Location-based approaches for controlling an energy consuming device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016018122-A1
Application number	US-201414567809-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 11, 2014
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In some aspects, the subject technology relates to an “Eco-mode” on a thermostat. A button or other user interface element may be configured to activate and/or deactivate) the eco-mode on the thermostat. Upon selection of the eco-mode option, various energy-saving programs can be implemented on the thermostat. The energy-saving programs can be configured to adjust a temperature setting of the thermostat or to provide notifications to a user associated with the thermostat that implement various approaches for reducing energy consumption of a heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) system associated with the thermostat. The eco-mode button can provide users/consumers with a convenient way to save energy, without requiring the user to think of comfort tradeoffs that may need to take place.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining a first geo-fence for a property and a second geo-fence for the property, the property including a thermostat that controls operation of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) system for the property, the first geo-fence encompassing a geographic region in which the property is located, and the second geo-fence encompassing the geographic region encompassing the first geo-fence; associating at least one user device with the property; receiving, from the user device, a first notification indicating that the user device has exited the first geo-fence; setting a first configuration of the thermostat based at least in part on receiving the first notification; receiving, from the user device, a second notification indicating that the user device has exited the second geo-fence; and setting a second configuration of the thermostat based at least in part on receiving the second notification.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein associating the at least one user device with the property further comprises:
determining, based at least in part on a software application running on the user device is enrolled in a profile associated with the thermostat.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein setting the first configuration of the thermostat based at least in part on receiving the first notification further comprises:
sending, to the thermostat, an instruction for modifying at least a temperature setting on the thermostat based on the user device exiting the first geo-fence.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first notification does not include information identifying a geographic location of the user device.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the user device, a third notification indicating that the user device has entered the second geo-fence; setting the first configuration of the thermostat based at least in part on receiving the third notification.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising
receiving, from the user device, a fourth notification indicating that the user device has entered the first geo-fence; and disabling the first configuration of the thermostat based at least in part on receiving the fourth notification.

7 . A computing device for energy usage alerts, the computing device comprising:
at least one processor; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to perform:
determining at least one geo-fence for a property, the property including a controller that controls operation of an energy consuming device, the geo-fence encompassing a geographic region in which the property is located;
determining at least one first event to be triggered upon the computing device crossing the geo-fence;
determining, based on location information, that the computing device has crossed the geo-fence; and
sending a notification indicating that the computing device has crossed the geo-fence in response to the second event being triggered, wherein the notification is configured to modify the operation of the energy consuming device.

8 . The computing device of claim 7 , wherein determining at least one geo-fence for the property further causes the computing device to perform the operations of:
determining at least one distance radius from the property that defines a geographic region including the property, wherein the controller is configured to operate using a first temperature setting when the computing device is located within the geographic region, and wherein the controller is configured to operate using a second temperature setting when the computing device is located outside of the geographic region.

9 . The computing device of claim 7 , wherein sending the notification further causes the computing device to perform the operations of:
sending the notification to the controller indicating that the computing device has crossed the geo-fence, wherein the controller is configured to modify an operation of the energy consuming device based at least in part on the notification.

10 . The computing device of claim 7 , wherein sending the notification further causes the computing device to perform the operations of:
sending the notification to the server indicating that the computing device has crossed the geo-fence, wherein the server is configured to instruct the controller to modify an operation of the energy consuming device based at least in part on the notification.

11 . The computing device of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to perform the operations of:
determining, based on location information, that the computing device has entered the geo-fence; and sending a second notification indicating that the computing device has entered the geo-fence in response to the first event being triggered, wherein the controller is configured to modify the operation of the energy consuming device based at least in part on the second notification.

12 . The computing device of claim 7 , wherein the notification does not include information identifying a geographic location of the computing device.

13 . A computing device for energy usage alerts, the computing device comprising:
at least one processor; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to perform:
determining a first geo-fence for a first property and a second geo-fence for a second property, wherein the second property includes a thermostat that controls operation of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) system for the second property;
receiving, from the user device, a first notification indicating that the user device has entered the first geo-fence; and
setting a first configuration for the thermostat for the second property based at least in part on receiving the first notification.

14 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to perform the operations of:
receiving, from the user device, a second notification indicating that the user device has exited the first geo-fence; and setting a second configuration of the thermostat based at least in part on receiving the second notification.

15 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein setting the first configuration for the thermostat for the second property further causes the computing device to perform the operations of:
sending, to the thermostat, data describing an instruction for enabling the first configuration.

16 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein setting the first configuration for the thermostat for the second property further causes the computing device to perform the operations of:
sending, to the thermostat, data describing an instruction for modifying at least a temperature setting on the thermostat.

17 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the first notification excludes information identifying a geographic location of the user device.

18 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to perform the operations of:
receiving, from the user device, a third notification indicating that the user device has entered the second geo-fence; and setting a third configuration of the thermostat based at least in part on receiving the third notification.

Assignees

• Opower Inc

Inventors

• Frank Ilan
• Mccool Daniel
• Darci Tom

Classifications

• F24F2120/00

  Control inputs relating to users or occupants · CPC title

• F24F11/66

  Sleep mode · CPC title

• F24F11/52

  Indication arrangements, e.g. displays · CPC title

• F24F11/46 Primary

  Improving electric energy efficiency or saving · CPC title

• F24F11/58

  using Internet communication · CPC title