Patent Description:
Building occupants can have specific preferences for indoor environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, noise level, indoor air pollutant level, for example, CO2, or illuminance level. When an occupant feels uncomfortable in the indoor environment, the occupant may attempt to change a local thermostat set point. In residential applications, "smart" thermostats attempt to learn the set point patterns of the occupant over a period of time to automate set point adjustments. However, in larger buildings, such as a commercial building, techniques used in residential applications may not translate well to more complex environments with more zones and occupants.

<CIT> discloses a heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) system control system operable to select an operational mode. The selection may be based on input data from sensors and occupancy level in combination with multiple models. Data collected over time may be used to form multiple types of models, including predictive models of building performance, future indoor conditions, and occupancy levels, and/or energy usage.

<CIT> discloses an HVAC schedule which is programmed for a thermostat using a combination of pre-existing schedules and automated schedule learning. In one example, a pre-existing schedule is initiated on the thermostat and the automated schedule learning is used to update the pre-existing schedule based on users' interactions with the thermostat.

<CIT> discloses a thermostat for a building which is configured to communicate with building equipment and receive data from one or more sensors. The thermostat is configured to control the building equipment to affect an environmental condition within a first zone of the building when an occupant is detected within the first zone based on the data received from the sensors. When movement of the occupant to a second zone is detected by the sensors, the thermostat is configured to control the building equipment to affect an environmental condition within the second zone of the building.

According to one aspect of the invention, a method of indoor environmental preference management is provided. The method includes initializing, by a processor of a preference processing system, a plurality of occupant indoor environmental setting preferences for a plurality of users with a plurality of default settings based on a plurality of control types for a plurality of building systems. The method includes receiving environmental data indicative of a current state of a building system, and receiving feedback from a first user as a descriptive incremental adjustment to the current state of the building system. Feedback from the first user is received as a complaint based on a user-initiated action or as a survey input based on a system-initiated action, and a corresponding event record is stored with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences. The method further includes determining the adjustment to the at least one control setting as an offset to the current state of the building system, wherein the adjustment is determined based on mapping the descriptive incremental adjustment to the offset to the current state via a translation table that indicates how the offset is determined. The processor of the preference processing system adjusts at least one control setting of the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences for the first user based on the feedback from the first user and based on the determined adjustment. At least one control device of a building automation system is operated based on the adjustment to the at least one control setting of the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences.

The method may include determining a location of the first user associated with the feedback from the first user, and storing a record of the location with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences.

The method may include determining a time of day the feedback from the first user and storing a record of the time of day with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences.

The method may include determining a time of year the feedback from the first user and storing a record of the time of year with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences.

The method may include where the feedback from the first user is received as a change request from the first user based on a user-initiated action, a corresponding event record is stored with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences, and the change request is passed to the building automation system.

The method may include determining one or more relationships between an event history and location data of the users based on the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences, and outputting a summary of the one or more relationships.

The method may include where the summary of the one or more relationships includes one or more of: grouped preferences of the users, grouped preferences at one or more locations, a complaint history of the control types, a complaint history of a user or a user group, and an adjustment summary of changes made to at least one control setting.

According to another aspect of the invention, a preference processing system for indoor environmental preference management includes a processor and a memory including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include initializing a plurality of occupant indoor environmental setting preferences for a plurality of users with a plurality of default settings based on a plurality of control types for a plurality of building systems, receiving environmental data indicative of a current state of a building system; receiving feedback from a first user as a descriptive incremental adjustment to the current state of the building system; wherein the preference processing system is configured to receive the feedback from the first user as a complaint based on a user-initiated action or as a survey input based on a system-initiated action, and the preference processing system is configured to store a corresponding event record with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences; determining the adjustment to the at least one control setting as an offset to the current state of the building system, wherein the adjustment is determined based on mapping the descriptive incremental adjustment to the offset to the current state via a translation table that indicates how the offset is determined; adjusting at least one control setting of the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences for the first user based on the feedback from the first user and based on the adjustment determined in the preceding step, and operating at least one control device of a building automation system based on the adjustment to the at least one control setting of the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences.

Technical effects of embodiments of the present disclosure include continuous capturing of occupant indoor environmental setting preferences, processing those preferences, and providing the preferences to adjust building systems based upon the preferences, and providing insights of building operations, such as occupants' satisfaction to building environment, based upon the collected data.

