Environmental control method and apparatus

1. A method of controlling, from a mobile device, an environmental control system including at least one appliance for influencing one or more environmental parameters at a premises; wherein the mobile device comprises an application for sending commands to the environmental control system, the application having at least:

a foreground state for controlling the environmental control system based on a plurality of user-adjustable parameters for the one or more environmental parameters, wherein the application is arranged, using a screen of the mobile device to interact with a user, to present the user with an option to adjust one or more of the user-adjustable parameters in the foreground state; and

at least one background state, wherein the application is arranged to generate user notifications in the background state; the method comprising the steps of, when the application is in a background state:

determining that the mobile device has crossed a predetermined geolocation threshold;

determining that an environmental parameter of the premises satisfies a condition;

displaying, on a screen of the mobile device, a notification to a user, the notification comprising an option to initiate a command effecting control of at least one appliance;

detecting that the user has selected the option to initiate the command; and

sending to the environmental control system a message to effect the command;

wherein the command effecting control of at least one appliance is selected from a plurality of commands and the method further comprises the step of ranking the plurality of commands into a prioritised list according to at least one criterion.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is performed without the application transitioning to the foreground state.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein detecting that the user has selected the option to initiate the command is by detection of a single user interaction with the mobile device.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the option to initiate a command comprises a graphical object associated with the command; and wherein detecting that the user has selected the option to initiate the command comprises detecting that the user has selected the graphical object.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises no more than two user interactions.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile device has a locked mode and an unlocked mode; and

wherein the method is performed while the mobile device is in a locked mode, without the unlocked mode being activated; and/or

wherein the step of displaying a notification to a user comprises displaying the notification on a lock screen of the mobile device.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the command effecting control of at least one appliance is based on one or more of:

one or more user-adjusted parameters; and

a learnt user behaviour model based on one or more previous control commands initiated by the user.

8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the application, in the foreground state, is arranged to present the user with an option to adjust the one or more user-adjusted parameters on which the command is based.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the condition is associated with the geolocation threshold.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the command effecting control of at least one appliance comprises one of:

a command to alter a target setpoint of the environmental parameter; and

a command to alter a mode of operation of the environmental control system; and

a command to alter the mode of an appliance in the environmental control system.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the notification comprises:

a first option to initiate a first command to effect control of at least one appliance; and

a second option to initiate a second command to effect control of at least one appliance, wherein the second command is different from the first command; and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting that the user has selected the option to initiate the first command; and

detecting that the user has selected the option to initiate the second command.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein determining that an environmental parameter of the premises satisfies a condition comprises:

comparing the environmental parameter to a predetermined value.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein determining that an environmental parameter of the premises satisfies a condition comprises:

determining that a target setpoint satisfies the condition; or

determining that a measured value satisfies the condition.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the premises comprises at least a first zone and a second zone, each zone being independently controllable by the environmental control system; and

wherein the step of determining that an environmental parameter of the premises satisfies a condition comprises:

determining that an environmental parameter of at least one of the zones satisfies a condition; and

wherein the command comprises a command to alter an environmental control setting for the at least one of the zones.

15. A method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

determining whether an environmental parameter of the first zone satisfies a first condition;

determining whether an environmental parameter of the second zone satisfies a second condition associated with the second zone, wherein the first condition is settable independently from the second condition;

wherein the notification comprises:

if the environmental parameter of the first zone satisfies the first condition, a first option to initiate a command to alter an environmental control setting for the first zone; and

if the environmental parameter of the second zone satisfies the second condition, a second option to initiate a command to alter an environmental control setting for the second zone; and

if it is determined that the user has selected the first option, sending, to a first thermostat operable to control an environmental parameter of the first zone, a message comprising the command to alter the environmental control setting for the first zone; and

if it is determined that the user has selected the second option, sending, to a second thermostat operable to control an environmental parameter of the second zone, a message comprising the command to alter the environmental control setting for the second zone.

16. A method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

sending a single message to the environmental control system to alter the environmental control setting for the first zone and for the second zone, wherein the environmental control system comprises a hub at the premises, and wherein the method further comprises:

sending, by the hub, a message to a first thermostat operable to control an environmental parameter of the first zone comprising a command to alter the environmental control setting for the first zone; and

sending, by the hub, a message to a second thermostat operable to control an environmental parameter of the second zone comprising a command to alter the environmental control setting for the second zone.

17. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the premises comprises at least a first zone and a second zone, each zone being independently controllable by the environmental control system; and wherein the step of determining that an environmental parameter of the premises satisfies a condition comprises:

determining that an environmental parameter of the first zone and an environmental parameter of the second zone satisfy a condition; and

wherein the command effecting control of at least one appliance comprises a command to alter an environmental control setting for the first zone and for the second zone.

