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`I 1111111111111111 11111 1111111111 111111111111111 1111111111 111111111111111111
`
`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
`4,655,279 A
`6/1987 Beckey
`
`4,674,027 A
`
`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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`
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`
`5,555,927 A
`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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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`Page 2
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`* cited by examiner
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`002
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`002
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`FIG. 2
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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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`500
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`THERMOSTAT SETTINGS
`
`
`
` TEMPERATURE
`IIIIIIII
`
`
`HVAC HARDWARE
`
`
`
`TRANSACTION
`
`
`
`
`PRODUCT & SERVICE
`
`
`
`007
`
`007
`
`

`

`
`US. Patent
`
`
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`
`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 6 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`FIG.6A
`
`
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`\\ \\
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`“WW“
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`008
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`008
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`

`

`
`US. 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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`FIG.6B
`
`
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`009
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`\mm
`
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`
`009
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`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
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`
`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 8 0f 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
`
`7002
`
`
`
`
` IS
`
`THERMOSTAT
`
`
`
`SUBSCRIBED TO
`
`
`JIT?
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`SET TT TO
`
`APPROPRIATE
`
`
`
`
`SETBACK SCHEDULE
`
`SWITCH TIME
`
`
`
`
` DETERMINE ST
`
`
`
`
`FOR JIT EVENT
` SCHEDULE SETPOINT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`START JIT
`
`EVENT AT ST
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`CHANGES AT
`
`
`THERMOSTAT
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 7
`
`010
`
`010
`
`

`

`
`US. Patent
`
`
`
`
`
`Jul. 30, 2013
`
`
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`
`Sheet 9 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
`
`START
`
`
`
`/ /0Z
`
`
`
`
`VALIDATE PARAMETERS
`
`
`
`TT, TEMP(TT). ETC.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`7/04
`
`
`
`
`
`REQUIRED DATA
`NO
`
`
`
`(ALD, WFD, ETC.)
`
`
`
`AVAILABLE?
`
`
`
`YES
`
`
`”05
`
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`
`CREATE
`
`TEMPERATURE CHANGE
`
`
`RATE MATRICES
`
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`
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`
`/ 7/03
`
`
`CALCULATE PTI
`
`HM
`
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`
`YES
`
`
`
`
` CALCULATE
`
`
`
`
`
`RAMPED SETPOINTS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`OUTPUT
`
`
`RAMPED SETPOINT
`
`
`
`VALUES
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 8
`
`STOP
`
`011
`
`011
`
`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
`Jul. 30, 2013
`
`Sheet 10 of 18
`
`
`
`US 8,498,753 B2
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
`
`
`Jul. 30, 2013
`
`
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`
`Sheet 11 0f 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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`
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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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`
`Jul. 30, 2013
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`Sheet 15 of 18
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`Jul. 30, 2013
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`U.S. Patent
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`

