# US 10,502,444 B2 · Continuous intelligent-control-system update using information requests directed to user devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,444 B2 - Document ID: US10502444B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/216,035 - Filed: 2018-12-11 - Published: 2019-05-30 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-05 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Yoky Matsuoka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502444B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/46: Improving electric energy efficiency or saving - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/523: for displaying temperature data - F24F 11/58: using Internet communication - F24F 11/62: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values - F24F 11/67: Switching between heating and cooling modes - F24F 11/88: Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits - G05B 15/02: electric - G05D 23/1905: {associated with tele control} - G05D 23/1917: {using digital means} - F24F 11/56: Remote control - F24F 2110/10: Temperature - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract An intelligent control system includes intelligent thermostats and controls an environment, such as a residential living space, commercial building, or another environment. The intelligent control system obtains information related to the controlled environment by collecting sensor data, obtaining data from users during interactive information-exchange sessions, and by directing information queries to users on one or more user devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a control system in a controlled environment, the method comprising: receiving, by the control system, an audio signal that corresponds to a resource-consuming system; determining, by the control system, that the control system is unable to unambiguously identify the resource-consuming system based on the audio signal; causing, by the control system, a message to be presented to a user, wherein the message requests that the user identify the resource-consuming system; receiving, by the control system, a response to the message that identifies the resource-consuming system; and taking, by the control system, at least one action related to a computational model of the controlled environment based on the message that identifies the resource-consuming system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audio signal comprises a sound of running water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the message is presented to the user on a device at a time estimated by the control system to not annoy the user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the user is most likely to provide the response to the message in comparison to other users. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein causing the message to be presented to the user comprises: causing the message to be presented to the user to be sent to a user device on which the user is most likely to respond to received information queries at times determining to be most appropriate for the user and using formats and/or styles most likely to encourage user responses. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein resource-consuming system comprises a dishwasher. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein resource-consuming system comprises a shower head. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein resource-consuming system comprises a faucet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein locations of a plurality of resource-consuming systems have been determined through an initial-information-gathering interactive session with the user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises one or more controllers and a server. ### Claim 11 A control system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memory devices comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving an audio signal that corresponds to a resource-consuming system; determining that the control system is unable to unambiguously identify the resource-consuming system based on the audio signal; causing a message to be presented to a user, wherein the message requests that the user identify the resource-consuming system; receiving a response to the message that identifies the resource-consuming system; and taking at least one action related to a computational model of a controlled environment based on the message that identifies the resource-consuming system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors and the one or more memory devices are distributed between one or more controllers and one or more servers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The control system of claim 11, wherein the one or more memory devices further comprise personal contact information for one or more users, wherein the one or more users includes the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein the personal contact information includes indications of user activities associated with user devices that can be interrupted by information queries. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein the personal contact information includes indications of types of information queries that the one or more users have indicated a willingness to respond to. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein the personal contact information includes indications of types of information that the one or more users are willing to provide to the control system in response to information queries. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The control system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: determining whether additional information unavailable from sensor data and the computational model of the controlled environment is needed; and when the additional information is determined to be needed: using personal contact information to select the user and a user device through which the user can receive information queries, using the personal contact information to select a type of information query that corresponds to preferences of the user for information queries and that is compatible with the user device, and transmitting an information query of the selected type to the selected user through the selected device for the additional information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The control system of claim 17 wherein the control system selects the user by: when information about only one user is stored in the personal contact information, selecting the one user; and when information about multiple users is stored in the personal contact information, selecting a user, from among the multiple users, determined to be most likely to respond to an information query. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The control system of claim 17, wherein using personal contact information to select the user and a user device through which the user can receive information queries comprises: determining a device from among a plurality of devices included in the personal contact information that is likely to be accessible to the selected user at a time when the information query is transmitted. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The control system of claim 17, wherein, by selecting the user, device, and type of information query based on the personal contact information, the control system optimizes, over time, a percentage of information queries transmitted to users for which responses from users are received.