Thermostat with occupancy detection based on social media event data

• US 10,410,300 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Bentz, Jedidiah O., Rigg, Brian D., Gillette, Theresa N., Tasker, Tom R., McCune, Tyler, Uerkvitz, John W., Atchison, Shaun B., Middleton, Daniel S., Noor, Aneek Muhammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US15/260,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20170074541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0003 characterised by a split arrangement, wherein parts of the air-conditioning system, e.g. evaporator and condenser, are in separately located units
• 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 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0383 Remote input, i.e. interface arrangements in which the signals generated by a pointing device are transmitted to a PC at a remote location, e.g. to a PC in a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 : for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 : by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 : Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 : Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 : Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 : Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 : Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 : for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/08 : Use of distortion metrics or a particular distance between probe pattern and reference templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• 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 51/52 : for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A thermostat for a building space includes a network communication module and a processing circuit. The network communication module is communicatively coupled to at least one of one or more social media servers and one or more calendar servers. The processing circuit is configured to receive at least one of social media activity, social media events, and calendar events associated with a user via the network communication module. The processing circuit is further configured to determine an expected occupancy of the building based on at least one of the social media events and the calendar events. The processing circuit is further configured to adjust a setpoint of the thermostat based on at least one of the expected occupancy and the social media activity.

Claims

1. A controller for a building space, the controller comprising:

a network communication module communicatively coupled to one or more social media servers; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive social media event data associated with a social media event via the network communication module from the one or more social media servers, wherein the social media event data comprises an indication of a number of attendees that have accepted an invitation associated with the social media event and an indication of a location of the social media event;

determine whether the location of the social media event is the building space based on the indication of the location of the social media event;

adjust a setpoint of the controller based on the indication of the number of attendees;

operate building equipment to control an environmental condition of the building space based on the adjusted setpoint of the controller;

receive a social media message generated by a user device and published on a social media profile of the controller by communicating via the network communication module with the one or more social media servers; and

perform one or more control actions based on the social media message, wherein the social media message comprises a request to perform the one or more control actions.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein:

the social media event data further comprises a social media event start time and a social media event end time.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the indication of the number of attendees comprises an indication of a number of attendees at each of a plurality of times.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive social media activity associated with a user from the one or more social media servers via the network communication module, wherein the social media activity associated with the user comprises at least one of:

a private message sent via a social media platform;

a public comment via the social media platform;

a public post via the social media platform;

a private comment via the social media platform;

or

a private post via the social media platform.

5. The controller of claim 4, wherein the processing circuit is configured to adjust the setpoint of the controller further based on the social media activity, wherein the social media activity comprises a command to perform at least one of raising the setpoint or lowering the setpoint.

6. The controller of claim 5, wherein the social media activity is at least one of:

first social media activity directed to the controller;

or

second social media activity monitored by the controller.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

determine a plurality of times at which the building space will be occupied and unoccupied based on the indication of the number of attendees;

determine a time required to reach the setpoint based on factors comprising a setpoint target, weather conditions, and equipment functionality;

preemptively adjust the setpoint of the building space before the building space is unoccupied based on the determined time required to reach the setpoint; and

preemptively adjust the setpoint of the building space before the building space is occupied based on the determined time required to reach the setpoint.

8. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to adjust the setpoint of the controller based on the indication of the number of attendees by:

lowering the setpoint by a calculated amount in response to a determination that the building space is unoccupied and the controller is in a heating mode;

raising the setpoint by the calculated amount in response to a determination that the building space is occupied and the controller is in the heating mode;

raising the setpoint by the calculated amount in response to a determination that the building space is unoccupied and the controller is in a cooling mode; and

lowering the setpoint by the calculated amount in response to a determination that the building space is occupied and the controller is in the cooling mode.

9. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

send a first query to the one or more social media servers and receive the social media event data from the one or more social media servers; and

send a second query to calendar servers and receive calendar event data associated with a user from the calendar servers.

10. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

record controller information indicating operation of the controller; and

post a second social media message for the controller on the social media profile of the controller by sending the second social media message to the one or more social media servers via the network communication module, wherein the second social media message comprises the controller information.

11. A method for operating building equipment of a building space based on social media event data, the method comprising:

receiving the social media event data via a network communication module of a thermostat, the social media event data comprising an indication of a number of attendees that have accepted an invitation associated with a social media event and an indication of a location of the social media event;

determining whether the location of the social media event is the building space based on the indication of the location of the social media event;

adjusting a setpoint of the thermostat based on the indication of the number of attendees;

operating building equipment to control an environmental condition of the building space based on the adjusted setpoint of the thermostat;

receiving a social media message generated by a user device and published on a social media profile of the thermostat by communicating via the network communication module with one or more social media servers; and

performing one or more control actions based on the social media message, wherein the social media message comprises a request to perform the one or more control actions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the social media event data via the network communication module of the thermostat comprises:

subscribing to social media servers and receiving the social media event data from the social media servers when social media activity occurs, wherein the social media event data is associated with a user of the thermostat; and

subscribing to calendar servers and receiving calendar event data associated with the user when calendar events are added by the user to a schedule of the calendar servers.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the social media event data further comprises an indication of a start time and an end time of the social media event.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the setpoint comprises determining an amount by which to adjust the setpoint based on:

a temperature of the building space; and

a time required to reach the setpoint based on the temperature of the building space and the indication of the number of attendees.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the setpoint of the thermostat for the building space based on the indication of the number of attendees comprises:

lowering the setpoint by a calculated amount in response to a determination that the building space is unoccupied and the thermostat is in a heating mode;

raising the setpoint by the calculated amount in response to a determination that the building space is occupied and the thermostat is in the heating mode;

raising the setpoint by the calculated amount in response to a determination that the building space is unoccupied and the thermostat is in a cooling mode; and

lowering the setpoint by the calculated amount in response to a determination that the building space is occupied and the thermostat is in the cooling mode.

16. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

determining a plurality of times at which the building space will be occupied and unoccupied based on the indication of the number of attendees;

determining a time required to reach the setpoint based on factors comprising a setpoint target, weather conditions, and equipment functionality;

preemptively adjusting the setpoint of the building space before the building space is unoccupied based on the time required to reach the setpoint; and

preemptively adjusting the setpoint of the building space before the building space is occupied based on the time required to reach the setpoint.

17. A social media enabled thermostat associated with a building space, the thermostat comprising:

a network communication module communicatively coupled to one or more social media servers; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive social media event data from the one or more social media servers via the network communication module, wherein the social media event data comprises an indication of a number of attendees that have accepted a social media event and an indication of a location of the social media event;

determine whether the location of the social media event is the building space based on the indication of the location of the social media event;

adjust a setpoint of the thermostat based on the indication of the number of attendees;

operate building equipment to control an environmental condition of the building space based on the adjusted setpoint of the thermostat;

record thermostat information indicating operation of the thermostat;

post a social media message for the thermostat on a social media profile of the thermostat by sending the social media message to the one or more social media servers via the network communication module, wherein the social media message comprises the thermostat information;

receive a second social media message generated by a user device and published on the social media profile of the thermostat by communicating via the network communication module with the one or more social media servers; and

perform one or more control actions based on the second social media message, wherein the second social media message comprises a request to perform the one or more control actions.

18. The thermostat of claim 17, wherein the social media event data further comprises:

a social media event start time; and

a social media event end time.

19. The thermostat of claim 17, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive social media activity via the network communication module by:

subscribing to the one or more social media servers; and

receiving the social media activity when the social media activity occurs.

20. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the processing circuit is configured to adjust the setpoint of the thermostat further based on the social media activity;

wherein the social media activity comprises a command to perform at least one of raising the setpoint and lowering the setpoint.