ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION MANIPULATION CONTROL

According to an example, an apparatus for manipulating an environmental condition may include a processor and a machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions. The instructions may cause the processor to receive, via a network, air quality data of an interior of a structure from a management device and generate a command for an appliance based upon the received air quality data, in which the command is to cause the appliance to modify an environmental condition in the structure interior. The instructions may also cause the processor to communicate, via the network, the generated command to at least one of the management device and the appliance.

BACKGROUND

The measurement and evaluation of indoor air quality have improved over time. For instance, an increasing number of air quality monitoring devices that have a number of features as well as relatively compact sizes are becoming more readily available. The air quality monitoring devices typically measure the conditions inside of a space, such as a residential, commercial, or industrial environment. The measured conditions may be evaluated to determine whether the conditions are at healthy and/or comfortable levels and modifications to the conditions, such as temperature and humidity, may be made based upon the outcome of the evaluated conditions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein are apparatuses for manipulating an environmental condition and methods for implementing the apparatuses. The apparatuses disclosed herein may be cloud-based servers and may receive, via network such as the Internet, air quality data of an interior of a structure from a management device. The management device may include sensors to detect environmental conditions in the structure and/or may otherwise access detected environmental condition information. The management device may communicate the detected environmental condition information (e.g., air quality data) to an apparatus. The apparatuses may generate a command for an appliance based upon the received air quality data, in which the command is to cause the appliance to modify an environmental condition in the structure interior. The apparatuses may also communicate, via the network, the generated command to at least one of the management device and the appliance.

According to examples, the apparatuses may control, via the generated commands, operations of the appliance to vary environmental conditions in the structure. For instance, the apparatuses may determine occupancy information in the structure and may control the environmental conditions based upon the determined occupancy information. In this example, the appliance may be activated in instances in which the structure is determined to be occupied, for instance, to minimize energy consumption of the appliance. As a further example, the apparatuses may monitor a user's interactions with the appliance along with the environmental conditions corresponding to the times at which the user's interactions are monitored. In this example, the user's desired environmental conditions may be determined and the appliance may be operated according to the desired environmental conditions.

With reference first toFIG. 1, there is shown a simplified block diagram of a system100within which an example apparatus110may be implemented, according to an example. It should be understood that the system100depicted inFIG. 1may include additional components and that some of the components described herein may be removed and/or modified without departing from the scope of the system100.

The system100is depicted as including an environmental condition controlling apparatus110(which is also referenced herein as an apparatus110), a management device130, and an environmental condition manipulating appliance132(which is also referenced herein as an appliance132). The apparatus110may be a physical machine, such as a computing device on which machine readable instructions that function as a server may be executed. In this regard, the apparatus110may be construed as a server computer. The apparatus110may store data received from the management device130as well as other information in a data store112.

The management device130and the appliance132are shown as being positioned within a structure120. According to examples, the management device130may be a standalone device that is to be placed in a location within the structure120at which environmental conditions are to be tracked or monitored. In other examples, the management device130may be integrated with the appliance132. The structure120may be an indoor structure such as a room in a house, an office in an office building, a gym, a warehouse, or the like. The structure120may also be an entire house, office building, etc., or other relatively enclosed space, such as a vehicle, an airplane, or the like.

The management device130may include a plurality of sensors (not shown) that may include, for instance, sensors that track or detect various environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, volatile organic compounds, dust, carbon monoxide, and the like. The sensors may also include, for instance, sensors that detect motion inside the structure120, e.g., movement by occupants inside the structure120. The occupants may be humans and/or other types of animals. The management device130may thus track one or more environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, volatile organic compounds, dust concentration, dust levels, and the like, inside the structure120. The management device130may also track other features, such as motion, energy consumption, user interactions with the appliance132, etc. In addition, the management device130may communicate data pertaining to the tracked environmental condition(s) as well as the other features to the apparatus110via a network140. Moreover, the management device130may communicate with the appliance132via a wired and/or a wireless connection, such as a WiFi connection, a Bluetooth™ connection, a wired connection, or the like.

In other examples, one or more of the sensors may be positioned externally to the management device130and the management device130may access information related to the detected environmental conditions and/or the detected motion from the externally located sensor(s). For instance, one or more of the sensors may be included in a device that is separate from the management device130.

