Information control system

Abstract

A system and method is used to characterize a user with properties, such as location in relation to established geo-fences, speed of traverse, projected traveling time required for a particular distance, etc. Those properties contribute to yielding a quantitative result in the calculated lead time period prior to the user arriving at a monitored space, including but not limited to a rented room in a hotel, and a house. The method uses the user's arrival time to estimate the setback temperature, which is the indoor temperature of a monitored space maintained during unattended time periods. The method also uses the user's arrival time to estimate the heated water volume to be provided, as well as, to house watch other property management interests.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An information control system method, comprising:
 (i) determining distances between one or more mobile devices and a monitored space, and whether the distances between the one or more mobile devices and the monitored space are within or beyond one or more threshold distances from the monitored space; or projecting lead time periods of one or more mobile devices before arriving at a monitored space;   (ii) associating the one or more mobile devices with the monitored space in part on the pertinent users personal data and the determined distances or projected lead time periods.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining distances between one or more mobile devices and a monitored space, comprises:
 (i) obtaining information pertaining to the present geographic positions of the one or more mobile devices;   (ii) computing distances of the present geographic positions from the monitored space.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein projecting lead time periods of one or more mobile devices before arriving at a monitored space, comprises: obtaining present geographic positions, or proximity logs, pertaining to the one or more mobile devices. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein projecting lead time periods of one or more mobile devices before arriving at a monitored space, further comprises:
 (i) sending to the one or more mobile devices requests for information pertaining to the present geographic positions of the one or more mobile devices;   (ii) receiving from the one or more mobile devices the pertinent present geographic positions, or proximity logs.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein associating the one or more mobile devices with the monitored space in part on the pertinent users personal data and the determined distances or projected lead time periods, comprises any one or more of:
 (i) associating the monitored space, or one or more spaces of the monitored space, in correspondence with the one or more mobile devices in accordance with the pertinent present geographic positions, or proximity logs;   (ii) obtaining and enabling utilization of the present geographic positions, or proximity logs, pertaining to the one or more mobile devices arriving at the monitored space;   (iii) obtaining the lead time periods, on the basis of the present geographic positions, or proximity logs, pertaining to the one or more mobile devices, and sending to one or more monitored space related devices.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein associating the one or more mobile devices with the monitored space in part on the pertinent users personal data and the determined distances or projected lead time periods, further comprises any one or more of:
 (i) utilizing the proximity logs pertaining to the one or more mobile devices for display by one or more monitored space related devices;   (ii) controlling the operative modes, as in operating or non-operating, of one or more monitored space related devices in accordance with the present geographic positions, or proximity logs, pertaining to the one or more mobile devices;   (iii) adjusting the operative settings of each of the one or more monitored space related devices, on the basis the operative modes, in accordance with of a calculated number of total users arriving at the monitored space with respect to time and personal attributes.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein associating the one or more mobile devices with the monitored space in part on the pertinent users personal data and the determined distances or projected lead time periods, further comprises:
 (i) monitoring the setting of an environmental attribute of a monitored space;   (ii) determining a setback setting of the environmental attribute by calculating an arrival time on the basis of the smallest difference in the present geographic positions between the one or more monitored space associated mobile devices and the monitored space, or the smallest lead time period before arriving at the monitored space, and, in accordance with an established drive relationship and drift relationship;   (iii) wherein the drive relationship describes the change of the environmental attribute of the monitored space with respect to time when being driven from a minimal setting toward a setpoint setting, whereas, the drift relationship describes the change of the environmental attribute of the monitored space with respect to time when drifting to a minimal setting from a setpoint setting;   (iv) wherein the setback setting is determined such that a setback recovery time period representing a length of time that the environmental attribute of the monitored space takes to be driven from the setback setting to the setpoint setting in accordance with the established drive relationship, is equal to or less than the smallest lead time period, of the one or more mobile devices, between the present time and the corresponding calculated arrival time at the monitored space;   (v) allowing the environmental attribute of the monitored space to drift to the setback setting, and driving the environmental attribute so it reaches the setpoint setting at the calculated arrival time.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the proximity log comprises any one or more of:
 (i) geographic positions;   (ii) threshold distance pertinent zone information;   (iii) a lead time period between the present time and the calculated arrival time of a pertinent mobile device at the monitored space, in which the lead time period is assigned as a preconfigured value when the present geographic position of the mobile device is within a threshold distance, and another preconfigured value when the present geographic position of the mobile device is beyond the threshold distance;   (iv) an arrival time calculated on the basis of the lead time period of a pertinent mobile device at the monitored space.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the environmental attribute of the monitored space is indoor temperature, and in which the environmental attribute means comprises a temperature sensor, and at least one of a heating unit, an air conditioning unit and a ventilating unit. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the environmental attribute of the monitored space is a temperature of heated water reserve in a storage tank, and in which the environmental attribute means comprises a sensor for measuring the heated water temperature in the storage tank and a water heating unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 (i) the environmental attribute of the monitored space being a reserve quantity at a predetermined temperature in a heated water storage tank and in which the environmental attribute means comprises a storage tank, a sensor for obtaining the heated water reserve quantity in the storage tank and a water heating unit;   (ii) wherein the drive relationship describes the change of the heated water reserve quantity with respect to time when being driven from a minimal setting toward a setpoint setting, at which the setting of the heated water reserve quantity corresponds with a number of users based on the calculated arrival times of users, wherein the setback setting of the heated water reserve quantity corresponds with a number of present users at the monitored space, and wherein the drift relationship describes the change the said heated water reserve quantity with respect to time for being drifted to the minimal setting from the setpoint setting.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (i) the one or more monitored space related devices include displays equipped computers, door locks, lighting systems, home appliances, climate control systems, and water heating systems;   (ii) the monitored space includes hotel, house, building, or, a room within a hotel or house or building.   
     
