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`I 1111111111111111 11111 1111111111 111111111111111 1111111111 111111111111111111
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`US008498753B2
`
`02)United States Patent
`
`
`Steinberg et al.
`
`US 8,498,753 B2
`
`(10)Patent No.:
`
`(45)Date of Patent:
`Jul. 30, 2013
`
`(54)SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`
`JUST-IN-TIME CONDITIONING USING A
`THERMOSTAT
`
`10/1984 Grimado etal.
`
`
`4,475,685 A *
`236/46 R
`4/1987 Hrumon
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`6/1987 Beckey
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`
`5,244,146 A
`
`9/ 1993 Jefferson et al.
`
`5,270,952 A
`
`12/1993 Adams et aJ.
`John Douglas Steinberg, Millbrae, CA(75)Inventors:
`
`
`
`
`
`5,314,004 A
`511994 Strand et al.
`
`5,462,225 A
`
`I0/ 1995 Massat-a et al.
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`
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`CA (US)
`(Continued)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`EcoFactor, Inc., Millbrae, CA (US)(73)Assignee:
`
`EP
`( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`
`
`KR
`
`
`
`patent is e11.1ended or adjusted under 35
`KR
`
`
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 93 days.
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`0415747 3/1991
`10-1994-00119026/1994
`
`10-2000-005953210/2000
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`(21)Appl. No.: 12n73,690
`
`(22)Filed:
`May 4, 2010
`
`Bourban et aJ., "Dynamic model of an HVAC system for control
`
`
`
`
`
`
`analysis", Elsevier 2004."
`
`
`
`HW0021207, Oct. 1992.
`
`
`
`Honeywell, W7600/W7620 Controller Reference Manual,
`
`(65)
`
`
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`(Continued)
`
`
`
`US 2010/0318227 A l Dec. 16, 2010
`
`
`
`
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`
`- Carlos Ortiz Rodriguez
`Primary Examiner
`
`
`
`
`(74)Attorney, or Finn - Knobbe, Martens, Olson &
`Agent,
`Bear,LLP
`
`
`(60)Provisional application No. 61/215,657, filed on May
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`8, 2009.
`Systems and methods for reducing the cycling time of a
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`climate control system. For example, one or more of the
`(51)Int. Cl.
`
`
`
`
`
`exemplary systems can receive from a database a target time
`G05D23100(2006.01)
`
`
`
`
`at which a structureis desired to reach a target temperan1re. In
`(52)U.S. Cl.
`
`
`
`
`
`addition, the system acquires the temperature inside the strnc­
`
`
`
`USPC ........................................... 700/300; 700/278
`
`
`
`
`ture and the temperan1re outside the structure at a time prior to
`(58)Field of Classification
`Search
`
`
`
`
`the target time. The systems use a thermal characteristic of the
`
`USPC ...... ... .... ... .... . 700/296, 299, 300, 306, 278
`
`
`
`
`strncture and a performance characteristic of the climate con­
`
`
`
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`
`
`trol system, to determine the appropriate time prior to the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`target time at which the climate control system should n1rn on
`
`
`based at least in part on the structure, the climate control
`
`
`
`
`system, the inside temperature and the outside temperature.
`
`
`
`
`The systems then set a setpoint on a thennostatic controller to
`
`
`
`control the climate control system.
`
`(56)
`
`
`
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`FIG. 2
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`
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`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 5 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`THERMOSTAT SETTINGS
`
`
`
`JOO TEMPERATURE
`mn
`
`
`HVAC HARDWARE
`
`
`
`TRANSACTION
`
`
`
`
`PRODUCT & SERVICE
`
`
`
`007
`
`007
`
`

`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet6 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`FIG.6A
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`008
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 7 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`j
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`FIG.6B
`
`i Y
`
`
`
`oa
`
`
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`009
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`

`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 8 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`1002
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`
` IS
`
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`THERMOSTAT
`
`
`SUBSCRIBED TO
`
`JIT?
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SET TT TO
`
`APPROPRIATE
`
`
`
`SETBACK SCHEDULE
`
`SWITCH TIME
`
`
`
`
`
`
` DETERMINE ST
`FOR JIT EVENT
`EVENTAT ST SCHEDULE SETPOINT
`
`
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`
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`
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`
`
`STARTJIT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`CHANGESAT
`
`THERMOSTAT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG, 7
`
`010
`
`010
`
`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 9 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`START
`
`
`
`1102
`
`
`
`
`VALIDATE PARAMETERS
`
`
`
`TT, TEMP(TT). ETC.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`
`
`1104
`
`
`
`
`REQUIRED DATA
`
`
`
`(ALD, WFD, ETC.)
`
`
`
`AVAILABLE?
