A frequency response optimization system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power, a power inverter configured to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery at each of a plurality of time steps during a frequency response period, and a frequency response controller. The frequency response controller is configured to receive a regulation signal from an incentive provider, determine statistics of the regulation signal, use the statistics of the regulation signal to generate an optimal frequency response midpoint that achieves a desired change in a state-of-charge (SOC) of the battery while participating in a frequency response program, and use the midpoints to determine optimal battery power setpoints for the power inverter. The power inverter is configured to use the optimal battery power setpoints to control the amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery.

A thermostat includes a front housing, a rear housing interoperably coupled to the front housing, at least one sensor integrated with the front housing, a display integrated with the front housing, and processing circuitry interoperably coupled to the at least one sensor and the display. The display is a touch-screen display and is configured to demonstrate a user-interface screen. The user-interface screen comprises a horseshoe-shaped temperature scale, a heat set-point control, and a cool set-point control. The heat set-point control and the cool set-point control are positioned on the horseshoe-shaped temperature scale. The horseshoe-shaped temperature scale can be adjusted by dragging at least one of the heat set-point control and the cool set-point control along circumferential edges of the horseshoe-shaped temperature scale.

Computer-implemented systems and methods for estimating a replacement status of an HVAC air filter. Outdoor weather data (e.g., outdoor temperature information), is obtained. A Total Runtime Value of the HVAC system is determined based upon the obtained outdoor weather data. Finally, a replacement status of the air filter is estimated as a function of a comparison of the Total Runtime Value with a Baseline Value. By correlating air filter replacement status with an estimated runtime of the HVAC system, a credible predictor of air filter usage is provided. By estimating fan runtime based on easily-obtained outdoor weather data, the methods are readily implemented with any existing HVAC system and do not require installation of sensors or other mechanical or electrical components to the HVAC system.

Systems and methods for orchestrating the operation of energy-consuming loads, so as to minimize power consumption, are described. In some embodiments, the loads can be HVAC, refrigeration systems, air compressors, and the like, and orchestration is effected either directly or by means of the loads' respective controllers. In some aspects, the controllers can be Smart Thermostats and orchestration is effected through a Cloud-based orchestration platform or COP. In certain aspects, a COP uses specifically programmed application programming interfaces, or APIs, to control the operation of a single manufacturer's Smart Thermostats, where the manufacturer provides its own Cloud-based control platform, through which the COP operates. The COP can similarly orchestrate the operation of two or more manufacturers' Smart Thermostats through their respective Cloud-based control platforms. By these and other means, the operation of a variety of energy-consuming loads can be more easily and efficiently orchestrated.

Disclosed is a system, method, and computer program product that employs high dynamic range (HDR) image processing and manipulation algorithms for capturing and measuring real-time sky conditions for processing into control input signals to a building's automated fenestration (AF) system, daylight harvesting (DH) system and HVAC system. The photometer comprises a color camera and a fitted fish-eye lens to capture 360-degree, hemispherical, low dynamic range (LDR) color images of the sky. Both camera and lens are housed in a sealed enclosure protecting them from environmental elements and conditions. In some embodiments the camera and processes are controlled and implemented by a back-end computer.

Embodiments of the invention comprise systems and methods for using the geographic location of networked consumer electronics devices as indications of occupancy of a structure for purposes of automatically adjusting the temperature setpoint on a thermostatic HVAC control. At least one thermostat is located inside a structure and is used to control an HVAC system in the structure. At least one mobile electronic device is used to indicate the state of occupancy of the structure. The state of occupancy is used to alter the setpoint on the thermostatic HVAC control to reduce unneeded conditioning of unoccupied spaces.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for performing thermal modeling. In one aspect, a method includes receiving monitoring data comprising temperature data measured inside a site, mode data, and state data, receiving weather data descriptive of weather at the site, and aligning the received temperature data, mode data, and state data with the received weather data. The method also includes determining an internal heat gain representing an amount of heat generated at the site irrespective of the heating or cooling system, determining at least one of a thermal product for the site or a thermal potential for the heating or cooling system, generating, based on the internal gain and the thermal product or the thermal potential, a thermal model for the site, and providing, as output, the generated thermal model.

Heating and cooling systems at various geographical locations are controlled by a central energy management service unit to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. In some weather conditions, people may intuitively prefer a slightly warmer or cooler indoor temperature. In systems equipped with environmental learning capabilities, an apparent outdoor temperature is determined based on the geographic location itself, the season at the geographic location, the forecasted actual temperature, and one or more seasonal weather factors such as wind velocity or humidity. The apparent temperature and a trained machine learning system are used to select an automated schedule for the geographic location to be directly transmitted to devices at the location. The automated schedule can vary from typical schedules by causing the heating and cooling systems to maintain a temperature that is slightly warmer or cooler than typical indoor temperatures.

A load management system including a number of sensors structured to sense characteristics of a managed area, a controller including a processor structured to estimate occupancy of the managed area based on outputs of the number of sensors and to implement a load management scheme, a number of circuit breakers, at least one of the number of circuit breakers being electrically connected to a corresponding load circuit and including a metering circuit structured to meter energy provided to the load circuit and a device control unit structured to control one or more load devices electrically connected to the load circuit based on the load management scheme. The processor is structured to implement the load management scheme based on outputs of the sensors and metering information of one or more of the circuit breakers.

A system including at least one computerized device with voice command capability processed remotely includes a low power processor, executing a loose algorithmic model to recognize a wake word prefix in a voice command, the loose model having a low false rejection rate but suffering a high false acceptance rate, and a second processor which can operate in at least a low power/low clock rate mode and a high power/high clock rate mode. When the first processor determines the presence of the wake word, it causes the second processor to switch to the high power/high clock rate mode and to execute a tight algorithmic model to verify the presence of the wake word. By using the two processors in this manner, the average overall power required by the computerized device is reduced, as is the amount of waste heat generated by the system.