Automated presence detection and presence-related control within an intelligent controller

摘要

The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that use sensor output and electronically stored information, including one or more of electronically stored rules, parameters, and instructions, to determine whether or not one or more types of entities are present within an area, volume, or environment monitored by the intelligent controllers. The intelligent controllers select operational modes and modify control schedules with respect to the presence and absence of the one or more entities. The intelligent controllers employ feedback information to continuously adjust the electronically stored parameters and rules in order to minimize the number of incorrect inferences with respect to the presence or absence of the one or more entities and in order to maximize the efficiency by which various types of systems controlled by the intelligent controllers carry out selected operational modes.

主权项

1. An intelligent controller comprising:
one or more processors for controlling an environmental condition within an enclosure, wherein the intelligent controller is configured to operate in a plurality of modes comprising:
a normal mode wherein the environmental condition is controlled according to a stored control schedule; andan auto-away mode; one or more sensors for detecting indications of occupancy in the enclosure; one or more memories that stores a historical pattern of occupancy based on historical readings from the one or more sensors; instructions stored in the one or more memories that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
determining, at a first time, a probability of occupancy at the first time based on the historical pattern of occupancy;selecting between a first time window length and a second time window length based on the probability of occupancy at the first time, wherein the first time window length is longer than the second time widow length;determining whether the one or more sensors have detected indications of occupancy during a time widow, wherein the time widow begins at the first time and extends backwards in time the selected time window length; anddetermining whether the intelligent controller should operate in the auto-away mode based on the determination of whether the one or more sensors detected indications of occupancy during the time widow.