Attributing causation for energy usage and setpoint changes with a network-connected thermostat
First Claim
1. A system for attributing a primary causative agent for HVAC system usage, comprising:
- a thermostat in communication with an HVAC system via a plurality of control wires through which the thermostat actuates operation of the HVAC system, the thermostat comprising;
a temperature sensor, an occupancy sensor, a wireless network interface for communication with a thermostat management server system, and a processing system, the processing system being configured to;
register the thermostat with the thermostat management server system;
control operation of the HVAC system via the plurality of control wires using data obtained from at least the temperature sensor and the occupancy sensor;
collect information relating to HVAC system usage over a plurality of days; and
the thermostat management server system, configured to;
pair the thermostat with a thermostat management account;
calculate an average value for HVAC system usage for the plurality of days using the gathered information relating to HVAC system usage;
determine whether HVAC system usage for a candidate time period, being one of the plurality of days, is above or below the calculated average value;
select a first set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being below the calculated average value;
select a second set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above the calculated average value, wherein;
the first set of potential causative agents and the second set of potential causative agents differ from each other and each comprise multiple causative agents;
hierarchically evaluating a selected set of potential causative agents for the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above or below the calculated average value, wherein the selected set of potential causative agents is the first set of potential causative agents or the second set of potential causative agents;
attribute the primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above or below average using the hierarchical evaluation of the selected set of potential causative agents; and
provide an output indicative of the attributed primary causative agent.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are described for attributing a primary causative agent for HVAC system usage being above or below an average, the HVAC system being controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat. Systems and method are also described interactively and graphically displaying schedule information to a user of an HVAC system controlled by a network-connected thermostat. The displayed information can include indications of the manner in which one or more setpoints was created or last modified. Historical HVAC performance information can also be displayed that can include details of certain energy-effecting events such as setpoint changes, adaptive recovery, as well as automatic and manually set non-occupancy modes.
564 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for attributing a primary causative agent for HVAC system usage, comprising:
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a thermostat in communication with an HVAC system via a plurality of control wires through which the thermostat actuates operation of the HVAC system, the thermostat comprising;
a temperature sensor, an occupancy sensor, a wireless network interface for communication with a thermostat management server system, and a processing system, the processing system being configured to;register the thermostat with the thermostat management server system; control operation of the HVAC system via the plurality of control wires using data obtained from at least the temperature sensor and the occupancy sensor; collect information relating to HVAC system usage over a plurality of days; and
the thermostat management server system, configured to;pair the thermostat with a thermostat management account; calculate an average value for HVAC system usage for the plurality of days using the gathered information relating to HVAC system usage; determine whether HVAC system usage for a candidate time period, being one of the plurality of days, is above or below the calculated average value; select a first set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being below the calculated average value; select a second set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above the calculated average value, wherein; the first set of potential causative agents and the second set of potential causative agents differ from each other and each comprise multiple causative agents; hierarchically evaluating a selected set of potential causative agents for the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above or below the calculated average value, wherein the selected set of potential causative agents is the first set of potential causative agents or the second set of potential causative agents; attribute the primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above or below average using the hierarchical evaluation of the selected set of potential causative agents; and provide an output indicative of the attributed primary causative agent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of attributing a primary causative agent for HVAC system usage, the method comprising:
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collecting, by a thermostat, information relating to the HVAC system usage over a plurality of days, wherein;
the thermostat comprises;
a temperature sensor, a network interface, and a processing system;registering, by the thermostat, the thermostat with a thermostat management server system; following the thermostat being registered with the thermostat management server system, pairing the thermostat with a thermostat management account maintained by the thermostat management server system; controlling, by the thermostat, operation of an HVAC system using data obtained from the temperature sensor; calculating an average value for HVAC system usage for the plurality of days using the collected information relating to HVAC system usage; determining whether HVAC system usage for a candidate time period of the plurality of days is above or below the calculated average value; selecting a first set of potential causative agents when HVAC system usage for the candidate time period is below the calculated average value; selecting a second set of potential causative agents when HVAC system usage for the candidate time period is above the calculated average value, wherein; the first set of potential causative agents and the second set of potential causative agents differ from each other and each comprise multiple causative agents; hierarchically evaluating a selected set of potential causative agents for the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above or below the calculated average value, wherein the selected set of potential causative agents is the first set of potential causative agents or the second set of potential causative agents; attributing the primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above or below the calculated average value using the hierarchical evaluation of the selected set of potential causative agents; and providing, by the thermostat management server system, an output indicative of the attributed primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for a thermostat management server system, comprising processor-readable instructions that cause one or more processors to:
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pair a thermostat with a thermostat management account, wherein the thermostat is in communication with an HVAC system via a plurality of control wires through which the thermostat actuates operation of the HVAC system, the thermostat comprising;
a temperature sensor, an occupancy sensor, a wireless network interface for communication with the thermostat management server system, and a processing system;calculate an average value for HVAC system usage for a plurality of days using gathered information relating to HVAC system usage; determine whether HVAC system usage for a candidate time period, being one of the plurality of days, is above or below the calculated average value; select a first set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being below the calculated average value; select a second set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above the calculated average value, wherein; the first set of potential causative agents and the second set of potential causative agents differ from each other and each comprise multiple causative agents; hierarchically evaluating a selected set of potential causative agents for the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above or below the calculated average value, wherein the selected set of potential causative agents is the first set of potential causative agents or the second set of potential causative agents; attribute the primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage for the candidate time period being above or below average using the hierarchical evaluation of the selected set of potential causative agents; and provide an output indicative of the attributed primary causative agent. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification