Occupancy-based Service Delivery Systems and Methods

• US 20160040902A1
• Filed: 08/06/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yogendra C Shah
• Original Assignee: Yogendra C Shah
• Inventors: Shah, Yogendra C.
• Granted Patent: US 11,105,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An occupancy detector provides for an automated means of detecting the location of an occupant. Methods to determine with a high degree of certainty if a user is at (or occupying) a specific physical location or region are provided, using a wide variety of radio signaling technologies readily available on a wide scale due to the prevalence of wireless radio communications systems. The occupancy detector may be used to deliver a variety of services from targeted advertising in a supermarket to home automation systems. An example of a system for controlling the climate in a dwelling comprising multiple zones representing small areas such as for example rooms is described using the occupancy detection algorithms.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining a location of a wireless communications device, comprising:

determining the identity of at least one target radio transceiver within listening range of the wireless communications device;

determining a zone within which the at least one target radio transceiver is residing;

determining a calibration received power for the at least one target radio transceiver at a calibration position;

determining a received power, at the wireless communications device, of the at least one target radio transceiver; and

determining if the wireless communications device is occupying or not occupying the zone or a position in the zone based on the determined received powers.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a calibration distance for the at least one target radio transceiver at the calibration position;

determining a distance from the wireless communications device to the at least one target radio transceiver; and

determining if the wireless communications device is occupying or not occupying the zone or a position in the zone based on the determined distances.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an occupant possesses the wireless communications device, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining a position of the occupant based on the location of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the occupant has entered the zone;

determining that the occupant has entered the zone for a substantial period of time; and

adjusting a target climate condition in the zone to a desired comfort level for the occupant.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

determining that there is at least one other occupant in the zone; and

adjusting the target climate condition in the zone to a desired common comfort level for the occupant and the at least one other occupant.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the occupant has left the zone;

determining that the occupant has left the zone for a substantial period of time;

determining that the zone is occupied by at least one other occupant; and

adjusting a target climate condition in the zone to the desired comfort level for the at least one other occupant.

7. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the occupant has left the zone;

determining that the occupant has left the zone for a substantial period of time;

determining that the zone is unoccupied; and

adjusting a target climate condition in the zone to an unoccupied setting to conserve energy by reducing the need to condition the climate in the zone.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the zone is located within a dwelling, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the occupant has left the dwelling;

determining that the occupant has left the dwelling for a substantial period of time;

determining that the dwelling is unoccupied; and

adjusting the target climate condition in the zone and all other zones of the dwelling to a maintenance setting to further conserve energy than the unoccupied setting.

9. A computer-implemented method for controlling the climate in at least one zone of a dwelling comprising at least two zones, the method comprising:

determining a target climate condition in the at least one zone;

determining that the climate condition in the at least one zone is not at the target climate condition; and

adjusting a climate control in the at least one zone so as to bring the climate condition in the at least one zone toward the target climate condition.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining that a Heating and Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) system of the dwelling needs to be turned on to establish the target climate condition in the at least one zone; and

turning the HVAC system on to bring the climate in the at least one zone to the target climate condition.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting a flow of conditioned air in the at least one zone through at least one motor controlled register vent, wherein the adjusting comprises one of;

opening the at least one motor controlled register vent to enable the flow of air into the at least one zone;

closing the at least one motor controlled register vent to block the flow of air into the at least one zone;

or

partially opening the at least one motor controlled register vent to modulate the flow of air into the at least one zone.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting a flow of conditioned air through at least one room vent in the at least one zone, the at least one room vent being connected to a duct equipped with a motor controlled damper, wherein the adjusting comprises one of;

opening the damper to enable the flow of air through the at least one room vent;

closing the damper to block the flow of air through the at least one room vent;

or

partially opening the damper to modulate the flow of air through the at least one room vent.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the air condition in another zone other than the at least one zone is of sufficient condition to bring the climate in the at least one zone to the target climate condition;

determining that the another zone is unoccupied; and

directing the flow of air from the another zone to the at least one zone.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

performing control of the environment in the another zone by adjusting a return air flow through at least one return vent, wherein the adjusting is performed using at least a motor controlled return vent or a motor controlled damper.

15. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the air condition outside the dwelling, within which the climate is being controlled, is of sufficient condition to bring the climate in the at least one zone to the target comfort level; and

directing the flow of air from outside the dwelling into the at least one zone.

16. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the climate condition in the one or more zones under the control of an HVAC system of the dwelling are at their individual target climate condition;

determining that the HVAC system may be turned off; and

turning the HVAC system off.

17. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the target climate condition includes a temperature and wherein the method further comprises:

determining the temperature in the at least one zone;

determining that the temperature in the at least one zone is not at the temperature of the target climate condition; and

adjusting the flow of conditioned air in the at least one zone so as to bring the temperature in the at least one zone toward the temperature of the target climate condition.

18. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the target climate condition includes a humidity level and wherein the method further comprises:

determining the humidity level in the at least one zone;

determining that the humidity level in the at least one zone is not at the humidity level of the target climate condition; and

turning the humidifier or dehumidifier on to bring the humidity level in the at least one zone toward the humidity level of the target climate condition.

19. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the target climate condition includes a lighting condition and wherein the method further comprises:

adjusting the lighting in the at least one zone so as to set the lighting condition in the at least one zone to the lighting condition of the target climate condition.

20. A computing system comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing system to:

determine the identity of at least one target radio transceiver within listening range of a wireless communications device;

determine a zone within which the at least one target radio transceiver is residing;

determine a calibration received power for the at least one target radio transceiver at a calibration position;

determine a received power, at the wireless communications device, of the at least one target radio transceiver; and

determine if the wireless communications device is occupying or not occupying the zone or a position in the zone based on the determined powers.