<FIG> depicts a building control system <NUM> in an example embodiment. The building control system <NUM> may be located partially or entirely within a building <NUM>, and includes a building automation system <NUM> operable to command at least one control device <NUM> with at least one control setting for one or more building systems <NUM>. The building control system <NUM> can also include a preference processing system <NUM> operable to interface with at least one user device <NUM>, a positioning system <NUM>, a mapping system <NUM>, and the building automation system <NUM> through one or more communication channels. Communication within the building control system <NUM> can be performed using any known medium and protocol, such as one or more optical, wired, and/or wireless communication channels. In some embodiments, the preference processing system <NUM> provides a secure interface between the user device <NUM> and the building automation system <NUM>. In alternate embodiments, user device <NUM> directly interfaces with the building automation system <NUM>. Although depicted separately, the building automation system <NUM>, user device <NUM>, preference processing system <NUM>, positioning system <NUM>, and/or mapping system <NUM> can be combined in various combinations/sub-combinations or be further distributed between additional systems (not depicted). In some embodiments, the building <NUM> may be a building or a collection of buildings that may or may not be physically located near each other. The building <NUM> may include any number of floors.

In embodiments, the user device <NUM> may be a computing device such as a desktop computer. The user device <NUM> may also be a mobile computing device that is typically carried by a person, such as, for example a phone, personal digital assistance (PDA), smart watch, tablet, laptop, etc. The user device <NUM> may also be two separate devices that are synced together such as, for example, a cellular phone and a desktop computer synced over an internet connection. The user device <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and a user interface <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The processor <NUM> can be any type or combination of computer processors, such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, programmable logic device, and/or field programmable gate array. The memory <NUM> is an example of a non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly embodied in the user device <NUM> including executable instructions stored therein, for instance, as firmware. The user device <NUM> is configured to store a unique credential <NUM> that may be shared with various components of the building control system <NUM> to establish a user identifier associated with a user of the user device <NUM>. In a non-limiting example, the user device <NUM> may belong to an employee and/or resident of the building <NUM>. The user device <NUM> may also include an application <NUM>. Embodiments disclosed herein may operate through the application <NUM> installed on the user device <NUM>.

Similar to the user device <NUM>, the building automation system <NUM> includes a processor <NUM> and memory <NUM>, and the preference processing system <NUM> includes a processor <NUM> and memory <NUM>. Although not depicted in <FIG>, it will be understood that other components of the building control system <NUM> can also include a processor and memory as described herein, such as within control device <NUM>, positioning system <NUM>, mapping system <NUM>, and the like. The processor (e.g., processor <NUM>, <NUM>) can be any type or combination of computer processors, such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, programmable logic device, and/or field programmable gate array. The memory (e.g., memory <NUM>, <NUM>) is an example of a non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly embodied in or operably connected to the path determination system including executable instructions stored therein, for instance, as firmware. Various communication protocols can be implemented to establish one-way and/or two-way communication within the building control system <NUM> using, for instance, wired and/or wireless links.

The positioning system <NUM> is configured to determine a location (i.e., current position) of the user of the user device <NUM>. The location can include (x, y, z) coordinates of the user device <NUM> on a map. The (x, y, z) coordinates may translate to a latitude, a longitude, and an elevation. The positioning system <NUM> may use various methods in order to determine the location of the user, such as, for example, GPS, Bluetooth triangulation, Wi-Fi triangulation, cellular signal triangulation, or any other location determination method known to one of skill in the art. The positioning system <NUM> is further configured to transmit the current position to the user device <NUM> (i.e., location of the user) and to at least one of the preference processing system <NUM> and the mapping system <NUM>. The preference processing system <NUM> and the mapping system <NUM> are configured to receive the location of the user device <NUM> from the positioning system <NUM>. As an alternative or in addition to the positioning system <NUM>, a badge-based access and entry system can be used to determine occupant location.

The mapping system <NUM> is further configured to store the (x, y, z) coordinates of control devices <NUM>, building systems <NUM>, and/or various features of the building <NUM>. When the mapping system <NUM> is provided with the current location of a user device <NUM>, the mapping system <NUM> is configured determine a building systems list <NUM> in response to the current location of the user device <NUM>. The building systems list <NUM> can identify which building systems <NUM> that the user may have access to depending upon the location of the user device <NUM>. For example, if the user enters conference room A with user device <NUM>, the location of the user can be determined as conference room A, and the mapping system <NUM> can determine all the building systems <NUM> available to the user in conference room A in a building systems list <NUM>. The building systems list <NUM> may then be displayed upon the user interface <NUM> of the user device <NUM> through application <NUM>, and the user may select a building system <NUM> to control or provide feedback about on the building systems list <NUM> through the application <NUM>.

