Systems and methods for managing a programmable thermostat

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of programmable thermostats often fail to optimize their programming, leading to inefficient energy use and increased energy bills due to the complexity of programming and difficulty in predicting heating and cooling needs, resulting in unnecessary activation of HVAC systems when not home.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a data acquisition and analysis subsystem that receives thermostat data to determine a cost-efficient management profile, predicting user behavior, and automatically adjusting the programmable thermostat settings to reduce energy usage and communicate optimized profiles to users for implementation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users program the thermostat manually, then the thermostat can adjust temperature according to programmed settings, but the programming process is difficult and burdensome leading to abandonment of programming function

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of programmingVSAvoidprogramming complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic programming by monitoring user behavior patterns and autonomously generating optimized temperature schedules, eliminating the need for manual user programming while maintaining energy-saving benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors user manual adjustments to thermostat settings and uses this feedback to learn and adapt to user preferences, automatically refining the programming over time based on actual usage patterns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If users program the thermostat to activate HVAC systems, then heating and cooling needs can be met, but the systems may activate when the user is not home causing unnecessary energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating and cooling needs satisfactionVSAvoidunnecessary energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors user presence and manual thermostat adjustments in real-time, using this feedback to dynamically modify HVAC scheduling and prevent unnecessary system activation when users are absent

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The thermostat programming transitions from static pre-set schedules to dynamic adaptive scheduling that automatically adjusts temperature setpoints based on learned user behavior patterns and predicted presence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the thermostat uses simple programming, then it is easier to use, but it cannot optimize energy savings effectively requiring user prediction of heating and cooling needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogramming simplicityVSAvoidenergy savings optimization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs the complex task of learning user patterns and optimizing energy schedules without requiring user expertise or manual programming, delivering both simplicity and optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual user prediction and programming with automated electronic monitoring and analysis of usage patterns, using computational algorithms to determine optimal scheduling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10454702B2Systems and methods for managing a programmable thermostat

Publication Date: 2019.10.22 RESIDEO LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for managing a programmable thermostat are described herein. One or more system embodiments include a programmable thermostat having a first management profile; a data acquisition subsystem; and a data analysis subsystem. The data acquisition subsystem is configured to receive thermostat data from the programmable thermostat, and the data analysis subsystem is configured to receive the thermostat data from the data acquisition subsystem, and determine a second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on the thermostat data.