US010018371B2
`
`a2) United States Patent
`US 10,018,371 B2
`(0) Patent No.:
`Steinberg et al.
`*Jul. 10, 2018
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54) SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`IDENTIFYING MANUAL INPUTS TO AND
`ADAPTIVE PROGRAMMING OF A
`THERMOSTAT
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC .... F24F 11/0009; F24F 11/001; F24F 11/006;
`F24F 11/0086; F24F 2011/0057;
`(Continued)
`
`(71) Applicant: EcoFactor, Inc., Redwood City, CA
`(US)
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(72)
`
`Inventors: John Douglas Steinberg, Millbrae, CA
`(US); Scott Douglas Hublou, Redwood
`City, CA (US); Leo Cheung,
`Sunnyvale, CA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc., Redwood City, CA
`(US)
`
`EP
`EP
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 14/878,872
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Oct. 8, 2015
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2016/0091219 Al
`
`Mar. 31, 2016
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. 14/082,675, filed on
`Nov. 18, 2013, now Pat. No. 9,194,597, which is a
`(Continued)
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`F24F 11/00
`GOS5B 19/042
`GOSD 23/19
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC we F24F 11/006 (2013.01); F24F 11/001
`(2013.01); F24F 11/0009 (2013.01);
`(Continued)
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`4,136,732 A
`4,270,693 A
`
`1/1979 Demarayetal.
`6/1981 Hayes
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`0415747 A2
`1102500 A2
`
`3/1991
`$/2001
`
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`U.S. Appl. No. 12/805,705, filed Jun. 10, 2010, Crabtree.
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner — Marc Norman
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Knobbe, Martens, Olson
`& Bear, LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Systems and methodsare disclosed for incorporating manual
`changes to the setpoint for a thermostatic controller into
`long-term programming of the thermostatic controller. For
`example, one or more of the exemplary systems compares
`the actual setpoint at a given time for the thermostatic
`controller to an expected setpoint for the thermostatic con-
`troller in light of the scheduled programming. A determina-
`tion is then made as to whether the actual setpoint and the
`expected setpoint are the sameor different. Furthermore, a
`manual change to the actual setpoint for the thermostatic
`controller is compared to previously recorded setpoint data
`for the thermostatic controller. At least one rule is then
`
`applied for the interpretation of the manual changein light
`of the previously recorded setpoint data.
`
`24 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
`
`T70.
`
`
`
`
`110.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`“b
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`UTILITY
`
`GOOGLE V. ECOFACTOR
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`Exhibit 2007
`Page 1
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`Exhibit 2007
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`

`

`US 10,018,371 B2
`Page 2
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`continuation of application No. 12/778,052, filed on
`May 11, 2010, now Pat. No. 8,596,550.
`
`(60)
`
`Provisional application No. 61/215,999, filed on May
`12, 2009.
`
`(52) US. Cl.
`CPC ...... F24F 11/0086 (2013.01); GO5B 19/0426
`(2013.01); GOSD 23/1904 (2013.01); F24F
`2011/0057 (2013.01); F24F 2011/0061
`(2013.01); F24F 2011/0064 (2013.01); F24F
`2011/0068 (2013.01); F24F 2011/0093
`(2013.01); GO5B 2219/23199 (2013.01); GO5B
`2219/2614 (2013.01)
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC ....... F24F 2011/0061; F24F 2011/0064; F24F
`2011/0068; F24F 2011/0093; GO5B
`19/0426; GO5B 2219/23199; GO5B
`2219/2614; GOS5D 23/1904
`See application file for complete search history.
`
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`6,622,097
`6,622,115
`6,622,925
`6,622,926
`6,628,997
`6,633,823
`6,643,567
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`7,031,880
`7,039,532
`7,061,393
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`7,130,719
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`7,908,116
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`8,019,567
`D646,990 S
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`8,340,826
`D673,467 S
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`(56)
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`Exhibit 2007
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`Honeywell Programmable Thermostat Owner’s Guide, www.
`honeywell.com/yourhome, 2004.
`Honeywell, W7600/W7620 Controller
`HW0021207, Oct. 1992.
`Johnson Controls, “T600HCx-3 Single-Stage Thermostats”, 2006.
`Johnson Controls, Touch4 building automation system brochure,
`2007.
`Kilicotte, et al., “Dynamic Controls for Energy Efficiency and
`Demand Response: Framework Concepts and a New Construction
`Study Case in New York”, Proceedings of the 2006 ACEEE
`Summer Study of Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Pacific Grove.
`CA, Aug. 13-18, 2006.
`Krumm,et al., Learning Time-Based Presence Probabilities, Jun.
`2011.
`
`Reference Manual,
`
`Lin, et al., “Multi-Sensor Single-Actuator Control of HVAC Sys-
`tems”, 2002.
`Pier, Southern California Edison, Demand Responsive Control of
`Air Conditioning via Programmable Communicating Thermostats
`Draft Report, Feb. 14, 2006.
`Proliphix Thermostat Brochure, prior to Jun. 2007.
`Raji, “Smart Networks for Control”, IEEE Spectrum, Jun. 1994.
`Scott, et al., Home Heating Using GPS-Based Arrival Prediction,
`2010.
`Wang,et al., “Opportunities to Save Energy and Improve Comfort
`by Using Wireless Sensor Networks in Buildings,” (2003), Center
`for Environmental Design Research.
`Wetter, et al., A comparison of deterministic and probabilistic
`optimization algorithms for non-smooth simulation-based. optimi-
`zation, Building and Environment 39, 2004, pp. 989-999.
`International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2013/
`035726, dated Aug. 6, 2013.
`Written Opinion and Search Report for PCT/US2011/032537, dated
`Dec. 12, 2011.
`International Preliminary Report on Patentability in PCT/US2013/
`035726 dated Dec. 16, 2014.
`Cheng et al., “Smart Sensors Enable Smart Air Conditioning
`Control”, Sensors 2014, ISSN 1424-8220, Jun. 24, 2014, 25 pages.
`Gunesetal., “Improving Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort of
`Smart Buildings with HVAC Systems in the Presence of Sensor
`Faults”, IEEE, Aug. 24-26, 2015, 6 pages.
`Simmini et al., Energy Efficient Control and Fault Detection for
`HVAC Systems, Univ. of Padova, XXVI Series, 2014, 144 pages.
`Sklavounos, “Detection of Abnormal Situations and Energy Effi-
`ciency Control in Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
`Systems”, Brunel University thesis, Sep. 2015,151 pages.
`Extended Search Report for European Application No. 13804057.1
`dated Jun. 1, 2016.
`U.S. Appl. No. 15/616,719, filed Jun. 7, 2017, Steinberg, et al.
`Office Action in Canadian Application No. 2800491 dated Dec. 7,
`2016.
`Search Report in European Application No. 11787067.5 dated Aug.
`14, 2017.
`Extended Search Report for European Application No. 11818805.1
`dated Jun. 9, 2017.
`Examination Report in Australian Application No. 2013274827
`dated Apr. 11, 2017.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 10, 2018
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`Sheet 1 of 11
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`US 10,018,371 B2
`
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`Jul. 10, 2018
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`Sheet 2 of 11
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`US 10,018,371 B2
`
`
`
` FIG. 2
`
`
`
`UTILITY
`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 10, 2018
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`Sheet 3 of 11
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`US 10,018,371 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 10, 2018
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`Sheet 4 of 11
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 10, 2018
`
`Sheet 5 of 11
`
`US 10,018,371 B2
`
`TEMPERATURE
`
`THERMOSTAT SETTINGS
`
`PRODUCT & SERVICE
`
`HVAC HARDWARE
`
`TRANSACTION
`
`FIG. 5
`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 10, 2018
`
`Sheet 6 of 11
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`US 10,018,371 B2
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`Jul. 10, 2018
`
`Sheet 7 of 11
`
`US 10,018,371 B2
`
`Midnight
`
`6PM
`
`FIG.6B
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`Jul. 10, 2018
`
`Sheet 8 of 11
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`US 10,018,371 B2
`
`1002
`
`1004
`
`
`
`
`
`Retrieve actual
`and scheduled
`setpoint data
`(current and
`immediately prior)
`
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`scheduled
`algorithmic
`changes
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`immediately prior)
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`7006|Calculate actual
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`setpoint difference
`(dA) (current and
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`setpointdifference
`(dS) (current and
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`immediately prior)
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`algorithmic
`changes (sC)
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`FIG. 7
`
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`Jul. 10, 2018
`
`Sheet 9 of 11
`
`US 10,018,371 B2
`
`1102
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`1104
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`7106
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`manual
`override
`
`Retrieve
`rules
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`Retrieve
`contextual
`data
`
`Retrieve recent
`historical
`override data
`
`Interpret
`override
`
`
`
`Revise
`thermostat
`settings
`
`1112
`
`
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`Jul. 10, 2018
`
`Sheet 10 of 11
`
`US 10,018,371 B2
`
`1202
`
`1204
`
`1206
`
`1208
`
`Retrieve
`rules and
`
`Retrieve recent
`
`programming
`override data
`data
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`contextual
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`Interpret
`overrides
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`1270
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`recommended?
