Systems and methods for energy-efficient control of an energy-consuming system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for efficiently controlling a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:
- via one or more electronic devices configured to effect control over the system;
encouraging a user to select a first, more energy-efficient, temperature setpoint over a second, less energy-efficient, temperature setpoint, wherein encouraging the user comprises displaying an energy-savings-encouragement indicator on an electronic display of at least one of the one or more electronic devices, and the energy-savings-encouragement indicator is displayed concurrently with the first temperature setpoint when the first temperature setpoint is immediately selectable but not concurrently with the second temperature setpoint when the second temperature setpoint is immediately selectable;
receiving a user selection of the first temperature setpoint; and
generating or modifying a schedule of temperature setpoints used to control the system based at least in part on the first temperature setpoint.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for efficiently controlling energy-consuming systems, such as heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example, an electronic device used to control an HVAC system may encourage a user to select energy-efficient temperature setpoints. Based on the selected temperature setpoints, the electronic device may generate or modify a schedule of temperature setpoints to control the HVAC system.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for efficiently controlling a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:
via one or more electronic devices configured to effect control over the system; encouraging a user to select a first, more energy-efficient, temperature setpoint over a second, less energy-efficient, temperature setpoint, wherein encouraging the user comprises displaying an energy-savings-encouragement indicator on an electronic display of at least one of the one or more electronic devices, and the energy-savings-encouragement indicator is displayed concurrently with the first temperature setpoint when the first temperature setpoint is immediately selectable but not concurrently with the second temperature setpoint when the second temperature setpoint is immediately selectable; receiving a user selection of the first temperature setpoint; and generating or modifying a schedule of temperature setpoints used to control the system based at least in part on the first temperature setpoint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. One or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media comprising instructions configured to be carried out on an electronic device that at least partially controls an energy-consuming system, the instructions configured to:
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cause an energy-savings-encouragement indicator to be displayed on an electronic display, wherein the energy-savings-encouragement indicator is configured to prompt a user to select more-energy-efficient rather than less-energy-efficient system control setpoints used to control the energy-consuming system, wherein the energy-savings-encouragement indicator comprises an icon evocative of environmental responsibility, and wherein the energy-savings-encouragement icon is displayed when the user selects more-energy-efficient rather than less-energy-efficient system control setpoints; and automatically generate or modify a schedule of system control setpoints based at least partly on the more-energy-efficient system control setpoints when the more-energy-efficient system control setpoints are selected by the user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
on an electronic device configured to effect control over a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system; receiving, via a user input interface of the electronic device, a user indication of a desired temperature setpoint of the system; and displaying, on an electronic display of the electronic device, a non-verbal indication configured to encourage user selections of energy-efficient desired temperature setpoints, wherein the non-verbal indication provides immediate feedback in relation to energy consequences of the desired temperature setpoint, wherein the non-verbal indication is visually stronger when the desired temperature setpoint is a first temperature than when the desired temperature setpoint is a second temperature, and wherein the first temperature is more different from a current ambient temperature than the second temperature. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An electronic device for effecting control over a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the electronic device comprising:
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a user input interface configured to receive an indication of a user selection of, or a user navigation to, a user-selectable temperature setpoint; an electronic display; and a processor configured to cause the electronic display to variably display an indication as a background color on the electronic display, wherein the indication is configured to encourage the user to select energy-efficient temperature setpoints, wherein the indication is variably displayed based at least in part on energy consequences of the temperature setpoint, and wherein the background color is configured to be more intense when more energy would be consumed by the temperature setpoint and less intense when less energy would be consumed by the temperature setpoint. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for efficiently controlling a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:
via one or more electronic devices configured to effect control over the system; encouraging a user to select a first, more energy-efficient, temperature setpoint over a second, less energy-efficient, temperature setpoint, wherein encouraging the user comprises displaying an energy-savings-encouragement indicator on an electronic display of at least one of the one or more electronic devices, and the energy-savings-encouragement indicator is displayed more visibly concurrently with the first temperature setpoint when the first temperature setpoint is immediately selectable and displayed less visibly or not displayed concurrently with the second temperature setpoint when the second temperature setpoint is immediately selectable; receiving a user selection of the first temperature setpoint; and generating or modifying a schedule of temperature setpoints used to control the system based at least in part on the first temperature setpoint. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method for efficiently controlling a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:
via one or more electronic devices configured to effect control over the system; encouraging a user to select a first, more energy-efficient, temperature setpoint over a second, less energy-efficient, temperature setpoint, wherein encouraging the user comprises displaying a first color when the first temperature setpoint is selected and displaying a second color different from the first color when the second temperature setpoint is selected, wherein the first color provides immediate feedback relating to energy consequences of setting the HVAC system to the first temperature setpoint and wherein the second color provides immediate feedback relating to energy consequences of setting the HVAC system to the second temperature setpoint; receiving a user selection of the first temperature setpoint; and generating or modifying a schedule of temperature setpoints used to control the system based at least in part on the first temperature setpoint. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. One or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media comprising instructions configured to be carried out on an electronic device that at least partially controls an energy-consuming system, the instructions configured to:
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cause an energy-savings-encouragement indicator to be displayed on an electronic display, wherein the energy-savings-encouragement indicator is configured to prompt a user to select more-energy-efficient rather than less-energy-efficient system control setpoints used to control the energy-consuming system, wherein the energy-savings-encouragement indicator comprises an icon evocative of environmental harm, and wherein the energy-savings-encouragement icon is displayed when the user selects less-energy-efficient rather than more-energy-efficient system control setpoints; and automatically generate or modify a schedule of system control setpoints based at least partly on the more-energy-efficient system control setpoints when the more-energy-efficient system control setpoints are selected by the user. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method comprising:
on an electronic device configured to effect control over a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system; receiving, via a user input interface of the electronic device, a user indication of a desired temperature setpoint of the system; and displaying, on an electronic display of the electronic device, a non-verbal indication configured to encourage user selections of energy-efficient desired temperature setpoints, wherein the non-verbal indication provides immediate feedback in relation to energy consequences of the desired temperature setpoint, and wherein the non-verbal indication comprises a warm color that varies depending on an amount of energy to be consumed by a heating device to reach the desired temperature setpoint. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A method comprising:
on an electronic device configured to effect control over a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system; receiving, via a user input interface of the electronic device, a user indication of a desired temperature setpoint of the system; and displaying, on an electronic display of the electronic device, a non-verbal indication configured to encourage user selections of energy-efficient desired temperature setpoints, wherein the non-verbal indication provides immediate feedback in relation to energy consequences of the desired temperature setpoint, and wherein the non-verbal indication comprises a cool color that varies depending on an amount of energy to be consumed by a cooling device to reach the desired temperature setpoint. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
Specification