The management device130may include any of a microphone, a camera, a speaker, a digital display, lights, a user interface, command buttons, etc. Thus, for instance, the management device130may receive audible inputs from users and may also output visual and/or auditory signals to users. By way of example, the management device130may receive voice commands and/or may output information audibly.

The management device130may further include a processor and a memory. The processor may be a semiconductor-based microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and/or other hardware device. The memory may store, for instance, environmental data collected by the sensors and/or received input. The memory may also store instructions that the processor may execute in collecting, storing, and communicating environmental data as well as in receiving user inputs and outputting information to users. In any regard, the memory may be a Random Access Memory (RAM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disc, or the like.

The management device130may further include a network element. The network element may include hardware and/or software to enable the management device130to communicate over the network140. For instance, the network element may include an antenna through which the processor of the management device130may wirelessly send and receive data packets.

The appliance132may modify one or more of the environmental conditions in the structure120. For instance, the appliance132may be an air conditioning system, a humidifier, a de-humidifier, an air purifier, a heating system, a fan, an actuator for a window, a ventilation system, or the like. In other examples, the appliance132may also include other types of devices, such as lights, doors, network connected devices, etc. In some examples, the apparatus110may communicate commands for the appliance132to the management device130and the management device130may send instruction signals to the appliance132corresponding to the commands. In other examples, the apparatus110may communicate commands to the appliance132directly. In any of these examples, the apparatus110may control the appliance132to modify at least one environmental condition in the structure120.

Although a single appliance132has been depicted inFIG. 1, it should be understood that multiple appliances132may be included in the structure120and that the apparatus110may control the multiple appliances132. In some examples, the appliances132may manipulate the same type of environmental condition and in other examples, the appliances132may manipulate different types of environmental conditions. The appliances132may also be positioned in various locations throughout the structure120, e.g., in a bedroom, in a kitchen, in a bathroom, etc.

As shown inFIG. 1, the management device130may communicate with the apparatus110via a network140, which may be the Internet. The apparatus110may thus be a cloud-based server. The apparatus110may communicate with a plurality of management devices130and may also store received air quality data in the data store112. The apparatus110may communicate with a plurality of management devices130and/or appliances132located in the same structure120and/or in multiple structures120. The apparatus110may thus control environmental conditions at one or multiple locations through control of appliances132in those multiple locations.

The apparatus110may have stored thereon machine readable instructions that are to analyze air quality data received from the management device130to determine, for instance, various environmental and other characteristics of the interior of the structure120. In some examples, the apparatus110may include machine readable instructions that are to cause a processor of the apparatus110to generate a command for the appliance132based upon the analysis of the air quality data. As discussed in greater detail herein, the apparatus110may also generate the command based upon other information, such as occupancy information, energy consumption information, user interaction information, etc. The apparatus110may further communicate the generated command to the management device130and/or the appliance132via the network140. In instances in which the apparatus110communicates the command to the management device130, the management device130may cause the appliance132to operate according to the received command.

Generally speaking, the apparatus110may implement an environmental condition management operation with respect to the air quality in the structure120. For instance, the apparatus110may determine whether the air quality within the structure120is within a desirable range or if the air quality is abnormal, e.g., outside of a predetermined range. In response to a determination that the air quality within the structure120is abnormal, the apparatus110may output an instruction to cause the appliance132to modify an appropriate environmental condition. Various other examples with respect to the management operations that the apparatus110may determine are discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.

Turning now toFIG. 2, there is shown a block diagram of the environmental condition controlling apparatus110depicted inFIG. 1, according to an example. It should be understood that the environmental condition controlling apparatus110depicted inFIG. 2may include additional components and that some of the components described herein may be removed and/or modified without departing from the scope of the environmental condition controlling apparatus110.

The apparatus110may include a processor210and a data store212. The processor210may be a semiconductor-based microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and/or other hardware device. The data store212may be a Random Access Memory (RAM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disc, or the like. In addition, the data store212may store, for instance, environmental condition data, motion information, etc., received from the management device130.