`
`
`
`
`YES
`
`
`1106
`
`
`
`
`CREATE
`
`TEMPERATURE CHANGE
`
`
`RATE MATRICES
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`108
`
`
`CALCULATEPTI
`
`1110
`
`
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`
`
`
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`RAMPED SETPOINTS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`YES
` CALCULATE
`
`
`
`
`
`OUTPUT
`
`
`RAMPED SETPOINT
`
`
`
`
`VALUES
`
`
`
`FIG. 8
`
`STOP
`
`011
`
`011
`
`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
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`
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 10 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`
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`YoDij
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`COCLNaow] ainjesedwea| POEL
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`
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`012
`
`012
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`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 11 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`
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`oul]
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`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 12 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`I6Old
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 13 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 30, 2013
`
`Sheet 15 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`
`
`Sheet 16 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`
`
`Jul. 30, 2013
`
`Sheet 17 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`

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`
`US 8,498,753 B2
`
`
`1
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`
`
`SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`JUST-IN-TIME CONDITIONING USING A
`
`
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`THERMOSTAT
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`2
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`It would therefore be advantageous to have a means for
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`controlling the HVAC system that is capable of taking into
`account both outside weather conditions and the thermal
`
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`characteristics of individual homes in order to improve the
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`ability to dynamically achieve the best possible balance
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`between comfort and energy savings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`FIG. 1 shows an example of an overall environment in
`
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`which an embodimentof the invention maybe used.
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`FIG.2 showsa high-level illustration ofthe architecture of
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`a network showing the relationship between the major ele-
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`ments of one embodimentof the subject invention.
`FIG. 3 shows an embodimentof the website to be used as
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`part of the subject invention.
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`FIG. 4 showsa high-level schematic of the thermostat used
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`as part of the subject invention.
`FIG. 5 shows one embodimentof the database structure
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`usedas part of the subject invention.
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`FIG. 6 shows how comparing inside temperature against
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`outside temperature and other variables permits calculation
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`of dynamic signatures.
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`FIG. 7 shows a flow chart for a high level version of the
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`process of calculating the appropriate turn-on time in a given
`home.
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`FIG. 8 showsa more detailed flowchart listing the steps in
`
`
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`the process of calculating the appropriate turn-on time in a
`
`
`given home.
`
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`
`FIG. 9 showsthe steps shownin the flowchart in FIG. 8 in
`
`
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`
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`the form of a graph of temperature and time.
`
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`
`
`FIG. 10 showsa table of some of the data used by the
`
`
`
`
`subject invention to predict temperatures.
`
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`FIG. 11 showsthe subject invention as applied ina specific
`
`
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`homeon a specific day.
`
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`
`FIG. 12 showsthe subject invention as applied in a differ-
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`
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`ent specific home on a specific day.
`
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`FIG. 13 shows a table of predicted rates of change in
`
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`temperature inside a given home for a range of temperature
`differentials between inside and outside.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`
`
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`EMBODIMENT
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`FIG. 1 shows an example of an overall environment 100 in
`
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`
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`which an embodiment of the invention may be used. The
`environment 100 includesan interactive communication net-
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`work 102 with computers 104 connected thereto. Also con-
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`nected to network 102 are one or more server computers 106,
`which store information and make the information available
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`to computers 104. The network 102 allows communication
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`between and among the computers 104 and 106.
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`Presently preferred network 102 comprises a collection of
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`interconnected public and/or private networksthat are linked
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`to together by a set of standard protocols to form a distributed
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`now commonlyreferred to as the Internet, it is also intended
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`to encompass variations which may be made in the future,
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`including changesadditions to existing standard protocols.
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`One popular part of the Internet is the World Wide Web.
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`The World Wide Web contains a large number of computers
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`104 and servers 106, which store HyperText Markup Lan-
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`guage (HTML) documents capable of displaying graphical
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`tion and set of codes for attaching presentation and linking
`attributes to informational content within documents.
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`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
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`APPLICATIONS
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`This application claimspriority to Provisional Application
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`No. 61/215,657, filed May 8, 2009, the entirety of which is
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`incorporated herein by reference andis to be consideredpart
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`of this specification.
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`BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION
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`Field of the Invention
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`Programmable thermostats have been available for more
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`than 20 years. Programmable thermostats offer two types of
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`the one hand, programmable thermostats can save energy in
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`large part because they automate the process of reducing
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`conditioning during times when the space is unoccupied, or
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`while occupants are sleeping, and thus reduce energy con-
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`On the other hand, programmable thermostats can also
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`enhance comfort as compared to manually changing setpoints
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`using a non-programmable thermostat. For example, during
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`the winter, a homeowner might manually turn downthe ther-
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`mostat from 70 degrees F. to 64 degrees when going to sleep
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`and back to 70 degrees in the morning. The drawbackto this
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`approachis that there can be considerable delay between the
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`adjustmentof the thermostat and the achieving of the desired
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`change in ambient temperature, and many people find getting
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`out of bed, showering, etc. in a cold house unpleasant. A
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`programmable thermostat allows homeowners to anticipate
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`home.So, for example, if the homeownergets out of bed at 7
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`AM,setting the thermostat to change from the overnight
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`setpoint of 64 degrees to 70 at 6 AM can make the house
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`comfortable when the consumergets up. The drawbackto this
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`approach is that the higher temperature will cost more to
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`maintain, so the increase in comfort is purchasedat the cost of
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`A significant difficulty with this approach is that
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`amountof preconditioning required to meet a given standard
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`of comfort is a function of several variables. First, the amount
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`of preconditioning required will vary with outside tempera-
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`ture. An HVAC system that might require an hour to increase
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`the temperature in a given homefrom 64 to 70 degrees when
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`it is 45 degrees outside might take two hours whenit is 5
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`degrees outside. Second,
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`required will vary depending on the relationship between the
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`capacity of the HVAC system andthe thermal characteristics
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`of the structure. That is, a high capacity HVAC system in a
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`given structure will achieve a target temperature faster than a
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`smaller system; a well-insulated home with double-glazed
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`windowswill respond more quickly to a given HVAC system
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`than an uninsulated homewith single-glazed windowswill.
