Server-based thermostat control
AssigneeRCS Technology, LLC
InventorMichael Hoffman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, method and apparatus for remote control of a thermostat by a network-based server, when the thermostat is not connected to a local or wide-area network. A network-based server calculates a modified temperature profile for a thermostat based on a utility's time-of-use pricing and/or weather forecasts. After the server has calculated the modified temperature profile, it is provided to a mobile device via a wide-area network, and the mobile device provides the modified temperature profile directly to the thermostat when the mobile device is within range of the thermostat.
Claims19
A server for controlling a thermostat over a wide-area network, comprising:
- a memory for storing time-of-use pricing information, a temperature profile and processor-executable instructions, wherein the time-of-use pricing information comprises energy pricing for one or more time periods;
- a network interface for communicating with a mobile device over the wide-area network, the mobile device associated with the thermostat;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface, for executing the processor-executable instructions that causes the server to:
- determine a predicted outdoor temperature where the thermostat is located;
- modify the temperature profile based on the time-of-use pricing information and the predicted outdoor temperature to produce a modified temperature profile;
- and
- provide the modified temperature profile to the mobile device associated with the thermostat for the mobile device to provide the modified temperature profile to the thermostat.
A mobile device for direct communications a thermostat that is not in communication with a local-area network, comprising:
- a memory for storing modified temperature profile and processor-executable instructions, the modified temperature profile for replacing a temperature profile stored by the thermostat;
- a network interface for receiving a modified temperature profile from a remote server over a wide-area network;
- low-power communication circuitry for communicating directly with the thermostat;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory, the network interface and the low-power communication circuitry, for execution of the processor-executable instructions that causes the mobile device to:
- receive, by the processor via the network interface, the modified temperature profile from the remote server;
- determine, by the processor, that the mobile device is within range of the thermostat;
- and
- provide, by the processor via the low-power communication circuitry, the modified temperature profile to the thermostat when the mobile device is in range of the thermostat.
A processor-readable medium tangibly embodying processor-executable instructions that cause a mobile device to perform a method, comprising:
- receiving, by a processor via a network interface, modified temperature profile from a remote server;
- determining, by the processor, that the mobile device is within range of the thermostat;
- and
- providing, by the processor via a low-power communication circuitry, the modified temperature profile to the thermostat when the mobile device is in range of the thermostat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.