The building systems <NUM> may include one or more individual controlled building settings including but not limited to lights, air temperature, air quality (CO2 level), humidity, noise level, blinds, etc. The building systems <NUM> are controlled by a corresponding instance of control device <NUM> based on control settings from building automation system <NUM>, which can also be set/overridden by feedback from the user device <NUM>. In one example, the feedback may be a change request from a user based on a user-initiated action to dim the lights, and thus the building system <NUM> may dim the lights in the location of the user. Adjustments to control devices <NUM> may include but is not limited to turning lights on/off, adjusting the strength of lights, adjusting the color of lights, increasing/decreasing the temperatures, opening/closing the blinds, increasing/reducing humidity levels, increasing/reducing fresh air intake levels, increasing/reducing noise levels (e.g., white noise generator or active noise cancellation), etc. The combination of multiple settings of the building systems <NUM> at a same location can be referred to as the scene.

In embodiments, the preference processing system <NUM> learns user preferences for a plurality of users through user devices <NUM> and stores indoor environmental user preferences in an occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. The contents of the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> may be accessible by the building automation system <NUM> to make automated adjustments to the control devices <NUM> based on data from mapping system <NUM> and/or positioning system <NUM> that identifies current location information for a plurality of users in the building <NUM>. The building automation system <NUM> and/or the preference processing system <NUM> can also determine one or more relationships between an event history and location data of the users based on the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. Relationships can include various groupings of user with similar preferences, locations identified as having higher levels of feedback, time-of-day/time-of-year trends, occupancy patterns with respect to indoor environmental settings, and the like. The relationships can be summarized and output for further direct and/or indirect use, such as predictive adjustments by the building automation system <NUM>, maintenance/service requests for the building systems <NUM>, and/or other actions. Examples of summaries of relationships that can be extracted from the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> can include grouped preferences of the users, grouped preferences at one or more locations, a complaint history of the control types, and an adjustment summary of changes made to at least one control setting, etc..

Referring now to <FIG>, while referencing components of <FIG>, <FIG> depicts a block diagram of indoor environmental preference processing <NUM> according to an embodiment. The indoor environmental preference processing <NUM> includes receiving feedback <NUM> from user device <NUM> at preference processing system <NUM>. The feedback can include one or more of a complaint <NUM> based on a user-initiated action, a survey input <NUM> based on a system-initiated action, and a user direct value <NUM> of a change request from the user based on a user-initiated action. The preference processing system <NUM> can determine a context <NUM> of the feedback <NUM> based on additional information such as time (e.g., time of day and/or time of year) and/or location from positioning system <NUM> and/or mapping system <NUM>. The preference processing system <NUM> can perform analytics/processing <NUM> based on the context <NUM> and environmental data <NUM> from the building automation system <NUM>. The analytics/processing <NUM> can include partitioning the context <NUM> by user identifier information, location information, and associated events to form a profile <NUM> of preferences with respect to existing control settings and conditions captured in environmental data <NUM> to be stored in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. For example, occupant indoor environmental setting preferences can be determined on a per user basis at particular locations and times, corresponding to existing conditions and desired changes to the existing conditions as further described herein.

<FIG> depicts an example form <NUM> for indoor environmental preference processing, according to an embodiment as may be interactively displayed by application <NUM> on user interface <NUM> of a user device <NUM> of <FIG>. The form <NUM> may be displayed on the user interface <NUM> based on a user-initiated action as complaint <NUM> of <FIG> or based on a system-initiated action as survey input <NUM> of <FIG>. When a user is dissatisfied with indoor environmental provided by an indoor environment at a particular location, the user can launch the form <NUM> and answer a plurality of questions <NUM> associated with the location. Results collected from the form <NUM> can be tagged with time/date and location information, e.g., using positioning system <NUM> and/or mapping system <NUM> to develop the context <NUM> of <FIG>. Similarly, the user may be periodically prompted by the application <NUM> to fill out the form <NUM> when additional user data is desired from the user at a particular time/location to ensure that the profile <NUM> of <FIG> is constructed with a robust data set. Examples of the questions <NUM> can include relative values to establish whether the user finds the current location comfortable in terms of temperature, humidity, illuminance level, noise level, air quality, and the like.

As one example, the indoor environmental preference processing <NUM> of <FIG> collected from the form <NUM> can be mapped from relative indoor environmental values into descriptive incremental adjustments to offset to a current state of building systems <NUM> according to a translation table (table <NUM>). The translation table example of table <NUM> indicates how offsets to the current state of the building systems <NUM> can be determined. For example, if the user indicates that a location is "very cold", the corresponding preference for the user at the location can be set to the current temperature (e.g., extracted from the environmental data <NUM>) plus three degrees Fahrenheit (plus <NUM>) per table <NUM>.

<FIG> depicts an example of a user interface <NUM> for indoor environmental preference processing as may be interactively displayed by application <NUM> on user interface <NUM> of a user device <NUM> of <FIG> according to an embodiment. The example of <FIG> can set the user direct value <NUM> of <FIG> of a change request from the user based on a user-initiated action for a change in illuminance. The user interface <NUM> can display a current location <NUM> of the user device <NUM> and may support precise changes <NUM> (e.g., exact illuminance level) or relative changes <NUM> to the level of illuminance. Relative changes <NUM> can map descriptive wording to predetermined levels of illuminance, such as "dim" to decrease by <NUM>%, "brighten" to increase by <NUM>%, and the like.

As another example, <FIG> depicts a user interface <NUM> for indoor environmental preference processing as may be interactively displayed by application <NUM> on user interface <NUM> of a user device <NUM> of <FIG> according to an embodiment. The example of <FIG> can set the user direct value <NUM> of <FIG> of a change request from the user based on a user-initiated action for a change in temperature. The user interface <NUM> can display a current location <NUM> of the user device <NUM> and may support precise changes <NUM> (e.g., exact temperature level) or relative changes <NUM> to the temperature level. Relative changes <NUM> can map descriptive wording to predetermined temperature levels, such as "too hot" to decrease by four degrees Fahrenheit (<NUM>), "too cool" to increase by four degrees Fahrenheit (<NUM>), and the like. Similar user interfaces can be created for each control type supported in the building <NUM> of <FIG>.

<FIG> depicts a state transition diagram <NUM> for indoor environmental preference processing according to an embodiment. At state <NUM>, the preference processing system <NUM> can start to populate the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> of <FIG> with default data provided, for example, by the building automation system <NUM>. A preference record update <NUM> in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> can initially populate a record associated with a user to include default system settings for each of the building systems <NUM> of <FIG>. Upon receiving a user complaint <NUM> or survey input <NUM> of <FIG> as an event <NUM>, preference updates <NUM> can be made by looking up corresponding base values from the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> and storing data collected from the user complaint <NUM> or survey input <NUM> along with other data to support the context <NUM>, such as a time of day, time of year (e.g., season), and a current location of the user (e.g., position of user device <NUM> in building <NUM> of <FIG>). Similarly, upon receiving a user direct value <NUM> (<FIG>) of a change request (e.g., a change in temperature request) from the user as an event <NUM>, preference updates <NUM> can be made by looking up corresponding base values from the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> and storing data collected along with other data to support the context <NUM>, such as a time of day, time of year (e.g., season), and a current location of the user (e.g., position of user device <NUM> in building <NUM> of <FIG>).

<FIG> depicts a state transition diagram <NUM> for indoor environmental preference processing according to an embodiment. At state <NUM>, the preference processing system <NUM> can start to populate the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> of <FIG> with default data provided, for example, by the building automation system <NUM>. A preference record update <NUM> in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> can initially populate a record associated with a user to include default system settings for each of the building systems <NUM> of <FIG>. Upon determining that the user has a location change <NUM> within the building <NUM> of <FIG>, preference updates <NUM> can be made by looking up corresponding base values from the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> and tagging the preferences with other data to support the context <NUM>, such as a time of day, time of year (e.g., season), and a current location of the user (e.g., position of user device <NUM> in building <NUM> of <FIG>). Similarly, upon a time change <NUM> transitioning to a different block of time (e.g., morning/noon/night), preference updates <NUM> can be made by looking up corresponding base values from the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> and tagging the preferences with other data to support the context <NUM>, such as a time of day, time of year (e.g., season), and a current location of the user (e.g., position of user device <NUM> in building <NUM> of <FIG>).

<FIG> depicts a data structure <NUM> for indoor environmental preference processing according to an embodiment. For each user identifier <NUM>, occupant indoor environmental setting preferences can be tracked as a combination of location data <NUM> and event history <NUM>. The location data <NUM> can identify discrete locations in the building <NUM>, such as offices, conference rooms, or specific zones, with preferences tracked for each control type (e.g., heating, cooling, relative humidity, illuminance, noise, CO2 level, etc.). The location data <NUM> can also include time information, such as setting differences between seasons of the year. The event history <NUM> can track events such as complaints, change requests, survey responses, and the like. The event history <NUM> can track times, locations, values from feedback <NUM> (<FIG>), environmental variables from environmental data <NUM> (<FIG>), and other such values.

