CN111966139A - Multi-function thermostat with emergency guidance feature - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-function thermostat for a building includes a touch-sensitive display, a communication interface, and a processing circuit. The touch sensitive display is configured to present information to a user and receive input from the user. The communication interface is configured to receive weather information from a weather server and building emergency information from at least one of a building management system and a building device. The processing circuit is configured to cause the touch-sensitive display to display an emergency response guide when the weather information indicates an emergency weather condition or the building emergency information indicates a building emergency.

Description

Multi-function thermostat with emergency guidance feature

The application is a divisional application of an invention patent application with the application date of 2017, 1 month and 4 days, the international application number of PCT/US2017/012218, the national application number of 2017800057459 and the invented name of 'multifunctional thermostat with emergency guidance characteristic'.

Cross reference to related patent applications

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/274,750 filed on day 4/1/2016, U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/275,202 filed on day 5/1/2016, U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/275,204 filed on day 5/1/2016, U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/275,199 filed on day 5/1/2016, U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/275,711 filed on day 6/1/2016, and U.S. patent application No. 15/336,792 filed on day 28/10/2016. The complete disclosure of each of these patent applications is incorporated herein by reference.

Background

The present invention relates generally to thermostats and, more particularly, to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for improved control of a building or space through the use of a multi-function thermostat.

Thermostats are typically components of HVAC control systems. Conventional thermostats sense the temperature of the HVAC system and control components in order to maintain a certain set point. Thermostats may be designed to control heating or cooling systems or air conditioners. Thermostats are manufactured in many ways and use various sensors to measure the temperature and other desired parameters of the system.

Conventional thermostats are configured for unidirectional communication with connected components and are used to control HVAC systems by turning certain components on or off or by regulating flow. Each thermostat may include a temperature sensor and a user interface. The user interface typically includes a display for presenting information to a user and one or more user interface elements for receiving input from the user. To control the temperature of a building or space, a user adjusts the set point via a user interface of the thermostat.

Disclosure of Invention

One embodiment of the present disclosure is a multi-function thermostat for a building. The thermostat includes a touch-sensitive display, a communication interface, and a processing circuit. The touch sensitive display is configured to present information to a user and receive input from the user. The communication interface is configured to receive weather information from a weather server and building emergency information from at least one of a building management system and a building device. The processing circuit is configured to cause the touch-sensitive display to display an emergency response guidance when the weather information indicates an emergency weather condition or the building emergency information indicates a building emergency.

In some embodiments, the building device includes one or more building emergency sensors. In some embodiments, the emergency sensor comprises at least one of a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector and a user operable emergency button.

In some embodiments, the building emergency information includes sensor data measured by emergency sensors. In some embodiments, the processing circuit is configured to determine whether an emergency event exists by comparing the sensor data to an emergency threshold and cause the touch-sensitive display to display emergency response guidance in response to determining that an emergency event exists.

In some embodiments, the communication interface is configured to communicate with a building speaker system. In some embodiments, the processing circuit is configured to cause the building speaker system to broadcast the emergency response guidance via the communication interface.

In some embodiments, the emergency response guidance includes contact information for one or more official agencies including at least one of an ambulance, police, and building safety.

In some embodiments, the emergency response guidance includes an order of contacting an official.

In some embodiments, the emergency response guidance includes building maps and evacuation guidance. In some embodiments, the evacuation guidance comprises at least one of guidance to an exit of the building and guidance to an emergency shelter in the building.

In some embodiments, the communication interface is configured to receive non-emergency information from a building management system. In some embodiments, the processing circuit is configured to cause the touch-sensitive display to display non-emergency information when the weather information indicates non-emergency weather and the building emergency information indicates building safety.

In some embodiments, the processing circuit is configured to cause the touch-sensitive display to switch from displaying non-emergency information to displaying emergency information in response to receiving the emergency information via the communication interface.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for a multi-function thermostat. The method includes presenting information to a user via a touch-sensitive display and receiving input from the user. The method further includes receiving weather information from a weather server and building emergency information from at least one of a building management system and a building device via a communication interface. The method further includes causing, via the processing circuit, the touch-sensitive display to display an emergency response guidance when the weather information indicates an emergency weather condition or the building emergency information indicates a building emergency.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving sensor data from one or more building emergency sensors via the communication interface. In some embodiments, the building emergency sensor comprises at least one of a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector and a user operable emergency button.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining, via the processing circuit, whether an emergency event exists by comparing the sensor data to an emergency threshold. In some embodiments, the method further includes causing, via the processing circuit, the touch-sensitive display to display the emergency response guidance in response to determining that the emergency event exists.

In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving, via the communication interface, non-emergency information from the building management system and causing, via the processing circuit, the touch-sensitive display to display the non-emergency information when the weather information indicates a non-emergency weather condition or the building emergency information indicates that the building is not experiencing an emergency event.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: receiving emergency information from one or more building emergency sensors via a communication interface; and overwriting non-emergency information received from the building management system via the communication interface when emergency information is received from the building emergency sensor via the communication interface.

In some embodiments, the emergency response guidance includes emergency contact information for one or more official agencies including at least one of an ambulance, police, and building safety.

In some embodiments, the emergency response guidance includes building maps and evacuation guidance. Evacuation guidance may include at least one of guidance to an exit of the building and guidance to an emergency shelter in the building.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a multi-function thermostat for a building. The thermostat includes a touch sensitive display configured to present information to a user and receive input from the user. The thermostat includes a communication interface configured to receive emergency information from one or more building emergency sensors. The thermostat further includes a processing circuit configured to cause the touch-sensitive display to display emergency response guidance when emergency information received from the building emergency sensor via the communication interface indicates an emergency event.

In some embodiments, the communications interface is configured to receive weather information from a weather server and building emergency information from at least one of a building management system and a building device. In some embodiments, the processing circuit is further configured to cause the touch-sensitive display to display the emergency response guidance when the weather information indicates an emergency weather condition or the building emergency information indicates a building emergency.

In some embodiments, the communication interface is configured to receive non-emergency information from a building management system. In some embodiments, the processing circuit is configured to cause the touch-sensitive display to display non-emergency information when the building emergency sensor indicates no emergency events in the building.

In some embodiments, the emergency sensor comprises at least one of a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector and a user operable emergency button.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a building equipped with an HVAC system according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 2 is an illustration of multiple zones and floors of the building equipped with the control device of fig. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a waterside system that may be used in conjunction with the building of fig. 1-2, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of an air side system that may be used in conjunction with the building of fig. 1-2, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a diagram of connections of the control devices of fig. 2 and 4 according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of a communication system located in the building of fig. 1 and 2, according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the control device of fig. 2, 3, and 5 in greater detail, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the control device of fig. 7 connected to three routers located in the building of fig. 1 and 2, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a process for determining a location of a mobile device in the building of fig. 1 using multiple wireless transmitters in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a building floor plan with the main control unit in one room and the sensor units in other rooms according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the control device of FIG. 7 receiving occupancy data in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an illustration of a building space and an occupancy-tracking application on the control device of FIG. 7, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an operation for controlling an area of a building using the control device of FIG. 11, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 14A is a flowchart of an operation for controlling an area of a building using the control device of fig. 11, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14B is a table of occupancy rights and preferences for the control device of FIG. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 15 is an illustration of the control device of fig. 7 receiving an emergency notification and a weather notification according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 16A is a flowchart of an operation for receiving emergency information using the control device of fig. 7 according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 16B is a flowchart of operations for specifying priority of messages and data streams with the control device of FIG. 7, according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 17 is a diagram of a control device displaying an emergency alert in fig. 15 according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 18 is a diagram of a control device in fig. 15 displaying an evacuation route, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 19 is a diagram illustrating a control apparatus for editing a list of groceries in fig. 7 according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 20 is a flowchart of an operation for editing a grocery list using the control device of fig. 19 according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 21 is an illustration of a control device in communication with the health-related devices and systems of FIG. 7 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 22 is an illustration of a medical application for the control device of fig. 21, according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 23 is an illustration of another medical application for the control device of fig. 21, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram of the control device of FIG. 21 monitoring the health of an individual according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 25 is an illustration of a medical emergency screen displayed by the control device of fig. 21 according to an exemplary embodiment.

Figure 26A is an illustration of the control device of figure 7 for hotel use according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 26B is a flowchart of operations for arranging wine shop reservations using the control apparatus of FIG. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 27 is a flowchart of operations for calling a taxi using the control device of fig. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Figure 28 is an illustration of a set of screen displays for selecting room preferences for a hotel using the control of figure 7, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart of operations for preparing hotel rooms for occupants using the control of FIG. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart of an operation for communicating with a foreground using the control device of FIG. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 31 is a flowchart of an operation for a concierge feature using the control device of fig. 7, according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 32 is a flowchart of an operation for a concierge feature using the control device of fig. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Figure 33 is a flowchart of operations for requesting hotel accommodations utilizing the control of figure 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 34 is a flowchart of operations for checkout of away hotel rooms using the control device of fig. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 35 is a block diagram illustrating the payment module of FIG. 7 in greater detail, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 36 is a block diagram illustrating the input device of FIG. 7 in greater detail according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 37 is a diagram illustrating the control device of fig. 7 receiving payment according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 38 is another illustration showing the control device of fig. 7 receiving payment according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 39 is a flowchart of operations for processing a transaction using the control device of FIG. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Detailed Description

SUMMARY

Referring to the drawings in general, a user control device is shown according to various exemplary embodiments. The thermostats described herein may be used in any HVAC system, room, environment, or system in which it is desirable to control and/or observe an environmental condition (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.). In conventional HVAC systems, the thermostat may be adjusted by a user to control the temperature of the system.

The user controls are intended to provide the user with the ability to act as a networked smart hub. The thermostat provides a desirable user interface for other environmental controls due to its known fixed location in space. User devices are intended to be more personalized, more efficient, and more intelligent than traditional thermostats.

The user controls utilize various sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, humidity sensors, sound sensors, light sensors, gas and other chemical sensors, biometric sensors, motion sensors, etc.) to collect data regarding the space and the occupants of the space as well as user inputs. The user control may utilize data collected from a single room, multiple rooms, an entire building, or multiple buildings. The data may be analyzed locally by the user control device or may be uploaded to a remote computing system and/or cloud for further analysis and processing.

Building management system and HVAC system

Referring now to fig. 1-4, exemplary Building Management Systems (BMS) and HVAC systems are shown in which the systems and methods of the present disclosure may be implemented, according to exemplary embodiments. Referring specifically to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a building 10 is shown. Building 10 is serviced by a BMS. A BMS is generally a system of devices configured to control, monitor and manage equipment in or around a building or building area. For example, the BMS may include HVAC systems, security systems, lighting systems, fire alarm systems, any other system capable of managing building functions or devices, or any combination thereof.

The BMS serving the building 10 includes an HVAC system 100. HVAC system 100 may include a plurality of HVAC devices (e.g., heaters, coolers, air handling units, pumps, fans, thermal energy storage devices, etc.) configured to provide heating, cooling, ventilation, or other services for building 10. For example, the HVAC system 100 is shown as including a waterside system 120 and an air-side system 130. The waterside system 120 may provide heated or cooled fluid to the air handling unit of the air-side system 130. The air side system 130 may use the heated or cooled fluid to heat or cool the airflow provided to the building 10. Exemplary water-side and air-side systems that may be used in the HVAC system 100 are described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The HVAC system 100 is shown to include a chiller 102, a boiler 104, and a rooftop Air Handling Unit (AHU) 106. The waterside system 120 may use the boiler 104 and the cooler 102 to heat or cool a working fluid (e.g., water, glycol, etc.) and may circulate the working fluid to the AHU 106. In various embodiments, the HVAC equipment of the waterside system 120 may be located within or around the building 10 (as shown in fig. 1) or at an offsite location (such as a central facility, e.g., a chiller facility, a steam facility, a thermal facility, etc.). The working fluid may be heated in boiler 104 or cooled in cooler 102, depending on whether heating or cooling is desired in building 10. The boiler 104 may add heat to the circulating liquid, for example, by burning combustible materials (e.g., natural gas) or using an electrical heating element. The cooler 102 may place the circulating fluid in heat exchange relationship with another fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) in a heat exchanger (e.g., an evaporator) to absorb heat from the circulating fluid. Working fluid from the chiller 102 and/or boiler 104 may be delivered to the AHU 106 via conduit 108.

AHU 106 may place the working liquid in heat exchange relationship with the airflow through AHU 106 (e.g., via one or more stages of cooling coils and/or heating coils). The airflow may be, for example, outdoor air, return air from within building 10, or a combination of both. AHU 106 may transfer heat between the airflow and the working liquid to provide heating or cooling to the airflow. For example, AHU 106 may include one or more fans or blowers configured to move airflow through or across a heat exchanger containing a working fluid. The working liquid may then be returned to the cooler 102 or boiler 104 via line 110.

Air side system 130 may deliver an airflow supplied by AHU 106 (i.e., a supply airflow) to building 10 via air supply duct 112 and may provide return air from building 10 to AHU 106 via air return duct 114. In some embodiments, the air-side system 130 includes a plurality of Variable Air Volume (VAV) units 116. For example, the air side system 130 is shown to include separate VAV units 116 on each floor or zone of the building 10. VAV unit 116 may include dampers or other flow control elements that may be operated to control the amount of supply airflow provided to individual zones of building 10. In other embodiments, the air side system 130 delivers the supply airflow into one or more areas of the building 10 (e.g., via the supply duct 112) without using the intermediate VAV unit 116 or other flow control elements. AHU 106 may include various sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, pressure sensors, etc.) configured to measure properties of the supply airflow. AHU 106 may receive input from sensors located within AHU 106 and/or within a building area and may adjust the flow rate, temperature, or other attributes of the supply airflow through AHU 106 to achieve setpoint conditions for the building area.

Referring now to FIG. 2, building 10 is shown in greater detail according to an exemplary embodiment. Building 10 may have multiple zones. In FIG. 2, building 10 has areas 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, and 212. In the building 10, the zones each correspond to a separate floor. In various embodiments, the area of the building 10 may be a room, a portion of a floor, multiple floors, and the like. Each zone may have a corresponding control device 214. In some embodiments, the control device 214 is at least one of a thermostat, a sensor, a controller, a display device, a concierge device, a medical monitoring device, and the like. The control 214 may take input from a user. The input may be an environmental setting, a concierge question, a payment, etc. In some embodiments, the control 214 may cause music and/or building announcements to be played in one or more of the zones 202-212, cause temperature and/or humidity to be adjusted in one or more of the zones 202-212, and/or any other control action.

In some embodiments, control 214 may monitor the health of occupants 216 of building 10. In some embodiments, the control device 214 monitors thermal signatures, heart rate, and any other information that may be collected from a camera, a medical device, and/or any other health-related sensor. In some embodiments, the building 10 has a wireless transmitter 218 in each or some of the areas 202-212. The wireless transmitter 218 may be a router, a coordinator, and/or any other device that broadcasts radio waves. In some embodiments, the wireless transmitter 218 forms a Wi-Fi network, a Zigbee network, a Bluetooth network, and/or any other kind of network.

