Background schedule simulations in an intelligent, network-connected thermostat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9417637-B2
Application number	US-201313828767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Dec 31, 2010
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that initially aggressively learn, and then continue, in a steady-state mode, to monitor, learn, and modify one or more control schedules that specify a desired operational behavior of a device, machine, system, or organization controlled by the intelligent controller. An intelligent controller generally acquires one or more initial control schedules through schedule-creation and schedule-modification interfaces or by accessing a default control schedule stored locally or remotely in a memory or mass-storage device. The intelligent controller then proceeds to learn, over time, a desired operational behavior for the device, machine, system, or organization controlled by the intelligent controller based on immediate-control inputs, schedule-modification inputs, and previous and current control schedules, encoding the desired operational behavior in one or more control schedules and/or sub-schedules.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for promoting energy efficiency in association with an HVAC system of a climate controlled enclosure, the HVAC system being controlled by a network-connected thermostat having a user interface controllable by a user, the method comprising:
receiving a first HVAC schedule comprising a plurality of setpoints, each setpoint comprising an indication of a setpoint time and a setpoint temperature for the climate controlled enclosure;
operating, over a period of time, the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule;
measuring, over said period of time, an actual ambient temperature in the climate controlled enclosure;
receiving an update corresponding to at least one of: a real-time setpoint change, a schedule change, and an occupancy profile, wherein the real-time setpoint change comprises a desired temperature for immediate implementation entered by the user using the user interface during said period of time, wherein the schedule change comprises at least one of (i) a change to the setpoint temperature or setpoint time of one or more setpoints of the first HVAC schedule, (ii) the removal of the one or more setpoints from the first HVAC schedule, and (iii) the addition of one or more new setpoints to the first HVAC schedule, and wherein the occupancy profile comprises indications over said period of time of whether one or more occupants is present in the climate controlled enclosure;
processing said received update in conjunction with the first HVAC schedule to generate a second HVAC schedule representative of what would have been generated by an automated schedule learning algorithm operating over said period of time, wherein the second HVAC schedule is generated in the background based on the first HVAC schedule, the received update, and the automated schedule learning algorithm, the second HVAC schedule and the first HVAC schedule exist simultaneously, and the second HVAC schedule is maintained distinct from the first HVAC schedule;
simulating the second HVAC schedule using a thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure;
subsequent to said period of time, generating a cost difference indicator corresponding to a cost difference between an actual cost of operating the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule over said period of time and a hypothetical cost of operating the HVAC system according to the second HVAC schedule over said period of time based on simulating the second HVAC schedule using the thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure; and
displaying said cost difference indicator to the user using said user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user interface is remote.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an input indicating:
desired non-activation of the automated scheduled learning algorithm; and
in response to the input indicating desired non-activation, operating, over a second period of time, the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a first runtime profile indicating time intervals for which the HVAC system was actively heating or cooling over said period of time.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining the energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said first runtime profile.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the energy consumed by the HVAC system comprises receiving an indicator of a relationship between HVAC system energy consumption and said first runtime profile.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein said generating the cost difference indicator comprises:
receiving outside temperature data for said period of time corresponding to ambient temperature in an area outside the climate controlled enclosure;
processing said actual ambient temperature in the climate controlled enclosure over said period of time in conjunction with the outside temperature data over said period of time and said first runtime profile to generate the thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure; and
processing said outside temperature data in conjunction with said thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure and said second HVAC schedule to generate a second runtime profile.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said generating the cost difference indicator further comprises:
determining the actual cost of operating the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule over said period of time using the determined energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said first runtime profile;
determining the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said second runtime profile over said period of time; and
determining the hypothetical cost of operating the HVAC system according to the second HVAC schedule over said period of time using the hypothetical energy consumed by the HVAC system as a result of said second runtime profile over said period of time.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determination of the actual cost of operating the HVAC system according to the first HVAC schedule over said period of time further uses the a measure of per unit energy cost.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the measure of per unit energy cost comprises actual per unit energy cost data collected over said period of time.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the measure of per unit energy cost comprises estimated per unit energy cost data.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein each step of the method is performed by the network-connected thermostat.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying said cost difference indicator to the user further comprises displaying a query to the user as to whether the HVAC system should operate according to said second HVAC schedule.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving an instruction to operate the HVAC system according to said second HVAC schedule; and
transitioning to operating the HVAC system according to said second HVAC schedule over a transition period.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the transition period comprises two weeks.

16. A method for promoting energy efficiency in association with an HVAC system of a climate controlled enclosure, the HVAC system being controlled by a network-connected thermostat having a user interface controllable by a user, the method comprising:
measuring an actual ambient temperature in the climate controlled enclosure over a period of time;
generating a plurality of control signals over said period of time according to at least one of a first HVAC schedule and an update, wherein the first HVAC schedule comprises a plurality of setpoints, each setpoint comprising an indication of a setpoint time and a desired setpoint temperature for the climate controlled enclosure, wherein the update comprises at least one of a real-time setpoint change, a schedule change, and an occupancy profile, and wherein the control signals direct the operation of the HVAC system;
determining the actual energy consumed by operating the HVAC system according to the plurality of control signals over said period of time;
receiving outside temperature data indicative of an ambient temperature of an area outside the climate controlled enclosure;
processing said actual ambient temperature in the climate controlled enclosure over said period of time in conjunction with the outside temperature data over said period of time and said control signals to generate a thermal model of the climate controlled enclosure;
generating a hypothetical runtime profile from the first HVAC schedule, said period of time, said

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Matsuoka Yoky
• Malhotra Mark

Classifications

• H04L12/40013

  Details regarding a bus controller · CPC title

• G05B19/042

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05D23/1904

  variable in time · CPC title

• F24F11/30 Primary

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

• H04L2012/285

  Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators · CPC title