`
`
`US 8,498,753 B2
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`It would therefore be advantageous to have a means for
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`controlling the HVAC system that is capable of taking into
`account both outside weather conditions and the thermal
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`characteristics of individual homes in order to improve the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ability to dynamically achieve the best possible balance
`
`
`
`
`
`between comfort and energy savings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`
`
`1
`
`
`
`
`
`SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`JUST-IN-TIME CONDITIONING USING A
`
`
`
`THERMOSTAT
`
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`
`APPLICATIONS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`This application claims priority to Provisional Application
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`No. 61/215,657, filed May 8, 2009, the entirety of which is
`
`
`
`
`
`
`incorporated herein by reference and is to be considered part
`
`
`
`of this specification.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`
`
`
`
`Field of the Invention
`
`
`
`
`10
`
`
`
`15
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`FIG. 1 shows an example of an overall environment in
`
`
`
`
`
`which an embodiment of the invention may be used.
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 2 shows a high-level illustration of the architecture of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`a network showing the relationship between the major ele-
`
`
`
`
`
`ments of one embodiment of the subject invention.
`FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the website to be used as
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`part of the subject invention.
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 4 shows a high-level schematic of the thermostat used
`
`
`
`
`as part of the subject invention.
`FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of the database structure
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`used as part of the subject invention.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 6 shows how comparing inside temperature against
`
`
`
`
`
`
`outside temperature and other variables permits calculation
`
`
`
`of dynamic signatures.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 7 shows a flow chart for a high level version of the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`process of calculating the appropriate tum-on time in a given
`home.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 8 shows a more detailed flowchart listing the steps in
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`the process of calculating the appropriate turn-on time in a
`
`
`given home.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 9 shows the steps shown in the flowchart in FIG. 8 in
`
`
`
`
`
`
`the form of a graph of temperature and time.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 10 shows a table of some of the data used by the
`
`
`
`
`subject invention to predict temperatures.
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 11 shows the subject invention as applied in a specific
`
`
`
`home on a specific day.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 12 shows the subject invention as applied in a differ-
`
`
`
`
`
`ent specific home on a specific day.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 13 shows a table of predicted rates of change in
`
`
`
`
`
`
`temperature inside a given home for a range of temperature
`differentials between inside and outside.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`
`
`
`EMBODIMENT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 1 shows an example of an overall environment 100 in
`
`
`
`
`
`
`which an embodiment of the invention may be used. The
`environment 100 includes an interactive communication net-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`work 102 with computers 104 connected thereto. Also con-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`nected to network 102 are one or more server computers 106,
`which store information and make the information available
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`to computers 104. The network 102 allows communication
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`between and among the computers 104 and 106.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Presently preferred network 102 comprises a collection of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`interconnected public and/or private networks that are linked
`
`
`
`
`
`
`to together by a set of standard protocols to form a distributed
`network. While network 102 is intended to refer to what is
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`now commonly referred to as the Internet, it is also intended
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`to encompass variations which may be made in the future,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`including changes additions to existing standard protocols.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`One popular part of the Internet is the World Wide Web.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`The World Wide Web contains a large number of computers
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`104 and servers 106, which store HyperText Markup Lan-
`
`
`
`
`
`guage (HTML) documents capable of displaying graphical
`
`
`
`
`
`
`and textual information. HTML is a standard coding conven-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`tion and set of codes for attaching presentation and linking
`attributes to informational content within documents.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
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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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`advantages as compared to non-programmable devices. On
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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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`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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`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 drawback to this
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`approach is that there can be considerable delay between the
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`adjustment of 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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`the desired result by programming a pre-conditioning of the
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`home. So, for example, if the homeowner gets 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 consumer gets up. The drawback to 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 purchased at the cost of
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`A significant difficulty with this approach is that
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`amount of 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 home from 64 to 70 degrees when
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`it is 45 degrees outside might take two hours when it 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 and the 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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`windows will respond more quickly to a given HVAC system
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`than an uninsulated home with single-glazed windows will.
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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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`reached at 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 homes that have air conditioning.
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`021
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`US 8,498,753 B2
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`3
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`The servers 106 that provide offerings on the World Wide
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`Web are typically called websites. A website is often defined
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`by an Internet address that has an associated electronic page.
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`Generally, an electronic page is a document that organizes the
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`presentation of text graphical images, audio and Video.
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`In addition to the Internet, the network 102 can comprise a
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`wide variety of interactive communication media. For
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`example, network 102 can include local area networks, inter-
