Intelligent controller for an environmental control system
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsYoky Matsuoka, Joseph Adam Ruff, Mark Malhotra
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Abstract
The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that continuously, periodically, or intermittently monitor progress towards one or more control goals under one or more constraints in order to achieve control that satisfies potentially conflicting goals. An intelligent controller may alter aspects of control, dynamically, while the control is being carried out, in order to ensure that goals are obtained and a balance is achieved between potentially conflicting goals. The intelligent controller uses various types of information to determine an initial control strategy as well as to dynamically adjust the control strategy as the control is being carried out.
Claims20
An intelligent thermostat that controls the temperature within an environment by controlling one or more systems, the intelligent thermostat comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory that stores a control schedule, one or more types of operational characteristics of the one or more systems controlled by the intelligent thermostat, and one or more sets of operational parameters that specify control of the one or more systems, wherein the one or more types of operational characteristics comprises ΔT/Δt-versus-T data that describes a rate of temperature chance;
- one or more sensor inputs from one or more sensors that sense current temperature values;
- and
- instructions stored within the memory that, when executed by the processor, control the intelligent thermostat to:
- continuously or intermittently update one or more of the one or more types of stored operational characteristics based on time-point-associated sensor inputs;
- monitor the continuously or intermittently updated operational characteristics in order to detect anomalous system conditions associated with malfunctions, deterioration, or adverse operational characteristic;
- and
- when one or more anomalous system conditions associated with malfunctions, deterioration, or adverse operational characteristics are detected in one of the one or more systems, carrying out one or more of:
- accordingly modifying control of the system, and
- reporting the detected one or more anomalous system conditions.
A method of detecting and responding to anomalous system conditions with an intelligent thermostat, the method comprising:
- storing, in a memory of the intelligent thermostat, a control schedule, one or more types of operational characteristics of the one or more systems controlled by the intelligent thermostat, and one or more sets of operational parameters that specify control of the one or more systems, wherein the one or more types of operational characteristics comprises ΔT/Δt-versus-T data that describes a rate of temperature change;
- receiving, by the intelligent thermostat, one or more sensor inputs from one or more sensors that sense current temperature values;
- continuously or intermittently updating, by the intelligent thermostat, one or more of the one or more types of stored operational characteristics based on time-point-associated sensor inputs;
- monitoring, by the intelligent thermostat, the continuously or intermittently updated operational characteristics in order to detect anomalous system conditions associated with malfunctions, deterioration, or adverse operational characteristic;
- and
- when one or more anomalous system conditions associated with malfunctions, deterioration, or adverse operational characteristics are detected in one of the one or more systems, carrying out, by the intelligent thermostat, one or more of:
- accordingly modifying control of the system, and
- reporting the detected one or more anomalous system conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.