Systems, methods and apparatus for weather-based preconditioning

• US 9,322,565 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weaver, Jason C., Kayton, Bradley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US14/475,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20140371923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/277, 700/295, 700/296, 236/1.C, 236/44.C, 236/46.R, 236/47, 236/49.36, 236/51, 236/91.D
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/20 Sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34306 Power down, energy saving
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1927 using a plurality of sensors G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 : User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 : Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 : The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 : Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 : by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 : Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 : Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities 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 H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 : Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 : involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 : using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 : using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 : for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• 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: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/82 : Energy audits or management systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

Accessing an energy management policy for a plurality of devices is described, wherein the devices are coupled with a first structure. The energy usage of the devices is monitored. An energy usage rule and energy usage is then compared. The energy management policy and energy usage is also compared. Based on the comparing, an instruction is generated to modify an energy usage profile of said device to correlate with the energy usage rule associated with the devices and the energy management policy, thereby enabling efficient energy management.

Claims

1. A method of preconditioning a temperature of an enclosure, comprising:

storing a schedule of temperature setpoints in a storage module communicatively coupled with a thermostat operatively coupled to an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system that provides heating and/or cooling at the enclosure, the schedule including a plurality of specific times and a desired temperature setpoint for the enclosure for each specific time, the desired temperature setpoint indicating a desired temperature of the enclosure;

identifying, by an energy management module, an area that includes the enclosure;

transmitting, by the energy management module, a request for weather information for the area;

receiving, by the energy management module, data indicating a future weather prediction for the area in response to the request;

identifying, by the energy management module, a specific time from the plurality of specific times in the stored schedule that will be affected by the future weather prediction;

generating, by the energy management module, a new schedule of temperature setpoints based on a modification of the stored schedule of temperature setpoints, the new schedule of temperature setpoints including;

a temperature setpoint moved in time, the temperature setpoint moved in time being a first desired temperature setpoint of the schedule of temperature setpoints moved forward in time so as to be set at one of the specific times that is earlier in time than the one of the specific times for which the first desired temperature setpoint was set prior to being moved in time; and

operating the HVAC system at the enclosure in accordance with the new schedule of temperature setpoints.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving occupancy information for the enclosure, the occupancy information indicating a number of occupants inside the enclosure,

wherein the new schedule of temperature setpoints is generated based on the occupancy information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a history of occupancy information for the enclosure, the history of occupancy information indicating a number of occupants inside the enclosure at specific times of a day, wherein a daily occupancy pattern is created for the enclosure using the history of occupancy information and is used for generating the new schedule of temperature setpoints.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second desired temperature setpoint of the schedule of temperature setpoints is decreased in desired temperature when the future weather prediction includes expected high temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second desired temperature setpoint of the schedule of temperature setpoints is increased in desired temperature when the future weather prediction includes expected low temperature.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the new schedule of temperature setpoints is generated based on a season of year.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a rate schedule including a plurality of time periods and a per unit energy price corresponding to each time period,

wherein the new schedule of temperature setpoints is generated based on the rate schedule.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a peak time indicating when a peak demand is expected on a local utility grid covering the enclosure,

wherein the new schedule of temperature setpoints is generated based on the peak time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the future weather prediction is received over the Internet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for weather information includes an address of the enclosure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the address includes at least a zip code.

12. A system for preconditioning a temperature of an enclosure, comprising:

a storage module configured to store a schedule of temperature setpoints, the schedule including a plurality of specific times and a desired temperature setpoint for the enclosure for each specific time, the desired temperature setpoint indicating a desired temperature of the enclosure;

a thermostat control module operatively coupled to an HVAC unit that provides heating and/or cooling at the enclosure; and

an energy management module communicatively coupled to the storage module and the thermostat control module and configured to;

identify an area that includes the enclosure,

transmit a request for weather information for the area,

receive data indicating a future weather prediction for the area in response to the request,

identify a specific time from the plurality of specific times in the schedule that will be affected by the future weather prediction,

generate a new schedule of temperature setpoints based on a modification of the stored schedule of temperature setpoints, the new schedule of temperature setpoints including;

a temperature setpoint moved in time, the temperature setpoint moved in time being a first desired temperature setpoint of the schedule of temperature setpoints moved forward in time so as to be linked with one of the specific times that is earlier in time than the one of the specific times for which the first desired temperature setpoint was linked prior to being moved in time, and

transmit a signal to the thermostat control module, the signal causing the thermostat control module to operate the HVAC unit in accordance with the new schedule of temperature setpoints.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a user interface communicatively coupled to the energy management module and configured to;

receive user input from a user of the enclosure, the user input including a desired temperature of the user, and

transmit the user input to the energy management module;

wherein the energy management module is further configured to;

generate the schedule of temperature setpoints based on the user input, and

transmit the schedule of temperature setpoints to the storage module for storing.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the energy management module is further configured to communicate a query to the user of the enclosure via the user interface, the query regarding the temperature of the enclosure, and wherein the user input is a response to the query.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the energy management module is further configured to identify a time of when the user input is received, and wherein generating the schedule of temperature setpoints is further based on the identified time of when the user input is received.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the energy management module is further configured to transmit the user input to the storage module for storing, and identify a pattern from a plurality of user inputs stored on the storage module, and wherein the energy management module generates the schedule of temperature setpoints based on the pattern.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is a voice user interface.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause a computer to perform a set of operations comprising:

storing a schedule of temperature setpoints in a storage module, the schedule including a plurality of specific times and a desired temperature setpoint for an enclosure linked with each specific time, the desired temperature setpoint indicating a desired temperature of the enclosure;

identifying an area that includes the enclosure;

transmitting a request for weather information for the area;

receiving data indicating a future weather prediction for the area in response to the request;

identifying a specific time from the plurality of specific times in the stored schedule that will be affected by the future weather prediction;

identifying occupancy information for the enclosure,

generating a new schedule of temperature setpoints based on a modification of the stored schedule of temperature setpoints and the occupancy information, the new schedule of temperature setpoints including;

a temperature setpoint moved in time, the temperature setpoint moved in time being a first desired temperature setpoint of the schedule of temperature setpoints moved forward in time so as to be for one of the specific times that is earlier in time than the one of the specific times for which the first desired temperature setpoint was for prior to being moved in time; and

operating an HVAC unit that heats and/or cools the enclosure in accordance with the new schedule of temperature setpoints.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, having further instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the computer to perform a set of operations comprising:

generating a notification regarding operating the HVAC unit in accordance with the new schedule of temperature setpoints; and

transmitting the notification to a mobile device of a user of the enclosure.