     
         13 . An information control system, comprising: a server possessing computing capability and coupled memory configured for storing information, and which performs:
 (i) determining distances between one or more mobile devices and a monitored space, and whether the distances between the one or more mobile devices and the monitored space are within or beyond one or more threshold distances from the monitored space, through obtaining the pertinent present geographic positions from the one or more mobile devices; or projecting lead time periods of one or more mobile devices before arriving at a monitored space, through receiving the pertinent geographic positions, or proximity logs, from the one or more mobile devices;   (iii) associating the one or more mobile devices with the monitored space in part on the pertinent users personal data and the determined distances or projected lead time periods.   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising utilizing the lead time periods, on the basis of the present geographic position, or proximity logs, pertaining to the one or more mobile devices, for display by one or more monitored space related devices. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising any one or more of:
 (i) obtaining the lead time periods, on the basis of the present geographic positions, or proximity logs, pertaining to the one or more mobile devices, and sending to one or more monitored space related devices;   (ii) controlling the operative modes, as in operating or non-operating, of the one or more monitored space related devices in accordance with the present geographic positions, or proximity logs, pertaining to the one or more mobile devices;   (iii) adjusting the operative settings of each of the one or more monitored space related devices, on the basis of the operative modes, in accordance with a calculated number of total users arriving at the monitored space with respect to time and personal attributes.   
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising any one or more of:
 (i) environmental attribute means monitoring the setting of an environmental attribute of the monitored space;   (ii) environmental attribute means controlling a setback setting of the environmental attribute on the basis of an arrival time calculated on the basis of the smallest difference in the present geographic positions between the one or more monitored space associated mobile devices and the monitored space, or the smallest lead time period before arriving at the monitored space, and, in accordance with an established drive relationship and drift relationship;   (iii) wherein the drive relationship describes the change of the environmental attribute of the monitored space with respect to time when being driven from a minimal setting toward a setpoint setting, whereas, the drift relationship describes the change of the environmental attribute of the monitored space with respect to time when drifting to a minimal setting from a setpoint setting;   (iv) wherein the setback setting is determined such that a setback recovery time period representing a length of time that the environmental attribute of the monitored space takes to be driven from the setback setting to the setpoint setting in accordance with the established drive relationship, is equal to or less than the smallest lead time period, of the one or more mobile devices, between the present time and the corresponding calculated arrival time at the monitored space;   (v) environmental attribute means allowing the environmental attribute of the monitored space to drift to the setback setting, and driving the environmental attribute so it reaches the setpoint setting at the calculated arrival time.   
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the environmental attribute of the monitored space is indoor temperature, and in which the environmental attribute means comprises a temperature sensor, and at least one of a heating unit, an air conditioning unit and a ventilating unit. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the environmental attribute of the monitored space is a temperature of heated water reserve in a storage tank, and in which the environmental attribute means comprises a sensor for measuring the heated water temperature in the storage tank and a water heating unit. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 (i) the environmental attribute of the monitored space being a reserve quantity at a predetermined temperature in a heated water storage tank and in which the environmental attribute means comprises a storage tank, a sensor for obtaining the heated water reserve quantity in the storage tank and a water heating unit;   (ii) wherein the drive relationship describes the change of the heated water reserve quantity with respect to time when being driven from a minimal setting toward a setpoint setting, at which the setting of the heated water reserve quantity corresponds with a number of users based on the calculated arrival times of users, wherein the setback setting of the heated water reserve quantity corresponds with a number of present users at the monitored space, and wherein the drift relationship describes the change the said heated water reserve quantity with respect to time for being drifted to the minimal setting from the setpoint setting.   
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 (i) the one or more monitored space related devices include displays equipped computers, door locks, lighting systems, home appliances, climate control systems, and water heating systems;   (ii) the monitored space includes hotel, house, building, or, a room within a hotel or house or building.