Processing and reporting usage information for an HVAC system controlled by a network-connected thermostat

• US 9,890,970 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2013
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bruck, Timo A., Fisher, Evan J., Simister, James B., Matsuoka, Yoky, Sloo, David, Knieper, Clemens M., Fadell, Anthony Michael, Rogers, Matthew Lee, Plitkins, Michael, Malhotra, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Rashid, Wissam
• Application Number:
  US14/389,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20150051741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• 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 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for interactively, graphically displaying and reporting performance information to a user of an HVAC system controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat. The information is made on a remote display device such as a smartphone, tablet computer or other computer, and includes a graphical daily or monthly summary each of several days or months respectively. In response to a user selection of a day, detailed performance information is graphically displayed that can include an indication of HVAC activity on a timeline, the number of hours of HVAC activity, as well as one or more symbols on a timeline indicating setpoint changes, and when a setpoint was changed due to non-occupancy.

Claims

1. A method for characterizing the operation of an HVAC system controlled by an HVAC controller, the method comprising:

registering, using a registration server and the HVAC controller, the HVAC controller by pairing it with a management account;

receiving, by a management account server from the HVAC controller, first historical data representative of actual HVAC usage by said HVAC system for each of a first historical time interval and a second historical time interval, wherein the HVAC controller is paired with the management account maintained by the management account server;

processing said first historical data to determine an HVAC usage difference between said first historical time interval and said second historical time interval;

receiving second historical data representative of at least two parameters characterizing a preselected plurality of causative agents over each of said first and second historical time intervals, each said causative agent being known to at least partially influence HVAC usage by said HVAC system, wherein;

the plurality of causative agents is selected from the group consisting of weather, temperature schedule, occupancy, manual temperature settings, and time differences between said first historical time interval and said second historical time interval;

processing said first and second historical data to generate, for each said causative agent, a causative agent model that characterizes a relationship between said one or more causative agent parameters and an associated HVAC usage estimate of said HVAC system;

processing said second historical data in conjunction with said plurality of causative agent models to compute a relative contribution of each of said causative agents toward said HVAC usage difference between said first and second historical time intervals;

generating an energy usage report that includes at least (i) said HVAC usage difference between said first and second historical time intervals, and (ii) an attribution of a primary causative agent from said plurality of causative agents as a primary reason for said HVAC usage difference, wherein said primary causative agent has the highest relative contribution from said plurality of causative agents toward said HVAC usage difference;

accessing, by an access client executed by a remote computerized device, the management account paired with the HVAC controller; and

providing, by the access client executed by the remote computerized device, the energy usage report that includes at least (i) said HVAC usage difference between said first and second historical time intervals, and (ii) the attribution of the primary causative agent from said plurality of causative agents as a primary reason for said HVAC usage difference.

2. The method according claim 1, wherein said processing said second historical data step further comprises:

processing said second historical data in conjunction with said plurality of causative agent models, a heat slope and a cool slope to compute said associated HVAC usage estimate for each of said plurality of causative agents toward said HVAC usage difference between said first and second historical time intervals.

3. The method according claim 1, wherein said first historical time period and said second historical time period are calendar months.

4. The method according claim 1, wherein said energy usage report further includes said associated HVAC usage estimate for at least said primary causative agent.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said energy usage report further includes at least one icon indicative of said primary causative agent.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said energy usage report further includes at least one tip on how to adjust said HVAC controller to result in future energy savings.

7. A method for generating an energy usage report for an HVAC system controlled by a programmable thermostat, the method comprising:

registering the programmable thermostat by pairing it with a management account using a registration server;

gathering, by a management account server, data on a plurality of metrics related to energy consumption by said HVAC system during a time period from the programmable thermostat;

modeling a plurality of candidate contributors using data on said plurality of metrics for said time period to form a plurality of candidate models, wherein;

at least one of said plurality of candidate contributors is potentially qualified for causing usage or non-usage of said HVAC system during said time period; and

the plurality of candidate contributors comprises;

weather, temperature schedule, occupancy, and manual temperature settings;

determining qualified candidate contributors from each of said plurality of candidate models, wherein said qualified candidate contributors are attributed to cause usage or non-usage of said HVAC system during said time period;

quantifying an estimated HVAC usage or non-usage during said time period for at least one of said qualified candidate contributors from at least one of said plurality of candidate models;

accessing, by an access client executed by a remote computerized device, the management account paired with the HVAC controller; and

providing, by the access client executed by the remote computerized device, at least said estimated HVAC usage or non-usage for said at least one qualified candidate contributor on said energy usage report.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said estimated HVAC usage or non-usage is measured in units of time.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said estimated HVAC usage or non-usage is measured in units of energy.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said time period comprises a first time period and a second time period subsequent to said first time period, said method further comprising:

computing a first run time of said HVAC system for said first time period and a second run time of said HVAC system for said second time period;

computing a run-time difference by subtracting said second run time from said first run time;

gathering a first data set on said plurality of metrics related to energy consumption by said HVAC system for said first time period;

gathering a second data set on said plurality of metrics related to energy consumption by said HVAC system for said second time period;

modeling said plurality of candidate contributors from said first data set to form a first plurality of candidate models and from said second data set to form a second plurality of candidate models for said second time period;

determining qualified candidate contributors from each of said plurality of candidate contributors, wherein said qualified candidate contributors likely cause usage or non-usage of said HVAC system in said second time period as compared to said first time period;

quantifying a first estimated HVAC usage or non-usage for said first time period, using said first plurality of candidate models, for at least one of said qualified candidate contributors, and a second estimated HVAC usage or non-usage for said second time period, using said second plurality of candidate models, for said at least one of said qualified candidate contributors;

computing at least one estimated usage or non-usage difference by subtracting said first estimated HVAC usage or non-usage for said at least one of said qualified candidate contributors from said second estimated HVAC usage or non-usage for said at least one of said qualified candidate contributors; and

reporting at least (i) said run-time difference and (ii) said at least one estimated usage difference for said at least one qualified candidate contributor on said energy usage report.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said quantifying step further comprises using a heat slope or cool slope to quantify said first estimated HVAC usage or non-usage and said second estimated HVAC usage or non-usage.

12. The method according to claim 10 further comprising:

ranking said at least one qualified candidate contributor in order of magnitude of said estimated usage difference for said at least one qualified candidate contributor;

wherein said reporting step further comprises reporting said estimated usage or non-usage for said at least one qualified candidate contributor in order of magnitude with a description for an attributed rationale for said estimated usage or non-usage for said at least one eligible contributor.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said reporting step further comprises reporting an icon with said estimated usage or non-usage for said at least one qualified candidate contributor, wherein said icon is indicative of said attributed rationale.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising reporting at least one tip on how to adjust said programmable thermostat to result in future energy savings.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of candidate contributors are selected from the group consisting of weather, away settings, schedule temperature settings, manual temperature settings, and difference between said first time period and said second time period.

16. The method according to claim 10 wherein said first time period is a calendar month and said second time period is a subsequent calendar month.