System and method for occupancy estimation
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorRobert T. Tomastik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An occupancy estimator calculates an occupancy estimate (x) of a region based on sensor data (z) provided by one or more sensor devices and a model-based occupancy estimate generated by an occupant traffic model (f). The occupant traffic model (f) is based on predicted movement of occupants throughout a region. The occupancy estimation system includes an occupancy estimator algorithm (20) that combines the sensor data (z) and the model-based occupancy estimate generated by the occupant traffic model (f) to generate an occupancy estimate (x) for the region.
Claims24
A system for estimating occupancy in a region, the system comprising:
- an input operably connected to receive sensor data from one or more sensor devices;
- an occupancy estimator operably connected to the input, wherein the occupancy estimator executes an algorithm to generate an occupancy estimate for the region based on the received sensor data and a model-based occupancy estimate generated by an occupant traffic model;
- and
- an output operably connected to the occupancy estimator to communicate the occupancy estimate generated by the occupancy estimator.
A method for estimating occupancy in a region, the method comprising:
- acquiring sensor data from one or more sensor devices;
- calculating a model-based occupancy estimate based on an occupant traffic model that predicts movements of occupants within a region;
- and
- generating an occupancy estimate for the region based on a combination of the acquired sensor data and the model-based occupancy estimate.
A system for estimating occupancy in a region, the system comprising:
- at least one sensor device for acquiring sensor data relevant to occupancy;
- means for calculating a model-based occupancy estimate based on an occupant traffic model that predicts traffic patterns of occupants within the region;
- and
- means for generating an occupancy estimate based on a combination of the acquired sensor data and the model-based occupancy estimate.
A distributed system for estimating occupancy within a building, the system comprising:
- a first occupancy estimator connectable to receive sensor data associated with a first location and for executing an algorithm to generate a first occupancy estimate for the first location based on the received sensor data associated with the first location and a model-based occupancy estimate generated for the first location by a first occupant traffic model;
- and
- a second occupancy estimator connectable to receive sensor data associated with a second location and for executing an algorithm to generate a second occupancy estimate for the second location based on the received sensor data associated with the second location and a model-based occupancy estimate generated for the second located by a second occupant traffic model.
A computer readable storage medium encoded with a machine-readable computer program code for generating thereof propagation estimates for a region, the computer readable storage medium including instructions for causing a controller to implement a method comprising:
- acquiring input from one or more sensor devices;
- calculating a model-based occupancy estimate based on an occupant traffic model that predicts movements of occupants within a region;
- and
- generating an occupancy estimate for the region based on a combination of the acquired sensor input and the model-based occupancy estimate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.