Smart water heater

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10012394-B2
Application number	US-201414586642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

The systems and methods described herein relate to heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and water heating systems in relation to a building and residential automation system. Some embodiments of the systems and methods described herein relate to HVAC systems and water systems in relation to an integration of building or residential automation systems. Specifically, the disclosure relates to maintaining a desirable water temperature for a desirable time period. By reducing unnecessary heating of water, the systems disclosed herein may result in fewer wasted resources and a lower utility bill. In one embodiment, a method for security and/or automation systems may be disclosed. The method may comprise monitoring a status of a water heater and monitoring an occupancy status of a residence. The status of the water heater may adjust, automatically, based at least in part on the monitoring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for a security and automation system, comprising:
monitoring an internal water temperature of a water heater;
monitoring an occupancy status of a residence, wherein the occupancy status comprises at least a detected occupancy level of the residence and an activity status of one or more occupants comprising the detected occupancy level;
continuously adjusting, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater for a first time period based at least in part on the occupancy status;
predictively determining a future occupancy level of the residence for a second time period based at least in part on a configured status of the security and automation system and learned behavior of the one or more occupants;
predictively determining a future activity status of one or more anticipated occupants comprising the future occupancy level for the second time period based at least in part on the configured status of the security and automation system and learned behavior of the one or more occupants; and
continuously adjusting, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater for the second time period based at least in part on the future occupancy level and the future activity status of the one or more anticipated occupants.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
predicting zero occupancy of the residence for at least a portion of the second time period time period; and
lowering, automatically, an internal water temperature of the water heater based at least in part on the predicting.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
lowering, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater to a predetermined temperature when the security and automation system is set to vacation status.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
increasing, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater to a second predetermined temperature a predetermined time before the vacation status expires.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
increasing, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater to a predetermined temperature a predetermined time before the occupancy status of the residence exceeds zero.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining the internal water temperature to a predetermined water temperature when the occupancy status exceeds zero, wherein the predetermined water temperature is between 110 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the occupancy status of the residence is at rest; and
lowering a set internal water temperature of the water heater based at least in part on the determining.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting when the internal water temperature of the water heater exceeds one or more safety limits; and
alerting a user based at least in part on the detecting.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining a sanitization water temperature of the internal water temperature of the water heater; and
setting an external water temperature of the water heater to a lower temperature than the sanitization water temperature.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
increasing, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater; and
maintaining, automatically, the external water temperature of the water heater.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating an approximate energy savings based at least in part on the adjusting;
generating an energy savings report based at least in part on the calculating; and
distributing the report to a user of the security and automation system.

12. An apparatus for a security and automation system, comprising:
a processor;
memory in electronic communication with the processor; and
instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to:
monitor an internal water temperature of a water heater;
monitor an occupancy status of a residence, wherein the occupancy status comprises at least a detected occupancy level of the residence and an activity status of one or more occupants comprising the detected occupancy level;
continuously adjust, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater for a first time period based at least in part on the occupancy status;
predictively determine a future occupancy level of the residence for a second time period based at least in part on a configured status of the security and automation system and learned behavior of the one or more occupants;
predictively determine a future activity status of one or more anticipated occupants comprising the future occupancy level for the second time period based at least in part on the configured status of the security and automation system and learned behavior of the one or more occupants; and
continuously adjust, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater for the second time period based at least in part on the future occupancy level and the future activity status of the one or more anticipated occupants.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , the instructions further executable by the processor to:
predict zero occupancy of the residence for at least a portion of the second time period time period; and
lower, automatically, a set internal water temperature of the water heater based at least in part on the predicting.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , the instructions further executable by the processor to:
lower, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater to a predetermined temperature when the security and automation system is set to vacation status.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , the instructions further executable by the processor to:
increase, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater to a second predetermined temperature a predetermined time before the vacation status expires.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , the instructions further executable by the processor to:
detect when the internal water temperature of the water heater exceeds one or more safety limits; and
alert a user based at least in part on the detecting.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for a security and automation system, the code executable by a processor to:
monitor an internal water temperature of a water heater;
monitor an occupancy status of a residence, wherein the occupancy status comprises at least a detected occupancy level of the residence and an activity status of one or more occupants comprising the detected occupancy level;
continuously adjust, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater for a first time period based at least in part on the occupancy status;
predictively determine a future occupancy level of the residence for a second time period based at least in part on a configured status of the security and automation system and learned behavior of the one or more occupants;
predictively determine a future activity status of one or more anticipated occupants comprising the future occupancy level for the second time period based at least in part on the configured status of the security and automation system and learned behavior of the one or more occupants; and
adjust, automatically, the internal water temperature of the water heater for a second time period based at least in part on the future occpancy level and the future occupancy status.

18. The medium of claim 17 ,

Assignees

• Vivint Inc

Inventors

• Wheelwright Jeffrey Glen

Classifications

• G05D23/1904

  variable in time · CPC title

• F24D19/1063 Primary

  counting of energy consumption · CPC title

• F24H9/2007

  for water heaters · CPC title

• Y02B10/70

  Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies · CPC title

• Y02B10/20

  Solar thermal · CPC title