Occupancy pattern detection, estimation and prediction
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
- determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to a thermostat at the time of installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day;
monitoring, by the thermostat after installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, communication signals which indicate a likelihood of occupancy of the enclosure ranging from not occupied to occupied;
revising the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored communication signals; and
determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns,wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored communication signals.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are described for predicting and/or detecting occupancy of an enclosure, such as a dwelling or other building, which can be used for a number of applications. An a priori stochastic model of occupancy patterns based on information of the enclosure and/or the expected occupants of the enclosure is used to pre-seed an occupancy prediction engine. Along with data from an occupancy sensor, the occupancy prediction engine predicts future occupancy of the enclosure. Various systems and methods for detecting occupancy of an enclosure, such as a dwelling, are also described.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to a thermostat at the time of installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; monitoring, by the thermostat after installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, communication signals which indicate a likelihood of occupancy of the enclosure ranging from not occupied to occupied; revising the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored communication signals; and determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored communication signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to a thermostat at the time of installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; monitoring, by the thermostat after installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, sound pressure information which indicates a likelihood of occupancy of the enclosure ranging from not occupied to occupied; revising the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored pressure information; and determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored pressure information. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to a thermostat at the time of installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; monitoring, by the thermostat after installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, utility information for the enclosure which indicates a likelihood of occupancy of the enclosure ranging from not occupied to occupied; revising the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored utility information; and determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored utility information. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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a processing system adapted to determine a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to the processing system at the time of installation of the processing system in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; and a sensing system adapted to monitor, after installation of the sensing system in the enclosure, utility information for the enclosure which indicates a likelihood of occupancy of the enclosure ranging from not occupied to occupied; the processing system being further adapted to revise the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored utility information by the sensing system, and to determine a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored utility information. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to a thermostat at the time of installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; monitoring, by the thermostat after installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, motion information from a sensor; revising the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored motion information; and determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored motion information. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to a thermostat at the time of installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; monitoring, by the thermostat after installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, infrared signals within the enclosure which indicate operation of one or more infrared controllable devices; revising the model of occupancy patterns of the enclosure based at least in part on the monitored infrared signals; and determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored infrared signals. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A system for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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a processing system adapted to determine a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to the processing system at the time of installation of the processing system in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; and an infrared sensor adapted to monitor, after installation of the infrared sensor in the enclosure, infrared signals within the enclosure which indicate operation of one or more infrared controllable devices; the processing system being further adapted to revise the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored infrared signals by the infrared sensor, and to determine a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored infrared signals. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to a thermostat at the time of installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; monitoring, by the thermostat after installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, pressure information within the enclosure which indicates occupancy of the enclosure; revising the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored pressure information; and determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored pressure information. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. A system for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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a processing system adapted to determine a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to the processing system at the time of installation of the processing system in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; and a pressure sensor adapted to monitor, after installation of the pressure sensor in the enclosure, pressure information within the enclosure which indicates occupancy of the enclosure; the processing system being further adapted to revise the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored pressure information by the pressure sensor, and to determine a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored pressure information. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to a thermostat at the time of installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; monitoring, by the thermostat after installation of the thermostat in the enclosure, ambient light information within the enclosure which indicates occupancy of the enclosure; revising the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored ambient light information; and determining a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored ambient light information. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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44. A system for detecting occupancy of an enclosure comprising:
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a processing system adapted to determine a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on a pre-existing model of occupancy patterns, the pre-existing model being available to the processing system at the time of installation of the processing system in the enclosure, the model being indicative of a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from and arrive at the enclosure at certain times over the course of a day; and an ambient light sensor adapted to monitor, after installation of the ambient light sensor in the enclosure, ambient light information within the enclosure which indicates occupancy of the enclosure; the processing system being further adapted to revise the model of occupancy patterns based at least in part on the monitored ambient light information by the ambient light sensor, and to determine a probability that occupants of the enclosure will depart from or arrive at the enclosure at a certain time of the day based on the revised model of occupancy patterns, wherein the pre-existing model is generated based on a type of information other than the monitored ambient light information. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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Specification