In some embodiments, the occupant 216 has a mobile device that can communicate with the wireless transmitter 218. The control 214 may use the signal strength between the mobile device of the occupant 216 and the wireless transmitter 218 to determine which area the occupant is in. In some embodiments, as the occupant 216 moves from one area to another (i.e., from one floor to another), the control 214 causes the temperature setting, music, and/or other control actions to follow the occupant 216.

In some embodiments, the display device is connected to a building management system, a weather server, and/or building emergency sensor(s). In some embodiments, the display device may receive an emergency notification from a building management system, a weather server, and/or building emergency sensor(s). Based on the nature of the emergency, the display device may give guidance to occupants of the building. In some embodiments, the guidance may be in response to an emergency event (e.g., call police, hide and turn off lights, etc.). In embodiments, the guidance given to the occupant (e.g., occupant 216) may be navigational guidance. For example, the region 212 may be a secure region without windows and individuals (e.g., occupant 216). If the display device determines that there is high wind around the building 10, the control device 214 may direct occupants of the areas 202-210 to the area 212 without windows in the area 212.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram of a waterside system 300 is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In various embodiments, the waterside system 300 may supplement or replace the waterside system 120 in the HVAC system 100, or may be implemented separately from the HVAC system 100. When implemented in the HVAC system 100, the waterside system 300 may include a subset of the HVAC equipment in the HVAC system 100 (e.g., boiler 104, chiller 102, pumps, valves, etc.) and may be operable to provide heated or cooled liquid to the AHU 106. The HVAC equipment of the waterside system 300 may be located within the building 10 (e.g., as part of the waterside system 120) or at an offsite location, such as a central facility.

In fig. 3, the waterside system 300 is shown as a central facility having a plurality of sub-facilities 302 to 312. The sub-facilities 302 to 312 are shown as including: a heater sub-facility 302, a heat recovery chiller sub-facility 304, a chiller sub-facility 306, a cooling tower sub-facility 308, a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) sub-facility 310, and a cold Thermal Energy Storage (TES) sub-facility 312. Sub-facilities 302-312 consume thermal energy loads (e.g., hot water, cold water, heating, cooling, etc.) from utility resources (e.g., water, natural gas, electricity, etc.) to service a building or campus. For example, heater sub-facility 302 may be configured to heat water in hot water circuit 314, which circulates hot water between heater sub-facility 302 and building 10. The chiller sub-facility 306 may be configured to cool water in a cold water loop 316 that circulates cold water between the chiller sub-facility 306 and the building 10. The heat recovery chiller sub-facility 304 may be configured to transfer heat from the cold water circuit 316 to the hot water circuit 314 to provide additional heating of the hot water and additional cooling of the cold water. The condensate loop 318 may absorb heat from the cold water in the chiller sub-facility 306 and reject the absorbed heat in the cooling tower sub-facility 308 or transfer the absorbed heat to the hot water loop 314. The hot TES sub-facility 310 and cold TES sub-facility 312 may store hot and cooled thermal energy, respectively, for subsequent use.

Hot water loop 314 and cold water loop 316 may deliver heated and/or cooled water to an air handler (e.g., AHU 106) located on the roof of building 10 or to individual floors or areas of building 10 (e.g., VAV units 116). The air handler pushes the air through a heat exchanger (e.g., a heating coil or a cooling coil) through which water flows to provide heating or cooling of the air. Heated or cooled air may be delivered to separate areas of building 10 to service the thermal energy load of building 10. The water is then returned to the sub-facilities 302-312 to receive further heating or cooling.

Although the sub-facilities 302-312 are shown and described as heating and cooling water for circulation to the building loop, it should be understood that any other type of working fluid (e.g., ethylene glycol, CO) may be used instead of or in addition to water₂Etc.) to service the thermal energy load. In other embodiments, the sub-facilities 302-312 may provide heating and/or cooling directly to a building or campus without the need for an intermediate heat transfer fluid. These and other variations to waterside system 300 are within the teachings of the present disclosure.

Each of the sub-facilities 302-312 may include various devices configured to facilitate the functionality of the sub-facility. For example, the heater sub-facility 302 is shown to include a plurality of heating elements 320 (e.g., boilers, electric heaters, etc.) configured to add heat to the hot water in the hot water circuit 314. The heater sub-facility 302 is also shown to include several pumps 322 and 324 configured to circulate hot water in the hot water circuit 314 and control the flow rate of the hot water through the individual heating elements 320. The chiller sub-facility 306 is shown to include a plurality of chillers 332 configured to remove heat from the cold water in the cold water loop 316. The chiller sub-facility 306 is also shown to include several pumps 334 and 336 configured to circulate the cold water in the cold water loop 316 and control the flow rate of the cold water through the individual chillers 332.

The heat recovery chiller sub-facility 304 is shown to include a plurality of heat recovery heat exchangers 326 (e.g., refrigeration circuits) configured to transfer heat from the cold water circuit 316 to the hot water circuit 314. The heat recovery chiller sub-facility 304 is also shown to include several pumps 328 and 330 configured to circulate hot and/or cold water through the heat recovery heat exchanger 326 and to control the flow rate of water through the individual heat recovery heat exchangers 226. The cooling tower sub-facility 208 is shown to include a plurality of cooling towers 338 configured to remove heat from the condensate in the condensate circuit 318. The cooling tower sub-facility 308 is also shown to include pumps 340 configured to circulate the condensate in the condensate loop 318 and control the flow rate of the condensate through the individual cooling tower 338.

The hot TES sub-facility 310 is shown to include a hot TES tank 342 configured to store hot water for later use. The hot TES sub-facility 310 may also include one or more pumps or valves configured to control the flow rate of hot water flowing into or out of the hot TES tank 342. The cold TES sub-facility 312 is shown to include a cold TES tank 344 that is configured to store cold water for later use. The cold TES sub-facility 312 may also include one or more pumps or valves configured to control the flow rate of cold water flowing into or out of the cold TES tank 344.

In some embodiments, one or more pumps (e.g., pumps 322, 324, 328, 330, 334, 336, and/or 340) in the waterside system 300 or piping in the waterside system 300 includes an isolation valve associated therewith. An isolation valve may be integrated with or positioned upstream or downstream of the pump to control the flow of liquid in the water side system 300. In various embodiments, the waterside system 300 may include more, fewer, or different types of devices and/or sub-facilities based on the particular configuration of the waterside system 300 and the type of load being served by the waterside system 300.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an air side system 400 is shown including an economizer type Air Handling Unit (AHU) 402. An economizer type AHU varies the amount of outside air and return air that the air handling unit uses to heat or cool. For example, AHU 402 may receive return air 404 from building area 406 via return air duct 408 and may deliver supply air 410 to building area 406 via supply air duct 612. In some embodiments, AHU 402 is a rooftop unit that is located on the roof of building 10 (e.g., AHU4506 shown in fig. 1) or otherwise positioned to receive both return air 404 and outside air 414. The AHU 402 may be configured to operate the exhaust damper 416, the mixing damper 418, and the external air damper 420 to control the amount of external air 414 and return air 404 that combine to form the supply air 410. Any return air 404 that does not pass through the mixing damper 418 may be exhausted from the AHU 402 as exhaust air 422 through the exhaust damper 416.

Each of the dampers 416-420 may be operated by an actuator. For example, the exhaust damper 416 may be operated by an actuator 424, the mixing damper 418 may be operated by an actuator 426, and the external air damper 420 may be operated by an actuator 428. The actuators 424-428 may communicate with the AHU controller 430 via a communication link 432. Actuators 424-428 may receive control signals from AHU controller 430 and may provide feedback signals to AHU controller 430. The feedback signals may include, for example, an indication of a current actuator or damper position, an amount of torque or force applied by the actuator, diagnostic information (e.g., results of diagnostic tests performed by the actuators 424-428), status information, debugging information, configuration settings, calibration data, and/or other types of information or data that may be collected, stored, or used by the actuators 424-428. AHU controller 430 may be an economizer controller configured to control actuators 424-428 using one or more control algorithms (e.g., a state-based algorithm, an Extremum Seeking Control (ESC) algorithm, a proportional-integral (PI) control algorithm, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithm, a Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm, a feedback control algorithm, etc.).

Still referring to fig. 4, AHU 402 is shown to include cooling coil 434, heating coil 436, and fan 438 located within supply air duct 612. Fan 438 may be configured to push supply air 410 through cooling coil 434 and/or heating coil 436 and provide supply air 410 to building area 406. AHU controller 430 may communicate with fan 438 via communication link 440 to control the flow rate of supply air 410. In some embodiments, AHU controller 430 controls the amount of heating or cooling applied to supply air 410 by adjusting the speed of fan 438.

Cooling coil 434 may receive cooled fluid from waterside system 200 (e.g., from cold water circuit 316) via line 442 and may return the cooled fluid to waterside system 200 via line 444. A valve 446 may be positioned along line 442 or line 444 to control the flow rate of cooling liquid through cooling coil 474. In some embodiments, cooling coil 434 comprises multiple stages of cooling coils that can be independently activated and deactivated (e.g., by AHU controller 430, by BMS controller 466, etc.) to adjust the amount of cooling applied to supply air 410.

The heating coil 436 may receive heated fluid from the waterside system 200 (e.g., from the hot water circuit 314) via a line 448 and may return the heated fluid to the waterside system 200 via a line 450. Valve 452 may be positioned along line 448 or line 450 to control the flow rate of heated liquid through heating coil 436. In some embodiments, heating coil 436 comprises multiple stages of heating coils that can be independently activated and deactivated (e.g., by AHU controller 430, by BMS controller 466, etc.) to regulate the amount of heating applied to supply air 410.

Each of the valves 446 and 452 may be controlled by an actuator. For example, valve 446 may be controlled by actuator 454, and valve 452 may be controlled by actuator 456. The actuators 454-456 may communicate with the AHU controller 430 via communication links 458-460. The actuators 454-456 may receive control signals from the AHU controller 430 and may provide feedback signals to the controller 430. In some embodiments, AHU controller 430 receives a measurement of the supply air temperature from a temperature sensor 462 positioned in supply air duct 612 (e.g., downstream of cooling coil 434 and/or heating coil 436). AHU controller 430 may also receive temperature measurements of building area 406 from temperature sensors 464 located in building area 406.

In some embodiments, AHU controller 430 operates valves 446 and 452 via actuators 454-456 to adjust the amount of heating or cooling provided to supply air 410 (e.g., to reach a set point temperature of supply air 410 or to maintain the temperature of supply air 410 within a set point temperature range). The position of valves 446 and 452 affects the amount of heating or cooling provided to supply air 410 by cooling coil 434 or heating coil 436 and may be related to the amount of energy consumed to achieve a desired supply air temperature. AHU 430 may control the temperature of supply air 410 and/or building area 406 by activating or deactivating coils 434-436, adjusting the speed of fan 438, or a combination of both.

Still referring to fig. 4, air side system 400 is shown to include a Building Management System (BMS) controller 466 and control device 214. BMS controller 466 may include one or more computer systems (e.g., servers, supervisory controllers, subsystem controllers, etc.) that function as system level controllers, application or data servers, head nodes, or master controllers for air side system 400, water side system 200, HVAC system 100, and/or other controllable systems serving building 10. The BMS controller 466 may communicate with a plurality of downstream building systems or subsystems (e.g., HVAC system 100, security system, lighting system, waterside system 200, etc.) via communication links 470 according to similar or different protocols (e.g., LON, BACnet, etc.). In various embodiments, AHU controller 430 and BMS controller 466 may be separate (as shown in fig. 4) or integrated. In an integrated embodiment, AHU controller 430 may be a software module configured for execution by a processor of BMS controller 466.

In some embodiments, AHU controller 430 receives information (e.g., commands, set points, operational boundaries, etc.) from BMS controller 466 and provides information (e.g., temperature measurements, valve or actuator positions, operational status, diagnostics, etc.) to BMS controller 466. For example, AHU controller 430 may provide BMS controller 466 with temperature measurements from temperature sensors 462-464, device on/off status, device operational capabilities, and/or any other information that may be used by BMS controller 466 to monitor and control variable states or conditions within building area 406.

The control device 214 may include one or more user control devices. The control device 214 may include one or more human machine interfaces or client interfaces (e.g., graphical user interfaces, reporting interfaces, text-based computer interfaces, client-oriented web services, web servers providing pages to web clients, etc.) for controlling, viewing, or otherwise interacting with the HVAC system 100, its subsystems, and/or devices. The control device 214 may be a computer workstation, a client terminal, a remote or local interface, or any other type of user interface device. The control device 214 may be a fixed terminal or a mobile device. For example, the control device 214 may be a desktop computer, a computer server with a user interface, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, a PDA, or any other type of mobile or non-mobile device. Control 214 may communicate with BMS controller 466 and/or AHU controller 430 via communication link 472.

Referring now to FIG. 5, control device 214 is shown as a networked smart control hub or Personal Area Network (PAN), according to some embodiments. The control device 214 may include various sensors and may be configured to communicate with various external systems or devices. For example, the control device 214 may include a temperature sensor 502, a speaker 504, a leak detection system 508, a health monitoring sensor 510, a humidity sensor 514, an occupancy sensor 516, a light detection sensor 518, a proximity sensor 520, a carbon dioxide sensor 522, or any of a variety of other sensors. Alternatively, the control device 214 may receive input from external sensors configured to measure such variables. The external sensors may not communicate via a PAN network, but may communicate with control device 214 via an IP-based network and/or the internet.

In some embodiments, the speaker 504 is locally positioned to control components of the device 214. The speaker 504 may be a low power speaker for playing audio to a direct occupant of the control device 214 and/or an occupant of the area in which the control device 214 is located. In some embodiments, the speaker 504 may be a remote speaker connected to the control device 214 via a network. In some embodiments, the speaker 504 is a building audio system, emergency alert system, and/or alarm system configured to broadcast building wide and/or regional messages or alerts.

The control device 214 may communicate with the remote camera 506, the sunshade control system 512, the leak detection system 508, the HVAC system, or any of a variety of other external systems or devices that may be used in a home automation system or a building automation system. The control device 214 may provide various monitoring and control interfaces to allow a user to control all systems and devices connected to the control device 214. Exemplary user interfaces and features of user control 214 are described in more detail below.

Referring now to fig. 6, a block diagram of a communication system 600 is shown, according to an example embodiment. The system 600 may be implemented in a building (e.g., building 10) and is shown to include a control device 214, a network 602, a healthcare server(s) 604, building emergency sensor(s) 606, weather server(s) 608, a building management system 610, and a user device 612. The system 600 connects devices, systems, and servers via a network 602 so that building information, HVAC control, emergency information, navigation guidance, and other information can be communicated between the devices (e.g., the control device 214, the user device 612, and/or the building emergency sensor(s) 606) and the servers and systems (e.g., the weather server(s) 608 and/or the building management system 610). In some embodiments, the control device 214 is connected to a speaker 504, as described with reference to fig. 5.

