System and method for using a wireless device as a sensor for an energy management system

• US 9,244,470 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Steinberg, John Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US13/470,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20120221151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-298, 236/49.3, 236/51
• 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 11/62 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/12 Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/20 Feedback from users
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal

Abstract

The invention comprises systems and methods for detecting the use of networked consumer electronics devices as indications of occupancy of a structure for purposes of automatically adjusting the temperature setpoint on a thermostatic HVAC control. At least one thermostat is located inside a structure and is used to control an HVAC system in the structure. At least one networked electronic device is used to indicate the state of occupancy of the structure. The state of occupancy is used to alter the setpoint on the thermostatic HVAC control to reduce unneeded conditioning of unoccupied spaces.

Claims

1. A method for varying temperature setpoints for a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:

storing at least a first HVAC temperature setpoint associated with a structure that is deemed to be non-occupied and at least a second HVAC temperature setpoint associated with said structure deemed to be occupied;

monitoring an activity status of at least one wireless device associated with one or more occupants of said structure, wherein said wireless device comprises a graphic user interface, wherein use of said wireless device comprises at least one of cursor movement, keystrokes or other user interface actions intended to alter a state of said wireless device;

determining a probability that specific audio and/or video content being reproduced by said wireless device is associated with the use of said wireless device by at least one specific occupant of said structure;

determining whether a current HVAC temperature setpoint associated with said HVAC system is set to said first HVAC temperature setpoint or said second temperature setpoint;

determining that said at least one specific occupant has previously indicated a preference that input be obtained before automatically changing said current HVAC temperature setpoint in response to said activity status;

prompting said at least one specific occupant based on said determining that said input should be obtained, wherein said prompting sends a message to said wireless device recommending a change to said current HVAC temperature setpoint for said HVAC system;

in response to said prompting, receiving said input from said at least one specific occupant; and

keeping said current HVAC temperature setpoint based upon said input from said at least one specific occupant.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said wireless device is a remote control.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said wireless device is a wireless phone.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said wireless phone is connected to a cellular network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said wireless device is a tablet computer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second HVAC temperature setpoints are stored in a database associated with a remote server.

7. The method of claim 1 in which said wireless device communicates with a remote server.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting said current HVAC temperature setpoint with a remote computer.

9. The method of claim 1 in which said first HVAC temperature setpoint is varied automatically based on said input from said at least one specific occupant.

10. A system for altering the setpoint on a thermostat for space conditioning of a structure comprising:

at least one thermostat having at least a first temperature setpoint associated with a non-occupied structure, and at least a second temperature setpoint associated with the presence of one or more occupants in said structure;

at least one wireless device associated with said one or more occupants of said structure, wherein said wireless device comprises a graphic user interface, wherein use of said wireless device comprises at least one of cursor movement, keystrokes or other user interface actions intended to alter a state of said wireless device;

an application comprising one or more computer processors in communication with a storage medium comprising computer accessible memory, the application receives data regarding an activity status of said wireless device and whether said thermostat is set to said first temperature setpoint that indicates said structure is not occupied,

said application determining a probability that specific audio and/or video content being reproduced by said wireless device is associated with the use of said wireless device by at least one specific occupant of said structure;

said application determining that said at least one specific occupant has previously indicated a preference that input be obtained before automatically changing a current HVAC temperature setpoint in response to said activity status of said wireless device;

said application prompting said at least one specific occupant based on said determining that said input should be obtained,

wherein said application provides electronic notice to said at least one specific occupant of said wireless device that said thermostat is set for a non-occupied structure and whether to keep said first temperature setpoint or change to said second temperature setpoint; and

wherein said application in response to said prompting, receives said input from said at least one specific occupant; and

wherein said current temperature setpoint is set based upon said input from said at least one specific occupant.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said wireless device is a remote controller.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said wireless device is a wireless phone.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said wireless phone is connected to a cellular network.

14. The system of claim 10 said wireless device is a tablet computer.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said first and second temperature setpoints are stored in a database associated with a remote server.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein said wireless device communicates with a remote server.

17. The system of claim 10 further comprising a remote computer that varies said first temperature setpoint.

18. The system of claim 10 in which said first temperature setpoint is varied automatically based on said input from said at least one specific occupant.