System for learning equipment schedules

• US 8,855,793 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zuli, Inc.
• Inventors: Umphreys, Taylor Keith, Bhargava, Siddhant, Chang, Benjamin Jerming
• Primary Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/920,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 700 14- 16, 700/22, 700/47, 700275-278, 700295-296, 706/16, 706/52
• US Class Current: 700/47
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for learning equipment schedules based on user occupancy patterns and equipment usage patterns.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

for each user of a plurality of users;

identifying a plurality of different spaces occupied by the user at different times, wherein the identifying for the user is performed by a corresponding user device of the user;

determining one or more first times at which the user device of the user sends one or more commands to one or more pieces of equipment located in one or more of the different spaces, wherein the one or more commands to particular pieces of equipment are sent when the corresponding space is occupied by the user, and wherein the determining is performed by the user device of the user; and

deriving a schedule of equipment settings for the user based on, at least, the determined first times of the user;

determining, by the respective user device of a first user of the plurality of users, that the first user is located in a first space of the different spaces at a first time and, responsive to the determining, configuring one or more pieces of equipment located in the first space according to the respective schedule of equipment settings for the first user; and

determining, by the respective user device of a second user of the plurality of users, that the second user is located in a second space of the different spaces at a second time and, responsive to the determining, configuring one or more pieces of equipment located in the second space according to the respective schedule of equipment settings for the second user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying, for each of a plurality of users, a plurality of different spaces occupied by the user at different times, comprises:

wirelessly receiving information by the user device of the user from one or more other devices that are in range of the user device; and

determining that the user device is located in the respective space based on the received information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the respective schedule of equipment settings for a particular user of the plurality of users specifies one or more times that each correspond to one or more settings for one or more pieces of equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying one or more pieces of equipment that are in use during a period of time in which there is no occupancy of a space the piece of equipment is located in based on the occupancy times of the plurality of different spaces for each of the users and the first respective times for each of the users.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

scheduling the identified one or more pieces of equipment to be automatically turned off during the period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a time when a particular user is engaged in an activity while occupying a space; and

identifying one or more pieces of equipment in one or more spaces that are not needed for the activity.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

scheduling the identified pieces of equipment to be automatically turned off during the activity.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the activity is watching a movie, opening a window, playing a computer game, or playing music.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating energy use for the first user based on the first respective times of the first user;

calculating energy use for the second user based on the first respective times of the second user;

comparing the energy use of the first user and the second user and determining that the energy use of the first user is greater than the energy use of the second user; and

providing a suggestion for changing the respective schedule of equipment settings of the first user based on the respective schedule of equipment settings of the second user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the respective user devices are a smart phone or a tablet computer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first space and the second space are a same space and wherein configuring the one or more pieces of equipment for the same space depends on a priority between the respective user devices of the first user and the second user.

12. A system comprising:

data processing apparatus programmed to perform operations comprising;

for each user of a plurality of users;

identifying a plurality of different spaces occupied by the user at different times, wherein the identifying for the user is performed by corresponding user device of the user;

determining one or more first times at which the user device of the user sends one or more commands to one or more pieces of equipment located in one or more of the different spaces, wherein the one or more commands to particular pieces of equipment are sent when the corresponding space is occupied by the user, and wherein the determining is performed by the user device of the user; and

deriving a schedule of equipment settings for the user based on, at least, the determined first times of the user;

determining, by the respective user device of a first user of the plurality of users, that the first user is located in a first space of the different spaces at a first time and, responsive to the determining, configuring one or more pieces of equipment located in the first space according to the respective schedule of equipment settings for the first user; and

determining, by the respective user device of a second user of the plurality of users, that the second user is located in a second space of the different spaces at a second time and, responsive to the determining, configuring one or more pieces of equipment located in the second space according to the respective schedule of equipment settings for the second user.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein identifying, for each of a plurality of users, a plurality of different spaces occupied by the user at different times, comprises:

