CONTROLLING A BUILDING SYSTEM BASED ON REAL TIME EVENTS

• US 20150323915A1
• Filed: 05/07/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Warren, Jeremy B., Bunker, Brandon, Lyman, Jefferson, Hwang, Jungtaik
• Granted Patent: US 11,099,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for controlling parameters in a building. According to at least one embodiment, a method for controlling a building system includes using at least one sensor to detect occupancy in a building over time, determining a predictive schedule based on the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor, and associate real time events that occur simultaneously with an occupancy state of the predictive schedule.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a building system, comprising:

detecting occupancy in a building over a time period using at least one sensor;

determining a predictive schedule based at least in part on the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor; and

associating a real time event that occurs simultaneously with an occupancy state of the predictive schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deducing an unoccupied state of the building.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein deducing the unoccupied state of the building comprises sensing a door event.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein deducing the unoccupied state of the building comprises a lack of stimulus to the at least one sensor.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein deducing the unoccupied state of the building is based at least in part on the predictive schedule.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining an increased confidence that the unoccupied state is accurate in response to a simultaneous occurrence of the real time event.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

adjusting a building parameter based at least in part on the increased confidence of the unoccupied state.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the building parameter is a climate parameter.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the building parameter is a lighting parameter.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the building parameter is a security parameter.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

predicting a transition time from the unoccupied state to an occupied state based on the simultaneous occurrence of the real time event.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the real time event is a location device being in a specific location.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the real time event is a location device heading in a specific direction.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the real time event is detected with a location device incorporated into a mobile device.

15. A computing device configured for controlling parameters in a building, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

detect occupancy in a building over a time period using at least one sensor;

determine a predictive schedule based at least in part on the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor; and

associate a real time event that occurs simultaneously with an occupancy state of the predictive schedule.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

deduce an unoccupied state of the building.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine with an increased confidence that the unoccupied state is accurate based on a simultaneous occurrence of the real time event.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

adjust a building parameter in response to determining the increased confidence of the unoccupied state.

19. A computer-program product for controlling parameters in a building, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions being executable by a processor to:

detect occupancy in a building over a time period using at least one sensor;

determine a predictive schedule based at least in part on the occupancy detected with the at least one sensor;

identify a real time event that occurs simultaneously with an occupancy state of the predictive schedule;

deduce an unoccupied state of the building;

determine with an increased confidence that the unoccupied state is accurate based on a simultaneous occurrence of the real time event; and

adjust a building parameter in response to determining the increased confidence of the unoccupied state.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the real time event is detected with a location device incorporated into a mobile device.