# US 2016/0258642 A1 · Systems and methods for regulating an environmental variable within a target zone having multiple inhabitants > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0258642 A1 - Document ID: US20160258642A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/638,947 - Filed: 2015-03-04 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-04 - Assignees: Elwha LLC - Applicants: Elwha LLC - Inventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III; William David Duncan; Eun Young Hwang; Roderick A. Hyde; Tony S. Pan; Clarence T. Tegreene; Victoria Y.H. Wood - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160258642A1 ## CPC - F24F 11/64: using pre-stored data - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/56: Remote control - 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 - G05B 15/02: electric - F24F 2120/00: Control inputs relating to users or occupants - F24F 2120/10: Occupancy - G05B 2219/2614: HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control - 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) ## Abstract A system and associated methods of operation for regulating an environmental variable (such as ambient room temperature) within a target zone. The system includes an occupancy sensor configured to monitor the target zone and determine a number of inhabitants present within the zone. The occupancy sensor generates an occupancy signal communicating the number of detected inhabitants to an environmental control system. Upon receiving the occupancy signal, the environmental control system regulates an environmental variable within the zone based on the number of inhabitants present in the zone. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for regulating an environmental variable, the system comprising an occupancy sensor configured to monitor a zone, the occupancy sensor detecting a presence of one or more inhabitants within the zone, determining a number of inhabitants present within the zone, and generating an occupancy signal communicating the number of inhabitants present within the zone; and an environmental control system in operative communication with the occupancy sensor, the environmental control system receiving the occupancy signal from the sensor system and regulating an environmental variable within the zone based on the number of inhabitants present within the zone. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a measurement sensor configured to monitor the zone, the sensor measuring a skin parameter from at least one of the one or more inhabitants occupying the zone and generating a sensor signal based on the measured skin parameter, the environmental control system further directly or indirectly receiving the sensor signal from the measurement sensor and regulating the environmental variable within the zone based further on the sensor signal. ### Claim 3 (canceled) ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, further comprising a storage medium having stored therein a threshold setpoint relating to the skin parameter and a processor in operative communication with the measurement sensor and the storage medium, the processor receiving the sensor signal from the measurement sensor and determining a variance between the measured skin parameter and the threshold setpoint for the at least one of the one or more inhabitants occupying the zone, the processor generating an operation mode signal based on the variance. ### Claim 5 (canceled) ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is in operative communication with the environmental control system, the environmental control system receiving the operation mode signal and regulating an environmental variable with the zone based on the operation mode signal, and wherein the operation mode signal directly or indirectly activates one of a cooling mode or a heating mode of the environmental control system to heat or cool the zone. ### Claim at position 7 7-8. (canceled) ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the measurement sensor measures the skin parameter from a plurality of the inhabitants occupying the zone and generates the sensor signal based on the measured skin parameters, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine a variance for each of the plurality of the inhabitants occupying the zone. ### Claim at position 9 10-18. (canceled) ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the occupancy sensor is further configured to monitor an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone, and the environmental variable is room temperature, wherein the environmental control system automatically decreases an amount of heating applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone increases, and wherein the environmental control system automatically increases an amount of heating applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone decreases. ### Claim at position 11 20-21. (canceled) ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the occupancy sensor is further configured to monitor an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone, and the environmental variable is room temperature, wherein the environmental control system automatically increases an amount of cooling applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone increases, and wherein the environmental variable is room temperature, and wherein the environmental control system automatically decreases an amount of cooling applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone decreases. ### Claim at position 13 23-35. (canceled) ### Claim 36 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring system in communication with the occupancy sensor, the monitoring system configured to monitor an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone. ### Claim at position 15 37-42. (canceled) ### Claim 43 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a door sensor configured to monitor whether a door leading into the zone is open or closed, the door sensor further configured to generate a door signal communicating whether the door is open or closed, wherein the environmental control system is in communication with the door sensor, the environmental control system receiving the door signal and regulating the environmental variable within the zone based on the door signal. ### Claim 44 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a database having stored therein environmental temperature data for one or more calendar dates, wherein the environmental control system is in communication with the database, and wherein the environmental control system regulates the environmental variable within the zone based on the environmental temperature data. ### Claim 45 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a database having stored therein a room calendar, the room calendar including data regarding an expected occupancy within the zone for a period of time, wherein the environmental control system is in communication with the database, and wherein the environmental control system further regulates the environmental variable within the zone based on the room calendar and the expected occupancy. ### Claim at position 19 46-69. (canceled) ### Claim 70 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a measurement sensor configured to monitor the zone, the sensor measuring a skin parameter from each of the one or more inhabitants occupying the zone, wherein the measurement sensor determines an average value of the measured skin parameter. ### Claim 71 (depends on 70) The system of claim 70, wherein the measurement sensor generates a sensor signal communicating the determined average value of the measured skin parameter to the environmental control system, and wherein the environmental control system regulates the environmental variable within the zone based further on the sensor signal. ### Claim 72 (depends on 71) The system of claim 71, wherein the skin parameter is skin temperature or sweat. ### Claim 73 (canceled) ### Claim 74 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a measurement sensor configured to monitor the zone, the sensor measuring a skin parameter from each of