IP Library Granted Patent US 8,099,194
Granted Patent B2
US 8,099,194 · App. 12/126,566 · Granted Jan 17, 2012

Demand control

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,099,194
App. No.
12/126,566
Granted
Jan 17, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

Included are embodiments for demand control. At least one embodiment of a method includes sending a first control signal, the first control signal configured to indicate a first supply for an environment, the first supply based on a first environmental factor and a control setting and determining a change in a second environmental factor. Some embodiments include calculating a second supply for the environment, based on the determined change and sending a second control signal, the second control signal configured to indicate the second supply for the environment.

Claims (44)

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a first environmental factor of an environment;

sending a first control signal to set a first supply for the environment, the first supply being based, at least in part, on the first environmental factor and a predefined business strategy;

monitoring a second environmental factor of the environment, the second environmental factor exhibiting a correlation with respect to the first environmental factor;

determining a change in the second environmental factor;

storing data related to the determined change;

predicting a future change in the second environmental factor based, at least in part, on the stored data;

calculating a second supply for the environment based, at least in part, on the predicted future change and the predefined business strategy; and

sending a second control signal to set the second supply at a time associated with a predicted occurrence of the predicted future change such that the second control signal is sent to alter the environment prior to the predicted occurrence.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second environmental factor corresponds to a number of people in the environment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are sent to a heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first control signal and second control signal are configured to facilitate control of at least one of the following: temperature, humidity, electrical power, and ventilation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are configured to facilitate control of a portion of the environment.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring, the determining, the storing, the predicting and the calculating are performed remotely from the environment.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the environment is a first of multiple environments being monitored.

8. A system comprising:

a first monitoring component operative to monitor a first environmental factor of an environment;

a sending component operative to send a first control signal to set a first supply for the environment, the first supply being based, at least in part, on a first environmental factor and a predefined business strategy;

a second monitoring component operative to monitor a second environmental factor of the environment, the second environmental factor exhibiting a correlation with respect to the first environmental factor;

a determining component operative to determine a change in the second environmental factor;

a storing component operative to store data related to the determined change;

a predicting component operative to predict a future change in the second environmental factor based, at least in part, on the stored data; and

a calculating component operative to calculate a second supply for the environment based, at least in part, on the predicted future change and the predefined business strategy;

wherein the sending component is further operative to send a second control signal to set the second supply at a time associated with a predicted occurrence of the predicted future change such that the second control signal is sent to alter the environment prior to the predicted occurrence.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second environmental factor corresponds to a number of computing devices that are operating in the environment.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first control signal and second control signal are configured to facilitate control of at least one of the following: temperature, humidity, electrical power, and ventilation.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are configured to facilitate control of a portion of the environment.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the calculating component comprises a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the monitoring component, the determining component, the storing component, the predicting component and the calculating component are located remotely from the environment.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the environment is a first of multiple environments being monitored.

15. A system comprising:

means for monitoring a first environmental factor of an environment;

means for sending a first control signal, the first control signal configured to indicate a first supply for an environment, the first supply based on a first environmental factor and a control setting;

means for monitoring a second environmental factor of the environment, the second environmental factor exhibiting a correlation with respect to the first environmental factor;

means for determining a change in the second environmental factor;

means for storing data related to the determined change;

means for predicting a future change in the second environmental factor based, at least in part, on the stored data; and

means for calculating a second supply for the environment based, at least in part, on the predicted future change;

wherein the means for sending is further operative to send a second control signal to set the second supply at a time associated with a predicted occurrence of the predicted future change such that the second control signal is sent to alter the environment prior to the predicted occurrence.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second environmental factor comprises time of day.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the means for monitoring the first environmental factor monitors temperature.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are configured to facilitate control of a portion of the environment.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the means for monitoring, the means for determining, the means for storing, the means for predicting and the means for calculating are located remotely from the environment.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the environment is a first of multiple environments being monitored.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
To: ECOVA, INC.
Reel/Frame 074134/0820 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2021
From: ENGIE INSIGHT SERVICES INC.
To: TUTENLABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057804/0723 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 17, 2019
From: ECOVA, INC.
To: ENGIE INSIGHT SERVICES INC.
Reel/Frame 049784/0950 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 1, 2012
From: ECOVA, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 028700/0311 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2012
From: PRENOVA, INC.
To: ECOVA, INC.
Reel/Frame 027864/0642 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NAME OF ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 021057 FRAME 0791. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS' INTEREST.. Recorded Jul 30, 2008
From: CHAMBERS, GREGORY L.; VAN METER, KENNETH D.
To: PRENOVA, INC.
Reel/Frame 021318/0228 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2008
From: CHAMBERS, GREGORY L.; VAN METER, KENNETH D.
To: PRENOVA
Reel/Frame 021057/0791 →