Systems and methods for controlling the temperature of a room based on occupancy

Abstract

An environment control system for controlling the temperature in a room, the system comprises a heating and cooling system; a thermostat for monitoring the temperature within a room and controlling the heating and cooling system; a motion sensor for detecting whether a door or window to the room has been opened; a presence detector for detecting whether the room is currently occupied; and a control system in communication with the thermostat, the motion sensor, and the presence detector, the control system being configured to control the room's temperature via the thermostat based at least in part on signals received from the thermostat, the motion detector and the presence detector, the control system being configured to cause the heating and cooling system to operate in a power savings mode when the room is unoccupied based on a series of time cycles during which the heating and cooling system is turned on or off as dictated by a plurality of temperature thresholds.

1 . An environment control system for controlling the temperature in a room, the system comprising:
 a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature within a room;   at least one occupancy sensor for determining whether the room is occupied;   a heating and cooling system;   a control system in communication with the temperature sensor, the at least one occupancy sensor, and the heating and cooling system, the control system being configured to control the room's temperature via the heating and cooling system based at least in part on signals received from the temperature sensors and the at least one occupancy sensor, the control system being configured to operate the heating and cooling system in a power savings mode when the room is unoccupied based on a series of time cycles during which the heating and cooling system is turned on or off as dictated by a plurality of temperature thresholds.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one occupancy sensor includes an activity sensor for detecting whether a door or window to the room has been opened. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one occupancy sensor further comprises a presence detector for detecting whether the room is currently occupied. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the presence detector is integrated into a sensor device mounted within the room so as to maximize the detection window of the presence detector. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the presence detector is installed in a case that is shaped like a smoke detector. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the control system is configured to monitor signal data from the presence detector and the activity sensor to determine whether the room is occupied. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to shut down the heating and cooling system of the room when the control system detects that the room is currently unoccupied, and to monitor the temperature of the room until the temperature reaches or exceeds a maximum or minimum threshold temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the heating and cooling system of the room for a first predetermined period of time when the temperature of the room reaches or exceeds the maximum or minimum threshold temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the control system is further configured to check the temperature of the room after operating the heating and cooling system for the first predetermined period of time, and to make a determination whether the temperature of the room is approaching a set point. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the heating and cooling system for a second predetermined period of time if the temperature of the room is approaching the set point. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured to shut down the heating and cooling system after operating the heating and cooling system for the second predetermined period of time and to monitor the temperature of the room until the temperature once again reaches or exceeds the maximum temperature or the room becomes occupied. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the heating and cooling system for a maximum period of time if the temperature is not approaching the set point. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control system is configured to determine whether the temperature is approaching the set point by determining whether the temperature is below or above the maximum or minimum temperature thresholds respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to determine whether the temperature is approaching the set point by determining whether the temperature is below or above the maximum or minimum temperature thresholds respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the environment control system comprises a plurality of control systems, each control system being configured to control the temperature of a room in a multi-room building. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control systems are configured to receive control signals from a central computer system and to transmit data collected from sensors in the rooms to the central computer system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is included in a thermostat, and wherein the control system is configured to control the heating and cooling system by controlling the thermostat. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of temperature thresholds comprise a table of high and low threshold pairs, and wherein the control system is configured to use a selected one of the pairs to control the room temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the selected pair of high and low temperature thresholds can be selected by an occupant. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of temperature thresholds comprise a plurality of tables of high and low thresholds pairs, and wherein the control system is configured to use one of the tables initially to control the room temperature and to then use another of the plurality of tables based on how long the room remains unoccupied. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the heating and cooling system for a minimum on time during which the heating and cooling system is on after a high or low temperature threshold of the plurality of temperature thresholds is met or exceeded. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the heating and cooling system for a minimum off time during which the heating and cooling system is off after a high or low temperature threshold of the plurality of temperature thresholds is satisfied due to operation of the heating and cooling system. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the heating and cooling system for between a minimum and a maximum on time during which the heating and cooling system is on after a high or low temperature threshold of the plurality of temperature thresholds is met or exceeded. 
     
