# US 10,153,113 B2 · Systems and methods for occupancy prediction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,153,113 B2 - Document ID: US10153113B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/253,815 - Filed: 2016-08-31 - Published: 2017-04-27 - Granted: 2018-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-31 - Assignees: Deako, Inc. - Applicants: Deako, Inc. - Inventors: Derek Richardson; Patrick Prendergast; Cole Wilson; Erik Anderson; Dana Olson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10153113B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/447: Shutter or cover plate - G01V 1/001: {Acoustic presence detection} - G01V 8/10: Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers (by reflection from the object G01S17/00) - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - H01H 47/002: {Monitoring or fail-safe circuits} - H05B 45/20: Controlling the colour of the light - H05B 47/12: by detecting audible sound - H05B 47/19: via wireless transmission - H05B 47/1985: {Creation of lighting zones or scenes} - H05K 5/0221: {Locks; Latches} - H05K 5/0256: {of interchangeable modules or receptacles therefor, e.g. cartridge mechanisms} - H05K 5/03: Covers - H05K 5/10: comprising several parts forming a closed casing - H01R 12/724: {containing contact members forming a right angle} - H01R 13/2407: {characterized by the resilient means} - H01R 13/6275: {Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence)} - H01R 24/62: Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices - H01R 2107/00: Four or more poles - H02G 3/081: {Bases, casings or covers} - H02G 3/12: for flush mounting - H02G 3/16: structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box - H05B 47/196: {characterised by user interface arrangements} - H05B 47/1965: {using handheld communication devices} - H05B 47/197: {Sound control or voice control} - H05B 47/1975: {Gesture control} - Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A system for occupancy prediction includes one or more occupancy sensors configured to detect a current occupancy state of one or more detection zones including at least one of occupied by one or more occupants or vacant of occupants. The system including one or more occupancy sensors configured to predict a future occupancy state of the one or more zones based on the current occupancy state and one or more historical occupancy states, wherein at least one occupancy sensor of the one or more occupancy sensor is communicatively coupled to an electrical load. The system including at least one occupancy sensor is configured to actuate the electrical load based on the predicted future occupancy state of the one or more zones. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A predictive control system, comprising: two or more device control assemblies configured to be inserted into or removed from any selected backplates of two or more backplates by a user, wherein the two or more backplates are mounted within two or more electrical junction boxes distributed throughout a building, wherein locations of the selected backplates define two or more selected detection zones, wherein each of the two or more backplates include backplate electrical contacts connected to electrical wiring within an electrical junction box of the two or more electrical junction boxes, a user-translatable cover configured to electrically shield the backplate electrical contacts when in a closed position and expose the backplate electrical contacts when in an open position, and a lock configured to maintain the cover in the closed position unless disengaged, wherein the two or more device control assemblies are configured to be communicatively coupled to each other, wherein each of the device control assemblies comprise: a feature configured to disengage the lock when inserted into the backplate to enable the cover to translate to the open position; device control assembly electrical contacts configured to couple to the backplate contacts when the cover is in the open position; and an occupancy sensor configured to detect a current occupancy state of a detection zone of the two or more selected detection zones, an occupancy state including at least one of occupied by one or more occupants or vacant of occupants; wherein the two or more device control assemblies are configured to determine occupancy routines based on current and historical occupancy states of the two or more selected detection zones and are further configured to predict future occupancy states of the two one or more selected detection zones based on current occupancy states of the two or more selected detection zones and the occupancy routines, wherein at least one of the device control assemblies is configured to actuate an electrical load through electrical wiring connected to one of the selected backplates based on the predicted future occupancy states. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the occupancy state includes a noise state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the noise state comprises: at least one of silence, footsteps, ambient noise, music, conversation, or television. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the occupancy state includes occupied by an occupant. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the occupancy state includes an action of the occupant. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the action of the occupant comprises: at least one of entering a field of view of the occupancy sensor, moving through a field of view, remaining stationary within the field of view, or exiting the field of view. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the occupancy state includes a position of the occupant within a field of view of the occupancy sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein predicting the future occupancy states comprise: predicting the future occupancy states based on the current occupancy states of the two or more selected detection zones and the occupancy routines using a recursive bayesian estimation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the two or more device control assemblies track a location of the occupant as the occupant moves between the two or more selected detection zones. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a first device control assembly of the two or more device control assemblies detects an occupant leaving a first detection zone of the two or more detection zones and moving towards a second detection zone of the two or more detection zones, wherein the electrical load is within the second detection zone, wherein the first device control assembly actuates the electrical load prior to the occupant reaching the second detection zone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a first device control assembly of the two or more device control assemblies determines a distance to a second device control assembly of the two or more device control assemblies. