System and method for estimating the number of people in a smart building

Abstract

This disclosure concerns estimating the number of people within building-based device networks. Increasingly, local area network (LAN) devices are capable of sensing people (e.g. smart appliances). Features of building layout, and physical arrangement of devices provide that only a subset of sensor data patterns can be accounted for by a single user (e.g. simultaneous activation of a smart TV and a motion sensor). Over time, a central controller (e.g. LAN gateway) can gather these building-specific sensor patterns and learn single occupant characteristics for a network (e.g. features or boundaries of single occupant capability). In one embodiment, the central controller generates a single occupancy criterion (e.g. a building-specific test), comprising single occupant characteristics, operable to test a subset of sensor data for single occupancy. The central controller divides devices into a minimum number of groups, such that each group satisfies the single occupancy criterion and estimates the number of occupants accordingly.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method comprising:
 a. obtaining sensor data, from a plurality of devices in a building,   b. obtaining a single occupancy criterion, configured to test whether a candidate subset of the sensor data can be accounted for by a single occupant, and configured to be satisfied when the candidate subset of the sensor data can be accounted for by a single occupant,   c. processing one or more subsets of the sensor data according to the single occupancy criterion, to identify a set of subsets of sensor data, wherein each subset of sensor data in the set of subsets of sensor data satisfies the single occupancy criterion, and   d. estimating a number of people in at least some of the building according to the number of subsets of sensor data in the set of subsets of sensor data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the single occupancy criterion is configured based at least in part on training data from the plurality of devices. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the processing of the one or more subsets of the sensor data identifies a first and second subset of the sensor data for which the combined sensor data from the first and second subsets of sensor data does not satisfy the single occupancy criterion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the processing of the one or more subsets of the sensor data identifies a first subset that does not satisfy the single occupancy criterion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 upon satisfaction of a training criterion instructing one or more devices from the plurality of devices to transmit training data, and 
 configuring the single occupancy criterion based on processing the training data. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 prior to processing the one or more subsets of sensor data according to the single occupancy criterion, modifying the single occupancy criterion based at least in part on processing training data from at least one of the plurality of devices. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of configuring the single occupancy criterion based at least in part on a capability of a device form the plurality of devices. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of configuring the single occupancy criterion based at least in part on a location in the building for at least one of the plurality of devices. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of prior processing the one or more subsets of sensor data according to the single occupancy criterion, configuring the single occupancy criterion based on training data from a second building. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the single occupancy criterion is configured based on one or more personal electronic devices identified within the building. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the single occupancy criterion is configured based on an aspect of a second single occupancy criterion corresponding to a second building. 
     
     
         12 . A computer implemented method comprising:
 a. obtaining a first set of sensor data, comprising sensor data from each of a plurality of devices in a building,   b. obtaining a single occupancy criterion, configured to test whether a candidate set of sensor data from a candidate set of devices can be accounted for by a single occupant, wherein the candidate set of devices satisfies the single occupancy criterion when the single occupancy criterion indicates that the candidate set of sensor data can be accounted for by a single occupant,   c. processing one or more subsets of the first set of sensor data according to the single occupancy criterion, to identify a set of groups of devices, such that each of the plurality of devices is in at least one of the set of groups of devices, and such that each of the set of groups of devices satisfies the single occupancy criterion,   d. estimating a number of people in at least some of the building according to the number of groups of devices in the set of groups of devices.   
     
     
         13 . A computer implemented method comprising:
 a. obtaining a set of sensor data, comprising sensor data from each of a plurality of devices in a building,   b. obtaining a single occupancy criterion, comprising a test that functions to identify whether a candidate set of sensor data, from a candidate set of devices can be accounted for by a single occupant, and such that the candidate set of devices satisfies the single occupancy criterion when the test identifies that the candidate set of sensor data can be accounted for by a single occupant,   c. processing one or more subsets of the set of sensor data according to the single occupancy criterion, to identify a group of subsets of devices, comprising a minimum number of subsets of devices such that each of the plurality of devices is in at least one subset in the group of subsets of devices, and such that the single occupancy criterion is satisfied by each of the subsets of devices in the group of subsets of devices,   d. estimating a number of people in at least some of the building according to the number of subsets of devices in the group of subsets of devices.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein at least one single occupant characteristic in the single occupancy criterion is a rule indicating one or more combinations of sensor data that cannot be accounted for by a single occupant and thereby defining one or more combinations of sensor data that cannot satisfy the single occupancy criterion.