System for remote control of a condition at a site

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9292022-B2
Application number	US-201414270424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2014
Priority date	Jun 1, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A system is provided for remote control of at least one operating condition of a site. The system includes a proximity detection module at a residential site, which is configured to receive a communication regarding a location of a location reporting device or a mobile device. The proximity detection module is configured to alter or adjust a current temperature setting for the site based on a distance or location of the location reporting device or mobile device relative to the site.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for remote control of a temperature setting of a site based on proximity of a mobile device relative to the site, the system comprising a thermostat configured to alter a current temperature setting for the site in response to a communication of an adjustment that is based on (a) a distance between the site and a mobile device where the distance is determined from location data provided by the mobile device, and/or (b) a time-to-arrival estimate provided by a user initially at a remote location, for a single instance of arrival from the remote location, and sent by the mobile device where the time-to-arrival estimate is updatable using location data, wherein the frequency of transmission of the location data is altered based on proximity.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment is determined in response to the time-to-arrival estimate and in accordance with a user-established temperature adjustment profile.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is configured to detect the proximity of the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermostat comprises a communication device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the thermostat is configured for connection with a server remote from the site via the communication device.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the mobile device is configured to provide the location data to the remote server for determining the distance.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the remote server determines a temperature setting adjustment based on the determined distance.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the thermostat is configured for connection in a wireless network via the communication device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication is received from (a) a server remote from the site or (b) a mobile device local to the site.

10. A system for remote control of a temperature setting of a site based on proximity of a mobile device relative to the site, the system comprising a thermostat configured to alter a current temperature setting for the site in response to a communication of an adjustment that is based on (a) presence in a zone defined to exist relative to the site and where presence in the zone is determined from location data provided by the mobile device, and/or (b) a time-to-arrival estimate provided by the user initially at a remote location, for a single instance of arrival from the remote location, and sent by the mobile device where the time-to-arrival estimate is updatable using location data, wherein the frequency of transmission of the location data is altered based on proximity.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment is determined in response to the time-to-arrival estimate and in accordance with a user-established temperature adjustment profile.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the thermostat is configured to detect the proximity of the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the thermostat comprises a communication device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the thermostat is configured for connection with a server remote from the site via the communication device.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the mobile device is configured to provide the location data to the remote server for determining presence in a zone.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the remote server determines a temperature setting adjustment based on the determined presence in a zone.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the thermostat is configured for connection in a wireless network via the communication device.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the communication is received from (a) a server remote from the site or (b) a mobile device local to the site.

19. A thermostat for controlling temperature of a site, the thermostat comprising a communication device;
the thermostat configured to alter a current temperature setting for the site in response to a communication, received via the communication device, of an adjustment that is based on (a) a distance between the site and a mobile device where the distance is determined from location data provided by the mobile device, and/or (b) a time-to-arrival estimate provided by a user initially at a remote location, for a single instance of arrival from the remote location, and sent by the mobile device where the time-to-arrival estimate is updatable using location data, wherein the frequency of transmission of the location data is altered based on proximity.

Assignees

• Emerson Electric Co

Inventors

• Ramachandran Anil
• Drew David S

Classifications

• G05D23/1917 Primary

  using digital means · CPC title

• G05D23/1905 Primary

  associated with tele control · CPC title

• F24F2011/0072

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F24F2011/0068

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F24F2011/0075

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic