Dynamic distributed-sensor thermostat network for forecasting external events

Abstract

Systems and methods for forecasting events can be provided. A measurement database can store sensor measurements, each having been provided by a non-portable electronic device with a primary purpose unrelated to collecting measurements from a type of sensor that collected the measurement. A measurement set identifier can select a set of measurements. The electronic devices associated with the set of measurements can be in close geographical proximity relative to their geographical proximity to other devices. An inter-device correlator can access the set and collectively analyze the measurements. An event detector can determine whether an event occurred. An event forecaster can forecast a future event property. An alert engine can identify one or more entities to be alerted of the future event property, generate at least one alert identifying the future event property, and transmit the at least one alert to the identified one or more entities.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A event-forecasting system comprising:
 a measurement database that stores a plurality of sensor measurements, each sensor measurement having been provided by a smart-home environmental control device having a primary purpose of controlling an environmental condition within a structure including sensing the environmental condition being controlled, the smart-home environmental control device having a first sensor that senses the environmental condition being controlled and a second sensor that senses an alternative condition other than said environmental condition being controlled and that is not subject to the control of said smart-home environmental control device, said second sensor providing said sensor measurements for storage in said measurement database;   a measurement set identifier that selects a set of sensor measurements from the plurality of sensor measurements provided by the environmental control devices in the measurement database, wherein the smart-home environmental control devices associated with the set of sensor measurements are in close geographical proximity relative to their geographical proximity to other devices;   an inter-device correlator that accesses the selected set of sensor measurements and that collectively analyzes the sensor measurements provided by the smart-home environmental control devices;   an event detector that determines whether a relatively large-scale event has occurred based on the results of the collective analysis, wherein the determination that an event has occurred requires collective processing of at least two of the sensor measurements provided by the smart-home environmental control devices;   an event forecaster that forecasts a future event property, wherein the future event property is forecasted based on a same or different collective analysis of the sensor measurements provided by the smart-home environmental control devices; and   an alert engine that identifies one or more entities to be alerted of the future event property, that generates at least one alert identifying the future event property, and that transmits the at least one alert to the identified one or more entities.   
     
     
         22 . The event-forecasting system of  claim 21 , wherein the smart-home environmental control device comprise a thermostat device having a primary purpose of controlling a temperature condition within said structure. 
     
     
         23 . The event-forecasting system of  claim 21 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are housed within the smart-home environmental control device. 
     
     
         24 . The event-forecasting system of  claim 21 , wherein the first sensor is housed within a first device of the smart-home environmental control device and the second sensor is housed with a second device of the smart-home environmental control device, wherein the first device is communicatively coupled with the second device. 
     
     
         25 . The event-forecasting system of  claim 21 , wherein said second sensor includes:
 a seismic activity sensor;   a hazard related environmental sensor;   a microphone;   an optical sensor; or   a radiation sensor.   
     
     
         26 . The event-forecasting system of  claim 21 , wherein the smart-home environmental control device comprises one or more devices selected from the group consisting of:
 thermostat;   smoke detector;   hazard detector;   wall switch;   doorbell;   entertainment device;   lighting device;   home appliance;   refrigerator;   stoves and/or oven;   television;   washer;   dryer;   stereo;   intercom system;   garage-door opener;   floor fan;   ceiling fan;   whole-house fan;   wall air conditioner;   pool heater;   sprinkler system;   irrigation system; and   security system.   
     
     
         27 . The event-forecasting system of  claim 21 , wherein the event includes a weather-related or natural-disaster event. 
     
     
         28 . A method for forecasting events, the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of sensor measurements in a measurement database, each sensor measurement having been provided by a smart-home environmental control device having a primary purpose of controlling an environmental condition within a structure including sensing the environmental condition being controlled, the smart-home environmental control device having a first sensor that senses the environmental condition being controlled and a second sensor that senses an alternative condition other than said environmental condition being controlled and that is not subject to the control of said smart-home environmental control device, said second sensor providing said sensor measurements for storage in said measurement database;   selecting a set of sensor measurements from the plurality of sensor measurements provided by the environmental control devices in the measurement database, wherein the smart-home environmental control devices associated with the set of sensor measurements are in close geographical proximity relative to their geographical proximity to other devices;   collectively analyzing the sensor measurements provided by the smart-home environmental control devices to determine whether a relatively large-scale event was occurring, wherein the determination that a large-scale event was occurring requires collective processing of at least two of the sensor measurements provided by the smart-home environmental control devices;   forecasting a future event property, wherein the future event property is forecasted based on a same or different collective analysis of the sensor measurements provided by the smart-home environmental control devices;   identifying one or more entities to be alerted of the future event property;   generating at least one alert identifying the future event property; and   transmitting the at least one alert to the identified one or more entities.   
     
     
         29 . The method for forecasting events as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the smart-home environmental control devices comprise thermostat devices having a primary purpose of controlling a temperature condition within said structure. 
     
     
         30 . The method for forecasting events as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said second sensor includes:
 a seismic activity sensor;   a hazard related environmental sensor;   a microphone;   an optical sensor; or   a radiation sensor.   
     
     
         31 . The method for forecasting events as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the smart-home environmental control device comprises one or more devices selected from the group consisting of:
 thermostat;   smoke detector;   hazard detector;   wall switch;   doorbell;   entertainment device;   lighting device;   home appliance;   refrigerator;   stoves and/or oven;   television;   washer;   dryer;   stereo;   intercom system;   garage-door opener;   floor fan;   ceiling fan;   whole-house fan;   wall air conditioner;   pool heater;   sprinkler system;   irrigation system; and   security system.   
     
     
         32 . The method for forecasting events as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are housed within the smart-home environmental control device. 
     
     
         33 . The method for forecasting events as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the first sensor is housed within a first device of the smart-home environmental control device and the second sensor is housed with a second device of the smart-home environmental control device, wherein the first device is communicatively coupled with the second device. 
     
     
         34 . The method for forecasting events as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the same or different collective analysis of the sensor measurements comprises predicting a trajectory of the event. 
     
     
         35 . A crowdsourced event detection network, comprising:
 a population of smart-home environmental control devices having a primary purpose of controlling an environmental condition within a structure including sensing the environmental condition being controlled, the smart-home environmental control device having a first sensor that senses the environmental condition being controlled and a second sensor that senses an alternative condition other than said environmental condition being controlled and that is not subject to the control of said smart-home environmental control device, each said smart-home environmental control device further comprising a data transmission component configured to transmit first information representative of said alternative condition for reception by an aggregating processor;   wherein the aggregating processor is configured and programmed to receive the first information from each of a plurality of the smart-home environmental control devices, to forecast a future event based on a collective analysis thereof, to identify one or more entities to be alerted of the forecasted future event, and to transmit second information representative of the forecasted future event to the identified one or more entities.   
     
     
         36 . The crowdsourced event detection network of  claim 35 , wherein the smart-home environmental control device comprise a thermostat device having a primary purpose of controlling a temperature condition within said structure. 
     
     
         37 . The crowdsourced event detection network of  claim 35 , wherein said second sensor includes:
 a seismic activity sensor;   a hazard related environmental sensor;   a microphone;   an optical sensor; or   a radiation sensor.   
     
     
         38 . The crowdsourced event detection network of  claim 35 , wherein the smart-home environmental control device comprises one or more devices selected from the group consisting of:
 thermostat;   smoke detector;   hazard detector;   wall switch;   doorbell;   entertainment device;   lighting device;   home appliance;   refrigerator;   stoves and/or oven;   television;   washer;   dryer;   stereo;   intercom system;   garage-door opener;   floor fan;   ceiling fan;   whole-house fan;   wall air conditioner;   pool heater;   sprinkler system;   irrigation system; and   security system.   
     
     
         39 . The crowdsourced event detection network of  claim 35 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are housed within the smart-home environmental control device. 
     
     
         40 . The crowdsourced event detection network of  claim 35 , wherein the first sensor is housed within a first device of the smart-home environmental control device and the second sensor is housed with a second device of the smart-home environmental control device, wherein the first device is communicatively coupled with the second device.