Granted Patent B2

US 8,174,381 · App. 13/075,221 · Granted May 8, 2012

Assignee: Allure Energy, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (48)

1. A method of managing a site in a mobile environment, comprising:

detecting an availability of at least one network device at a site wherein the at least one network device has an operating condition;

detecting a distance of a mobile device relative to the site;

providing a proximity control selector within a user interface of the mobile device to manage a proximity detection module for controlling a proximity control of the site wherein the proximity control selector having an enabled setting of the proximity detection module and a disabled setting of the proximity detection module;

enabling the proximity detection module of the site in response to the enabled setting of the proximity control selector to modify the operating condition of the network device based on the detected distance of the mobile device relative to the site; and

disabling the proximity detection module in response to the disabled setting of the proximity control selector.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting an availability of a second network device; and

not altering an operating condition of the second network device in response to detecting the change in the distance of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a network location configured to store distance information of a plurality of mobile devices including a first mobile device and a second mobile device;

detecting a distance information of the first mobile device relative to the site;

detecting a distance information of the second mobile device relative to the site;

communicating the distance information of the first mobile device and the distance information of the second mobile device to the network location to be compared; and

initiating the change to the operating condition of the network device if a change in the first distance of the first mobile device is different than a change in the second distance of the second mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

detecting a setting change of the proximity control selector of the first mobile device; and

communicating the setting change to the network location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initiating a reporting interval from the mobile device to a network location in response to the distance; and

initiating communication of a control of the operating mode using the reporting interval and the distance.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving site information of the site at the mobile device;

presenting the site information within the user interface of the mobile device; and

presenting a current settings section within the user interface; and

enabling selection of the current settings section to control the operating condition of the network device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting an availability of a first thermostat;

detecting an availability of a second thermostat; and

enabling the proximity detection module disposed on the mobile device to modify an operating condition of the first and second thermostats.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising;

detecting the availability of a first network location and a second network location, wherein the second network location is different than the first network location;

initiating access of the first network location to detect the operating condition of the network device;

initiating access to a second network location to store the distance of the mobile device relative to the site; and

initiating a communication of a control action to the first network location to alter the operating condition of the network device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

initiating access to the second network location to detect a distance of the first mobile device relative to a distance of a second mobile device associated with the site;

initiating access to the first network location to alter the operating condition of the network device if the first mobile device is closer to the site than the second mobile device;

storing an updated operating condition within the first mobile device;

initiating an update of the operating condition at the first network location.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting an availability of a WIFI network including a device connected to the WIFI network;

accessing the device using the WIFI network to detect an operating condition of the device; and

initiating an altering of the operating condition of the network device using the WIFI network.

11. A method of managing energy use in a mobile environment comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) within a mobile device including a proximity control selector capable of managing a proximity detection module for controlling a proximity control of a site;

enabling a proximity detection module in response to the enabled proximity control selector to modify an operating condition of a network device based on a detected distance of the mobile device; and

disabling the proximity detection module in response to the disabled proximity control selector.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (12)