USER LOCATION BASED CONTROL OF COMFORT DEVICES

• US 20160054020A1
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellihot Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intellihot Inc.
• Inventors: Deivasigamani, Sridhar, Akasam, Sivaprasad
• Granted Patent: US 10,082,310 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 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy

Abstract

A method of controlling a comfort device having at least one effector capable of meeting the demand of at least a user, the method includes establishing at least one zone in which at least one service of a comfort device is provided; associating the at least one effector of the comfort device with the least one zone; determining the presence of the at least one user in the at least one zone; and controlling the comfort device to meet the demand of the at least one user.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a comfort device having at least one effector capable of meeting the demand of at least a user, said method comprising steps of:

(a) establishing at least one zone in which at least one service of a comfort device is provided;

(b) associating the at least one effector of said comfort device with said least one zone;

(c) determining the presence of the at least one user in said at least one zone; and

(d) controlling the comfort device to meet the demand of the at least one user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises comparing a user location obtained via a mobile device to the location of said at least one zone.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said mobile device is a device selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), an electronic pad, a smart phone, a key fob, a tablet and a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the demand of the at least one user is weighted.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling step comprises controlling the comfort device without considering the magnitude of the demand of the at least one user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling step comprises controlling the comfort device based on the magnitude of the demand of the at least one user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the demand of the at least one user further comprises a base demand.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing step comprises establishing an imaginary wall representing an entrance to said at least one zone and a point representing the side of said imaginary wall said at least one zone is disposed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing step comprises establishing a reference location and a boundary disposed at a pre-selected distance from said reference location to define said at least one zone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing step comprises detecting a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the comfort device is a device selected from the group consisting of a water heating system, a space heating system and a space cooling system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises detecting a motion within said at least one zone.

13. A method of controlling a comfort device having at least one effector capable of meeting the demand of at least a user, said method comprising steps of:

(a) establishing at least one zone in which at least one service of a comfort device is provided;

(b) associating the at least one effector of said comfort device with said least one zone;

(c) determining the presence of the at least one user in said at least one zone, wherein said determining step comprising comparing a user location obtained via a mobile device to the location of said at least one zone; and

(d) controlling the comfort device to meet the demand of the at least one user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the demand of the at least one user is weighted.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said controlling step comprises controlling the comfort device based on the magnitude of the demand of the at least one user.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the demand of the at least one user further comprises a base demand.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said establishing step comprises establishing an imaginary wall representing an entrance to said at least one zone and a point representing the side of said imaginary wall said at least one zone is disposed.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said establishing step comprises establishing a reference location and a boundary disposed at a pre-selected distance from said reference location to define said at least one zone.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said establishing step comprises detecting a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein said determining step further comprises detecting a motion within said at least one zone.