, wherein the system is to have reached a predefined presence state when the person arrives at the location of the system, the method comprising:

determining the geoposition of the person;

estimating the time period needed by the person from the determined geoposition until arrival at the location of the system; and

specifying a reference state for changing the current system state, wherein the reference state for reaching the presence state within the estimated time period is determined as a function of the predefined presence state, the performance capability of the system and the estimated time period.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein estimating the time period comprises determining a journey duration between the determined geoposition of the person and the location of the system, wherein optionally the estimation of the journey duration is realised by applying a navigation/routing algorithm.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein estimating the time period further comprises determining a waiting time that the person is anticipated to spend at a geoposition before he sets off for the location of the system, wherein the determined geoposition is compared for this purpose with stored geoposition locations, for each of which at least one leaving time has been previously saved, wherein if the determined geoposition and one of the stored geoposition locations coincide, the time period between the current clock time and the next, in temporal terms, statistically relevant leaving time saved for this geoposition location represents the waiting time.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein determining the journey duration comprises reverting back to a previously saved journey duration or average speed, wherein for this purpose the determined geoposition is compared with stored geoposition locations, for each of which a journey duration or an average speed between the stationary system and the determined geoposition location has been previously saved, wherein if the determined geoposition and one of the stored geoposition locations coincide, the saved journey duration or average speed for this geoposition location is used to determine the journey duration.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the performance capability of the system is described by a previously determined gradient which represents a measure for reaching a reference state per time unit in response to a change in the reference state.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the control of the stationary system is realised on the basis of the geopositions of a plurality of persons and a time period is estimated for each person, wherein the specifying of a reference state is realised on the shortest estimated time period.

8. Method according to claim 4, wherein a stored geoposition location is characterised in that the person has in the past remained there for a certain duration and set off from there for the location of the system.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the stationary system is a heating system, an air conditioning system, an energy storage system, a hot water boiler, an energy storage device of an electric vehicle or a heated or air conditioned room, a heated, cooled or air conditioned home, or a heated, cooled or air conditioned building, wherein the system state is a room temperature, a storage device state, a temperature, a water temperature or a state of charge.

10. Method according to claim 6, wherein the gradient describes the cooling or heating behaviour over time of a room, a home or a building, or the charging behaviour over time of an energy storage system.

11. Method according to claim 5, wherein a stored geoposition location is characterised in that the person has in the past remained there for a certain duration and set off from there for the location of the system.

2. (canceled)

12. A device for controlling a system state of a stationary system affected by delays as a function of a variable geoposition of a person, wherein the system is to have reached a predefined presence state when the person arrives at the location of the system, comprising:

means for determining the geoposition of the person;

means for estimating a time period needed by the person from the determined geoposition until arrival at the location of the system; and

means for specifying a reference state for changing the current system state, wherein the reference state for reaching the presence state within the estimated time period is determined as a function of the predefined presence state, the performance capability of the system and the estimated time period.

13. Device according to claim 12, wherein estimating the time period comprises determining a journey duration between the determined geoposition of the person and the location of the system, wherein optionally the estimation of the journey duration is realised by applying a navigation/routing algorithm.

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein estimating the time period further comprises determining a waiting time that the person is anticipated to spend at a geoposition before he sets off for the location of the system, wherein the determined geoposition is compared for this purpose with stored geoposition locations, for each of which at least one leaving time has been previously saved, wherein if the determined geoposition and one of the stored geoposition locations coincide, the time period between the current clock time and the next, in temporal terms, statistically relevant leaving time saved for this geoposition location represents the waiting time.

15. Device according to claim 13, wherein determining the journey duration comprises reverting back to a previously saved journey duration or average speed, wherein for this purpose the determined geoposition is compared with stored geoposition locations, for each of which a journey duration or an average speed between the stationary system and the determined geoposition location has been previously saved, wherein if the determined geoposition and one of the stored geoposition locations coincide, the saved journey duration or average speed for this geoposition location is used to determine the journey duration.

16. Device according to claim 12, wherein the performance capability of the system is described by a previously determined gradient which represents a measure for reaching a reference state per time unit in response to a change in the reference state.

17. Device according to claim 12, wherein the control of the stationary system is realised on the basis of the geopositions of a plurality of persons and a time period is estimated for each person, wherein the specifying of a reference state is realised on the shortest estimated time period.

19. Device according to claim 14, wherein a stored geoposition location is characterised in that the person has in the past remained there for a certain duration and set off from there for the location of the system.

20. Device according to claim 12, wherein the stationary system is a heating system, an air conditioning system, an energy storage system, a hot water boiler, an energy storage device of an electric vehicle or a heated or air conditioned room, a heated, cooled or air conditioned home, or a heated, cooled or air conditioned building, wherein the system state is a room temperature, a storage device state, a temperature, a water temperature or a state of charge.

21. Device according to claim 16, wherein the gradient describes the cooling or heating behaviour over time of a room, a home or a building, or the charging behaviour over time of an energy storage system.