Devices and methods for interacting with a control system that is connected to a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10145579-B2
Application number	US-201313911638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2013
Priority date	May 1, 2013
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A building automation system may be controlled in response to a natural language voice message. The natural language voice message may be recorded and then sent to a voice command manager via a network. The natural language voice message is then translated into a command recognizable by a building automation controller of the building automation system. Voice recognition software may be used to create a natural language text based message from the recorded natural voice message, and the natural language text based message may then be translated into the command recognizable by the building automation controller. In response to the command, the building automation controller may perform the desired action.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system of controlling a network connected building automation system servicing a building, comprising:
a network;
a server located outside of the building and connected to the network;
a voice command manager implemented on the server;
a thermostat located inside of the building, the thermostat comprising a temperature sensor and a first voice sensor device, the thermostat is in communication with the voice command manager over the network and the thermostat is configured to receive natural language voice commands from a user via the first voice sensor device, and to communicate the received natural language voice commands in an audio file format to the voice command manager over the network without the thermostat attempting to recognize natural language voice commands in the audio file;
a second voice sensor device in communication with the voice command manager over the network, the second voice sensor device configured to receive natural language voice commands from a user via the second voice sensor device, and to communicate the natural language voice commands to the voice command manager over the network;
wherein the voice command manager is configured to translate the natural language voice commands received from the thermostat and the natural language voice commands received from the second voice sensor device into one or more commands understandable by the thermostat, and to transmit the one or more commands to the thermostat; and
wherein the voice command manager is configured to identify if there is a conflict between the natural language voice commands, and if so, send a query in a natural language format as to whether a second natural language voice command of the natural language voice commands should override a first natural language voice command of the natural language voice commands, and determine which one of the conflicting natural language voice commands is to be:
translated into one or more commands understandable by the thermostat; and
sent to the thermostat for execution.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein when the thermostat communicates a natural language voice command received by the thermostat from a user via the first voice sensor device to the voice command manager, and the second voice sensor device communicates a natural language voice command received by the second voice sensor device from a user to the voice command manager, the voice command manager is configured to translate both of the received natural language voice commands into corresponding commands understandable by the thermostat, and if there is an identified conflict, determine which of the corresponding commands, if any, is communicated to the thermostat.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the voice command manager communicates back to the thermostat, the second voice sensor device, or both, which command of the corresponding commands was communicated to the thermostat.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the voice command manager communicates back to the thermostat, the second voice sensor device, or both, with natural language acknowledgements.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second voice sensor device is a phone.

6. A system comprising:
a voice command manager for a building automation system of a building, comprising:
an input port for receiving two or more natural language voice commands over a network;
a memory for storing the received natural language voice commands;
a processor configured to translate each of the two or more natural language voice commands into one or more translated commands understandable by a building automation controller of the building automation system;

an output port for sending the one or more translated commands understandable by the building automation controller to the building automation controller for execution; and
wherein the processor is further configured to identify if there is a conflict between two or more of the natural language voice commands, and if so, send a query in a natural language format as to whether a second natural language voice command of the two or more natural language voice commands should override a first natural language voice command of the two or more natural language voice commands, and determine which one of the conflicting two or more natural language voice commands is to be:
translated into one or more commands understandable by the building automation controller;
provided to the output port; and
sent to the building automation controller for execution, so that only one of the conflicting two or more natural language voice commands is executed; and

a building automation controller configured to execute the sent command.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the voice command manager is implemented in a server outside of the building.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the input port of the voice command manager is implemented in a computer inside of the building, and wherein the input port of the voice command manager is in communication with a wireless network and receives at least one of the natural language voice commands via the wireless network.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the input port receives at least one of the natural language voice commands from a voice sensor device located within the building via the wireless network.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the input port receives at least one of the natural language voice commands from a voice sensor device located within the building.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the voice sensor device is one or more of a thermostat, a security system panel, a sensor module, and a dedicated voice reception panel.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the input port receives at least one of the natural language voice commands from a voice sensor device located outside of the building.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the voice sensor device is one or more of a smart phone, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, and a lap top computer.

14. The system of claim 6 , wherein the building automation system includes at least two sub-systems, wherein the processor is configured to determine which of the at least two sub-systems to send each of the one or more translated commands, and then sends each of the one or more translated commands to the appropriate sub-system via the output port for execution.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least two sub-systems include one or more of an HVAC system, a security system, a lighting control system, a water heater system, a refrigerator, a clothes washer, a clothes dryer, and an oven.

16. The system of claim 6 ,
wherein the identified conflict is a schedule conflict between a first natural language voice command received at a first time and a second natural language voice command received at a second time.

17. A method of interfacing with a building automation system, the method comprising:
receiving natural language voice messages at a building automation controller, the natural language voice messages including natural language commands for the building automation controller of the building automation system;
communicating the natural language voice messages in an audio file format to a server that is located remotely from and in operative communication with the building automation controller without the building automation controller first attempting to recognize the natural language commands in the natural language voice message;
translating the natural language voice messages with the server to translated building controller commands understandable by th

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Stoner Marcus D
• Kolavennu Soumitri
• Paine Brad
• Goh Christopher

Classifications

• F24F2130/40

  Noise · CPC title

• F24F2110/00

  Control inputs relating to air properties · CPC title

• F24F11/30 Primary

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title

• F24F2120/20

  Feedback from users · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title