The apparatus110may also include a machine readable storage medium220on which is stored machine readable instructions222-240that the processor210may execute. More particularly, the processor210may fetch, decode, and execute the instructions222to receive air quality data from a management device130, the instructions224to determine how an appliance132is to be manipulated, the instructions226to generate a command for an appliance132, the instructions228to communicate the command to a management device130, the instructions230to receive usage pattern data of the appliance132, the instructions232to correlate the usage pattern data with the air quality data, the instructions234to receive detected motion information from the management device130, the instructions236to determine an occupancy of a structure120containing the management device130, the instructions238to generate a mapping of the air quality data in the structure120, and the instructions140to receive energy consumption information of the appliance132. As an alternative or in addition to retrieving and executing instructions, the processor210may include one or more electronic circuits that include electronic components for performing the functionalities of the instructions222-240.

The machine-readable storage medium220may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that contains or stores executable instructions. Thus, the machine-readable storage medium220may be, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disc, and the like. The machine-readable storage medium220may be a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, where the term “non-transitory” does not encompass transitory propagating signals.

The processor210may generate commands for the appliance132and may communicate the commands to the management device130and/or the appliance132via a network interface250. The network interface250may include hardware and/or software to enable the communication of information. The processor210may also receive data from the management device130via the network interface250. Additionally, the communications between the processor210and the management device130, and in certain examples, the appliance132, may occur over the network140.

According to an example, the apparatus110may include a plurality of processors210and/or a processor210containing a plurality of cores. In these examples, each the plural processors210and/or cores may operate in parallel, i.e., use parallel processing techniques to analyze various different information received from the management device130. In this regard, the use of multiple processors210and/or cores may reduce the amount of time required to receive, analyze, and manage environmental conditions in the structure120as well as other data.

Various manners in which the apparatus110may be implemented are described in greater detail below with respect toFIGS. 3-7. Particularly,FIGS. 3-7respectively show methods300-700for manipulating an environmental condition in an interior of a structure120, according to examples. It should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the methods300-700may represent generalized illustrations and that other operations may be added or existing operations may be removed, modified, or rearranged without departing from the scopes of the methods300-700.

The descriptions of the methods300-700are made with reference to the apparatus110illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2for purposes of illustration. It should, however, be understood that apparatuses having other configurations may be implemented to perform any of the methods300-700without departing from the scopes of the methods300-700.

With reference first toFIG. 3, at block302, the processor210may execute the instructions222to receive air quality data from a management device130. As discussed above, the management device130may track at least one environmental condition, such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, volatile organic compounds, dust concentration, or the like. The management device130may track the environmental condition(s) at periodic intervals, for instance, at predetermined times during a day, in response to detected changes in environmental condition, at predetermined intervals in time, or the like.

The management device130may also generate air quality data from the tracked environmental condition(s). In some examples, the management device130may generate the air quality data by encapsulating the tracked environmental condition(s) into data packets. In other examples, the management device130may generate the air quality data by collecting environmental condition data over a period of time, and encapsulating the collected environmental condition into data packets. The management device130may further communicate the generated air quality data via a network140to the apparatus110. The processor210may thus receive the air quality data via the network140and the network interface250and may store the received air quality data in the data store212.

At block304, the processor210may execute the instructions226to generate a command for an appliance132based upon the received air quality data. Generally speaking, the command is to cause the appliance132to be manipulated to modify at least one environmental condition the interior of a structure120. According to an example, the processor210may determine that an environmental condition in the structure120is to be modified based upon an analysis of the air quality data. By way of particular example in which the appliance132is a heating device, the processor210may determine that the appliance132is to increase the temperature inside the structure120in response to the air quality data indicating that the temperature inside the structure120is below a predetermined temperature. In other examples, the processor210may determine that an environmental condition in the structure120is to be modified, for instance, such that the environmental condition inside the structure120is within a predetermined range while minimizing energy consumption of the appliance132.

At block306, the processor210may communicate the generated command to either or both of the management device130and the appliance132via the network interface250and the network140. In examples in which the processor210communicates the command to the management device130, the management device130may cause the appliance132to operate according to the received command. For instance, the management device130may generate an instruction signal for the appliance112that corresponds to the received command, i.e., the instruction signal is to cause the appliance132to carry out the received command. The management device130may also communicate the instruction signal to the appliance132, e.g., through an appliance interface. In examples in which the processor210communicates the command to the appliance132, the appliance132may carry out the received command.

According to an example, the processor210may also execute the instructions238to generate a mapping of the received air quality data. For instance, the processor210may generate a mapping of a temperature distribution, air flow characteristics, or the like, in the structure120based upon the received air quality data.

Turning now toFIG. 4, there is shown an example method400, which may be executed in conjunction with the method300. At block402, the processor210may execute the instructions224to determine how an appliance132is to be manipulated based upon the received air quality data. For instance, the processor210may determine that the received air quality data indicates that an environmental condition inside the structure120is outside of a certain range and may determine that the appliance132is to be manipulated in a certain manner to bring the environmental condition within the certain range.

In addition or as another example, the processor210may determine that the appliance132is to be manipulated to cause the environmental condition in the structure120to meet a target environmental condition while also minimizing energy consumed by the appliance132. By way of particular example, the processor210may determine that the appliance132is to be activated at a particular time in order for the environmental condition to reach the target environmental condition at a certain time in the future. In this regard, the appliance132may be activated at a time that may not result in the appliance132being activated prematurely, which may result in wasted energy usage.

As a further example, the processor210may determine how the appliance is to be manipulated or equivalently, may determine an environmental condition setting for the appliance132, based upon at least one input. That is, the processor210may factor the at least input in determining the environmental condition setting for the appliance132, in which the at least one input may include at least one of historical air quality data, the current or forecasted weather, seasonality data, etc. For example, the processor210may analyze the historical air quality data to find a contextually optimal threshold level for command triggers of the appliance132. By way of particular example in the processor210has historically triggered, e.g., activated, the appliance132at a temperature of 20° C. but the environmental condition in the structure120is typically around 10° C., the processor210may determine that the optimal threshold at which the appliance132is to be triggered should be lowered. For instance, the processor210may lower the trigger condition to temperature that is lower than 20° C., such as around 15° C. In this regard, the trigger for the appliance132may be more contextual and pertinent to the realities of the environmental conditions in the structure120.

As another example, the processor210may determine that an optimal threshold level at which the appliance132is to be triggered is to be lowered or heightened based upon predicted environmental conditions external to the structure120. By way of example, in which the season is winter and the relative humidity level is typically around 10% without any external intervention, it may be difficult to maintain a theoretical optimal level of 35% relative humidity and operating the appliance132in an attempt to maintain this relative humidity level may incur a relatively large energy cost. In this example, during the winter season, the processor210may lower the humidity threshold level at which the appliance132may be triggered to, for instance, about 25% relative humidity to make the appliance trigger more contextual to weather/seasonality.

At block404, the processor210may execute the instructions226to generate the command according to the determined appliance132manipulation. That is, the processor210may generate the command to cause the appliance132to be manipulated as determined at block402. In addition, the processor210may communicate the generated command to at least one of the management device130and the appliance132as discussed above with respect to block306inFIG. 3.

Turning now toFIG. 5, there is shown an example method500, which may be executed in conjunction with or as an alternative to the methods300and400. At block502, the processor210may execute the instructions230to receive usage pattern data of the appliance132. For instance, the management device130may track a user's interactions with the appliance132along with the environmental condition(s). The user's interactions may be tracked by tracking, for instance, when a user turns the appliance132power on and off or otherwise interacts with the appliance132and the environmental condition at the moments at which the user's interactions occur. For instance, the appliance132may include components to track this information and may communicate this information to the management device130.

The management device130may also generate the usage pattern of the appliance132from the tracked user's interactions with the appliance132. For instance, the management device130may generate the usage pattern to identify the times at which the user interacted with the appliance132. The management device130may also communicate the generated usage pattern to the apparatus110. At block504, the processor210may execute the instructions232to correlate the usage pattern data with the received air quality data. That is, the processor210may correlate the environmental conditions at multiple times at which the user interacted with the appliance132. The correlation may thus denote the existing environmental conditions when a user interacted with the appliance132. In one regard, the correlation may identify the user's desired environmental condition settings based upon the environmental conditions at the times the user turned off the appliance132as that may be an indication that the environmental conditions are at desired levels when the user turned off the appliance132.

At block506, the processor210may execute the instructions224to determine environmental condition settings for the appliance132(e.g., how the appliance132is to be manipulated) based upon the correlation. By way of particular example, the processor210may determine that the appliance132is to be activated in order for the environmental conditions in the structure120to reach certain levels at a particular time, e.g., at a time when a user would like the environmental conditions to be at certain levels as identified by the correlation.

At block508, the processor210may generate the command for the appliance132according to the determined environmental condition settings. In addition, the processor210may communicate the generated command to at least one of the management device130and the appliance132as discussed above with respect to block306inFIG. 3.

Turning now toFIG. 6, there is shown an example method600, which may be executed in conjunction with or as an alternative to the methods300-500. At block602, the processor210may execute the instructions234to receive detected motion information related to detected motion in the structure120. In some examples, the management device130may access the detected motion information through a sensor that is integrated with the management device130. In other examples, the management device130may access the information through receipt of the detected motion information from a sensor located externally to the management device130. In any regard, the detected motion information may pertain to motion detected inside the structure120.

At block604, the processor210may execute the instructions236to compute an occupancy in the structure120based upon the detected motion information and the received air quality data. According to examples, the processor210may compute a heuristically correct occupancy in the structure120via processing of the detected motion information and the air quality data in a windowed fashion. That is, the processor210may compute the occupancy in the structure120at multiple windows of time.

The processor210may compute the heuristically correct occupancy in the structure120through use of an environmental condition such as carbon dioxide level, dust level, or the like, in addition to the detected motion information. The computed occupancy may be relatively more accurate than may be possible through analysis of the detected motion information itself. For instance, the processor210may access a lookup table that identifies correlations between carbon dioxide levels and predicted numbers of occupants to determine the number of occupants in the structure120based upon a detected carbon dioxide level. In other examples, the processor210may determine a predicted number of occupants, e.g., people, inside the structure120based upon the CO2concentration level detected in the structure120. That is, the processor210may use the average amount of CO2that a person typically generates and may divide the detected CO2concentration level with the average amount to predict the occupancy in the structure120. In any of these examples, the processor210may make the occupancy determination, for instance, in response to a determination that a motion sensor detected motion in the structure120. In addition or as another example, the processor310may determine that the structure120is not occupied even though the detected carbon dioxide level is sufficiently high to indicate that the structure120is occupied in response to a determination that a motion sensor did not detect motion in the structure120.

At block606, the processor210may execute the instructions224to generate the command for the appliance132according to the computed occupancy. In addition, the processor210may communicate the generated command to at least one of the management device130and the appliance132as discussed above with respect to block306inFIG. 3. For instance, the processor210may generate a command for the appliance132to be turned off in response to the computed occupancy indicating that the structure120is vacant. As another example, the processor210may generate a command for the appliance132to increase activity in response to the computed occupancy indicating that the number of occupants in the structure120exceeds a predefined number. According to examples, the processor210may track changes in occupancy in the structure120and may generate commands as the occupancy is determined to have changed.

Turning now toFIG. 7, there is shown an example method700, which may be executed in conjunction with or as an alternative to the methods300-600. At block702, the processor210may execute the instructions240to receive energy consumption information of the appliance132. The management device130may monitor the energy consumption levels of the appliance132by, for instance, receiving energy consumption levels from the appliance132. In other examples, the processor210may access the energy consumption levels of the appliance132from a sensor or meter that tracks the energy consumption levels. In addition, the management device130may communicate the energy consumption information to the apparatus110via the network140.

At block704, the processor210may execute the instructions224to determine environmental condition settings for the appliance132(e.g., how the appliance132is to be manipulated) based upon the received energy consumption information. By way of particular example, the processor210may determine that the appliance132is to be operated at a reduced operating level in response to a determination that the appliance132is consuming energy at a level that is higher than a predefined level.

At block706, the processor210may execute the instructions226to generate the command for the appliance132based upon the determination. In addition, the processor210may communicate the generated command to at least one of the management device130and the appliance132as discussed above with respect to block306inFIG. 3.

Some or all of the operations set forth in the methods300-700may be contained as utilities, programs, or subprograms, in any desired computer accessible medium. In addition, the methods300-700may be embodied by computer programs, which may exist in a variety of forms both active and inactive. For example, they may exist as machine readable instructions, including source code, object code, executable code or other formats. Any of the above may be embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium.

Examples of non-transitory computer readable storage media include computer system RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, and magnetic or optical disks or tapes. It is therefore to be understood that any electronic device capable of executing the above-described functions may perform those functions enumerated above.