SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UPDATING CLIMATE CONTROL ALGORITHMS
A combined business and technical method is described in which a paid subscription service is offered to provide “premium” HVAC algorithms for a network-connected, multi-sensing learning thermostat. The users who have chosen to pay for the premium subscription service are provided with at least one additional feature, capability, and/or option that is not provided to unpaid “basic” subscribers of a cloud-based thermostat servicing system that is provided for all thermostat owners. According to some embodiments, an on-line interview process is administered to gather additional information for improving the settings of the thermostat. According to some embodiments, an active test is performed to determine thermal characteristics of the structure. According some embodiments, the user guaranteed to at least recoup the cost of the premium service through energy cost savings.
1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining a change to an environmental condition within an enclosure, wherein the change is determined by a climate control device;
generating a notification, wherein the notification is displayed on an interactive graphical interface on the climate control device, and wherein the notification corresponds to the determined change;
providing change instructions to an HVAC system, wherein change instructions cause a change difference to an environmental condition within the enclosure;
generating an interactive element, wherein the interactive element is displayed on the interactive graphical interface, and wherein interacting with the interactive element controls providing the change instructions to the HVAC system;
measuring a change difference in the environmental condition within the enclosure; and
calculating a thermodynamic parameter of the enclosure using the measured change difference and the change instructions when change instructions are provided to the HVAC system.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter uses an environmental condition measured outside of the enclosure.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermodynamic parameter is a thermodynamic model that is used by the climate control device to predict a thermal behavior of the enclosure in response to instructions provided to the HVAC system.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermodynamic parameter is a thermal mass of the enclosure.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition within the enclosure is temperature, pressure, humidity, airflow or particulate matter concentration.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein interacting with the interactive element cancels the change instructions provided to the HVAC system.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter is a premium service.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification is generated subsequent to providing the change instructions to the HVAC system.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further including:
generating one or more input options on an interview interface of the interactive graphical interface; and
detecting input corresponding to a selection of an input option, wherein the input is detected at the interview interface.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter of the enclosure uses the detected input.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the climate control device automatically determines the change.
12 . A computer-implemented system, comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:
determining a change to an environmental condition within an enclosure, wherein the change is determined by a climate control device;
generating a notification, wherein the notification is displayed on an interactive graphical interface on the climate control device, and wherein the notification corresponds to the determined change;
providing change instructions to an HVAC system, wherein change instructions cause a change difference to an environmental condition within the enclosure;
generating an interactive element, wherein the interactive element is displayed on the interactive graphical interface, and wherein interacting with the interactive element controls providing change instructions to the HVAC system;
measuring a change difference in the environmental condition within the enclosure; and
calculating a thermodynamic parameter of the enclosure using the measured change difference and the change instructions when change instructions are provided to the HVAC system.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter uses an environmental condition measured outside of the enclosure.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the thermodynamic parameter is a thermodynamic model that is used by the climate control device to predict a thermal behavior of the enclosure in response to instructions provided to the HVAC system.
15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the thermodynamic parameter is a thermal mass of the enclosure.
16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the environmental condition within the enclosure is temperature, pressure, humidity, airflow or particulate matter concentration.
17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein interacting with the interactive element cancels the change instructions provided to the HVAC system to change the environmental condition within the enclosure.
18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter is a premium service.
19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the notification is generated subsequent to providing the change instructions to the HVAC system.
20 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:
generating one or more input options on an interview interface of the interactive graphical interface; and
detecting input corresponding to a selection of an input option, wherein the input is detected at the interview interface.
21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter of the enclosure uses the detected input.
22 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the climate control device automatically determines the change.
23 . A computer-program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
determine a change to an environmental condition within an enclosure, wherein the change is determined by a climate control device;
generate a notification, wherein the notification is displayed on an interactive graphical interface associated with the climate control device, and wherein the notification corresponds to the determined change;
provide change instructions to an HVAC system, wherein change instructions cause a change difference to an environmental condition within the enclosure;
generate an interactive element, wherein the interactive element is displayed on the interactive graphical interface, and wherein interacting with the interactive element controls providing change instructions to the HVAC system;
measure a change difference in the environmental condition within the enclosure; and
calculate a thermodynamic parameter of the enclosure using the measured change difference and the change instructions when change instructions are provided to the HVAC system.
24 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter uses an environmental condition measured outside of the enclosure.
25 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein the thermodynamic parameter is a thermodynamic model that is used by the climate control device to predict a thermal behavior of the enclosure in response to instructions provided to the HVAC system.
26 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein the thermodynamic parameter is a thermal mass of the enclosure.
27 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein the environmental condition within the enclosure is temperature, pressure, humidity, airflow or particulate matter concentration.
28 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein interacting with the interactive element cancels the change instructions provided to the HVAC system to change the environmental condition within the enclosure.
29 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter is a premium service.
30 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein the notification is generated subsequent to providing the change instructions to the HVAC system.
31 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , further comprising computer-executable instructions causing the data processing apparatus to:
generate one or more input options on an interview interface of the interactive graphical interface; and
detect input corresponding to a selection of an input option, wherein the input is detected at the interview interface.
32 . The computer-program product of claim 31 , wherein calculating the thermodynamic parameter of the enclosure also uses the received input.
33 . The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein the climate control device automatically determines the change.