In some embodiments, the network 602 communicatively couples the devices, systems, and servers of the system 600. In some embodiments, the network 602 is at least one of a Wi-Fi network, a wired ethernet network, a Zigbee network, and a bluetooth network, and/or combinations thereof. The network 602 may be a local area network or a wide area network (e.g., the internet, a building WAN, etc.) and may use various communication protocols (e.g., BACnet, IP, LON, etc.). The network 602 may include routers, modems, and/or network switches.

In some embodiments, the control device 214 is configured to receive emergency information, navigation guidance, occupancy information, concierge information, and any other information via the network 602. In some embodiments, the information is received from the building management system 610 via the network 602. In embodiments, the information is received from the internet via the network 602. In some embodiments, the control device 214 is any one or combination of a thermostat, a humidistat, a light controller, and any other wall-mounted and/or hand-held device. In some embodiments, control device 214 is connected to building emergency sensor(s) 606. In some embodiments, building emergency sensor(s) 606 are sensors that detect a building emergency. Building emergency sensor(s) 606 may be smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, carbon dioxide detectors (e.g., carbon dioxide sensor 522), emergency buttons (e.g., emergency pull handles, emergency buttons, manual fire alarm buttons and/or handles, etc.), and/or any other emergency sensors. In some embodiments, the emergency sensor(s) comprise an actuator. The actuators may be building emergency sirens and/or building audio speaker systems (e.g., speaker 504), automatic door and/or window controls (e.g., sun shade control system 512), and any other actuators used in a building.

In some embodiments, control device 214 may be communicatively coupled to weather server(s) 608 via network 602. In some embodiments, control device 214 may be configured to receive weather alerts (e.g., high and low daily temperatures, five day weather forecast, thirty day weather forecast, etc.) from weather server(s) 608. The control device 214 may be configured to receive an emergency weather alert (e.g., a flood warning, a fire warning, a thunderstorm warning, a snowstorm warning, etc.). In some embodiments, the control 214 may be configured to display the emergency alert via a user interface of the control 214 when the control 214 receives the emergency weather alert from the weather server(s) 608. Control device 214 may be configured to display an emergency alert based on data received from building emergency sensor(s) 606. In some embodiments, control 214 may cause a siren (e.g., speaker 504 and/or building emergency sensor(s) 606) to alert occupants of the building of the emergency event, cause all doors to become locked and/or unlocked, cause an advisory message to be broadcast through the building, and control any other actuators or systems needed to respond to the building emergency event.

In some embodiments, the control device 214 is configured to communicate with a building management system 610 via the network 602. The control device 214 may be configured to transmit an environmental set point (e.g., a temperature set point, a humidity set point, etc.) to the building management system 610. In some embodiments, the building management system 610 may be configured to cause the zones of a building (e.g., building 10) to be controlled to settings received from the control device 214. In some embodiments, the building management system 610 may be configured to control the lighting of a building. In some embodiments, the building management system 610 may be configured to transmit emergency information to the control device 214. In some embodiments, the emergency information is a notification regarding gunner blockages, tornado warnings, flood warnings, thunderstorm warnings, and/or any other warnings. In some embodiments, the building management system 610 is connected to various weather servers or other web servers from which the building management system 610 receives emergency alert information. In embodiments, the building management system is a computing system of a hotel. The building management system 610 may record hotel occupancy, may relay requests to hotel employees, and/or perform any other functions of the hotel computing system.

The control device 214 is configured to communicate with the user device 612 via the network 602. In some embodiments, user device 612 is a smartphone, tablet computer, laptop computer, and/or any other mobile and/or stationary computing device. In some embodiments, user device 612 communicates calendar information to control device 214. In some embodiments, calendar information is stored and/or entered into calendar application 614 by a user. In some embodiments, calendar application 414 is at least one of Outlook, Google calendar, Fantastical, Shifts, CloudCal, DigiCal, and/or any other calendar application. In some embodiments, control 214 receives calendar information from a calendar application, such as meeting time and location, meeting time and address, and/or any other information. The control device 214 may be configured to display building map directions and/or any other information to a user associated with the user device 612.

In some embodiments, the user may press a button on the user interface of control 214 indicating a building emergency. The user may be able to indicate the type of emergency event (e.g., fire, flood, active gunner, etc.). The control device 214 may communicate the alert to the building management system 610, the user device 612, and any other devices, systems, and/or servers.

In some embodiments, the control device 214 is communicatively coupled to the healthcare sensor(s) 604 via the network 602. In some embodiments, the control apparatus is configured to monitor the healthcare sensor(s) 604 that collect data for occupants of a building (e.g., building 10) and determine health metrics for the occupants based on data received from the healthcare sensor(s) 604. In some embodiments, the healthcare sensor(s) 604 are one or more smart wristbands, pacemakers, insulin pumps, and/or any other medical devices. The health metric may be determined based on heart rate, insulin level, and/or any other biological and/or medical data.

Referring now to fig. 7, a block diagram illustrating control device 214 in greater detail is shown, in accordance with some embodiments. The control device 214 is shown to include various user interface devices 702 and sensors 714. The user interface device 702 may be configured to receive input from a user and provide output to the user in various forms. For example, the user interface device 702 is shown to include an electronic display 706, an ambient lighting device 708, a speaker 710 (e.g., speaker 504), and an input device 712. In some embodiments, the user interface device 702 includes a microphone, a keyboard or buttons, switches, dials, or any other user-operable input device configured to receive voice commands from a user. It is contemplated that user interface device 702 may include any type of device configured to receive input from a user and/or provide output to a user in any of a variety of forms (e.g., touch, text, video, graphics, audio, vibration, etc.).

The sensors 714 may be configured to measure a variable state or condition of the environment in which the control device 214 is installed. For example, the sensors 714 are shown to include a temperature sensor 716, a humidity sensor 718, an air quality sensor 720, a proximity sensor 722, a camera 724, a microphone 726, a light sensor 728, and a vibration sensor 730. Air quality sensor 720 may be configured to measure any of a variety of air quality variables (e.g., oxygen levels, carbon dioxide levels, carbon monoxide levels, allergens, pollutants, smoke, etc.). The proximity sensor 722 may include a device or person configured to detect the presence of a device or person in proximity to the control device 214. For example, the proximity sensor 722 may include a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor, a bluetooth sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, or any other sensor configured to detect the presence of a person or device. The camera 724 may include a visible light camera, a motion detector camera, an infrared camera, an ultraviolet camera, an optical sensor, or any other type of camera. Light sensor 728 may be configured to measure ambient light levels. The vibration sensor 730 may be configured to measure vibrations from an earthquake or other seismic activity at the location of the control device 214.

Still referring to fig. 7, control device 214 is shown to include a communication interface 732 and processing circuitry 734. Communication interface 732 may include a wired or wireless interface (e.g., receptacle, antenna, transmitter, receiver, transceiver, wire terminal, etc.) for data communication with various systems, devices, or networks. For example, the communication interface 732 may include an ethernet card and port for sending and receiving data via an ethernet-based communication network and/or a Wi-Fi transceiver for communicating via a wireless communication network. Communication interface 732 may be configured to communicate via a local or wide area network (e.g., the internet, a building WAN, etc.) and may use various communication protocols (e.g., BACnet, IP, LON, etc.).

The communication interface 732 may include a network interface configured to facilitate electronic data communication between the control device 214 and various external systems or devices (e.g., the network 602, the building management system 610, the HVAC equipment 738, the user devices 612, etc.). For example, the control 214 may receive information from the building management system 610 or the HVAC devices 738 indicating one or more measured conditions of the controlled building (e.g., temperature, humidity, electrical load, etc.) and one or more conditions of the HVAC devices 738 (e.g., device conditions, power consumption, device availability, etc.). In some embodiments, the HVAC device 738 may be a lighting system, a building system, an actuator, a cooler, a heater, and/or any other building device and/or system. The communication interface 732 may receive input from the building management system 610 or the HVAC device 738 and may provide operating parameters (e.g., on/off decisions, settings, etc.) to the building management system 610 or the HVAC device 738. The operating parameters may cause the building management system 610 to activate, deactivate, or adjust settings for various types of home or building equipment that communicate with the control apparatus 214.

The processing circuit 734 is shown to include a processor 740 and a memory 742. Processor 740 may be a general or special purpose processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), a set of processing elements, or other suitable processing elements. The processor 740 may be configured to execute computer code or instructions stored in the memory 742 or received from other computer-readable media (e.g., CDROM, network storage device, remote server, etc.).

Memory 742 may include one or more devices (e.g., memory units, memory devices, storage devices, etc.) for storing data and/or computer code to perform and/or facilitate the various processes described in this disclosure. Memory 742 may include Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), hard drive storage, temporary storage, non-volatile memory, flash memory, optical storage, or any other suitable memory for storing software objects and/or computer instructions. Memory 742 may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in this disclosure. Memory 742 may be communicatively connected to processor 740 via processing circuitry 734 and may include computer code for executing (e.g., by processor 740) one or more processes described herein. For example, memory 742 is shown to include a voice command module 744, a building module 746, a voice control module 748, a payment module 758, a hotel module 750, a healthcare module 752, an occupancy module 754, and an emergency module 756. The functionality of some of these modules is described in more detail below.

In some embodiments, the voice command module 744 is configured to receive voice data from the microphone 726. The voice command module 744 may be configured to translate voice data into spoken language. In some embodiments, the voice command module 744 may be configured to perform an internet search via the network 602 based on spoken language. In embodiments, the voice command module 744 may send a request to the building management system 610 based on spoken language.

Occupancy tracking features

Referring now to FIG. 8, a block diagram of an occupancy tracking system 800 is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. System 800 may be implemented in a building space (e.g., building 10) to determine occupancy of the building space based on Wi-Fi router connections and signal strength. System 800 is shown to include a building management system 610, a control device 214, a network 602, a router 804, 808, and a user device 612. In some embodiments, the building management system 610 operates the building space as described in fig. 1-4. In various embodiments, control device 214 operates the building space as described in fig. 1-4. Building management system 610 is shown connected to control device 214 and router 804 and 808. In some embodiments, the network 602 is at least one of a Wi-Fi network, a wired ethernet network, a Zigbee network, and a bluetooth network, and/or combinations thereof. The network 602 may be a local area network or a wide area network (e.g., the internet, a building WAN, etc.) and may use various communication protocols (e.g., BACnet, IP, LON, etc.).

The building management system 610 may include an application server. The application server may be a remote server and may be hosted at a remote location. The application server may be configured to provide a web-based presence for users and/or building administrators to access information about building occupancy. In some embodiments, the application server allows users and/or building administrators to view data relating to the number of users in a building space and their corresponding locations. The application server may communicate with user device 612 through router 804 and 808 or may communicate with user device 612 via mobile data (e.g., 1G, 2G, 3G, LTE).

In some embodiments, the application server integrates the building services web application with the determined number and location of occupants. In some embodiments, the building services web application may control room, area, building and campus lighting, reservations, public service announcements, and other features of the building services. In some embodiments, the building services web application may identify a user (e.g., user device 612) when a device associated with the user is detected in a room, area, building, and/or campus based on wireless signal strength. The building services web application may automatically log the identified user into the building services web application. A user who has logged in may be able to change lighting, environmental settings, and any other adjustable building services web application features via user device 612. In some embodiments, the building services web application may automatically adjust the lighting and environmental settings to the preference settings of the identified and logged-in user.

Routers 804 and 808 may be installed for the specified purpose of determining user occupancy or may be existing routers in the wireless building network. In some embodiments, each router may have a unique ID. In FIG. 8, router 804 has ID B1, router 806 has ID A1, and router 808 has ID C1. The router 804 and 808 may connect the user device 612 to the internet and/or the control device 214 via the network 602. Although only three routers 804 and 808 are shown in fig. 8, it is contemplated that system 800 may include any number of routers located in a building space.

Routers 804 and 808 may be configured to transmit, receive, sense, relay, or otherwise engage in one-way or two-way wireless communications. Routers 804 and 808 may use any type of wireless technology or communication protocol. For example, in various embodiments, the wireless transmitter/receiver may be a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmitter, a Near Field Communication (NFC) device, a Wi-Fi transceiver, an RFID device, an Ultra Wideband (UWB) device, an infrared transmitter/sensor, a Visible Light Communication (VLC) device, an ultrasound device, a cellular transceiver, iBeacon, or any other type of hardware configured to facilitate wireless data communication. In some embodiments, the router 804 and 808 are integrated with various devices (e.g., thermostats, lighting sensors, zone controllers) within the building.

Router 804 and 808 may broadcast wireless signals. The wireless signal broadcast by the router 804 and 808 may include an identifier associated with the router 804 and 808. For example, router 804 and 808 may broadcast SSIDs, MAC addresses, or other identifiers that may be used to identify a particular router. In some embodiments, the wireless signal broadcast by router 804 and 808 includes a plurality of transmitter identifiers (e.g., UUID values, primary values, secondary values, etc.). The user device 612 can detect the wireless signals transmitted by the routers 804 and 808. The user device 612 may be configured to identify a router associated with the wireless signal. In some embodiments, the user device 612 detects the signal strength of the wireless signal for each of the routers 804 and 808.

In fig. 8, user device 612 is in communication with router 804 and 808. The user device 612 may communicate with the router via Wi-Fi, Zigbee, bluetooth, and/or any other wireless communication protocol. The user device 612 may communicate with the routers 804 and 808 and determine the signal strength of each router. In some embodiments, the Received Signal Strength (RSSI) is determined by the user device 612 for the connection to each of the routers 804 and 808. In some embodiments, the user device 612 detects the RSSI of the wireless signals received from each of the routers 804 and 808 without engaging in bi-directional communication with any of the routers 804 and 808. For example, the user device 612 may passively detect or measure RSSI without actively sending any return data to the router 804 and 808. In various embodiments, the user device 612 determines the RSSI as a percentage in mW, in dBm, and/or in any other unit or power ratio.

The user device 612 may store the location of each router 804 and 808 in a memory device and may determine (e.g., triangulate, estimate, etc.) the location of the user device 612 for each router based on the stored router 804 and 808 locations and the determined RSSI values. In some embodiments, the user device 612 is connected to or receives wireless signals from only a single router. The user device 612 may determine, based on the determined RSSI, a substantially circular field around a single router in which the user device 612 may be located. In some embodiments, the circular field is an approximate radius, such as a distance, at which the user device 612 may be located away from the router. For example, a strong RSSI may indicate that the user device 612 is close to a particular router, while a weak RSSI may indicate that the user device 612 is further away from the router. The user device 612 can use a mapping table or function to translate RSSI to distance. In some embodiments, the translation between RSSI and distance is a function of the broadcast power of the router or other router settings that user device 612 may receive from each router within broadcast range. In some embodiments, the field is a radius range. Each radius may be different and the user device 612 may be located between two radii in the disk-shaped field. In various embodiments, user device 612 triangulates the location of user device 612 based on one or more signal strengths between known router locations.

In various embodiments, the router 804 and 808 transmit the signal strength between the router 804 and 808 and the user device 612 to the control device 214. The control device 214 may store the location of each router 804 and 808 in the memory device and may determine (e.g., triangulate, estimate, etc.) the location of the user device 612 for each router based on the stored router 804 and 808 locations and the determined RSSI values. In some embodiments, the user device 612 is connected to or receives wireless signals from only a single router. The control device 214 may determine a substantially circular field around the single router where the user device 612 may be located based on the determined RSSI. In some embodiments, the circular field is an approximate radius, such as a distance, at which the user device 612 may be located away from the router. For example, a strong RSSI may indicate that the user device 612 is close to a particular router, while a weak RSSI may indicate that the user device 612 is further away from the router. The control 214 may use a mapping table or function to translate RSSI to distance. In some embodiments, the translation between RSSI and distance is a function of the broadcast power of the router or other router settings that the control 214 may receive from each router within broadcast range. In some embodiments, the field is a radius range. Each radius may be different and the user device 612 may be located between two radii in the disk-shaped field. In various embodiments, control device 214 triangulates the location of user device 612 based on one or more signal strengths between known router locations.

Still referring to fig. 8, the user device 612 may communicate with the building management system 610, application server, and/or control device 214 via a router 804 and 808. In some embodiments, the user device 612 transmits its location within the building space to the building management system 610, the application server, and/or the control device 214. In some embodiments, the user device 612 sends the unique ID to the building management system 610 and/or the application server. In fig. 8, the unique ID of the user device 612 is handset a. In some embodiments, the building management system 610 is configured to run a unique heating or cooling schedule based on the ID of the user device 612. For example, the environment setting value may be tied to the ID of the user device 612. The building management system 610 may be configured to adjust the setting value of the area where the user device 612 is located to an environment setting value tied to the ID of the user device 612.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a flow diagram is shown illustrating a process 900 for using occupant positions in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. A building (e.g., building 10) is equipped with a plurality of wireless transmitters 902. Each wireless transmitter 902 may be located at a different location in the building and may be associated with a different transmitter identifier. Although only one wireless transmitter 902 is shown in fig. 9, many wireless transmitters 902 may be placed at various locations in or around a building. Each wireless transmitter 902 broadcasts a wireless signal (step 904). The wireless signal broadcast by the transmitter 902 includes an indication of a transmitter identifier associated with the wireless transmitter 902. In some embodiments, the wireless signal broadcast by the router 902 includes a plurality of transmitter identifiers (e.g., UUID values, primary values, secondary values, etc.).

Still referring to fig. 9, user device 612 detects a wireless signal transmitted by wireless transmitter 902 (step 906). The user device 612 may be, for example, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, an RFID sensor, a bluetooth device, a Wi-Fi device, an NFC device, a portable communication device, or any combination thereof. The user device 612 may be configured to run a remote application 908 and may act as a UI client. User device 612 may be configured (e.g., by an application running on user device 612) to identify a transmitter identifier associated with the wireless signal detected in step 906.

In fig. 9, the user device 612 is shown connected to the application gateway 910 (e.g., at a predefined IP address, via a wireless data connection) and reporting a transmitter identifier associated with the detected wireless signal (step 912). In some embodiments, user device 612 requests that a user interface be presented on user device 612. The request may include a transmitter identifier detected by user device 612 and/or a device identifier associated with user device 612. The application gateway 910 may provide the transmitter identifier and/or the device identifier to the building management system 610. In various embodiments, the application gateway 910 and the building management system 610 may be combined into a single component or the user device 612 may report the transmitter identifier directly to the building management system 610.

The building management system 610 uses the transmitter identifier and/or the device identifier to select a user interface for display on the user device 612. The building management system 610 may select a user interface for a building area associated with the transmitter identifier reported by the user device 612. For example, the building management system 610 may select a user interface that includes information and/or control options related to the building area associated with the reported transmitter identifier. In some embodiments, the building management system 610 selects the user interface based on the identity of the user associated with the user device 612 (e.g., based on a user identifier or a device identifier reported by the user device 612). In some embodiments, the building management system 610 uses the transmitter identifier reported by the user device 612 to determine the location of the user device 612 within the building. The building management system 610 may send the location of the user device 612 to the control device 214. The building management system 610 may select a user interface for monitoring and/or controlling a building area in which the user device 612 is currently located or a building area in which the user device 612 was previously located.

Still referring to fig. 9, the building management system 610 is shown providing the selected user interface to the application gateway 910 (step 914), which provides the selected user interface to the user device 612 (step 916). In other embodiments, the BMS controller 12 may provide the selected user interface directly to the user device 612. User device 612 may present the selected user interface on the user interface of user device 612. The user interface may be, for example, an electronic display or other user interface element of the user device 612. Advantageously, the building management system 610 may automatically detect the location of the user device 612 and deliver a location-specific user interface to the user device 612 without requiring the user to input location information.

Referring now to fig. 10, a floor plan 1000 of a home and/or building is shown. A home is shown to include several different areas (e.g., rooms or areas), including a living room, a first bedroom, a second bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a dining room. The control 214 may be installed in one of the rooms or areas. For example, FIG. 10 shows a master control unit (e.g., control device 214) installed in a living room. The master control unit may act as a central hub for monitoring environmental conditions, controlling various devices throughout the home, and/or tracking occupancy throughout multiple rooms and/or areas of the home.

Sensor units 1002 (e.g., proximity sensors 520, remote cameras 506, occupancy sensors 516, routers 804 and 808, transmitters 902, etc.) may be installed in various rooms or areas in a home. For example, fig. 10 shows a sensor unit installed in each of a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a dining room. In some embodiments, the sensors 1002 measure signal strength between user devices (e.g., user device 612). In various embodiments, the sensor 1002 is configured to relay image data and/or audio data to the control device 214. The control 214 may identify the occupant based on the image and/or audio data. The measured signal strength may be used to determine occupancy of the owner of the user device.

In some embodiments, the building management system and/or control device 214 determines the location of the user device. The sensor unit 1002 may be configured for measuring environmental conditions within each room or area and for receiving user input (e.g., voice commands via a microphone). For example, each sensor unit 1002 may include a plurality of sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, humidity sensors, smoke sensors, light sensors, cameras, motion sensors, etc.) configured to measure a variable (e.g., temperature, humidity, light, etc.) in a room or area in which the sensor unit is installed. The sensor units 1002 may be in communication with the control device 214 and/or with each other (e.g., wirelessly or via a wired communication link). In some embodiments, sensors (e.g., low power door sensors) may communicate with repeaters disposed in a tool box or other location using a low power overhead protocol. The repeater may provide wired or wireless communication to the main control unit.

Referring now to fig. 11, a diagram of a control device 214 receiving occupancy information is shown, according to an example embodiment. In some embodiments, the control device 214 is configured to receive occupancy data 1102 from the sensor 714. In some embodiments, the sensor 714 is at least one of, or a combination of, a camera 724, a microphone 726, a motion sensor (e.g., proximity 722), and/or any other occupancy sensor. In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 may be configured to process the occupancy data to determine the identity of any detected occupants.

In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 may be configured to determine the identity of the occupant based on the occupancy data 1102 received from the sensors 714. In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 receives sensor input from the sensor 714, which may include the camera 724. The occupancy module 754 may perform digital image processing to identify the one or more users based on the digital images received from the camera 724. In some embodiments, digital image processing is used to identify faces of the one or more users, heights of the one or more users, or any other body conformation feature of the one or more users. In some embodiments, digital image processing is performed by image analysis tools, such as edge detectors and neural networks. In some embodiments, the digital image processing compares the body conformation features of the one or more users to previously identified body conformation features of the users.

In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 receives sensor input from the microphone 726. The microphone 726 may be any of a variety of microphone types. Microphone types include, for example, moving coil microphones, ribbon microphones, carbon particle microphones, piezoelectric microphones, fiber optic microphones, laser microphones, liquid microphones, and audio speakers used as microphones. In some embodiments, the occupancy controller analyzes audio data received from the microphone. In some embodiments, the occupancy controller 636 identifies one or more users based on voice biometrics of audio received from the microphone 726. Speech biometrics are unique features of a human voice. The speech biometric includes speech pitch or speaking patterns generated from the anatomy of the throat and/or mouth of the speaker. In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 uses text-dependent speech recognition techniques. In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 identifies the one or more users using text-independent speech recognition techniques. The occupancy module 754 may be configured to store speech biometrics associated with an individual. The occupancy module 754 may be configured to match the stored voice biometrics with voice biometrics determined for the occupant.

In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 uses text-dependent speech recognition techniques to identify the one or more users based on a password or a particular phrase spoken by one of the users. For example, the user may say a phrase such as "this is Firex, I go home. The "occupancy module 754 may perform speech recognition to determine the spoken phrase from the speech data received from the microphone" this is philics, i come home ". In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 determines the spoken phrase using one or a combination of hidden markov models, dynamic time warping, and neural networks. The occupancy module 754 compares the determined spoken phrase with phrases related to the user. If the phrase "this is Philikes, i'll come home" matches a phrase related to the user's Philikes, then the occupancy controller identifies the user as Philikes.

In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 uses text-independent speech recognition techniques to identify one or more users based on their particular speech biometrics. Text-independent speech recognition techniques perform pattern recognition techniques to identify a speaker's particular speech biometric from audio data received at a microphone. The speech biometric includes speech pitch or speech style. In some embodiments, a plurality of techniques are used to identify a voice biometric of a user. The techniques include frequency estimation, hidden markov models, gaussian mixture models, pattern matching algorithms, neural networks, matrix representations, vector quantization, and decision trees.

In some embodiments, the occupancy module 754 is configured to collect audio data from one or more users and perform pre-processing. In some embodiments, the pre-processing may be compression of the audio data, conversion of the audio data into a suitable format, and any other necessary pre-processing actions. The occupancy module 754 may be configured to transmit the captured audio data of the head-mouth to a speech recognition server via the communication interface 732 and the network 602, as described with reference to fig. 6-7. A voice recognition server (e.g., the building management system 610) may be configured to determine the identity of an occupant and transmit the identity of the occupant to the occupancy module 754.

Still referring to fig. 11, the control device 214 is configured to receive occupancy information 1104 from the building management system 610. In some embodiments, the building management system 610 may be configured to determine the location of the user based on trilateration, as described with reference to fig. 8. In various embodiments, the building management system 610 may be configured to determine the location of the user based on the signal strength to the transmitter, as described with reference to fig. 9.

The building management system 610 can send the identity i of the occupant and the occupant's location in the building (e.g., building 10). In some embodiments, the control device 214 is configured to control the area and/or building to an environmental condition (e.g., a temperature set point, a humidity set point, etc.) based on the occupant's environmental condition preferences and location. The control 214 may be configured to generate control signals for the HVAC equipment 738 to achieve a preferred environmental condition. In embodiments, the control 214 may be configured to play music in different areas and/or cause a music platform (e.g., Pandora, Spotify, etc.) to play the identified user's music preferences in the area and/or building in which the user is located.

Referring now to fig. 12-13, an illustration 1200 and a flowchart 1300 illustrating a process for controlling a building area based on detected occupancy are shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, the process is performed by the occupancy module 754, as described with reference to fig. 7. The control device 214 may identify the user and load user-specified climate control settings for the identified user (step 1302). In some embodiments, the control device 214 identifies the user by communicating with a portable device (e.g., cell phone, RFID card, NFC tag, etc.) carried by the user. In other embodiments, the user is identified by voice (fig. 11), by appearance (fig. 11), trilateration of wireless signals from the user device (fig. 8), communication with a wireless transmitter via the user device (fig. 9), or any other data collected by the sensors in the areas 1202 and 1204. The control apparatus 214 may determine that the user is located within the first area 1202 of the home or building (step 1304) and may operate the home/building equipment to implement the user-specified climate control setting in the first area 1202 (step 1306). The control 214 may turn on the lights in the area 1202 (step 1308). In some embodiments, the lamp is dimmed to a user-specified level. The control 214 may be configured to manipulate the music played in the region 1202 when the user is identified (step 1310). In some embodiments, the user is associated with a specified song, playlist, and/or volume. The control 214 may be configured to cause the audio system to play a particular playlist and/or radio in the area 1202 when the user is identified in the area 1202.

The control apparatus 214 may determine that the user has moved to the second area 1204 of the home/building (step 1308) and may operate the home/building equipment to implement the user-specified climate control setting in the second area 1204 (step 1310). In some embodiments, control 214 is configured to operate the lighting of regions 1202 and 1204 based on the location of the user (step 1312). For example, control 214 may turn off the lights in area 1202 and turn on the lights in area 1204, etc. when the user moves from area 1202 into area 1204 (step 1316). Control 214 may be configured to manipulate the music played in regions 1202 and 1204 (step 1316) as the user moves from region 1202 into region 1204. For example, when the user moves into region 1204, music may stop playing in region 1202 and play in 1204 (step 1318).

Referring now to fig. 14A, a flowchart 1400 illustrates a building control process that may be performed by the occupancy module 754 of the control device 214, according to an exemplary embodiment, as described with reference to fig. 7. In some embodiments, the control device 214 is configured to determine the location and identity of the user based on wireless communication with the user device 612 when the user device 612 is associated with the user (step 1402). In some embodiments, wireless triangulation is used to determine the location of the user based on signal strength between the user device 612 and the router and/or transmitter, as described with reference to fig. 8-9.

In some embodiments, a unique device identifier (e.g., serial number, hardware ID, MAC address, etc.) may associate the user device 612 with a particular user profile. When the user device 612 is determined to be in a building (e.g., building 10), the user may receive a command to be authenticated (e.g., logged into) the building management system 610 via the user device 612 (step 1404). In some embodiments, the user device 612 is automatically authenticated to the building management system 610 based on the unique device identifier. In some embodiments, the authentication is performed directly between the user device and the building management system 610. In embodiments, the control device 214 receives the unique identifier from the user device and facilitates authentication with the building management system 610. In embodiments, the user may be prompted to enter a username and password via the user device 612 and/or the user interface 702 of the display device to be authenticated to the building management system 610.

In some embodiments, the building management system 610 may be configured to generate a three-dimensional building map using the locations and identities of a plurality of building occupants located on the map (step 1406). The building map may contain multiple floors, areas, buildings, and/or campuses. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional building map may be accessible via a user device (e.g., user device 612) if the user device has the appropriate permissions for viewing the building map. In some embodiments, the user device must be associated with a technician and/or any other building employee in order for the user to access the three-dimensional building map.