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`Consumers can program their thermostats to turn on the fur-
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`nace early enough that the desired temperature is always
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`reachedat the target time even on the coldest days, but the cost
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`of this choice will be wasted energy and money on warmer
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`days. Alternatively, consumers can choose more economical
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`settings, with the cost of loss of comfort on cold days. Similar
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`tradeoffs will be faced when trying to optimize setbacks
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`during the summer in homesthat have air conditioning.
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`021
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`aboutthe user’s home 204, a meansto enter the user’s elec-
`The servers 106 that provide offerings on the World Wide
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`tricity bills 206, and means to elect to enable the subject
`Webare typically called websites. A websiteis often defined
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`invention 208.
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`by an Internet address that has an associated electronic page.
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`FIG. 4 shows a high-level block diagram ofthermostat 108
`Generally, an electronic page is a documentthat organizes the
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`used as part ofthe subject invention. Thermostat 108 includes
`presentation of text graphical images, audio and video.
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`temperature sensing means 252, which may bea thermistor,
`In addition to the Internet, the network 102 can comprise a
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`thermaldiode or other means commonlyusedin the design of
`wide variety of interactive communication media. For
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`electronic thermostats. It includes a microprocessor 254,
`example, network 102 can include local area networks, inter-
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`memory 256, a display 258, a power source 260, at least one
`active television networks, telephone networks, wireless data
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`relay 262, which turns the HVAC system on and off in
`systems, two-way cable systems, andthe like.
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`responseto a signal from the microprocessor, and contacts by
`Network 102 can also comprise servers 106 that provide
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`which the relay is connected to the wires that lead to the
`services other than HTML documents. Such services may
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`HVACsystem. To allow the thermostat to communicate bi-
`include the exchange of data with a wide variety of “edge”
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`directionally with the computer network, the thermostat also
`devices, some ofwhich maynot be capable ofdisplaying web
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`includes means 264 to connect the thermostatto a local com-
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`pages, but that can record, transmit and receive information.
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`puter or to a wired or wireless network. Such meanscould be
`In one embodiment, computers 104 and servers 106 are
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`in the form of Ethernet, wireless protocols such as IEEE
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`tions hardware such as a modem ora network interface card.
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`802.11, IEEE 802.15.4, Bluetooth, or other wireless proto-
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`cols. The thermostat may be connected to the computernet-
`The computers include processors such as those sold by Intel
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`workdirectly via wired or wireless Internet Protocol connec-
`and AMD. Other processors may also be used, including
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`tion. Alternatively, the thermostat may connectwirelessly to
`general-purpose processors, multi-chip processors, embed-
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`a gateway such as an ]P-to-Zigbee gateway, an IP-to-Z-wave
`ded processors andthelike.
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`gateway, or the like. Where the communications means
`Computers 104 can also be handheld and wireless devices
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`enabled include wireless communication, antenna 266 will
`suchaspersonaldigital assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones
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`also be included. The thermostat 108 may also include con-
`and other devices capable of accessing the network.
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`trols 268 allowing users to change settings directly at the
`Computers 104 utilize a browser configured to interact
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`thermostat, but such controls are not necessary to allow the
`with the World Wide Web. Such browsers may include
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`thermostat to function.
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`Microsoft Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera or Safari. They
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`The data used to generate the content delivered in the form
`mayalso include browsers used on handheld and wireless
`of the website and to automate control of thermostat 108 is
`devices.
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`stored on one or more servers 106 within one or more data-
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`The storage medium may comprise any methodofstoring
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`bases. As shown in FIG.5, the overall database structure 300
`information.
`It may comprise random access memory
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`may include temperature database 400, thermostat settings
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`database 500, energy bill database 600, HVAC hardwaredata-
`memory (EEPROM), read only memory (ROM), hard disk,
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`base 700, weather database 800, user database 900, transac-
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`tion database 1000, product and service database 1100 and
`storing data.
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`such other databases as may be needed to support these and
`Computers 104 and 106 may use an operating system such
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`additional features.
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`as Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS, Linux, Unix or the
`The website will allow users of connected thermostats 108
`like.
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`40
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`Computers 106 may includearangeofdevices that provide to create personal accounts. Each user’s account will store
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`information in database 900, which tracks various attributes
`information, sound, graphics andtext, and mayuse a variety
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`of oper