the one or more inhabitants occupying the zone, wherein the measurement sensor determines an extreme value of the measured skin parameter. ### Claim 75 (depends on 74) The system of claim 74, wherein the measurement sensor generates a sensor signal communicating the determined extreme value of the measured skin parameter to the environmental control system, and wherein the environmental control system regulates the environmental variable within the zone based further on the sensor signal. ### Claim 76 (depends on 75) The system of claim 75, wherein the skin parameter is skin temperature or sweat. ### Claim 77 (canceled) ### Claim 78 A method for regulating an environmental variable, the method comprising monitoring, via an occupancy sensor, a zone; detecting, via the occupancy sensor, a presence of one or more inhabitants within the zone; determining, via the occupancy sensor, a number of inhabitants present within the zone; generating, via the occupancy sensor, an occupancy signal communicating the number of inhabitants present within the zone; receiving, via an environmental control system, the occupancy signal; and regulating, via the environmental control system, an environmental variable within the zone based on the number of inhabitants present within the zone. ### Claim 79 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, further comprising: monitoring, via a measurement sensor, the zone; measuring, via the measurement sensor, a skin parameter from at least one of the one or more inhabitants occupying the zone; generating, via the measurement sensor, a sensor signal based on the measured skin parameter; receiving, via the environmental control system, directly or indirectly the sensor signal from the measurement sensor; and regulating, via the environmental control system, the environmental variable within the zone based further on the sensor signal. ### Claim 80 (canceled) ### Claim 81 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, further comprising a storage medium having stored therein a threshold setpoint relating to the skin parameter, the method further comprising: receiving, via a processor in operative communication with the measurement sensor and the storage medium, the sensor signal from the measurement sensor; determining, via the processor, a variance between the measured skin parameter and the threshold setpoint for the at least one of the one or more inhabitants occupying the zone; and generating, via the processor, an operation mode signal based on the variance. ### Claim 82 (depends on 81) The method of claim 81, wherein the processor is in operative communication with the environmental control system, the method further comprising: receiving, via the environmental control system, the operation mode signal; and regulating, via the environmental control system, an environmental variable with the zone based on the operation mode signal, wherein the operation mode signal directly or indirectly activates one of a cooling mode or a heating mode of the environmental control system to heat or cool the zone. ### Claim at position 33 83-85. (canceled) ### Claim 86 (depends on 81) The method of claim 81, further comprising: measuring, via the measurement sensor, the skin parameter from a plurality of the inhabitants occupying the zone; generating, via the measurement sensor, the sensor signal based on the measured skin parameters; and determining, via the processor, a variance for each of the plurality of the inhabitants occupying the zone. ### Claim at position 35 87-96. (canceled) ### Claim 97 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, wherein the environmental variable is room temperature, the method further comprising: monitoring, via the occupancy sensor, an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone; automatically decreasing, via the environmental control system, an amount of heating applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone increases; and automatically increasing, via the environmental control system, an amount of heating applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone decreases. ### Claim 98 (canceled) ### Claim 99 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, wherein the environmental variable is room temperature, the method further comprising: monitoring, via the occupancy sensor, an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone; automatically increasing, via the environmental control system, an amount of cooling applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone increases; and automatically decreasing, via the environmental control system, an amount of cooling applied within the zone as the number of inhabitants present within the zone decreases. ### Claim at position 39 100-112. (canceled) ### Claim 113 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, further comprising monitoring, via a monitoring system in communication with the occupancy sensor, an entrance or an exit of one or more of the inhabitants into or out of the zone. ### Claim at position 41 114-119. (canceled) ### Claim 120 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, further comprising: monitoring, via a door sensor, whether a door leading into the zone is open or closed; generating, via the door sensor, a door signal communicating whether the door is open or closed; receiving, via the environmental control system, the door signal; and regulating, via the environmental control system, the environmental variable within the zone based on the door signal. ### Claim 121 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, further comprising a database having stored therein environmental temperature data for one or more calendar dates, wherein the environmental control system is in communication with the database, the method further comprising regulating, via the environmental control system, the environmental variable within the zone based on the environmental temperature data. ### Claim 122 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, further comprising a database having stored therein a room calendar, the room calendar including data regarding an expected occupancy within the zone for a period of time, wherein the environmental control system is in communication with the database, the method further comprising regulating, via the environmental control system, the environmental variable within the zone based on the room calendar and the expected occupancy. ### Claim at position 45 123-146. (canceled) ### Claim 147 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, further comprising: monitoring, via a measurement sensor, the zone; measuring, via the measurement sensor, a skin parameter from each of the one or more inhabitants occupying the zone; and determining, via the measurement sensor, an average value of the measured skin parameter. ### Claim 148 (depends on 147) The method of claim 147, further comprising: generating, via the measurement sensor, a sensor signal communicating the determined average value of the measured skin parameter to the environmental control system; and regulating, via the environmental control system, the environmental variable within the zone based further on the sensor signal. ### Claim 149 (depends on 148) The method of claim 148, wherein the skin parameter is skin temperature or sweat. ### Claim 150 (canceled) ### Claim 151 (depends on 78) The method of claim 78, further comprising: monitoring, via a measurement sensor, the zone; measuring, via the measurement sensor, a skin parameter from each of the one or more inhabitants occupying the zone; and determining, via the measurement sensor, an extreme value of the measured skin parameter. ### Claim 152 (depends on 151) The method of claim 151, further comprising: generating, via the measurement sensor, a sensor signal communicating the determined extreme value of the measured skin parameter to the environmental control system; and regulating, via the environmental control system, the environmental variable within the zone based further on the sensor signal. ### Claim 153 (depends on 152) The method of claim 152, wherein the skin parameter is skin temperature or sweat. ### Claim 154 (canceled)