In some embodiments, the building management system 610 records occupants of the building and associated permissions for each occupant. In some embodiments, the permissions are music permissions (i.e., the user can change the music, radio station, volume, etc. of the music played in various areas of the building). In some embodiments, the permissions allow the user to change music, radio stations, music volume, ambient settings, lighting, and/or any other adjustable settings of the control device 214 via the user interface 702, microphone 726, and/or user device 612 associated with the user. In some embodiments, the permissions are used to change and/or adjust environmental conditions (e.g., temperature set points, humidity set points, etc.) (step 1408). Based on the permissions and user preferences, the building management system 610 may be configured to send commands to devices (e.g., controlling device 214) to adjust environmental trends, lighting, and regional music (step 1410).

Referring now to FIG. 14B, a table 1412 of occupant permissions and preferences is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, the table may be the permissions and preferences received by the control device 214 from the building management system 610, as described with reference to fig. 11 and/or fig. 14A. In some embodiments, the table 412 includes permissions and preferences for occupant a1414, occupant B1416, and occupant C1418. Permissions and preferences for any number of occupants may be received from the building management system 610 and/or stored on the control device 214. Occupant a1414, occupant B1416, and occupant C1418 may have preferred preferences such as preferred settings 1420, music 1422, lighting 1424, and sunshade/blinds 1426. The occupant a1414, the occupant B1416, and the occupant C1418 may have authority to change and/or operate certain features of the control 214 (i.e., settings, music, lighting, etc.). Any number of permissions and/or preferences for occupant a1414, occupant B1416, and occupant C1418 may be received from the building management system 610.

Occupant a1414 has a preferred setting of 78 degrees fahrenheit, occupant B1416 has a preferred setting of 75 degrees fahrenheit, and occupant C1418 has no authority to change the settings. In some embodiments, when an occupant with preferred settings moves from the first region to the second region, the preferred settings may follow the occupant and the second region may be heated and/or cooled to the preferred settings. An occupant who does not have the authority to change the setting values (e.g., occupant C1418) may not be able to make any changes to the setting values.

In some embodiments, the control 214 may inhibit changes to the set value whenever the occupant C1418 is determined to be a set distance from the control 214. In some embodiments, the control 214 may inhibit changes to the lighting whenever an occupant C1418 is identified as being in the area in which the control 214 is located. In some embodiments, when the occupant C1418 is authenticated and/or logged into the building management system and/or control device 214, as described with reference to fig. 14A, the occupant C1418 may be notified via a user device (e.g., user device 612) that the occupant C1418 cannot change the setting. In some embodiments, occupant C1418 is notified via user interface 702 (e.g., by an image on electronic display 706, audio from speaker 710, etc.): the occupant C1418 has no authority to adjust the setting values.

Occupant a1414, occupant B1416, and occupant C1418 may have permissions and preferences for music 1422, such as music played in an area of a building (e.g., building 10). In table 1412, occupant a1414 has no music preference, occupant B1416 has a preferred radio station, and occupant C1418 has no authority to play music. In some embodiments, a building device in the area may automatically play radio station AM 1130 whenever occupant B1416 is in the area. In some embodiments, when occupant A1414 enters an area, the building devices in that area will automatically turn off any music being played. In some embodiments, any attempt by the occupant C1418 to play music and/or audio will be satisfied by the following notification: the occupant C1418 does not have the proper authority to change music and/or audio.

In some embodiments, the control 214 may inhibit the change to the music preference whenever the occupant C1418 is determined to be a set distance from the control 214. In some embodiments, the control 214 may inhibit changes to the lighting whenever an occupant C1418 is identified as being in the area in which the control 214 is located. In some embodiments, when occupant C1418 is authenticated and/or logged into the building management system 610 and/or the control device 214 via a user device (e.g., user device 612), as described with reference to fig. 14B, occupant C1418 may be notified via the user device (e.g., user device 612) that occupant C1418 cannot change music preferences. In some embodiments, occupant C1418 is notified via user interface 702 (e.g., by an image on electronic display 706, audio from speaker 710, etc.): occupant C1418 has no authority to adjust music preferences.

Occupant a1414, occupant B1416, and occupant C1418 may have permissions and preferences for lighting 1424. In some embodiments, the lighting in a region and/or building (e.g., building 10) may be adjusted based on the permissions and preferences of occupant a1414, occupant B1416, and occupant C1418. Occupant a1414 may not have permission to change lighting. Occupant B1416 can have a preference to dim the lighting in the area occupied by occupant B. Occupant C1418 can have a preference to have the illumination associated with the area occupied by occupant C1418 be all on.

In some embodiments, the control 214 may inhibit changes to the lighting whenever the occupant a1414 is determined to be a set distance from the control 214. In some embodiments, the control 214 may inhibit changes to the lighting whenever an occupant a1414 is identified as being in the area in which the control 214 is located. In some embodiments, when the occupant a1414 is authenticated and/or logged into the building management system 610 and/or the control 214 via a user device (e.g., the user device 612), the occupant a1414 may not have the ability to change the lighting settings of the control 214 and may be notified via the user device (e.g., the user device 612) that the occupant a1414 cannot change the lighting settings, as described with reference to fig. 14A. In some embodiments, the occupant a1414 is notified via the user interface 702 (e.g., by an image on the electronic display 706, audio from the speaker 710, etc.): occupant a1414 has no authority to adjust the lighting settings.

Occupant a1414, occupant B1416, and occupant C1418 may have permissions and preferences for sunshade/blinds 1426. In some embodiments, the occupant a1414 has a preference to illuminate the area occupied by the occupant a1414 with natural light whenever possible. Using natural light may include opening a sunshade, opening a blind, and/or opening a shutter. Occupant B1416 and occupant C1418 may not have the authority to open and/or close the blinds, shutters and/or shutters. Any attempt by occupant B1416 and occupant C1418 to open and/or close the shades, blinds and/or shutters controlled by control device 214 may be satisfied by the following notification: occupant B1416 and/or occupant C1418 may not have the proper authority to open and/or close the blinds, shutters, and/or shutters.

In some embodiments, the control 214 may inhibit changes to the blinds and/or blinds whenever the occupant B1416 and/or occupant C1418 is determined to be a set distance from the control 214. In some embodiments, the control 214 may disable changes to the blinds and/or blinds whenever an occupant B1416 and/or occupant C1418 is identified as being in the area in which the control 214 is located. In some embodiments, when occupant B1416 and/or occupant C1418 are authenticated and/or logged into the building management system 610 and/or the control device 214 via a user device (e.g., user device 612), as described with reference to fig. 14A, occupant B1416 and/or occupant C1418 may be notified via the user device (e.g., user device 612) that occupant B1416 and/or occupant C1418 cannot change shades and/or blinds. In some embodiments, occupant B1416 and/or occupant C1418 are notified via user interface 702 (e.g., by images on electronic display 706, audio from speaker 710, etc.): occupant B1416 and/or occupant C1418 do not have the authority to adjust the blinds and/or blinds.

Display and emergency features

Referring now to fig. 15 and 16A, diagram 1500 and flowchart 1600 illustrate control processes that may be performed by emergency module 756 and/or building module 746, according to some embodiments. Control device 214 may receive weather forecast 1502 from weather server 608 (step 1602) and display weather forecast 1502 via user interface 702 of control device 214 (step 1604). The control device 214 may illuminate the ambient lighting devices 1512 of the control device 214 in response to the weather forecast 1502 indicating a warning related to weather (step 1606). In some embodiments, audio 1514 may be generated when weather forecast 1502 indicates a warning related to weather. The audio may be a siren, a warning message, and/or any other emergency related audio. The control 214 may determine an adjustment to the control signal 1510 of the HVAC device 738 based on the weather forecast (step 1608). The control 214 may generate and provide an adjusted control signal 1510 to the HVAC equipment 738. In some embodiments, the control signal 1510 may cause the shutter and/or the door to close automatically. Control signals 1510 may cause a building siren (e.g., speaker 504) to play emergency-related audio (e.g., "please evacuate the building," "leave window for refuge," etc.).

Referring now to FIG. 16B, a flowchart of a process 1612 that exposes the appropriateness of a message data stream is shown in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. In some embodiments, the process 1612 may be operated by the control device 214, as described with reference to fig. 7. In step 1614, the control device 214 receives a message (e.g., a general message, an urgent message, etc.) based on the data stream from the building management system (e.g., the building management system 610). The control device 214 may be configured to display general messages (e.g., area temperatures, building events, etc.) and/or emergency information on the user interface 702 based on a data stream received from the building management system 610.

In some embodiments, if the connection between the control device 214 and the building management system 610 is lost, the control device 214 may display a message stored and/or generated locally on the control device 214 on the user interface 702 (step 1616). In some embodiments, the display messages stored and/or generated locally on the control device 214 include zone temperature, zone humidity, building events, and the like. In the event that an emergency event is detected by an emergency sensor (e.g., building emergency sensor(s) 606) connected to control device 214, a general message received from building management system 610 may be overwritten and the emergency message may be displayed on user interface 702 based on data received from the emergency sensor (step 1618). In some embodiments, an emergency event may be identified when data received from an emergency sensor is above a predefined threshold and/or below another predefined threshold. In the event that an emergency event is detected by an emergency sensor (e.g., building emergency sensor(s) 606) connected to control device 214, a general message of the general message stored and/or determined locally by control device 214 may be overwritten and the emergency message may be displayed on user interface 702 based on data received from the emergency sensor.

In some embodiments, control 214 may receive a message from a weather server (e.g., weather server 608). Upon receiving a notification of a weather-related emergency and/or any other type of emergency from the weather server 608, the control device 214 may be configured to overwrite the general message received from the building management system 610 (step 1620). The control 214 may be configured to display weather-related emergency notifications and directions over general messages received from the building management system 610 via the user interface 702.

Referring now to fig. 17, a diagram of an apparatus to display an emergency screen 1700 during an emergency is shown, according to an example embodiment. In some embodiments, the emergency screen 1700 may be displayed by the control 214. Emergency screen 1700 is shown to include alert title 1702, alert icon 1704, instructions 1706, directions 1708, and menu options 1710.

The emergency screen 1700 is shown with an alert title 1702 describing the content of the page. In this exemplary embodiment, the title is "tornado warning". In some embodiments, alert banner 1702 may be customized to provide more information. In other embodiments, alert caption 1702 may be customized to provide less information. The alert title 1702 may be a button that takes the user to a page associated with the title. For example, clicking on alert title 1702 may take the user to a menu of pages related to "tornado warning". In some embodiments, clicking and/or pressing alert tile 1702 navigates to a website and/or other entity. The website may be a weather server and may provide more information into the nature of the emergency event.

Emergency screen 1700 is also shown with alert icon 1704. In this exemplary embodiment, the alert icon 1704 is an image of a tornado. The alert icon 1704 may be any symbol, text, etc., and indicates the nature of the alert. For example, the alert icon 1704 may be a snowflake image, text reading "flood", text reading "fire", text reading "active gunner", or the like. Alert icon 1704 provides information about the alert to the user and may be any indicator related to any type of emergency event.

The emergency screen 1700 is shown with instructions 1706. Instructions 1706 may provide information to the user on how to continue in the current context. In some embodiments, instructions 1706 may inform the user how to leave the building. For example, instructions 1706 may inform the user which room to go to. In other embodiments, instructions 1706 tell the user which authority to notify, etc. For example, instructions 1706 may instruct the user to call an ambulance, then a police, then a building and/or campus security department. The instructions 1706 may be downloaded from a network (e.g., network 602). In some embodiments, the instructions may be requested from the network 602. In embodiments, the instructions are pushed to the control device 214. In certain instances, the instructions 1706 may be stored for access by the control device 214. In some embodiments, the instructions 1706 may be stored locally on the control device 214. In other embodiments, instructions 1706 may be stored remotely from control device 214. The instructions 1706 may be stored anywhere and retrieved by the control device 214.

The emergency screen 1700 is shown with directions 1708. In some embodiments, the instructions 1708 may be an embodiment of instructions 1706. In other embodiments, the directions 1708 provide different information than the instructions 1706. The directions 1708 may provide the user with information about where to go. For example, the guide 1708 may be an arrow pointing in the correct direction to go. In some embodiments, the control device 214 is portable and may detect movement to alter the guidance 1708. For example, the directions 1708 may change depending on the direction the user is facing. The directions 1708 may be any indicator that provides direction information and are not limited to those specifically enumerated.

Emergency screen 1700 is also shown with menu option 1710. In this exemplary embodiment, option 1710 is an "Ok" button. For example, option 1710 may accept a prompt. In some embodiments, option 1710 may simply ignore the prompt. In other embodiments, option 1710 may continue to the next action. In some embodiments, option 1710 is a forward button, menu, or the like. Options 1710 may perform any function and are not limited to those specifically enumerated.

Referring now to fig. 18, an emergency screen 1800 of an evacuation route is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, the emergency screen 1800 is displayed by the control 214. Screen 1800 is shown to include location indicator 1802, floor plan 1804, and directions 1806. The screen 1800 may include other elements and components, and is not limited to those specifically enumerated.

Screen 1800 is shown as including location indicator 1802. Location indicator 1802 may provide information regarding the whereabouts of a user or another person, item, part, etc. For example, in this exemplary embodiment, location indicator 1802 is shown as an image of an individual and indicates the location of the individual. In some embodiments, location indicator 1802 may indicate a location of a plurality of users, items, and/or the like. Location indicator 1802 may also include a different label that may indicate which user, item, etc. each indicator of the plurality of indicators shows. In other embodiments, location indicator 1802 may indicate the location of a single user, item, or the like. The location indicator 1802 may be any symbol, text, etc. and is not limited to those specifically enumerated.

The screen 1800 is shown as including a floor plan 1804. The floor plan 1804 may be an illustration of a floor plan of an area served by the control 214. In some embodiments, the zones control the zones in which the control 214 is installed. In other embodiments, the region is another region and may be selected by a user. In some embodiments, the floor plan 1804 may show multiple locations. For example, the floor plan 1804 may illustrate two floors of a two-story building. The user may be able to select multiple locations for display (e.g., top and fourth floors of a 35-storey building). In other embodiments, the floor plan 1804 may illustrate a single location. The floor plan 1804 may display any number of any locations and is not limited to those specifically enumerated.

Screen 1800 is also shown as including directions 1806. The guidance 1806 may provide the user with information on how to navigate to a particular location (i.e., evacuate). In some embodiments, the guidance 1806 provides the fastest path to leave the building. For example, the directions 1806 may direct the user to an exit of a building in the event of an emergency. In other embodiments, the directions 1806 provide the user with a route to the specified location. For example, the guidance 1806 may guide the user to a shelter (e.g., a basement settlement shelter, a safe location light without a window). In yet other embodiments, the directions 1806 may allow the user to select a route option. For example, the user may be able to indicate that she wants to stay on the same floor, avoid stairs, etc. In still other embodiments, the directions 1806 may enable the user to select multiple destinations. For example, the user may indicate that he wants to stop at a replenishment room before continuing to the conference room. The user may be able to edit any selections made. The instructions 1806 are not limited to those forms and features specifically enumerated.

Referring now to fig. 19-20, a diagram 1900 and a flowchart 2000 illustrating control processes that may be performed by the voice control module 748 are shown, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, flowchart 2000 is performed by voice command module 744. The control 214 may receive a voice command 1904 from the user 1902 via a microphone (e.g., microphone 726) (step 2002), and may determine that the voice command 1904 contains a request to edit a grocery list (step 2004). In some embodiments, the voice command 1904 may be a concierge question, as described with reference to fig. 30-32. The control device 214 may edit the grocery list 1906 based on the voice command 1904 received from the user 4102 (step 4156). In some embodiments, the control device 214 replies to the concierge question via a speaker (e.g., speaker 710). In some embodiments, the control 214 is configured to send a grocery order 1908 to the grocery service 1910 (step 2008) and receive an order confirmation 1912 from the grocery service 1910 (step 2010). The control 214 may provide audio feedback 1914 indicating that the grocery list has been updated and/or that a grocery order has been placed. In embodiments, the grocery list may be updated and/or an order may be placed via touch-sensitive based input. In some embodiments, the steps of flowchart 2000 may be performed by touching a button on a touch sensitive screen associated with control device 214.

Healthcare and hospital features

Referring now to fig. 21, a control device 214 for delivery to various healthcare devices and systems is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, the healthcare module 752 facilitates healthcare functions of the control device 214. The control device 214 is shown interacting with the healthcare sensors 604, the user device 612, the building management system 610, the medical server 2102, and the network 602. In some embodiments, the control apparatus 214 is in communication with the healthcare device 2104. In various embodiments, the healthcare module 752 communicates with the healthcare device 2104 directly and/or via the network 602. In some embodiments, the healthcare device 2104 is shown to include a life support device 2106, a hospital/clinic device 2108, a home medical device 2110, or an implantable medical device 2112 (e.g., a pacemaker, cardioverter defibrillator, etc.).

The healthcare module 752 facilitates healthcare functions of the control device 214. The functions performed by the health care module 752 may include monitoring the health condition of occupants of the area in which the controller 468 is installed. In some embodiments, the healthcare module 752 may monitor the health condition of the occupant through the data collected by the healthcare sensors 604 and/or may determine a health indicator of the occupant based on the data collected by the healthcare sensors 604. For example, the healthcare module 752 may monitor the health of an individual by tracking the individual's temperature via the healthcare sensors 604. In some embodiments, the healthcare sensors 604 are one or more or a combination of the following: a smart watch, a smart bracelet, a heart rate monitor, a pacemaker, a portable insulin device, and/or any other wearable medical device. In some embodiments, the healthcare sensor 604 is a camera, an infrared camera, and/or any other occupancy detection device. The healthcare module 752 may monitor the user's wake/rest time, heart rate, insulin levels, body temperature, etc. using the healthcare sensors 604. The healthcare module 752 is not limited to monitoring specific enumerated health attributes and may monitor any aspect of the user's life state. In some embodiments, the control apparatus 214 is configured to forward any data collected by the healthcare sensors 604 and/or healthcare devices 2104 to the medical server 2102. In some embodiments, the medical server 2102 is a hospital server, a nurses' station computing system, and/or an emergency response operator server.

The medical care module 752 may communicate with the user interface 702 or a user device 612 belonging to the user in order to sense and collect health data. For example, the healthcare module 752 may communicate with a personal smart watch that includes a heart rate monitor for tracking the heart rate of the individual. In some embodiments, the control apparatus 214 is not in communication with the healthcare sensors 604 that monitor the health condition of the user and instead collects data only from the healthcare device 2104. In other embodiments, control device 214 includes sensors and collects data from other devices, thereby combining the data collected to produce a general indicator of the user's health condition.

The health care module 752 may detect a predetermined amount or change in sensor value (e.g., abnormally high and/or low heart rate (i.e., bradycardia and tachycardia), abnormally high and/or low insulin levels, abnormally high and/or low temperatures, etc.) above or below a predetermined threshold. In some embodiments, the healthcare module 752 may monitor the occupant's heart rate and determine whether the heart rate is normal (i.e., arrhythmia). In some embodiments, the healthcare module 752 can alert the user, the monitored occupants, the nurses' station computing system, the hospital server, the hospital computing system, the telephone 911 (i.e., send a message to the emergency response server and/or the emergency response computing system), and the like. For example, the healthcare module 752 may communicate with the user device 612 of the user to display an alert describing a situation that triggered a healthcare alert. The healthcare module 752 may communicate with the network 602 to update the healthcare system (e.g., the medical server 2102) with the collected new data, set indicia of the user's condition, and so on. For example, the healthcare module 752 may send data to a patient database and update body temperature, blood pressure, etc.

In some embodiments, the heart rate and/or body temperature is measured by a smart bracelet and/or smart watch (e.g., healthcare sensor 604). The heart rate and/or body temperature (e.g., health data 4004) may be sent to the control device 214. In some embodiments, the healthcare sensor 604 is a camera. The camera may be thermally sensitive. The thermal image (e.g., health data 4004) may be sent to the control device 214. The control device 214 may determine a body temperature of each occupant of a building (e.g., building 10) based on the thermal images (e.g., health data 4004) received from the healthcare sensors 604.

The healthcare module 752 may send the urge alert from the network 602 to the user device 612. For example, the network 602 may receive a notification that it is time for the middle school individual to perform their medication. Control device 214 may communicate with user devices 612 of individuals, teachers, nurses, etc. to alert the user of user devices 612 to: it is time for the individual to undergo their medical treatment. In some embodiments, the control device 214 may communicate with the user through the user interface 702 to communicate healthcare information. For example, the network 602 may receive notification that an individual has reached a time agreed upon by a nurse. The network 602 may communicate with the control device 214 to communicate information to a nurse, an individual, the individual's current teacher, and the like. For example, the control 214 may have access to a user schedule and/or calendar and adjust actions accordingly. In some embodiments, the control device 214 may determine that the individual is presently in a math class and may send an alert to the individual's user device 612. In other embodiments, the control device 214 may determine that the individual is currently in a free period with a particular teacher in a particular room, and may send an alert to the control device 214 installed in the room or to the user device 612 of the teacher. The control device 214 may communicate healthcare information through any medium and is not limited to those specifically discussed.

The healthcare module 752 may include some or all of the features of the occupancy module 754. Occupancy detectors (e.g., healthcare sensors 604, sensors 714, etc.) may be installed in a patient room in a healthcare facility and may be used to detect the presence of a patient in the room. The healthcare module 752 may communicate with the network 602, the medical server 2102, and/or the building management system 610 to alert medical personnel in the event that a patient leaves his room without permission. The healthcare module 752 may communicate with a user interface to determine the identity of the person in the patient room. For example, the occupancy detector may use a camera and facial recognition software to determine the identity of medical personnel present. The health care module 752 may use cameras and facial recognition software to determine the presence of visitors and other unauthorized persons in the patient room.

In some embodiments, the healthcare module 752 communicates with the user or related personnel (e.g., the building management system 610, the medical server 2102, the user device 612, etc.) when an emergency situation arises. The healthcare module 752 can receive patient health information from the network, the healthcare sensors 604, and/or the healthcare device 2104 and display it to medical personnel if a medical alert (e.g., abnormal blood pressure, abnormal oxygen saturation, abnormal heart rate, abnormal heart rhythm, etc.) is detected. In another embodiment, the healthcare module 752 can communicate with the patient or with medical personnel when scheduling a routine medical procedure. For example, the healthcare module 752 may communicate with the patient or with medical personnel when taking medications, when an IV is to be replaced, when changing wound dressings, and so forth. In another embodiment, the healthcare module 752 may communicate with the alarm module to communicate with the user device 612 of the patient. For example, if a patient is undergoing a therapy that requires regular medication, an alert is received from an alert module on a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, a smartwatch, a wearable device, a laptop computer, etc.).

The healthcare module 752 may communicate with any system, device, etc. connected to the control device 214. For example, the healthcare module 752 can issue alerts to medical personnel that are pushed to the control device 214 (e.g., nurse station) and mobile device (e.g., the user device 612 assigned to the medical personnel of the patient, etc.). The healthcare module 752 may issue alerts that are pushed to the mobile device 612 over the network 602. The health care module 752 may communicate with all of the modules in the control device 214.

In some embodiments, the healthcare module 752 may require credentials of a healthcare worker to make changes with respect to the patient's treatment. The healthcare module 752 can record the unique identity of any user making changes to the patient's treatment.

Referring now to fig. 22 and 23, a diagram of the control device 214 communicating with other control devices 468 is shown in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, other control devices 214 may be located locally, such as in another room of the same building. For example, referring to fig. 22, the control device 214 is located in a patient room in a hospital. The control device 214 may communicate with the control device 214 at a nurse's station in the same hospital. The control devices 214 may be directly connected to each other and may communicate directly with each other. In another embodiment, the control device 214 may be connected via a network.

In various embodiments, other control devices 468 are remotely located, such as in other buildings, states, countries, etc. For example, referring to fig. 23, a control device 214 at a patient's home or nursing center may communicate with a control device 214 at a hospital to facilitate outpatient care of the patient. The other controls 468 may be located anywhere relative to the controls 214 and are not limited to the specifically discussed or described locations.

In an exemplary scenario, a patient may be discharged from a medical care facility, such as a hospital, to his home or nursing home. The patient may, for example, have received a routine examination or may have been treated for a chronic or acute medical condition. The patient may be automatically monitored by the healthcare apparatus 2104 as described with reference to fig. 21 after discharge from the hospital using one or more controls 214 provided at the patient's home or nursing center. The health condition of the patient may be monitored using the implantable medical device 2112 or the home medical device 2110 to allow telemedicine personnel to monitor the patient's post-care rehabilitation. The control device 214 may be used to facilitate continuous medical care (e.g., physical therapy, medication regimens, follow-up medical facilities, etc.).

The control device 214 may continue to monitor the health of the patient after receiving medical care. If the control device 214 monitors the medical alert, it may take action based on the severity of the medical alert. For example, the control device 214 may prompt the patient to return to the hospital, alert local medical personnel (e.g., a home nurse or caregiver), or may send an ambulance to the patient's location.

In some embodiments, the control device 214 may transmit the patient data to a central computer system (over a local network or via the internet) that conforms to the HIPPA standards and rules.

In some embodiments, control device 214 may not collect personal health data without agreeing to the individual whose data is being collected. In other embodiments, control device 214 may provide an exit system in which control device 214 is prevented from collecting personal health data when the user specifies an exit. In still other embodiments, control 214 may collect data from all users and anonymize all data prior to storage, analysis, and the like. For example, the control device 214 may collect data from all patients undergoing a particular procedure and anonymize all data before sending to a search facility, hospital, or the like.

The control 214 may collect data from each person and give each person a time window to exit or delete the data retrospectively. In some embodiments, the control device 214 may communicate with the user through a user interface, a mobile device, and/or a network to notify the user that its data has been collected. For example, the control device 214 may push out over the network to all applicable users a notification that his or her information has been collected and will be stored or sold to the hospital within 24 hours. In some embodiments, the user may be given a full 24 hours to exit or delete the data. In other embodiments, the user may be given any predetermined period of time to respond or take action.

The control 214 may communicate with the user to request permission to share his or her information. For example, the control 214 may display a prompt on the mobile device of each person whose data is collected. In some embodiments, control 214 may share the user's data when permission has been granted. In other embodiments, the control means 214 may share insensitive user data that has been anonymized.

Referring now to fig. 24, an illustration of a scenario 2400 in which control device 214 monitors the health of individual 2408 is shown, according to some embodiments. In section 2402, a control device 648 is shown in communication with the person 2408 via audio, on-screen visual items, devices, and the like. The device may be a smart phone, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, or the like. In other embodiments, the device may be a medical device, such as a pacemaker, insulin pump, or the like. The device may be any device and is not limited to those specifically enumerated.

The person 2408 may communicate directly with the control 214 through a user interface, voice commands, and the like. For example, the individual 2408 may tell the control 214 that it is uncomfortable. In some embodiments, the control 214 may trigger an alarm or take some other action based on the received information. In other embodiments, control device 214 may wait for a particular instruction to take an action before executing any command.

In part 2404, a screen of control device 214 is shown during normal health monitoring operations. The control 214 has confirmed the body temperature of the individual 2408, displayed the temperature, the name of the individual, an indication that everything is normal, and takes no further action. In some embodiments, control device 214 stores the information. In other embodiments, the control device 214 sends information to a medical care facility, professional (e.g., the medical server 2102, the building management system 610, etc.). The control device 214 may process all information according to HIPAA regulations.

The control device 214 may monitor and collect any health data, such as blood pressure, heart rate, etc. For example, the control 214 may communicate with a heart rate monitor and issue an alarm when the person's heart rate becomes irregular, exceeds a threshold heart rate, or the like. For example, the control 214 may use a combination of body temperature and heart rate to detect that the individual is experiencing high pressure. Control device 214 is not limited to a particular enumerated health statistic.

In part 2406, control 214 has automatically detected that a health condition has occurred. In this exemplary depiction, the health condition is fever detected by hyperthermia. In other embodiments, the health condition may be high pressure, arrhythmia, low pressure, or the like. The control 214 may generate a sound, vibration, flash a screen, etc. to present an alert to the user. In some embodiments, the control device 214 may send a signal to a user device (e.g., user device 612, network 602, building management system 610, medical server 2102, etc.) or some other system or device to display an alert as described above.

Referring now to FIG. 25, an illustration of a screen 2500 that is displayed when a person is inappropriate is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. Screen 2500 is shown to include an immediate dynamic 2502 of a particular individual. In some embodiments, the immediate dynamic 2502 may be a map or floor plan indicating where the individual is located. In other embodiments, the immediate dynamic 2502 may be a static photograph of the individual to assist the healthcare professional in locating the individual.

The screen 2500 further includes an alarm message 2504 and a cause 2506. Alert message 2504 may display any message such as "student dismissal," "student emergency," etc. In some embodiments, alert message 2504 may be customized to provide more information, such as a person's name, emergency contact information, and the like. In other embodiments, alert message 2504 may be customized to display any event that may be more helpful or appropriate to the environment in which the user controls the installation of the device. The alert messages 2504 are not limited to those specifically enumerated.

The cause 2506 may be any cause, such as "cardiac discomfort", "hypoglycemia", or the like. In some embodiments, causes 2506 may be customized to provide more information, such as personal names, emergency contact information, and the like. In other embodiments, causes 2506 may be customized to display any events that may be more helpful or appropriate to the environment in which the user controls the device installation. Causes 2506 are not limited to those messages specifically enumerated.

Screen 2500 is further shown to include icon 2508. Icon 2508 can give the user a quick impression of what alerts. The control device 214 can provide many different categories of alerts such as bad weather, safety, health, etc. The control device 214 is not limited to those categories specifically enumerated. Icon 2508 can be a symbol, text, etc., and can be any indication of what alarm is about.

Screen 2500 is further shown to include location 2510. Location 2510 may alert the user to the location of the particular individual of interest. In some embodiments, location 2510 is provided as text. In other embodiments, location 2510 is provided as a map. For example, location 2510 may be displayed as instantaneous dynamic 2502. Location 2510 may be displayed or presented to the user in any form and is not limited to those specifically enumerated.

Screen 2500 is ultimately shown to include options 2512, 2514, 2516. Options 2512, 2514, and 2516 may provide the user with options for actions to be taken. In some embodiments, screen 2500 may include a plurality of options. In other embodiments, screen 2500 may include fewer options. The presented options can be customized to be more suitable for each situation. For example, if an individual's insulin pump needs to be restarted, the control 214 may present an option to restart the pump. In some embodiments, the option 2516 to ignore alerts may not be available. For example, if the individual is in a dangerous condition such as cardiac arrest, the user control device may automatically execute options 2512 and 2514 by calling security department and 911.

Concierge and hotel features

Referring now to fig. 26A, a diagram of a control device 214 used in a hotel is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, the control device 214 receives concierge information from the building management system 610. In some embodiments, the concierge information may include local attractions, local restaurants, and/or any other concierge-related information. In some embodiments, the hotel module 750 is configured to cause the control 214 to send a request for specific concierge information to the building management system 610 via the network 602 when a user requests concierge information via the user interface 702 and/or the microphone 726. In some embodiments, the hotel module 750 may cause the control apparatus 214 to search for concierge information via the internet (e.g., network 602) when the building management system does not have the requested concierge information.

In some embodiments, the hospitality module 750 is configured to process food orders from local restaurants. In some embodiments, control apparatus 214 (i.e., hotel module 750) may send a request for a menu to restaurant computing system 2602. The control 214 may display a menu to the user via the user interface 702 and may allow the user to order food directly via the user interface 702 (i.e., enter an order through the user interface 702). In some embodiments, the user may be able to send a reservation request to restaurant computing system 2602 via hotel module 750 and a display device. The user may place an order via user interface 702, causing hotel module 750 to communicate with restaurant computing system 2602 via network 602. The hospitality module 750 may cause the payment module 758 to process any payment transactions for the food order using the financial institution system 3504. The payment transaction is described in further detail at fig. 35-39.

In some embodiments, hotel module 750 is configured to process requests for taxis, buses, subways, trains, and/or planes. In some embodiments, the control device 214 is in communication with a transport server 2604. The transport server 2604 may be a premium (Uber), a Lyft (Lyft), and/or any other taxi service. In some embodiments, the transport server 2604 is an airline server, a bus server, a train server, or the like. The hotel module 750 may allow the user to request a vehicle from the transit server 2604 and may cause the payment module 750 to process payment transactions via the network 602 and the financial institution system 3504. In some embodiments, input device 712 may be configured to scan a credit card and/or debit card to pay for the transaction using restaurant computing system 2602 and/or shipping server 2604. In some embodiments, the payment module 758 facilitates transactions with the financial institution system 3504. The input device 712 is described in further detail in fig. 35-39.

Referring now to fig. 26B, a process 2606 for scheduling a check-in hotel is shown, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, process 2606 is performed by hotel module 750 of control apparatus 214. The process 2606 may be applied to schedule any event and is not limited to hotels, yachts, etc. Process 2606 begins at step 2608, where a user provides an input to control device 214. The user may provide input through any means. For example, a user may enter input via voice commands, tactile input to a user interface (e.g., user interface 702), gesture input, input to a mobile device (e.g., user device 612), and/or the like.

According to an example embodiment, a calendar interface may be provided to a user via a user interface and/or a mobile device. In some embodiments, the calendar interface may show appointments and events for the user. For example, the user's work and personal calendar events may be displayed on a calendar interface. In other embodiments, the schedule of multiple users may be displayed on a calendar interface.

The calendar interface may show information such as availability of hotels. In some embodiments, control 214 is located within the hotel where its display is available. In some embodiments, the calendar interface may provide all availabilities. In other embodiments, the calendar interface may be categorized according to room size, amenities, and the like. The calendar interface may not be specific to a single hotel. In some embodiments, the calendar interface may display the availability of multiple hotels. The illustrated hotel may be selected by the user. In other embodiments, control 214 may automatically select a plurality of hotels based on criteria such as price range, dwell time, amenities, distance from destination, hotel rating, and the like.

The information may be displayed in any format. For example, the control device 214 may display the information as a drop-down box, a check box, or the like. In some embodiments, the control 214 may display content directly from a website of the hotel, a travel website, or the like. In other embodiments, control device 214 may display the content parsed from the website in a format that is native to control device 214.

The process 2606 continues with step 2610, where the user selects a range of days for their stay in the hotel. In some embodiments, the user selects a series of consecutive days. In other embodiments, the user may select a set of non-consecutive days. The user may enter other information such as billing information, guest counts, destinations, etc. In some embodiments, the calendar interface may display the number of days selected to be darkened, the series of days of the checkbox. The information entered by the user is transmitted from the control device 214 to a building management system (e.g., building management system 610) of the hotel and/or any other server of the hotel.

The process 2606 continues with step 2612 where the information transmitted from the control device 214 is received by a database. In some embodiments, the control 214 may directly use the entered billing information to book the hotel. In other embodiments, the control 214 uses the pre-populated fields to connect the user to a travel agency, a reservation website for a hotel, or the like. The information transmitted from the control device 214 may be accepted by any system and is not limited to a database. In some embodiments, the database is connected to the hotel's main system and hotel employees are notified. In some embodiments, the primary system of the hotel is a building management system 610.

The database may be connected to additional services such as destinations, airlines, etc. For example, the control 214 may automatically suggest flights from the billing address entered by the user to the destination entered by the user. In some embodiments, the control 214 may automatically select a flight and present a confirmation dialog to the user. In other embodiments, the control 214 presents a set of available flights for the scheduled hotel stay. The control device 214 may also suggest, reserve activities, etc., such as local attractions, travel, ground transportation, etc.

The control device 214 can know its authority from information input by the user. For example, the control 214 may store information such as a user's preference for flight times, direct or indirect flights, seat preferences, hotel chain preferences, pillow firmness preferences, attractions, travel, ground transportation, and the like. The user may be presented with a dialog box confirming that it allows the control device 214 to store or analyze such data. In some embodiments, the data is stored remotely. In other embodiments, the data is stored locally on the control device 214.

The process 2606 continues with step 2614 in which the control device 214 provides information to the user. In some embodiments, control 214 provides confirmation of all reservations made. In other embodiments, the control device 214 provides a list of prospective subscriptions, contact information for each option, and the like. The control 214 may provide any information to the user. In some embodiments, the control 214 may not provide further information to the user.

In this exemplary embodiment, control device 214 is shown to provide information to a user through a user interface (e.g., user interface 702). In other embodiments, control device 214 may provide information to the user via any medium, format, and the like. For example, control device 214 may provide information to a user through a speaker (e.g., speaker 710), a mobile device (e.g., user device 612), and so on.

Referring now to fig. 27, a process 2700 for arranging a vehicle via control 214 is shown, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, process 2700 is performed by voice command module 744 and/or hotel module 750. Process 2700 begins at step 2702 in which the user is presented with a screen having options for arranging a vehicle. In some embodiments, process 2700 is performed automatically. In other embodiments, the user may select an input mode of transportation for arranging the transport via the control 214.

Process 2700 continues with step 2704 where control 214 can present the user with a list of available modes of transportation. For example, control 214 may present the user with a list of links to different sites for different modes of transportation. In some embodiments, each option is a link with the user to a set of available options. Availability may be determined by criteria such as the current time, desired time, location, distance, travel pattern, additional considerations of the passenger (oversized luggage, animals, etc.), and the like. In some embodiments, a user may enter criteria via the user interface 702. In various embodiments, a user may enter criteria via the microphone 726 and the voice command module 744. If the selected mode is not available, control 214 may suggest the closest mode of transportation. In some embodiments, control 214 may make suggestions and/or schedule a list of modes of transportation (i.e., most relevant mode of transportation to least relevant mode of transportation) based on the most common, least expensive, fastest target destination, etc. For example, if no taxis are available at the desired time, control 214 may recommend a subway ride.

Process 2700 continues with step 2706 where control 214 can schedule the final selection. For example, once the user has selected a taxi company, time, option, etc., control device 214 may call the company to make the arrangement. In some embodiments, control 214 may enter information into the company's website. In other embodiments, control 214 may present information to a user who will make his final arrangement.

Process 2700 can continue to step 2708 where the user connects with his vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle travels to carry the user. In other embodiments, the user travels to ride the vehicle. Travel arrangements may be made to travel to, from, etc. a destination. The travel arrangement may be made for any purpose.

Referring now to fig. 28, an illustration of embodiments 2802, 2804, and 2806 showing options to set scheduling preferences is shown, according to some embodiments. Some embodiments are useful in hotel settings. In other embodiments, the user may select preferences for any arrangement, such as travel (e.g., airplane, ground transportation, etc.). Embodiment 2802 shows a preference interface displayed on control device 214. Available options may include guest name, temperature preferences, lighting preferences, pillow firmness preferences, room service preferences, and the like. Any option may be useful for user selection, and the user may be able to change his preferences. For example, a user may prefer low lighting in the summer and medium lighting in the winter. Embodiment 2804 shows a preferences interface displayed on the user device 612 of a user. Embodiment 2806 shows a preference interface displayed on a web browser.

Other ways of making the arrangement via the control means 214 may be available. In some embodiments, the user may be able to set preferences through voice commands, gesture input, and the like. In other embodiments, the user may set preferences through a particular application, a website of a hotel, and the like. In some embodiments, the control device 214 may send payment card and/or credit card information for the vehicle. In some embodiments, the hospitality module 750 may process the payment using the input device 712 and the payment module 758.

Referring now to fig. 29, a process 2900 for preparing a hotel room for a guest's check-in is shown, according to some embodiments. Process 2900 begins at step 2902, where control device 214 installed in an unoccupied room is in a power saving state. The control 214 may display information about the room, such as the room number, current occupancy, mode, and current status. The control device 214 may display more information. In some embodiments, the control 214 may display less information. The control 214 may be customized to display the information required for each situation.

Process 2900 continues with step 2904 where control device 214 receives room reservation information for the first time. The control device 214 may display a confirmation message. In some embodiments, control device 214 may send an acknowledgement message to the foreground, host system, or the like. In other embodiments, the control device 214 may send an acknowledgement message to the user. In this exemplary embodiment, the reservation information is received at 1 pm local time, and the reservation time is 6 pm local time.

Process 2900 may continue with step 2906 where subscription information and/or preferences are analyzed. The received information may include room number, temperature, humidity, light level, pillow firmness, etc. Other information and preferences may be set. The format in which information is presented to the system, control 214, etc. may be any format. For example, the system may receive the information as raw data, while the control 214 receives data that resolves the preferences for each category into groups.

Process 2900 continues with step 2908 where control device 214 may determine the amount of time needed to reach the guest's preference setting and when to begin preparation. The control device 214 may determine an approximate arrival time of the guest and an approximate amount of time required to reach the guest's environmental set point.

Process 2900 continues with step 2910 where control device 214 has determined the amount of time needed, the time to begin preparation, etc. For example, preparing a guest of Jim (Jimmy) 6 PM arrival is shown beginning at 4 PM. The control 214 may begin to change the temperature, humidity, etc. of the room. For example, the control 214 may begin heating the room temperature from 69 ° F to 70 ° F, which is a preference for giga-meters.

Process 2900 continues with step 2912 where control device 214 notifies the hospitality service of the guest's preferences. In this exemplary embodiment, Jimi likes a hard pillow. The control 214 is shown to inform the foreground of the preferences for jimi. In some embodiments, the control device 214 communicates directly with the foreground (e.g., the foreground's computer). In other embodiments, the control device 214 communicates with the foreground via an intermediary (e.g., network 602). The control device 214 may communicate with the foreground by any means and may transmit any information. The control device 214 may comply with all privacy regulations.

Process 2900 continues with step 2914, where control device 214 communicates with a hotel device (e.g., HVAC device 738) to implement the guest's preferences. In this exemplary embodiment, Jimi prefers a hard pillow with low light. The control 214 may communicate with the room's lights (e.g., HVAC devices 738) to dim them. In some embodiments, the control device 214 may communicate directly with the lamp 2920. In other embodiments, the control device 214 may communicate through an intermediary such as a hotel automation system (e.g., building management system 610), the network 602, and the like. The control 214 may communicate with hotel equipment (e.g., HVAC equipment 738) via any communication protocol and is not limited to those specifically enumerated.

Process 2900 continues with step 2916, where the guest arrives at the room at the time indicated by their reservation information sent to control device 214. In this exemplary embodiment, Jim arrives at room 78 at local time 6 PM. The control 214 is shown displaying one or more room settings. For example, the control 214 is shown mounted on a wall of a room and displays the current room temperature, which is a preference of 70 ° F for kilometers. The lighting 2920 may be a preferred low setting of giga meters. In some embodiments, a residential facility such as bed tilt level/mattress firmness (e.g., hotel module 750) may be adjusted. In other embodiments, fewer settings may be adjusted.

Process 2900 continues with step 2918 where the guest is met by control device 214. In some embodiments, control device 214 only visually meets the guest. For example, the control 214 may display the text "welcome to the room 12, arron". In other embodiments, the control device 214 may use sound to meet the guest. For example, the control 214 may say "welcome to the room 78, Jim". The control device 214 may meet the guest by any means. The control 214 may be customizable to use the approach that the user has selected, or an approach that is specific to the hotel, room, etc. that the user is living in. The control 214 may provide options to the user such as calling room services, accessing a foreground, concierge, etc. In some embodiments, control device 214 performs many of the functions of a lobby reception. In other embodiments, control device 214 connects the user to a lobby reception.

Referring now to fig. 30, a process 3000 is shown for communicating with the foreground in the case of a service call. In some embodiments, process 3000 is performed by voice command module 744 and/or hotel module 750. In some embodiments, the service call may be made via voice commands and/or through the user interface 702. Process 3000 begins at step 3002 in which a set of options available to the user for making a related service call are shown on control device 214. In some embodiments, the options are displayed via another medium, such as the user's mobile device (e.g., user device 612). Each option displayed may be a link. In some embodiments, the link may take the user to a page with more information about the option. In other embodiments, the link may trigger a service call to be made.