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`active television networks, telephone networks, wireless data
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`systems, two-way cable systems, and the like.
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`Network 102 can also comprise servers 106 that provide
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`services other than HTML documents. Such services may
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`include the exchange of data with a wide variety of “edge”
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`devices, some ofwhich may not be capable ofdisplaying web
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`pages, but that can record, transmit and receive information.
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`In one embodiment, computers 104 and servers 106 are
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`conventional computers that are equipped with communica-
`tions hardware such as a modem or a network interface card.
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`The computers include processors such as those sold by Intel
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`and AMD. Other processors may also be used, including
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`general-purpose processors, multi-chip processors, embed-
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`ded processors and the like.
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`Computers 104 can also be handheld and wireless devices
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`such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellulartelephones
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`and other devices capable of accessing the network.
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`Computers 104 utilize a browser configured to interact
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`with the World Wide Web. Such browsers may include
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`Microsoft Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera or Safari. They
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`may also include browsers used on handheld and wireless
`devices.
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`The storage medium may comprise any method of storing
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`information.
`It may comprise random access memory
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`(RAM), electronically erasable programmable read only
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`memory (EEPROM), read only memory (ROM), hard disk,
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`floppy disk, CD-ROM, optical memory, or other method of
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`storing data.
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`Computers 104 and 106 may use an operating system such
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`as Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS, Linux, Unix or the
`like.
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`Computers 106 may include a range ofdevices that provide
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`information, sound, graphics and text, and may use a variety
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`of operating systems and software optimized for distribution
`of content via networks.
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`FIG. 2 illustrates in further detail the architecture of the
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`specific components connected to network 102 showing the
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`relationship between the major elements of one embodiment
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`of the subject invention. Attached to the network are thermo-
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`stats 108 and computers 104 of various users. Connected to
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`thermostats 1 08 are HVAC units 1 10. The HVAC units may be
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`conventional air conditioners, heat pumps, or other devices
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`for transferring heat into or out of a building. Each user is
`connected to the servers 106 via wired or wireless connection
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`such as Ethernet or a wireless protocol such as IEEE 802.11,
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`a gateway or wireless access point 112 that connects the
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`computer and thermostat to the Internet via a broadband
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`connection such as a digital subscriber line (DSL) or other
`form of broadband connection to the World Wide Web. In one
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`embodiment, thermostat management server 106 is in com-
`munication with the network 102. Server 106 contains the
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`60
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`content to be served as web pages and viewed by computers
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`104, as well as databases containing information used by the
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`servers, and applications used to remotely manage thermo-
`stats 108.
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`In the currently preferred embodiment, the website 200
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`includes a number of components accessible to the user, as
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`shown in FIG. 3. Those components may include a means to
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`store temperature settings 202, a means to enter information
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`about the user’s home 204, a means to enter the user’s elec-
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`tricity bills 206, and means to elect to enable the subject
`invention 208.
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`FIG. 4 shows a high-level block diagram ofthermostat 108
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`used as part ofthe subject invention. Thermostat 108 includes
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`temperature sensing means 252, which may be a thermistor,
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`thermal diode or other means commonly used in the design of
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`electronic thermostats. It includes a microprocessor 254,
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`memory 256, a display 258, a power source 260, at least one
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`relay 262, which turns the HVAC system on and off in
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`response to a signal from the microprocessor, and contacts by
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`which the relay is connected to the wires that lead to the
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`HVAC system. To allow the thermostat to communicate bi-
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`directionally with the computer network, the thermostat also
`includes means 264 to connect the thermostat to a local com-
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`puter or to a wired or wireless network. Such means could be
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`in the form of Ethernet, wireless protocols such as IEEE
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`802.11, IEEE 802.154, Bluetooth, or other wireless proto-
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`cols. The thermostat may be connected to the computer net-
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`work directly via wired or wireless Internet Protocol connec-
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`tion. Alternatively, the thermostat may connect wirelessly to
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`a gateway such as an IP-to-Zigbee gateway, an IP-to-Z-wave
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`gateway, or the like. Where the communications means
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`enabled include wireless communication, antenna 266 will
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`also be included. The thermostat 108 may also include con-
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`trols 268 allowing users to change settings directly at the
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`thermostat, but such controls are not necessary to allow the
`thermostat to function.
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`The data used to generate the content delivered in the form
`of the website and to automate control of thermostat 108 is
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`stored on one or