Thermostat Control via Mobile Device Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Many households lack access to local-area networks, such as Wi-Fi, which limits the ability of thermostats to communicate with mobile devices and remote servers, restricting their functionality in controlling heating and cooling systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that enables thermostats to communicate directly with mobile devices using low-power wireless technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or near-field communications (NFC), allowing them to receive temperature profiles and send historical data over wide-area networks, even without a local Wi-Fi connection, and a cloud-based server that optimizes temperature profiles based on time-of-use pricing and weather forecasts to reduce energy costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermostats use local Wi-Fi networks for communication, then communication reliability is improved, but device accessibility deteriorates for households without local-area network access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary between the thermostat and the wide-area network. The mobile device communicates with the thermostat via low-power wireless technology when in proximity, then relays commands and data over the wide-area network when out of range, enabling thermostat control without requiring local Wi-Fi infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system is segmented into two distinct modes: short-range direct communication using low-power wireless technology when the mobile device is near the thermostat, and long-range communication via wide-area network when the mobile device is away. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to different operational contexts and eliminate the requirement for continuous local network connectivity.
2Speed
If thermostats require local Wi-Fi network infrastructure, then communication speed is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for households without Internet access
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device serves as a portable gateway that bridges the thermostat to external networks. It maintains a local communication channel with the thermostat using low-power wireless technology and provides an interface for users to send commands and receive status updates over the wide-area network, making the system operable without local Internet infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service operation by allowing the mobile device to automatically establish communication with the thermostat when in proximity and autonomously manage data synchronization and command transmission over the wide-area network without requiring manual network configuration or local infrastructure setup.
3Use of energy by moving object
If thermostats use low-power wireless communication, then energy consumption is reduced, but communication range deteriorates compared to Wi-Fi networks
Solution Approach 1:
The communication architecture is divided into short-range direct communication mode using low-power wireless technology for local thermostat control, and long-range communication mode using the mobile device's wide-area network connection for remote access. This segmentation allows the thermostat to use energy-efficient communication for frequent local interactions while leveraging the mobile device's power for extended range requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-dimension communication model (direct thermostat-to-network connection) to a two-dimensional approach where communication occurs first in the short-range spatial dimension using low-power wireless, then in the long-range dimension via the mobile device's wide-area network connection, effectively extending range without increasing thermostat power consumption.
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AI summary
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.