Enhanced automated control scheduling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9772116-B2
Application number	US-201414532626-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2014
Priority date	Nov 4, 2014
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

In an embodiment, an electronic device may include storage containing processor-executable instructions, a preference function that maps weights indicating likely user preferences for the range of values of a device setting in relation to a range of values of a variable, and a current automated device control schedule configured to control the device setting of the electronic device in relation to the variable, and a processor. The instructions may cause the processor to determine the current automated device control schedule based on the preference function by detecting user behavior that indicates satisfaction or dissatisfaction with values of the device setting in relation to the variable, updating the preference function based on the detected user behavior, and determining the current automated device control schedule by comparing a number of candidate device control schedules against the weights of the preference function and selecting the candidate with the highest score.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
storage containing:
processor-executable instructions;
a plurality of preference functions, each of which maps weights indicating likely relative user preferences for a range of possible setpoint temperatures for a range of times of day for a particular day of the week; and
a current setpoint schedule of temperature setpoints over time; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to control an environmental control system based at least in part on the current setpoint schedule, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine the current setpoint schedule by:
detecting user behavior occurring on a first day of the week that indicates satisfaction or dissatisfaction with setpoint temperatures of the environmental control system in relation to time of day for the first day of the week;
updating one of the plurality of preference functions that corresponds to the first day of the week based at least in part on the detected user behavior;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to the first day of the week with the weights of other of the plurality of preference functions to obtain a first composite preference function; and
determining the current setpoint schedule at least partly by comparing a plurality of candidate setpoint schedules against the weights of the first composite preference function and selecting the candidate setpoint schedule that has a highest score against the weights of the first composite preference function or has a highest score after one or more scoring modifications, or both.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of preference functions contained in the storage comprise a first set of preference functions associated with a first mode of the environmental control system and a second set of preference functions associated with a second mode of the environmental control system.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first mode comprises a cooling mode and the second mode comprises a heating mode.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the current setpoint schedule by determining a week composite preference function by:
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to a second day of the week with the weights of other of the plurality of preference functions to obtain a second composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to a third day of the week with the weights of other of the plurality of preference functions to obtain a third composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to a fourth day of the week with the weights of other of the plurality of preference functions to obtain a fourth composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to a fifth day of the week with the weights of other of the plurality of preference functions to obtain a fifth composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to a sixth day of the week with the weights of other of the plurality of preference functions to obtain a sixth composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to a seventh day of the week with the weights of other of the plurality of preference functions to obtain a seventh composite preference function; and
appending the second composite preference function to the first composite preference function, appending the third composite preference function to the second composite preference function, appending the fourth composite preference function to the third composite preference function, appending the fifth composite preference function to the fourth composite preference function, appending the sixth composite preference function to the fifth composite preference function, and appending the seventh composite preference function to the sixth composite preference function to obtain the week composite preference function;
wherein the current setpoint schedule is determined at least partly by comparing the plurality of candidate setpoint schedules against the weights of the week composite preference function and selecting the candidate setpoint schedule that has the highest score against the weights of the week composite preference function or has the highest score after one or more scoring modifications, or both.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the current setpoint schedule by determining the week composite preference function by:
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to the first day of the week, wherein the first day of the week corresponds to Monday, with an average of the weights of all of the plurality of preference functions that correspond to weekdays to obtain the first composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to the second day of the week, wherein the second day of the week corresponds to Tuesday, with an average of the weights of all of the plurality of preference functions that correspond to weekdays to obtain the second composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to the third day of the week, wherein the third day of the week corresponds to Wednesday, with an average of the weights of all of the plurality of preference functions that correspond to weekdays to obtain the third composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to the fourth day of the week, wherein the fourth day of the week corresponds to Thursday, with an average of the weights of all of the plurality of preference functions that correspond to weekdays to obtain the fourth composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to the fifth day of the week, wherein the fifth day of the week corresponds to Friday, with an average of the weights of all of the plurality of preference functions that correspond to weekdays to obtain the first composite preference function;
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to the sixth day of the week, wherein the sixth day of the week corresponds to Saturday, with an average of the weights of all of the plurality of preference functions that correspond to weekend days to obtain the sixth composite preference function; and
blending the weights of the preference function corresponding to the seventh day of the week, wherein the seventh day of the week corresponds to Sunday, with an average of the weights of all of the plurality of preference functions that correspond to weekend days to obtain the seventh composite preference function.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the preference function that corresponds to the first day of the week is decayed across all of the weights of the preference function that corresponds to the first day of the week by a percentage before being updated based at least in part on the detected user behavior.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the current setpoint schedule comprises a setpoint schedule for at least the next day.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the current setpoint schedule comprises a setpoint schedule for at least the next week.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine the current setpoint schedule at least once each day.

10. The electr

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Hester Todd Andrew
• Minich Allen Joseph
• Heitz Iii George Alban

Classifications

• F24F11/65 Primary

  for selecting an operating mode · CPC title

• F24F11/46

  Improving electric energy efficiency or saving · CPC title

• G05B2219/2642

  Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house · CPC title

• F24F11/64

  using pre-stored data · CPC title

• H04L12/2803

  Home automation networks · CPC title