Intuitive scheduling for energy management devices

• US 9,154,001 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Dharwada, Pallavi, Derby, Paul, Graber, Wendy Foslien, Thiruvengada, Hari, Tharanathan, Anand, Kolavennu, Soumitri N.
• Primary Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US13/111,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 345/104, 345/173, 700/83, 700/275, 700/276, 700/291, 700/296, 700/299, 700/300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

An energy management device providing a series of user interface enhancements that enable the creation and modification of energy management schedules. The energy management device may provide these user interface enhancements in connection with a touch screen interface, as the user interface receives and processes a variety of touch screen gestures from users intended to create and manipulate the energy management schedules. The user interface enhancements may include calendar views with customizable periods of interest, calendar views with overlays of scheduling and pricing information, and clocks providing runtime indications of specific energy consuming systems.

Claims

1. An energy management device, comprising:

a touch screen display; and

a processor executing programming logic for interfacing with the touch screen display, the programming logic configured to;

generate a visualization of a programming schedule on the touch screen display, the programming schedule specifying times for operation of an energy-consuming system;

track a first continuous contact received on the touch screen display, wherein the first continuous contact occurs along a first path of touch points of the touch screen display starting at a first point of the touch screen display and ending at a second point of the touch screen display;

process data representing the first continuous contact to determine performance of a selection gesture on the touch screen display, the selection gesture to select a period of interest for the energy-consuming system within the visualization of the programming schedule, wherein the first point and the second point are correlated to the period of interest for the energy-consuming system, wherein the first point and the second point are located within or in proximity to a representation of the period of interest in the visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display;

track a second continuous contact received on the touch screen display, wherein the second continuous contact occurs along a second path of touch points of the touch screen display starting at a third point of the touch screen display and ending at a fourth point of the touch screen display;

process data representing the second continuous contact to determine performance of a modification gesture on the touch screen display, the modification gesture to modify the selected period of interest for the energy-consuming system within the visualization of the programming schedule from a first period of time to a second period of time, wherein the third point and the fourth point are correlated to the selected period of interest for the energy-consuming system, wherein the third point and the fourth point are located within or in proximity to the representation of the selected period of interest in the visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display;

generate an updated visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display in response to the modification gesture, the updated visualization of the programming schedule displaying the second period of time for the selected period of interest; and

implement the modification to the selected period of interest in the programming schedule for operation of the energy-consuming system, wherein the times of the programming schedule for operation of the energy-consuming system are adapted to the second period of time.

2. The energy management device of claim 1, wherein the visualization of the programming schedule includes a calendar providing visual indications of peak energy usage periods and peak usage rates, for multiple periods of interest within a time period specified for the calendar.

3. The energy management device of claim 2, wherein the programming logic is further configured to establish, for the selected period of interest in response to the modification gesture, a new starting point in time and a new ending point in time for the selected period of interest.

4. The energy management device of claim 1, wherein the visualization of the programming schedule includes a calendar view, wherein the calendar view displays indications for:

one or more energy pricing tiers, runtime of each energy-consuming system, and occupancy status, within the calendar view.

5. The energy management device of claim 4, wherein the calendar view displays a portion of a day, wherein the energy pricing tiers include at least two energy pricing tiers, and wherein the occupancy status includes a home status and an away status.

6. The energy management device of claim 1, wherein the visualization of the programming schedule includes a clock presenting visual indications of peak and non-peak energy usage periods, and segments representing specific devices or appliances spanning periods of time overlaid on the clock.

7. The energy management device of claim 1, wherein the energy management device is a thermostat.

8. The energy management device of claim 1, wherein the energy management device is a self-powered portable device.

9. The energy management device of claim 1, wherein the energy management device is a mobile computing device including processor-executable instructions configured to perform energy management operations of the programming logic, the mobile computing device configured for operation as a mobile telephone, a tablet computer, a netbook computer, or a notebook computer.

10. The energy management device of claim 9, wherein the energy-consuming system is one or more of a heating ventilating air conditioning (HVAC) system, an electric appliance, or a gas appliance.

11. The energy management device of claim 1, the programming logic further configured to:

generate an intermediate visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display, in response to the selection gesture and prior to the modification gesture, the intermediate visualization of the programming schedule displaying a selection of the first period of time for the selected period of interest.

13. The energy control system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of energy controls interact with the respective energy-consuming systems to implement control of the respective energy-consuming systems based on the programming schedule.

14. The energy control system of claim 10, wherein the respective energy-consuming systems include one or more of a heating ventilating air conditioning (HVAC) system, an electric appliance, or a gas appliance.

12. An energy control system comprising:

a plurality of energy controls; and

an energy management device operably in communication with the plurality of energy controls and configured to provide commands to the plurality of energy controls according to a programming schedule established with the energy management device, the programming schedule specifying times of operation for respective energy-consuming systems operably coupled to the plurality of energy controls, the energy management device comprising;

a touch screen display; and

a processor executing programming logic for interfacing with the touch screen display, the programming logic configured to;

generate a visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display;

track a first continuous contact received on the touch screen display, wherein the first continuous contact occurs along a first path of touch points of the touch screen display starting at a first point of the touch screen display and ending at a second point of the touch screen display;

process data representing the first continuous contact to determine performance of a selection gesture on the touch screen display, the selection gesture to select a period of interest for a particular energy-consuming system within the visualization of the programming schedule, wherein the first point and the second point are correlated to the period of interest for the particular energy-consuming system, wherein the first point and the second point are located within or in proximity to a representation of the period of interest in the visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display;

track a second continuous contact received on the touch screen display, wherein the second continuous contact occurs along a second path of touch points of the touch screen display starting at a third point of the touch screen display and ending at a fourth point of the touch screen display;

process data representing the second continuous contact to determine performance of a modification gesture on the touch screen display, the modification gesture to modify the selected period of interest for the particular energy-consuming system within the visualization of the programming schedule from a first period of time to a second period of time, wherein the third point and the fourth point are correlated to the selected period of interest for the particular energy-consuming system, wherein the third point and the fourth point are located within or in proximity to the representation of the selected period of interest in the visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display;

generate an updated visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display, in response to the modification gesture, the updated visualization of the programming schedule displaying the second period of time for the selected period of interest; and

implement the modification to the selected period of interest in the programming schedule for operation of the particular energy-consuming system, wherein the times of the programming schedule for operation of the particular energy-consuming system are adapted to the second period of time.

15. A method for defining schedules performed by an energy management device, comprising:

generating a visualization of a programming schedule on an energy management interface of the energy management device, the energy management device including a touch screen display to provide output and receive input for the energy management interface, and the programming schedule specifying times for operation of an energy-consuming system;

tracking a first continuous contact received on the touch screen display, wherein the first continuous contact occurs along a first path of touch points of the touch screen display starting at a first point of the touch screen display and ending at a second point of the touch screen display;

processing data representing the first continuous contact to determine performance of a selection gesture on the touch screen display, the selection gesture to select a period of interest for the energy-consuming system within the visualization of the programming schedule, wherein the first point and the second point are correlated to the period of interest for the energy-consuming system, wherein the first point and the second point are located within or in proximity to a representation of the period of interest in the visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display;

tracking a second continuous contact received on the touch screen display, wherein the second continuous contact occurs along a second path of touch points of the touch screen display starting at a third point of the touch screen display and ending at a fourth point of the touch screen display;

processing data representing the second continuous contact to determine performance of a modification gesture on the touch screen display, the modification gesture to modify the selected period of interest for the energy-consuming system within the visualization of the programming schedule from a first period of time to a second period of time, wherein the third point and the fourth point are correlated to the selected period of interest for the energy-consuming system, wherein the third point and the fourth point are located within or in proximity to the representation of the selected period of interest in the visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display;

generating an updated visualization of the programming schedule on the touch screen display, in response to the modification gesture, the updated visualization of the programming schedule displaying the second period of time for the selected period of interest; and

implementing the modification to the selected period of interest in the programming schedule for operation of the energy-consuming system, wherein the times of the programming schedule for operation of the energy-consuming system are adapted to the second period of time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the visualization of the programming schedule includes generating a visualization of a calendar providing visual indications of peak energy usage periods, peak usage rates, and scheduling for multiple periods of interest within a time period of the calendar.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

establishing, for each period of interest scheduled within the calendar, a starting point in time, an ending point in time, and a description, in response to the modification gesture received within the energy management interface.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the visualization of the programming schedule on the energy management interface includes generating a visualization of a single calendar view of one or more energy pricing tiers, runtime of the energy-consuming system, and occupancy status.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the single calendar view depicts a portion of a day, wherein the energy pricing tiers include at least two energy pricing tiers, and wherein the occupancy status includes a home status and an away status.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the visualization of the programming schedule on the energy management interface includes generating a visualization of a clock with visual indications of peak and non-peak energy usage periods, and segments representing specific devices or appliances spanning periods of time overlaid on the clock.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the energy management device is a thermostat.