     
         24 . An environment control system for controlling the temperature in a room, the system comprising:
 a heating and cooling system;   a thermostat for monitoring the temperature within a room and controlling the heating and cooling system;   an activity sensor for detecting whether a door or window to the room has been opened;   a presence detector for detecting whether the room is currently occupied   a control system in communication with the thermostat, the activity sensor, and the presence detector, the control system being configured to control the room's temperature via the thermostat based at least in part on signals received from the thermostat, the activity sensor, and the presence detector, the control system being configured to cause the heating and cooling system to operate in a power savings mode when the room is unoccupied based on a series of time cycles during which the heating and cooling system is turned on or off as dictated by a plurality of temperature thresholds and a plurality of time thresholds.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the presence detector is integrated into a sensor device mounted over a bed. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the presence detector is installed in a case that is shaped like a smoke detector. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the control system is configured to monitor signal data from the presence detector and the activity sensor to determine whether the room is occupied. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , where information received from the activity sensor is configured to initiate a time period during which the presence detector is configured to search the enclosure for an occupant, and wherein the control system is configured to take control of the heating and cooling system operation via the thermostat after expiration of the time period when the presence detector does not detect the occupant during the time period. 
     
     
         29 . The control system of  claim 27 , wherein the control system is further configured not to take control of the heating and cooling system when the presence detector does detect the occupant during the time period. 
     
     
         30 . The control system of  claim 28 , wherein the control system is configured to take control of the heating and cooling system operation by shutting the heating and cooling system off until a maximum or minimum temperature is reached or exceeded. 
     
     
         31 . The control system of  claim 28 , wherein the control system is further configured to maintain control of the operation of the heating and cooling system until the activity sensor senses that the occupant has returned. 
     
     
         32 . The control system of  claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of activity sensors configured to detect when the occupant enter or exits the enclosure through a main entrance as well as when the occupant opens a window, balcony door, or other secondary entrance, and wherein the control system is configured to take control of the operation of the heating and cooling system when one of the plurality of sensors detects that a window, balcony door, or secondary entrance has been opened. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the control system is configured to shut down a heating and cooling system of the room when the control system detects that the room is currently unoccupied, and to monitor the temperature of the room until the temperature reaches or exceeds a maximum or minimum threshold temperature. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the heating and cooling system of the room for a first predetermined period of time when the temperature of the room reaches or exceeds the maximum or minimum threshold temperature. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the control system is further configured to check the temperature of the room after operating the heating and cooling system for the first predetermined period of time, and to make a determination whether the temperature of the room is approaching a set point. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the heating and cooling system for a second predetermined period of time if the temperature of the room is approaching the set point. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the control system is configured to shut down the heating and cooling system after operating the heating and cooling system for the second predetermined period of time and to monitor the temperature of the room until the temperature once again reaches or exceeds the maximum or minimum temperature or the room becomes occupied. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the heating and cooling system for a maximum period of time if the temperature is not approaching the set point. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the control system is configured to determine whether the temperature is approaching the set point by determining whether the temperature is below or above the maximum or minimum temperature thresholds respectively. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the control system is configured to determine whether the temperature is approaching the set point by determining whether the temperature is below or above the maximum or minimum temperature thresholds respectively. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the motion detector and the presence detector are configured to communicate wirelessly with the environmental control system. 
     
     
         42 . A method for operating an environment control system comprising:
 monitoring at least one activity sensor for detecting whether a door or window to a room has been opened;   monitoring at least one presence detector for detecting whether the room is occupied;   monitoring a temperature sensor to determine the room's temperature; and   operating a heating and cooling system of the room to in a power saving mode when the room is unoccupied based on a series of time cycles during which the heating and cooling system is turned on or off as dictated by a plurality of temperature thresholds and a plurality of time thresholds.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein operating the heating and cooling system in the power saving mode further comprises:
 shutting down the heating and cooling system of the room when the control system detects that the room is currently unoccupied; and   monitoring the temperature of the room until the temperature reaches or exceeds a maximum or minimum threshold temperature.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein operating the heating and cooling system in the power saving mode further comprises operating the heating and cooling system for a first predetermined period of time when the temperature of the room reaches or exceeds the maximum or minimum threshold temperature. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 checking the temperature of the room after operating the heating and cooling system for the first predetermined period of time; and   determining whether the temperature of the room is approaching a set point after operating the heating and cooling system for the first predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising operating the heating and cooling system for a second predetermined period of time if the temperature of the room is approaching the set point. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 shutting down the heating and cooling system after operating the heating and cooling system for the second predetermined period of time; and   monitoring the temperature of the room until the temperature once again reaches or exceeds the maximum or minimum temperature or the room becomes occupied.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising operating the heating and cooling system for a maximum period of time if the temperature is not approaching the set point. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein determining whether the temperature is approaching the set point comprises determining whether the temperature is below or above the maximum or minimum temperature thresholds respectively. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein determining whether the temperature is approaching the set point comprises determining whether the temperature is below or above the maximum or minimum temperature thresholds respectively. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising monitoring at least one presence detector for detecting whether the room is occupied when it is detected that a door or window is opened.