18. A mobile device for controlling an environmental control system including at least one appliance for influencing one or more environmental parameters at a premises, the mobile device comprising:

a wireless communications interface operable to receive information indicative of the location of the mobile device and to send and receive messages to and from the environmental control system;

a screen for displaying information to a user;

a memory storing an application for sending commands to the environmental control system, the application having at least:

a foreground state for controlling the environmental control system based on a plurality of user-adjustable parameters for the one or more environmental parameters, wherein the application is arranged, using a screen of the mobile device to interact with a user, to present the user with an option to adjust one or more of the user-adjustable parameters in the foreground state; and

at least one background state, wherein the application is arranged to generate user notifications in the background state; and

a processor operable to:

determine that the mobile device has crossed a predetermined geolocation threshold;

receive an indication that an environmental parameter of the premises satisfies a condition;

display, on the screen of the mobile device, a notification to a user, the notification comprising an option to initiate a command effecting control of at least one appliance;

detect that the user has selected the option to initiate the command; and

send to the environmental control system a message to effect the command;

wherein the command effecting control of at least one appliance is selected from a plurality of commands and the processor is further operable to rank the plurality of commands into a prioritised list according to at least one criterion.

19. A method of controlling, from a mobile device, an environmental control system including at least one appliance for influencing one or more environmental parameters at a premises; wherein the mobile device comprises an application for sending commands to the environmental control system, the application having at least:

a foreground state for controlling the environmental control system based on a plurality of user-adjustable parameters for the one or more environmental parameters, wherein the application is arranged, using a screen of the mobile device to interact with a user, to present the user with an option to adjust one or more of the user-adjustable parameters in the foreground state; and

at least one background state, wherein the application is arranged to generate user notifications in the background state;

wherein the premises comprises at least a first zone and a second zone, each zone being independently controllable by the environmental control system;

the method comprising the steps of, when the application is in a background state:

determining that the mobile device has crossed a predetermined geolocation threshold;

determining whether an environmental parameter of the first zone satisfies a first condition;

determining whether an environmental parameter of the second zone satisfies a second condition associated with the second zone, wherein the first condition is settable independently from the second condition;

displaying, on a screen of the mobile device, a notification to a user, the notification comprising an option to initiate a command effecting control of at least one appliance, wherein the notification comprises:

if the environmental parameter of the first zone satisfies the first condition, a first option to initiate a command to alter an environmental control setting for the first zone; and

if the environmental parameter of the second zone satisfies the second condition, a second option to initiate a command to alter an environmental control setting for the second zone;

detecting that the user has selected at least one of the first option and the second option;

if it is determined that the user has selected the first option, sending, to a first thermostat operable to control an environmental parameter of the first zone, a message comprising the command to alter the environmental control setting for the first zone; and

if it is determined that the user has selected the second option, sending, to a second thermostat operable to control an environmental parameter of the second zone, a message comprising the command to alter the environmental control setting for the second zone.

20. A method of controlling, from a mobile device, an environmental control system including at least one appliance for influencing one or more environmental parameters at a premises; wherein the mobile device comprises an application for sending commands to the environmental control system, the application having at least:

a foreground state for controlling the environmental control system based on a plurality of user-adjustable parameters for the one or more environmental parameters, wherein the application is arranged, using a screen of the mobile device to interact with a user, to present the user with an option to adjust one or more of the user-adjustable parameters in the foreground state; and

at least one background state, wherein the application is arranged to generate user notifications in the background state;

wherein the premises comprises at least a first zone and a second zone, each zone being independently controllable by the environmental control system, and wherein the environmental control system comprises a hub at the premises;

the method comprising the steps of, when the application is in a background state:

determining that the mobile device has crossed a predetermined geolocation threshold;

determining that an environmental parameter of the premises satisfies a condition, comprising determining that an environmental parameter of at least one of the zones satisfies a condition;

displaying, on a screen of the mobile device, a notification to a user, the notification comprising an option to initiate a command effecting control of at least one appliance, wherein the command comprises a command to alter an environmental control setting for the at least one of the zones;

detecting that the user has selected the option to initiate the command;

sending a single message to the environmental control system to alter the environmental control setting for the first zone and for the second zone;

sending, by the hub, a message to a first thermostat operable to control an environmental parameter of the first zone comprising a command to alter the environmental control setting for the first zone; and

sending, by the hub, a message to a second thermostat operable to control an environmental parameter of the second zone comprising a command to alter the environmental control setting for the second zone.