Attributing causation for energy usage and setpoint changes with a network-connected thermostat

1. A method of attributing a primary causative agent for HVAC system usage being above or below an average, the HVAC system being controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat, the method comprising:

gathering, by the thermostat, information relating to the HVAC system usage over a plurality of days, wherein:

the HVAC system usage refers to an amount of energy used by the HVAC system on the plurality of days or an amount of time the HVAC system has operated over the plurality of days;

the thermostat comprises: a temperature sensor, an occupancy sensor, a wireless network interface, and a processing system, and

the thermostat is in communication via one of: (1) the wireless network interface with the HVAC system and (2) a plurality of control wires with the HVAC system;

registering, by the thermostat, the thermostat with a remote thermostat management server system;

following the thermostat being registered with the remote thermostat management server system, pairing the thermostat with a thermostat management account maintained by the remote thermostat management server system;

controlling, by the thermostat, operation of the HVAC system via the plurality of control wires or the wireless network interface using data obtained from at least the temperature sensor and the occupancy sensor;

using the thermostat, gathering information relating to one or more thermostat setpoints over the plurality of days;

calculating an average value for HVAC system usage for the plurality of days using the gathered information relating to HVAC system usage;

determining whether HVAC system usage for a candidate day, being one of the plurality of days, is above or below the calculated average value;

evaluating a first set of potential causative agents when HVAC system usage for the candidate day is below the calculated average value;

evaluating a second set of potential causative agents when HVAC system usage for the candidate day is above the calculated average value, wherein:

the first set of potential causative agents and the second set of potential causative agents differ from each other and each comprise multiple causative agents;

hierarchically evaluating the selected set of potential causative agents for the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above or below the calculated average value;

attributing the primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above or below the calculated average value using the hierarchical evaluation of the selected set of potential causative agents;

transmitting, by the remote thermostat management server system, to a mobile device the attributed primary causative agent; and

providing, by a thermostat access client, via a touch-based user interface of the mobile device, an output indicative of the attributed primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage in response to touch-based user input, wherein the thermostat access client permits access to the thermostat management account with which the thermostat is paired.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said hierarchically evaluating and attributing is carried out by the processing system housed within the thermostat.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said hierarchically evaluating and attributing is carried out on a processing system which is not housed within the thermostat.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the processing system is part of the remote thermostat management server system that is located in a location remote from the thermostat.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein if the HVAC system usage for candidate day's usage is close to the calculated average value then no primary causative agent is attributed for the candidate day.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the candidate day is a day immediately preceding a day on which said calculating, determining, evaluating and attributing are carried out.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of days are seven days immediately preceding the day on which said calculating, determining, evaluating and attributing are carried out.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the primary causative agent is selected from a group including: a user, weather, and one or more thermostat features.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the one or more thermostat features includes one or more types of features selected from a group consisting of: occupancy detection, automatic setpoint scheduling, auto-dehumidification, and an automated schedule adjustment algorithm.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said hierarchically evaluating comprises:

evaluating a first potential primary causative agent which is attributed as the primary causative agent if a first set of predetermined criteria are met relating to the first primary causative agent are met; and

evaluating a second potential primary causative agent which is attributed as the primary causative agent if a second set of predetermined criteria are met relating to the second primary causative agent are met, and if neither the first or second sets of predetermined criteria are met, attributing a third potential primary causative agent is attributed as the primary causative agent.

11. A thermostat system for attributing a primary causative agent for HVAC system usage being above or below an average, the system comprising:

a thermostat management server system; and

a thermostat in communication with the HVAC system via a plurality of control wires through which the thermostat actuates operation of the HVAC system, the thermostat comprising: a temperature sensor, an occupancy sensor, a wireless network interface for communication with the thermostat management server system, and a processing system, the processing system being configured to:

register the thermostat with a remote thermostat management server system;

control operation of the HVAC system via the plurality of control wires using data obtained from at least the temperature sensor and the occupancy sensor;

gather information relating to HVAC system usage over a plurality of days, wherein the HVAC system usage refers to an amount of energy used by the HVAC system of the plurality of days or an amount of time the HVAC system has operated over the plurality of days;

wherein the thermostat system is configured to:

following the thermostat being registered with the remote thermostat management server system, pair the thermostat with a thermostat management account maintained by the remote thermostat management server;

gather information relating to one or more thermostat setpoints over the plurality of days;

calculate an average value for HVAC system usage for the plurality of days using the gathered information relating to HVAC system usage;

determine whether HVAC system usage for a candidate day, being one of the plurality of days, is above or below the calculated average value;

evaluate a first set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being below the calculated average value;

evaluate a second set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above the calculated average value,

wherein:

the first set of causative agents and the second set of causative agents differ from each other and each comprise multiple causative agents;

hierarchically evaluating the selected set of potential causative agents for the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above or below the calculated average value;

attribute the primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above or below average using the hierarchical evaluation of the selected set of potential causative agents; and

transmitting, to the thermostat management server system, the attributed primary causative agent, wherein the thermostat management system transmits, to a thermostat access client executed by a mobile device, an indication of the attributed primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage, the thermostat access client being linked with the thermostat via the thermostat management account.

12. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for a thermostat management server system, comprising processor-readable instructions that cause one or more processors to:

register a thermostat with the thermostat management server system;

following the thermostat being registered with the thermostat management server system, pair the thermostat with a thermostat management account maintained by the thermostat management server system;

gather information relating to HVAC system usage over a plurality of days from the thermostat, wherein:

the HVAC system usage refers to an amount of energy used by the HVAC system on the plurality of days or an amount of time the HVAC system has operated over the plurality of days;

the thermostat is in communication via a plurality of control wires with the HVAC system,

the thermostat controls operation of the HVAC system using data obtained from at least a temperature sensor of the thermostat and an occupancy sensor of the thermostat; and

the thermostat actuates operation of the HVAC system via the plurality of control wires;

gather information relating to one or more thermostat setpoints over the plurality of days;

calculate an average value for HVAC system usage for the plurality of days using the gathered information relating to HVAC system usage;

determine whether HVAC system usage for a candidate day, being one of the plurality of days, is above or below the calculated average value;

evaluate a first set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being below the calculated average value;

evaluate a second set of potential causative agents in response to the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above the calculated average value,

wherein:

the first set and the second set differ from each other and each comprise multiple causative agents;

hierarchically evaluate the selected set of potential causative agents for the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above or below the calculated average value;

attribute a primary causative agent for the HVAC system usage for the candidate day being above or below the calculated average value using the hierarchical evaluation of the selected set of potential causative agents; and

transmit, to a mobile device, the attributed primary causative agent, wherein the mobile device is determined to be linked to the thermostat management account linked with the thermostat and the mobile device executes a thermostat access client that output the attributed primary causative agent in response to touch-based user input.