Providing set point comparison

• US 10,031,534 B1
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opower, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Opower, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Devenish, Ryan, McCool, Daniel, Darci, Thomas E., Niewmierzycki, Ralph, Miyachi, Mari
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US14/300,792
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/20 Feedback from users
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/041 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A thermostat set point insight providing method and system that receives thermostat set point information for a reference population for a user, receives at least one thermostat setting for the user, identifies the set point insight for the user based on the thermostat set point information for the reference population and the at least one thermostat setting for the user, and provides the set point insight to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing information about a relative efficiency of an individual set point, the method comprising:

receiving set point information for a plurality of users;

determining, using a processor, an average set point using the received set point information;

receiving the individual set point that is associated with a selected user;

determining, by the processor, the relative efficiency of the received individual set point as compared to the determined average set point; and

providing, via network communication to a remote device associated with the selected user, feedback that is displayed on a display of the remote device, wherein the feedback includes a marker on a continuum, wherein the continuum is displayed having a first end representing a below average efficiency and a second end representing an above average efficiency, wherein a position of the marker on the continuum is determined using the relative efficiency, wherein displaying the marker visually distinguishes the position from other positions on the continuum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set point information and the individual set point correspond to thermostat heating set points or thermostat cooling set points.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a screen of a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

in response to the relative efficiency of the individual set point being below average, the marker comprises a first graphical representation;

in response to the relative efficiency of the individual set point being average, the market comprises a second graphical representation; and

in response to the relative efficiency of the individual set point being above average, the marker comprises a third graphical representation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

in response to the relative efficiency of the individual set point being below average, the marker comprises an unhappy face;

in response to the relative efficiency of the individual set point being average, the market comprises a blank face; and

in response to the relative efficiency of the individual set point being above average, the marker comprises a happy face.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an updated individual set point;

determining a relative efficiency of the received updated individual set point as compared to the determined average set point; and

providing feedback that is displayed on the display regarding the determined relative efficiency of the updated individual set point,

wherein the position of the marker on the continuum is updated based on the relative efficiency of the updated individual set point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the continuum is divided into a below average efficiency segment comprising the first end of the continuum, an average efficiency segment, and an above average efficiency segment comprising the second end of the continuum;

set points that are less energy efficient compared to the average set point are represented on the below average efficiency segment;

set points that are similarly energy efficient compared to the average set point are represented on the average efficiency segment;

set points that are more energy efficient compared to the average set point are represented on the above average efficiency segment; and

the below average efficiency segment, the average efficiency segment, and the above average efficiency segment are each displayed using a unique color.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the below average efficiency segment is shorter than the average efficiency segment and the above average efficiency segment is longer than the average efficiency segment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the continuum is displayed within a graphical user interface in which the individual set point is selected.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual set point is received from an individual user who is a member of a same group as the plurality of users, the same group comprising users selected using at least one of geographic location;

building size;

heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system power;

HVAC system type;

thermodynamic properties;

outdoor temperature;

family demographics;

or building specifications.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer cause the computer to:

receive, by the processor, thermostat set point information for a plurality of users;

receive, by the processor, at least one thermostat setting for a selected user;

determine, by the processor, an average set point based on the thermostat set point information for the plurality of users;

determine a relative efficiency of the at least one thermostat setting as compared to the determined average set point based on the thermostat set point information for the plurality of users and the at least one thermostat setting for the user; and

provide, via a network communication to a remote device associated with the selected user, the relative efficiency as data and cause a marker on a continuum to be displayed on the remote device, wherein the continuum is caused to be displayed having a first end representing a below average efficiency and a second end representing an above average efficiency, wherein a position of the marker on the continuum is determined using the relative efficiency, wherein displaying the marker visually distinguishes the position from other positions on the continuum.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one thermostat setting for the selected user comprises a thermostat set point.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the set point insight comprises a normative comparison between the thermostat set point for the selected user and an average set point for the plurality of users, wherein the average set point for the plurality of users is calculated based on the thermostat set point information for the plurality of users.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the marker on the continuum is displayed on a screen of the remote device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising identifying the plurality of users that include users with one or more shared attributes with the selected user wherein the shared attributes include at least one of:

a zip code in common with the user;

a neighborhood in common with the user;

family demographics in common with the user;

building characteristics in common with the user;

enrollment in a same utility program as the user;

or

a same utility rate plan as the user.

16. A system for providing a set point insight, the system comprising:

a set point information receiver that receives thermostat set point information for a plurality of users and receives an individual set point for a user;

a set point determiner that, using a processor, determines an average set point based on the thermostat set point information for the plurality of users received by the set point information receiver, and determines a relative efficiency of the individual set point as compared to the determined average set point; and

a feedback provider that provides, to the user via a network communication, the relative efficiency as data and causes a display, on a continuum displayed having a first end representing a below average efficiency and a second end representing an above average efficiency, of at least one of (i) a first marker representing the average set point for the plurality of users or (ii) a second marker representing a set point selected by the user, wherein the display of at least one of the first marker or the second marker visually distinguishes a position on the continuum from other positions on the continuum.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the thermostat set point information received by the set point information receiver comprises thermostat heating set points or thermostat cooling set points.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the average set point identified by the set point insight identifier comprises an average thermostat heating set point or an average thermostat cooling set point for the plurality of users.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the first marker and the second marker are concurrently displayed on the continuum.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the second marker that is displayed is configured to be movable on the continuum by the user; and

in response to the second marker being moved on the continuum by the user, the set point selected is updated.