<FIG> shows a flow chart of a method <NUM> of indoor environmental preference management for controlling a plurality of building systems <NUM> of <FIG>, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The method <NUM> is described in reference to <FIG> and can include additional steps beyond those depicted in <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, a processor <NUM> of preference processing system <NUM> initializes a plurality of occupant indoor environmental setting preferences in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> for a plurality of users with a plurality of default settings based on a plurality of control types for the building systems <NUM>. The default settings can be provided by the building automation system <NUM> based on existing/known default settings. For instance, a default setting for temperature may be <NUM> degrees F (<NUM>) in the winter and <NUM> degrees F (<NUM>) in the summer.

At block <NUM>, the processor <NUM> of preference processing system <NUM> adjusts at least one control setting of the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> for a first user based on feedback <NUM> from the first user as received from the user device <NUM>. The preference processing system <NUM> can use data from the positioning system <NUM>, and/or mapping system <NUM> to determine a location of the first user associated with the feedback <NUM> from the first user. A record of the location can be stored with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. The preference processing system <NUM> can also determine a time of day and/or time of year the feedback <NUM> from the first user. A record of the time of day and/or time of year can be stored with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. The feedback <NUM> from the first user can be received as a complaint <NUM> based on a user-initiated action, and a corresponding event record is stored with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. The feedback <NUM> from the first user can be received as a survey input <NUM> based on a system-initiated action, and a corresponding event record can be stored with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. The feedback <NUM> from the first user can be received as a user direct value <NUM> of a change request from the first user based on a user-initiated action, and a corresponding event record can be stored with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences in the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. The change request can be passed to the building automation system <NUM> to operate a control device <NUM> associated with the request. Adjustments can also be made based on changes to the location of the user and/or time changes.

Environmental data <NUM> indicative of a current state of a building system <NUM> can also be received at the preference processing system <NUM>. The feedback <NUM> received from the first user can be formatted as a descriptive incremental adjustment (e.g., more humid, less humid, etc.) to the current state of the building system <NUM>. An adjustment to at least one control setting can be determined as an offset to the current state of the building system <NUM> based mapping the descriptive incremental adjustment to a translation table (e.g., table <NUM>).

At block <NUM>, at least one control device <NUM> of a building automation system <NUM> is operated based on the adjustment to the at least one control setting of the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences from the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM>. The at least one control device <NUM> can be operated in response to providing the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences to the building automation system <NUM>, resulting in a change in one or more indoor environmental conditions in the building <NUM>. One or more relationships between the event history <NUM> and location data <NUM> of a plurality of users from the occupant indoor environmental setting preference database <NUM> can be summarized and used for various applications. For example, machine learning can be used to learn group preferences, e.g., to potentially rearrange seating locations of users to reduce complaints. Heat maps can be generated of user preferences for multiple control types at different locations. Preferences can be compared to the types of space (e.g., meal area, conference area, desk space) to map preferences to types of activities. Noise complaint data can be used to generate a noise map to look for noise-related issues. Complaints can be tracked to identify potentially failing equipment, environmental impact of work conditions, and impact of specific types of events.

As described above, embodiments can be in the form of processorimplemented processes and devices for practicing those processes, such as a processor.

Claim 1:
A method of indoor environmental preference management, the method comprising:
initializing, by a processor (<NUM>) of a preference processing system (<NUM>), a plurality of occupant indoor environmental setting preferences for a plurality of users with a plurality of default settings based on a plurality of control types for a plurality of building systems;
receiving environmental data indicative of a current state of a building system;
receiving feedback (<NUM>) from a first user as a descriptive incremental adjustment to the current state of the building system, wherein the feedback from the first user is received as a complaint (<NUM>) based on a user-initiated action or as a survey input (<NUM>) based on a system-initiated action, and a corresponding event record is stored with the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences,
determining an adjustment to the at least one control setting as an offset to the current state of the building system, wherein the adjustment is determined based on mapping the descriptive incremental adjustment to the offset to the current state via a translation table that indicates how the offset is determined;
adjusting, by the processor (<NUM>) of the preference processing system (<NUM>), at least one control setting of the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences for the first user based on the feedback (<NUM>) from the first user and based on the adjustment determined in the preceding step; and
operating at least one control device (<NUM>) of a building automation system (<NUM>) based on the adjustment to the at least one control setting of the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences.