Methods and systems for control of home automation activity based on user preferences

• US 10,060,644 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Bruhn, Christopher William, Nafe, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US14/986,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20170191693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23238 TV microprocessor executes also home control, monitoring of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306

Abstract

The present technology relates to systems and methods for control of home automation activity based on user characteristics. More specifically, the present technology relates to using a home automation system to control home automation activity based on user characteristics and weighting home automation sensors based on priority. Example embodiments include receiving an input including user preferences, assigning a weight to HVAC sensors using the preferences, generating a profile using the set of preferences and the weights, transmitting the profile to an HVAC system to run the HVAC system, receiving HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors, updating the HVAC profile, and transmitting the updated HVAC profile to be displayed on a television display device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a television receiver connected to an HVAC system in a structure, television programming content and displaying the television programming content on a television display device communicatively connected to the television receiver;

receiving, by the television receiver, an input from a user including a set of preferences associated with the HVAC system;

determining and assigning, by the television receiver, a weight to each of two or more HVAC sensors of the HVAC system using the received set of preferences, wherein the HVAC sensors are each distributed in different rooms of the structure;

generating, by the television receiver, an HVAC profile using the set of preferences and the weights assigned to the HVAC sensors, wherein the HVAC profile includes settings associated with proportions of conditioned air to be distributed to a plurality of rooms of the structure;

transmitting, by the television receiver, the HVAC profile to the HVAC system, wherein when the HVAC profile is received, the HVAC profile is used to run the HVAC system;

receiving, at the television receiver, HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors, wherein the HVAC data includes temperature data recorded in the different rooms over a period of time;

determining, by the television receiver, that a change should be implemented in the HVAC system based on the HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors;

monitoring, by the television receiver, new HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors over a period of time after the television receiver determines that the change should be implemented, wherein the period of time represents a delay in implementing the change;

determining, by the television receiver, that the change should still be implemented in the HVAC system based on the monitoring of the new HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors over the period of time;

implementing, by the television receiver, the change to the HVAC system after the period of time;

updating, by the television receiver, the HVAC profile using the received HVAC data and the set of preferences;

displaying, by the television receiver, the updated HVAC profile on the television display device as an overlay on top of the television programming content being displayed on the television display device; and

receiving, at the television receiver, a second input from the user in response to displaying the updated HVAC profile, and implementing a second change to the HVAC system in response to receiving the second input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the television receiver, the updated HVAC profile to the HVAC system, wherein when the updated HVAC profile is received, the updated HVAC profile is used to run the HVAC system instead of the HVAC profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the updated HVAC profile for display and transmitting the updated HVAC profile to the HVAC system are included in one transmission.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the television receiver, the updated HVAC profile to a second television receiver, wherein the television receiver and second television receiver are connected to two different networks and are located in two different structures.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein upon transmitting the HVAC profile to the HVAC sensors, the HVAC profile causes the HVAC sensors to adjust based on the settings.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user inputs the preferences into a television receiver of a satellite television distribution system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the weight of the two or more HVAC sensors include at least one of a percentage and a ranking.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a room of the structure where the user is located; and

setting a temperature at a room HVAC sensor in the room using the HVAC profile.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting, by the room HVAC sensor, a change in temperature in the room;

detecting that the change in temperature is greater than a predetermined threshold change; and

transmitting a communication to an HVAC device to adjust the temperature in the room.

10. A television receiver, comprising:

one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving, by a television receiver connected to an HVAC system in a structure, television programming content and displaying the television programming content on a television display device communicatively connected to the television receiver;

receiving, by the television receiver, an input from a user including a set of preferences associated with the HVAC system;

determining and assigning, by the television receiver, a weight to each of two or more HVAC sensors of the HVAC system using the received set of preferences, wherein the HVAC sensors are each distributed in different rooms of the structure;

generating, by the television receiver, an HVAC profile using the set of preferences and the weights assigned to the HVAC sensors, wherein the HVAC profile includes settings associated with proportions of conditioned air to be distributed to a plurality of rooms of the structure;

transmitting, by the television receiver, the HVAC profile to the HVAC system, wherein when the HVAC profile is received, the HVAC profile is used to run the HVAC system;

receiving, at the television receiver, HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors, wherein the HVAC data includes temperature data recorded in the different rooms over a period of time;

determining, by the television receiver, that a change should be implemented in the HVAC system based on the HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors;

monitoring, by the television receiver, new HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors over a period of time after the television receiver determines that the change should be implemented, wherein the period of time represents a delay in implementing the change;

determining, by the television receiver, that the change should still be implemented in the HVAC system based on the monitoring of the new HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors over the period of time;

implementing, by the television receiver, the change to the HVAC system after the period of time;

updating, by the television receiver, the HVAC profile using the received HVAC data and the set of preferences;

displaying, by the television receiver, the updated HVAC profile on the television display device as an overlay on top of the television programming content being displayed on the television display device; and

receiving, at the television receiver, a second input from the user in response to displaying the updated HVAC profile, and implementing a second change to the HVAC system in response to receiving the second input.

11. The television receiver of claim 10, wherein the operations further include:

transmitting, by the television receiver, the updated HVAC profile to the HVAC system, wherein when the updated HVAC profile is received, the updated HVAC profile is used to run the HVAC system instead of the HVAC profile.

12. The television receiver of claim 11, wherein transmitting the updated HVAC profile for display and transmitting the updated HVAC profile to the HVAC system are included in one transmission.

13. The television receiver of claim 10, wherein the operations further include:

transmitting, by the television receiver, the updated HVAC profile to a second television receiver, wherein the television receiver and second television receiver are connected to two different networks and are located in two different structures.

14. The television receiver of claim 10, wherein upon transmitting the HVAC profile to the HVAC sensors, the HVAC profile causes the HVAC sensors to adjust based on the settings.

15. The television receiver of claim 10, wherein the user inputs the preferences into a television receiver of a satellite television distribution system.

16. The television receiver of claim 10, wherein the weight of the two or more HVAC sensors include at least one of a percentage and a ranking.

17. The television receiver of claim 10, wherein the operations further include:

determining a room of the structure where the user is located; and

setting a temperature at a room HVAC sensor in the room using the HVAC profile.

18. The television receiver of claim 17, wherein the operations further include:

detecting, by the room HVAC sensor, a change in temperature in the room;

detecting that the change in temperature is greater than a predetermined threshold change;

transmitting a communication to an HVAC device to adjust the temperature in the room.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving, by a television receiver connected to an HVAC system in a structure, television programming content and displaying the television programming content on a television display device communicatively connected to the television receiver;

receiving, by the television receiver, an input from a user including a set of preferences associated with the HVAC system;

determining and assigning, by the television receiver, a weight to each of two or more HVAC sensors of the HVAC system using the received set of preferences, wherein the HVAC sensors are each distributed in different rooms of the structure;

generating, by the television receiver, an HVAC profile using the set of preferences and the weights assigned to the HVAC sensors, wherein the HVAC profile includes settings associated with proportions of conditioned air to be distributed to a plurality of rooms of the structure;

transmitting, by the television receiver, the HVAC profile to the HVAC system, wherein when the HVAC profile is received, the HVAC profile is used to run the HVAC system;

receiving, at the television receiver, HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors, wherein the HVAC data includes temperature data recorded in the different rooms over a period of time;

determining, by the television receiver, that a change should be implemented in the HVAC system based on the HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors;

monitoring, by the television receiver, new HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors over a period of time after the television receiver determines that the change should be implemented, wherein the period of time represents a delay in implementing the change;

determining, by the television receiver, that the change should still be implemented in the HVAC system based on the monitoring of the new HVAC data recorded by the HVAC sensors over the period of time;

implementing, by the television receiver, the change to the HVAC system after the period of time;

updating, by the television receiver, the HVAC profile using the received HVAC data and the set of preferences;

displaying, by the television receiver, the updated HVAC profile on the television display device as an overlay on top of the television programming content being displayed on the television display device; and

receiving, at the television receiver, a second input from the user in response to displaying the updated HVAC profile, and implementing a second change to the HVAC system in response to receiving the second input.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further include:

determining a room of the structure where the user is located; and

setting a temperature at a room HVAC sensor in the room using the HVAC profile.