Process 3000 continues with step 3004 where the user selects an option and inputs the selection to control device 214. In some embodiments, the user may provide the input as a voice command. In other embodiments, the user may provide the selection via a user interface (e.g., user interface 702) as a button key, tactile input, gesture, or the like. Any input method may be used.

Process 3000 may continue with step 3006, where a selection is transmitted from control device 214 to the appropriate system. In some embodiments, the appropriate system is a building management system 610. For example, if the selection made is to request a new towel, the room service will be notified. In some embodiments, the room service may be notified via the building management system 610. In some embodiments, the selection made indicates other department contacts such as foreground, billing department, and the like. In some embodiments, the front desk and billing department are connected to the building management system 610.

In other embodiments, the request made may be automatically performed by the control device 214. For example, if a user requests to turn off a light when there are multiple lights in the room, the control 214 may use voice command detection (e.g., voice control module 748). The control 214 may detect which occupancy sensor (e.g., sensor 714) detected the user's voice or which sensor detected the "loudest" voice. The control 214 may use an algorithm to determine the user's location and turn off the light closest to that location.

Referring now to fig. 31, a process 3100 for utilizing a concierge feature of the control 214 is shown, in accordance with further embodiments. In some embodiments, process 3100 is performed by voice command module 744 and/or hotel module 750. Process 3100 begins at step 3102 where the user queries control 214 "how are gyms doors closed? ". The control 214 may access the requested information. In some embodiments, the information is stored remotely from the control device 214. In other embodiments, the information is stored locally on the control device 214. In still other embodiments, control 214 may search for information, call foreground, etc.

The user may request the information in any manner. In some embodiments, the user may request the information through a voice command. In other embodiments, the user may request the information through tactile input (e.g., via user interface 702), via a mobile device (e.g., user device 612), and so forth.

Process 3100 continues with step 3104 where the user control device has obtained the requested information and transmitted the information to the user. In some embodiments, the control device 214 provides information to the user through a speaker. For example, the control device 214 may say "the gym is closed at 12 am". In other embodiments, the control device 214 may transmit information through text, images, and the like. Control device 214 may present information to a user via a user interface (e.g., user interface 702), a mobile device (e.g., user device 612), and so forth.

In some embodiments, control device 214 provides information to the user in the same manner that the user requests information. For example, if the user asks a question using a voice command, the control device 214 will answer the question via a speaker. In other embodiments, control 214 may provide information to it according to user preferences. In still other embodiments, the control 214 will answer the question via a default method, which may be customizable.

Referring now to fig. 32, a process 3200 for utilizing concierge features of the control 214 is shown, according to another exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, process 3200 may be performed by hotel module 750 of control device 214 and/or voice command module 744. Process 3200 begins at step 3202, where the user queries control device 214 "what are some local restaurants? ". The control 214 may access the requested information. In some embodiments, the information is stored remotely from the control device 214. In other embodiments, the information is stored remotely on the building management system 604. In still other embodiments, control 214 may search for information on the internet (e.g., via network 602), the call front desk, and so forth.

The user may request the information in any manner. In some embodiments, the user may request the information through a voice command. In other embodiments, the user may request the information through tactile input (e.g., via user interface 702), via a mobile device (e.g., user device 612), and so forth.

Process 3200 continues with step 3204 where the user control device has obtained the requested information and transmitted the information to the user. In some embodiments, the control device 214 provides information to the user through a speaker. In other embodiments, the control device 214 may transmit information through text, images, etc., if the answer is too long or complex to answer through a speaker. For example, if the requested information is an explanation of why the sky is blue, the user control device may default to presenting the information to the user by text. Control device 214 may present the information to the user via user interface 702, user device 612, or the like.

Referring now to fig. 33, a process 3300 for requesting accommodation information from the control apparatus 214 is shown, according to some embodiments. Process 3300 begins at step 3302, where a user requests information from control device 214. In some embodiments, the user may request the information through a voice command. In other embodiments, the user may request information via tactile input through the user interface 702, gesture input, or the like. The control 214 may access the requested information. In some embodiments, the information is stored remotely from the control device 214. In other embodiments, the information is stored locally on the control device 214. In still other embodiments, the control device 214 may search for the information, call the foreground, and so on.

The user may request the information in any manner. In some embodiments, the user may request the information through a voice command. In other embodiments, the user may request the information through tactile input (e.g., user interface 702), via a mobile device (e.g., user device 612), and so forth.

Process 3300 continues with step 3304 where the user control device has obtained the requested information and transmits the information to the user. In some embodiments, the control device 214 provides information to the user through a speaker. In other embodiments, the control device 214 may transmit information through text, images, and the like. In the present exemplary embodiment, the information is presented through an interface of a companion application for controlling the device 214. The exemplary embodiment includes a room status indicator 3306. The exemplary embodiment also includes menu option 3308. The exemplary embodiment includes a message 3310 to meet the user and provide relevant information. For example, if the user leaves a hotel the day, the message 3310 may include a check-out time.

The exemplary embodiment includes an information section 3312 that provides relevant information about attractions and accommodation. In some embodiments, the attractions and accommodations are local to the hotel. In other embodiments, the user may specify a location, distance, price, and the like. The control device 214 may store information. In some embodiments, the control device 214 may access information from external sites, such as Yelp, Google Reviews, and the like.

The exemplary embodiment includes a navigation portion 3314 that provides navigation tools. In some embodiments, the tools are buttons represented by icons. In other embodiments, the tool may be a text link, a check box, or the like. The navigation portion 3314 may be customized to provide relevant options. The exemplary embodiment also includes a system indicator 3316. The exemplary embodiment further includes a page title 3318.

The process 3300 continues with step 3318 where a screen displays available accommodations at the hotel. The user may enter the selection through the control 214 by any means previously described.

The process 3300 continues to step 3320 where a screen showing a floor plan is displayed on the control 214. In some embodiments, the floor plan may display user selections, such as pools. In the present exemplary embodiment, the user selects the pool from the screen of the control device 214. The location of the pool on the floor plan is shown on the screen. In other embodiments, other information may be displayed on the control device 214, as described earlier.

Referring now to fig. 34, a process 3400 is shown for assisting a user in checkout without having to go to a front desk. Process 3400 begins at step 3402 in which control device 214 presents a checkout screen to a user. In some embodiments, the screen is presented automatically at checkout. In other embodiments, the screen may be requested by the user. The screen may include information such as room number, collateral charges, total charges, tip amount, and the like. The process 3400 may not continue without confirmation from the user that the presented information is correct and that she accepts all of the fees shown.

The process 3400 continues with step 3404 in which the control apparatus 214 thanks the user for the hotel stay with the farewell message. In some embodiments, the farewell message may be customized according to the preferences of the user. In other embodiments, the farewell message is customized for the hotel. The bye message may be delivered in any manner. In some embodiments, the farewell message is delivered via a speaker. In other embodiments, the bystander message is delivered as text, images, or the like. The farewell message may be accompanied by a receipt for the total lodging time. In some embodiments, the response piece may be printed by control device 214. In other embodiments, the response piece may be printed in the foreground and delivered to or picked up by the user. The process 3400 may be performed by the control apparatus 214 and/or the hospitality module 750.

In some embodiments, the control device 214 prompts the user to enter payment information and/or swipe a credit and/or debit card through the input device 712. This may allow the user to pay their lodging fees and/or any additional fees without having to stay in the foreground. In some embodiments, the control device facilitates a transfer of funds from a financial account associated with the user to a financial account associated with the hotel. The financial account may be held by financial institution system 3504 and control device 214 may facilitate the transfer of funds with hotel module 750 and payment module 758. In some embodiments, the user needs to swipe the card with the input device 712 at the beginning of their accommodation and simply confirm the amount and/or leave a prompt when their accommodation expires.

Payment features

Referring to fig. 35-39, in some embodiments, the control device 214 may include payment features that allow a user to make payments with various different devices using various different payment protocols. For example, the control device 214 may be installed in any location where a user may make payment directly without the involvement of a cashier or other staff, such as in a vehicle (e.g., a taxi cab), parking structure, public transportation station, hotel or retail location (e.g., a store checkout line, trade show, meeting, etc.).

Referring specifically to fig. 35, the payment module 758 is shown in detail. The payment module 758 is shown interacting with the user interface 702, the input device 712, the financial institution system 3504, and the network 602. In some embodiments, the payment module 758 may interact with the remote device 3506. Remote device 3506 can be any device that provides data related to a financial transaction. For example, remote device 3506 may be a cash register or terminal, a meter, a mobile device, or any other device capable of providing data related to financial transactions. The remote device may be directly coupled to the control device 214 and communicate directly with the control device 214 using a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, remote device 3506 is coupled to control device 486 through network 602 and communicates with control device 214 through network 602.

Referring now to FIG. 36, a block diagram of an input device 712 showing a user control device 468 is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. The input device 712 is shown to include a card reader device 3602. The card-reading device 3602 may be any device capable of receiving information from a card (e.g., a credit card, a debit card, a gift card, a commuter card, etc.).

Referring now to FIG. 37, a diagram of a control device utilizing an input device to process payment is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, the card reader device 3602 may be a magnetic stripe reader configured to receive information encoded on a magnetic stripe on a card. The information encoded on the magnetic stripe of the user's card may be read by a card reading device by inserting the card into the card reading device or swiping the card through the card reading device. In another embodiment, the card reader device 3602 may be a chip reader configured to receive information encoded on a microchip on a card. The information encoded on the microchip of the user card can be read by a card reading device by inserting the card into the card reading device 3602. In another embodiment, the card reader device 3602 may use another technique to receive information encoded on a user card. For example, the card reader 3602 may include an infrared scanning mechanism for reading information encoded in the form of a bar code on a user card.

In some embodiments, the input device 712 (e.g., a card reader, wireless reader, etc.) may be integrated into the user control device. For example, the input device 712 may be integrally formed with the display or the base. In other embodiments, the input device 712 may be coupled to a display or a base (e.g., as an after-market device, etc.). In other embodiments, input device 712 may be separate from control device 214 and may be connected to control device 214 via a wired connection or a wireless connection.

Referring now to FIG. 38, a simplified diagram of control device 214 utilizing input device 712 to process payments is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In fig. 38, the control device 214 is shown to include an input device 712 capable of receiving information from a card 3802 (e.g., credit card, debit card, gift card, commuter card, etc.) or user device 612 using a wireless protocol (e.g., ZigBee, bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, RFID, etc.) without physical interaction with the card or mobile device. In one exemplary embodiment, the user may make the payment by passing the NFC enabled device near the user control device to make the payment using a mobile payment service (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Android Pay, etc.).

Referring now to fig. 39, a process 3900 for making a payment with a user control 214 is shown, in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, process 3900 is performed by payment module 758 of control device 214. Process 3900 begins at step 3902 in which transaction data is input and communicated to control device 214. In some embodiments, the transaction data may be input directly into the control device 214 through the user interface 702. In some embodiments, transaction data is received from a remote device. For example, the transaction data may be received from a cash register, a payment terminal, a meter, a mobile device, or the like.

The process continues to step 3904 where payment data is received by the user control device 214. The payment data may be received, for example, by: swiping a card through a card reader (e.g., input device 712, card reader device 3602, etc.), inserting a card into a card reader, passing a card under a sensor (e.g., infrared sensor), or holding a card or mobile device near control device 214. The payment data may include various information such as authentication data, encryption data, decryption data, and the like.

The process continues to step 3906 where the user control device 214 communicates with the financial institution system 3504 to authorize payment. Financial institution system 3504 may be, for example, a credit card company or a banking network. The control device 214 communicates various information including payment data and transaction data to the financial institution system 3504 to authorize the payment.

Configuration of the exemplary embodiment

The construction and arrangement of the systems and methods as shown in the exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.). For example, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems, and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing the operations. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using an existing computer processor, or by a special purpose computer processor in conjunction with a suitable system for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, etc., or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.

Although the figures show the method steps in a specified order, the order of the steps may differ from that depicted. Two or more steps may also be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously. Such variations will depend on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the present disclosure. Likewise, software implementations could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps and decision steps.

Claims (20)

1. A control device for a building, the control device comprising:

processing circuitry configured to: receiving health parameters of occupants in the building space from the sensors; determining whether a health condition exists; and providing a message indicative of the health, location and identity of the occupant; and

a communication interface configured to transmit the message to a server, wherein the wellness parameter is a measured biological condition of the occupant.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the health parameter is temperature.

3. The control device of claim 1, wherein the health parameter is heart rate.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a smart wristband or a camera and the health parameter includes at least one of heart rate or body temperature.

5. The control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the camera is to provide occupancy data or temperature data to control HVAC equipment.

6. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a camera, the wellness parameter includes body temperature, and the processing circuit is configured to identify the identity of the occupant from image data captured by the camera using facial recognition.

7. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to identify an identity of the occupant from image data captured by the sensor using facial recognition, the occupant being in a space of the building, and the processing circuit is configured to provide an alert if the occupant is not authorized to be in the space.

8. The control device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to push a health message to an occupant device, wherein the health message includes at least one of a medical critical message, a medication intake reminder, and an appointment reminder.

9. The control device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the medical emergency medical distress message further comprises an indication of a location of the occupant in the building.

10. A method for operating a multi-function control for a building, the control comprising: a sensor configured to measure an environmental condition of a building space; and a communication interface configured to provide operating parameters to HVAC equipment to control the environmental condition of the building space based on measurements from the sensors, the method comprising:

remotely measuring the temperature of the occupant and providing a temperature signal;

receiving the temperature signal via the communication interface of the control device; and

when the temperature is indicated to be above a threshold, causing the communication interface to send a message to a server, the message indicating the temperature, location, and identity of the occupant.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the temperature is measured using a camera coupled to the control device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving occupancy data derived from image data from the camera via the communication interface; and

using the image data to identify the identity of the occupant.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the temperature signal is provided by a smart wristband.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the message comprises an image of the occupant.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the server comprises at least one of an emergency response operator server, a nurses' station computing system, and a hospital server, and the medical critical message comprises a description of a medical emergency associated with the occupant.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the message of the medical emergency further comprises an indication of space occupied by the occupant in the building.

17. A multi-functional control for a building, the control comprising:

one or more sensors configured to measure an environmental condition of a building space;

a camera;

a communication interface configured to:

providing at least one signal to an HVAC device to control the environmental condition of the building space based on measurements from the sensor;

communicating with the camera; and is

Receiving image data from the camera configured to monitor occupants within the building space; and

processing circuitry configured to:

determining an abnormal health condition of the occupant derived from the image data; and causing the communication interface to send a message indicating the abnormal health condition, location, and identity of the occupant.

18. The control device of claim 17, wherein the camera is an infrared camera.

19. The control device of claim 17, wherein the abnormal health condition is high temperature.

20. The control device of claim 17, wherein the processing circuit is configured to control heating or cooling of the building space using the environmental conditions and occupancy determined from the image data.

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