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`change to
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`schedule
`
`customer
`
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` setback
`
`End
`
`FIG, 9
`
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`Jul. 10, 2018
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`Sheet 11 of 11
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`US 10,018,371 B2
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`US 10,018,371 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`IDENTIFYING MANUAL INPUTS TO AND
`ADAPTIVE PROGRAMMING OF A
`THERMOSTAT
`
`INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`This application hereby incorporates herein by reference
`under 37 C.F.R. § 1.57 the entirety of the disclosure of each
`application set forth in the foreign and domestic priority
`sections of the Application Data Sheet filed herewith.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Field of the Invention
`
`2
`rides of the programmedsettings. The need to correct the
`“mistakes” of the thermostatis likely to annoy many users.
`Andbecause people tend to overshoot the desired tempera-
`ture when they make such manual changes, these overrides
`are likely to result in excessive heating and cooling, and thus
`unnecessary energy use. That is, if a person feels uncom-
`fortable on a summer afternoon when the setting is 73
`degrees, they are likely to changeit to 68 or 69 rather than
`71 or 72 degrees, even if 72 degrees might have made
`enough ofa difference.
`It would therefore be advantageous to have a means for
`adapting to signaling from occupants in the form of manual
`temperature changes and incorporating the information con-
`tained in such gestures into long-term programming.
`It
`would also be desirable to take into account both outside
`weather conditions and the thermal characteristics of indi-
`vidual homesin order to improvethe ability to dynamically
`achieve the best possible balance between comfort and
`energy savings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 shows an example of an overall environment in
`which an embodiment of the invention may be used.
`FIG. 2 showsa high-level illustration of the architecture
`of a network showing the relationship between the major
`elements of one embodiment of the subject invention.
`FIG. 3 shows an embodimentof 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.
`FIGS. 6A and 6B show how comparing inside tempera-
`ture against outside temperature and other variables permits
`calculation of dynamic signatures.
`FIG. 7 shows how manual inputs can be recognized and
`recorded by the subject invention.
`FIG. 8 shows how the subject invention uses manual
`inputs to interpret manual overrides and make short-term
`changes in response thereto.
`FIG. 9 shows how the subject invention uses manual
`inputs to alter long-term changesto interpretive rules and to
`setpoint scheduling.
`FIG. 10 shows an example of someof the contextual data
`that may be used bythe server in order to interpret manual
`overrides.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`60
`
`Programmable thermostats have been available for more
`than 20 years. Programmable thermostats offer two types of
`advantages as compared to non-programmable devices. On
`the one hand, programmable thermostats can save energy in
`large part because they automate the process of reducing
`conditioning during times when the space is unoccupied, or
`while occupants are sleeping, and thus reduce energy con-
`sumption.
`On the other hand, programmable thermostats can also
`enhance comfort as compared to manually changing set-
`points using a non-programmable thermostat. For example,
`during the winter, a homeowner might manually turn down
`the thermostat from 70 degrees F. to 64 degrees when going
`to sleep and back to 70 degrees in the moming. The
`drawback to this approach is that there can be considerable
`delay between the adjustment of the thermostat and the
`achieving of the desired change in ambient temperature, and
`manypeoplefind getting out of bed, showering,etc. ina cold
`house unpleasant. A programmable thermostat allows home-
`owners to anticipate the desired result by programming a
`pre-conditioning of the home. So, for example, if the home-
`owner gets out of bed at 7 AM, setting the thermostat to
`change from the overnight setpoint of 64 degrees to 70 at 6
`AM can make the house comfortable when the consumer
`gets up. The drawback to this approach is that the higher
`temperature will cost more to maintain, so the increase in
`comfort is purchased at the cost of higher energy usage.
`But all of the advantages of a programmable thermostat
`depend on the match between the preferences of the occu-
`pants and the actual settings employed. If, for example, the
`thermostat is set to warm up the house on winter momings
`at 7 AM,but the homeownergets up at 5:30, the homeowner
`is likely to be dissatisfied. If a homeowner has programmed 50
`her thermostat
`to cool down the house at 5 PM each
`FIG. 1 shows an example of an overall environment 100
`afternoon based on the assumption that she will come home
`in which an embodimentof the invention may be used. The
`at 6 PM,but her schedule changes and she beginsto arrive
`environment 100 includes an interactive communication
`homeat 4:30 each day, sheis likely to be uncomfortable and
`either make frequent manual changes or go through the 55 network 102 with computers 104 connected thereto. Also
`generally non-intuitive process of reprogramming the ther-
`connected to network 102 are one or more server computers
`mostat to match her new schedule. Because the limited
`106, which store information and make the information
`available to computers 104. The network 102 allows com-
`munication between and among the computers 104 and 106.
`Presently preferred network 102 comprises a collection of
`interconnected public and/or private networksthatare linked
`to together by a set of standard protocols to form a distrib-
`uted network. While network 102 is intendedto refer to what
`
`interface on most thermostats, that process may take con-
`siderable effort, which leads many users to avoid reprogram-
`mingtheir thermostats for long periods or even to skip doing
`so entirely.
`But even if a homeowneris ableto align her schedule with
`the programming of her thermostat,
`there are additional
`difficulties associated with choosing proper temperatures at
`those times. If the temperatures programmedinto a thermo-
`stat do not accurately reflect the preferences of the occu-
`pants, those occupants are likely to resort to manual over-
`
`65
`
`is also
`it
`is now commonly referred to as the Internet,
`intended to encompass variations which may be made in the
`future,
`including changes additions to existing standard
`protocols.
`
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`US 10,018,371 B2
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`3
`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) and other documents capable of displaying
`graphical and textual
`information. HTML is a standard
`coding convention and set of codes for attaching presenta-
`tion and linking attributes to informational content within
`documents.
`The servers 106 that provide offerings on the World Wide
`Webare typically called websites. A website is often defined
`by an Internet address that has an associated electronic page.
`Generally, an electronic page is a document that organizes
`the presentation of text graphical images, audio and video.
`In addition to the Internet, the network 102 can comprise
`a wide variety of interactive communication media. For
`example, network 102 can include local area networks,
`interactive television networks, telephone networks, wire-
`less data systems, two-way cable systems, and the like.
`Network 102 can also comprise servers 106 that provide
`services other than HTML documents. Such services may
`include the exchange of data with a wide variety of “edge”
`devices, some of which may not be capable of displaying
`web pages, but that can record, transmit and receive infor-
`mation.
`
`4
`agement server 106 is in communication with the network
`102. Server 106 contains the content to be served as web
`
`pages and viewed by computers 104, as well as databases
`containing information used by the servers, and applications
`used to remotely manage thermostats 108.
`In the currently preferred embodiment, the website 200
`includes a number of components accessible to the user, as
`shown in FIG. 3. Those components may include a meansto
`store temperature settings 202, a means to enter information
`about the user’s home 204, a means to enter the user’s
`electricity bills 206, and meansto elect to enable the subject
`invention 208.
`
`FIG. 4 shows a high-level block diagram of thermostat
`108 used as part of the subject invention. Thermostat 108
`includes temperature sensing means 252, which may be a
`thermistor, thermal diode or other means commonly used in
`the design of electronic thermostats. It includes a micropro-
`cessor 254, memory 256, a display 258, a power source 260,
`and at least one relay 262, which turns the HVAC system on
`and off in response to a signal from the microprocessor, and
`contacts by which the relay is connected to the wires that
`lead to the HVAC system. To allow the thermostat
`to
`communicate bi-directionally with the computer network,
`the thermostat also includes means 264 to connect
`the
`
`5
`
`10
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`In one embodiment, computers 104 and servers 106 are
`conventional computers that are equipped with communi-
`cations hardware such as modem or a network interface
`card. The computers include processors such as those sold
`by Intel and AMD. Other processors may also be used,
`including general-purpose processors, multi-chip proces-
`sors, embedded processors and the like.
`Computers 104 can also be handheld and wireless devices
`such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular tele-
`phonesand other devices capable of accessing the network.
`Computers 104 may utilize a browser configured to
`interact with the World Wide Web. Such browsers may
`include Microsoft Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera or
`Safari. They may also include browsers used on handheld
`and wireless devices.
`The storage medium may comprise any methodofstoring 40
`information.
`It may comprise random access memory
`(RAM), electronically erasable programmable read only
`memory (EEPROM), read only memory (ROM), hard disk,
`floppy disk, CD-ROM,optical memory, or other method of
`storing data.
`Computers 104 and 106 may use an operating system
`such as Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS, Linux, Unix or
`the like.
`Computers 106 may include a range of devices that
`provide information, sound, graphics and text, and may use
`a variety of operating systems and software optimized for
`distribution of content via networks.
`FIG.2 illustrates in further detail the architecture of the
`specific components connected to network 102 showing the
`relationship between the major elements of one embodiment
`of the subject invention. Attached to the network are ther-
`mostats 108 and computers 104 of various users. Connected
`to thermostats 108 are HVAC units 110. The HVAC units
`may be conventional air conditioners, heat pumps, or other
`devices for transferring heat into or out of a building. Each
`user may be connected to server 106 via wired or wireless
`connection such as Ethernet or a wireless protocol such as
`TEEE 802.11, and router and/or gateway or wireless access
`point 112 that connects the compu