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the first device control assembly determines a distance between itself and the occupant based on a strength of a signal transmitted by the occupant and received by the first device control assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the signal comprises: a radio-frequency signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the two or more device control assemblies determine distances between themselves based on strengths of signals transmitted and received between themselves. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the signals comprise: radio-frequency signals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a zone of the one or more selected detection zones is indoors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a zone of the one or more selected detection zones is outdoors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the device control assembly is configured to toollessly couple to the backplate. ### Claim 19 A system for occupancy prediction, comprising: two or more backplates configured to be mounted within two or more electrical junction boxes distributed throughout a building, wherein each of the two or more backplates comprise: backplate electrical contacts connected to electrical wiring within an electrical junction box of the two or more electrical junction boxes; a user-translatable cover configured to electrically shield the backplate electrical contacts when in a closed position and expose the backplate electrical contacts when in an open position; and a lock configured to maintain the cover in the closed position unless disengaged; two or more device control assemblies configured to be inserted into or removed from any selected backplates of the two or more backplates by a user, wherein locations of the selected backplates define two or more selected detection zones, wherein the two or more device control assemblies are configured to be communicatively coupled to each other, wherein each of the device control assemblies comprise: a feature configured to disengage the lock when inserted into the backplate to enable the cover to translate to the open position; device control assembly electrical contacts configured to couple to the backplate contacts when the cover is in the open position; and an occupancy sensor configured to detect an occupancy state of an occupant within the two or more selected detection zones, the occupancy state including at least one of a location, a direction of motion, or a speed of motion of the occupant; wherein the two or more device control assemblies are configured to determine occupancy routines based on current and historical occupancy states of the occupant within the two or more selected detection zones and are further configured to predict a future occupancy state of the occupant within the two or more selected detection zones based on the current occupancy state and the occupancy routines, wherein at least one of the two or more device control assemblies is configured to actuate an electrical load through electrical wiring connected to one of the selected backplates based on the predicted future occupancy state of the occupant. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the occupancy state includes an action of the occupant. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the action of the occupant comprises: at least one of entering a field of view of the occupancy sensor, moving through a field of view, remaining stationary within the field of view, or exiting the field of view. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the occupancy state comprises: a position of the occupant within a field of view of the occupancy sensor. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein predicting the future occupancy state comprises: predicting the future occupancy state based on the current occupancy state and the occupancy routines using a recursive bayesian estimation. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the device control assembly is configured to toollessly couple to the backplate. ### Claim 25 A system for occupancy prediction, comprising: two or more backplates configured to be mounted within two or more electrical junction boxes distributed throughout a building, wherein each of the two or more backplates comprise: backplate electrical contacts connected to electrical wiring within an electrical junction box of the two or more electrical junction boxes; a user-translatable cover configured to electrically shield the backplate electrical contacts when in a closed position and expose the backplate electrical contacts when in an open position; and a lock configured to maintain the cover in the closed position unless disengaged; two or more device control assemblies configured to be inserted into or removed from any selected backplates of the two or more backplates by a user, wherein locations of the selected backplates define two or more selected detection zones, wherein the two or more device control assemblies are configured to be communicatively coupled to each other, wherein each of the device control assemblies comprise: a feature configured to disengage the lock when inserted into the backplate to enable the cover to translate to the open position; device control assembly electrical contacts configured to couple to the backplate contacts when the cover is in the open position; and an occupancy sensor configured to detect a current occupancy state of a detection zone of the two or more selected detection zones, an occupancy state including at least one of occupied by one or more occupants or vacant of occupants; wherein the two or more device control assemblies are configured to determine occupancy routines based on current and historical occupancy states of the two or more selected detection zones and are further configured to predict future occupancy states of the two or more selected detection zones based on current occupancy states of the two or more selected detection zones and the occupancy routines, wherein at least one of the device control assemblies is configured to actuate an electrical load through electrical wiring connected to one of the selected backplates based on the predicted future occupancy states.