wirelessly receiving information by the user device of the user from one or more other devices that are in range of the user device; and

determining that the user device is located in the respective space based on the received information.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the respective schedule of equipment settings for a particular user of the plurality of users specifies one or more times that each correspond to one or more settings for one or more pieces of equipment.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying one or more pieces of equipment that are in use during a period of time in which there is no occupancy of a space the piece of equipment is located in based on the occupancy times of the plurality of different spaces for each of the users and the first respective times for each of the users.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

scheduling the identified one or more pieces of equipment to be automatically turned off during the period of time.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a time when a particular user is engaged in an activity while occupying a space; and

identifying one or more pieces of equipment in one or more spaces that are not needed for the activity.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

scheduling the identified pieces of equipment to be automatically turned off during the activity.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the activity is watching a movie, opening a window, playing a computer game, or playing music.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

calculating energy use for the first user based on the first respective times of the first user;

calculating energy use for the second user based on the first respective times of the second user;

comparing the energy use of the first user and the second user and determining that the energy use of the first user is greater than the energy use of the second user; and

providing a suggestion for changing the respective schedule of equipment settings of the first user based on the respective schedule of equipment settings of the second user.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein one or more of the respective user devices are a smart phone or a tablet computer.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by data processing apparatus, perform operations comprising:

for each of a plurality of users;

identifying a plurality of different spaces occupied by the user at different times, wherein the identifying for the user is performed by a corresponding user device of the user;

determining one or more first times at which the user device of the user sends one or more commands to one or more pieces of equipment located in one or more of the different spaces, wherein the one or more commands to particular pieces of equipment are sent when the corresponding space is occupied by the user, and wherein the determining is performed by the user device of the user; and

deriving a schedule of equipment settings for the user based on, at least, the determined first times of the user;

determining, by the respective user device of a first user of the plurality of users, that the first user is located in a first space of the different spaces at a first time and, responsive to the determining, configuring one or more pieces of equipment located in the first space according to the respective schedule of equipment settings for the first user; and

determining, by the respective user device of a second user of the plurality of users, that the second user is located in a second space of the different spaces at a second time and, responsive to the determining, configuring one or more pieces of equipment located in the second space according to the respective schedule of equipment settings for the second user.

23. The storage medium of claim 22 wherein identifying, for each of a plurality of users, a plurality of different spaces occupied by the user at different times, comprises:

wirelessly receiving information by the user device of the user from one or more other devices that are in range of the user device; and

determining that the user device is located in the respective space based on the received information.

24. The storage medium of claim 22 wherein the respective schedule of equipment settings for a particular user of the plurality of users specifies one or more times that each correspond to one or more settings for one or more pieces of equipment.

25. The storage medium of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying one or more pieces of equipment that are in use during a period of time in which there is no occupancy of a space the piece of equipment is located in based on the occupancy times of the plurality of different respective spaces for each of the users and the first respective times for each of the users.

26. The storage medium of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise:

scheduling the identified one or more pieces of equipment to be automatically turned off during the period of time.

27. The storage medium of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a time when a particular user is engaged in an activity while occupying a space; and

identifying one or more pieces of equipment in one or more spaces that are not needed for the activity.

28. The storage medium of claim 27, wherein the operations further comprise:

scheduling the identified pieces of equipment to be automatically turned off during the activity.

29. The storage medium of claim 27 wherein the activity is watching a movie, opening a window, playing a computer game, or playing music.

30. The storage medium of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise:

calculating energy use for the first user based on the first respective times of the first user;

calculating energy use for the second user based on the first respective times of the second user;

comparing the energy use of the first user and the second user and determining that the energy use of the first user is greater than the energy use of the second user; and

providing a suggestion for changing the respective schedule of equipment settings of the first user based on the respective schedule of equipment settings of the second user.

31. The storage medium of claim 22 wherein one or more of the respective user devices are a smart phone or a tablet computer.