Systems and methods for regulating an environmental variable within a target zone having multiple inhabitants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258643-A1
Application number	US-201514638951-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2015
Priority date	Mar 4, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and associated methods of operation for regulating an environmental variable (such as ambient room temperature) within a target zone. The system includes a sensor system configured to monitor the target zone, detect one or more inhabitants present within the zone, and identify an alpha person from the one or more inhabitants. Once the alpha person is identified, a measurement sensor measures a skin parameter from the identified alpha person and generates a sensor signal communicating the measured skin parameter to an environmental control system. Upon receiving the sensor signal, the environmental control system regulates an environmental variable within the zone based on the measured skin parameter from the alpha person.

First claim

1 . A system for regulating an environmental variable, the system comprising:
a sensor system configured to monitor a zone, the sensor system detecting a presence of one or more inhabitants within the zone, the sensor system further configured to identify an alpha person from the one or more of the inhabitants in the zone; a measurement sensor configured to monitor the zone, the measurement sensor measuring a skin parameter from the identified alpha person and generating a sensor signal based on the measured skin parameter; and an environmental control system in operative communication with the measurement sensor, the environmental control system receiving the sensor signal from the measurement sensor and regulating an environmental variable within the zone based on the measured skin parameter.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a storage medium having stored therein a threshold setpoint relating to the skin parameter, and a processor in operative communication with the measurement sensor and the storage medium, the processor receiving the sensor signal from the measurement sensor and determining a variance between the measured skin parameter and the threshold setpoint for the identified alpha person, the processor generating an operation mode signal based on the variance.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is in operative communication with the environmental control system, the environmental control system receiving the operation mode signal and regulating an environmental variable with the zone based on the operation mode signal.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the operation mode signal directly or indirectly activates one of a cooling mode or a heating mode of the environmental control system to heat or cool the zone.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is further configured to monitor an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone, and the environmental variable is room temperature, wherein the environmental control system automatically decreases an amount of heating applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone increases, and wherein the environmental control system automatically increases an amount of heating applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone decreases.

8 . (canceled)

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is further configured to monitor an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone, and the environmental variable is room temperature, wherein the environmental control system automatically increases an amount of cooling applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone increases and wherein the environmental control system automatically decreases an amount of cooling applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone decreases.

10 - 22 . (canceled)

23 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a monitoring system in communication with the sensor system, the monitoring system configured to monitor an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone.

24 - 29 . (canceled)

30 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a door sensor configured to monitor whether a door leading into the zone is open or closed, the door sensor further configured to generate a door signal communicating whether the door is open or closed, wherein the environmental control system is in communication with the door sensor, the environmental control system receiving the door signal and regulating the environmental variable within the zone based on the door signal.

31 - 32 . (canceled)

33 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the skin parameter is skin temperature and wherein the sensor system identifies the alpha person as the inhabitant having a maximum skin temperature from the measured skin temperature of each of the one or more inhabitants.

34 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the skin parameter is skin temperature and wherein the sensor system identifies the alpha person as the inhabitant with a minimum skin temperature from the measured skin temperature of each of the one or more inhabitants.

35 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the skin parameter is skin temperature and wherein the sensor system identifies the alpha person as the inhabitant with a median skin temperature from the measured skin temperature of each of the one or more inhabitants.

36 - 38 . (canceled)

39 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system receives input from a user to identify the alpha person.

40 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a database having stored therein an image of the alpha person, and wherein the sensor system includes a facial recognition system configured to capture an image of each of the one or more inhabitants in the zone, and compare the captured image with the stored image in the database to identify the alpha person.

41 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system includes a tag and a tag reader, the tag carried by the alpha person, wherein the tag reader is configured to capture data from the tag to identify the alpha person in the zone.

42 . The system of claim 41 , wherein the tag is carried by an article of clothing worn by the alpha person.

43 . The system of claim 41 , wherein the tag is an RFID tag and the tag reader is an RFID reader.

44 - 48 . (canceled)

49 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is further configured to determine a number of inhabitants present within the zone, the sensor system further generating an occupancy signal communicating the number of inhabitants present within the zone, and wherein the environmental control system regulates the environmental variable based further on the occupancy signal.

50 . The system of claim 49 , wherein the environmental variable is room temperature, wherein the environmental control system automatically decreases an amount of heating applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone increases, and wherein the environmental variable is room temperature, and wherein the environmental control system automatically increases an amount of heating applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone decreases.

51 . (canceled)

52 . The system of claim 49 , wherein the environmental variable is room temperature, wherein the environmental control system automatically increases an amount of cooling applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone increases, and wherein the environmental variable is room temperature, and wherein the environmental control system automatically decreases an amount of cooling applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone decreases.

53 - 55 . (canceled)

56 . A method for regulating an environmental variable, the method comprising:
monitoring, via a sensor system a zone; detecting, via the sensor system, a presence of one or more inhabitants within the zone; identifying, via the sensor system, an alpha person from the one or more of the inhabitants in the zone; monitoring, via a measurement sensor, the zone; measuring, via the measurement sensor, a skin parameter from the identif

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Cheatham Iii Jesse R
• Duncan William David
• Hwang Eun Young
• Hyde Roderick A
• Pan Tony S
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Wood Victoria Y H

Classifications

• F24F11/64

  using pre-stored data · CPC title

• F24F11/56

  Remote control · CPC title

• F24F2120/00

  Control inputs relating to users or occupants · CPC title

• F24F11/67 Primary

  Switching between heating and cooling modes · CPC title

• F24F11/30

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