Proximity control using bluetooth connection

Abstract

A system includes a Bluetooth wireless network configured to enable altering an operating condition of a network device to manage energy use at a site. The system also includes a controller configured to detect a mobile device establishing or losing a wireless connection with the Bluetooth enabled wireless network, and then alter an operating condition at the site in response to detecting the mobile device establishing the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection and alter an operating condition at the site in response to detecting the mobile device losing the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. A method includes detecting a mobile device establishing or losing a wireless connection with a Bluetooth enabled wireless network, and then altering an operating condition of a site in response to detecting the mobile device establishing the wireless connection and altering an operating condition of the site in response to detecting the mobile device losing the wireless connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a Bluetooth wireless network configured to enable altering an operating condition of a network device to manage energy use at a site;   a controller configured to:   detect a mobile device establishing or losing a wireless connection with said Bluetooth enabled wireless network;   alter an operating condition at the site in response to detecting the mobile device establishing said Bluetooth enabled wireless connection; and   alter an operating condition at the site in response to detecting the mobile device losing said Bluetooth enabled wireless connection.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 wherein said controller is configured to: 
 enable an away mode in response to detecting the mobile device losing said Bluetooth enabled wireless connection; and 
 disable said away mode in response to detecting the mobile device establishing said Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to receive a control setting during said away mode using a second network that is not said Bluetooth enabled wireless network to alter the operating condition in response to the mobile device being disposed away from the site. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to communicate an operating condition of the site to a server operably associated with the site. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to enable a first user schedule associated with the site in response to detecting the mobile device establishing said Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to enable a second user schedule in response to detecting the mobile device losing said Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to communicate with a second mobile device operably linked to the second user schedule; 
 said controller being configured to enable use of the second user schedule in response to detecting the second mobile device establishing said Bluetooth enabled wireless connection; and 
 said controller being configured to disable use of the second user schedule in response to detecting the second mobile device losing said Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said controller is disposed on the mobile device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said controller comprises one or more of a set top box, a DSL gateway, a cable system gateway, and a fiber optic gateway. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said controller is disposed on a network device disposed at the site. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising one or more of: a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart phone, a cellular or mobile phone a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server or storage device, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, a wireless router. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first user schedule operably associated with a first mobile device, 
 a second user schedule operably associated with a second mobile device, and 
 said controller being configured to: 
 detect the first mobile device and the second mobile device establishing or losing a wireless connection to said Bluetooth enabled wireless network; and 
 determine whether to alter the operating condition based on the status of the wireless connections of the first and second mobile devices. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to enable the first user schedule in response to detecting the first mobile device establishing a Bluetooth enabled wireless connection in the absence of the second mobile device establishing a Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to enable the second user schedule in response to detecting the first mobile device losing the wireless connection and the second mobile device establishing and maintaining the wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to enable the second user schedule in response to detecting the second mobile device establishing a wireless connection in the absence of the first mobile device establishing a wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 said controller being configured to enable the first user schedule in response to detecting the second mobile device losing the wireless connection and the first mobile device establishing and maintaining the wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 detecting a mobile device establishing or losing a wireless connection with a Bluetooth enabled wireless network;   altering an operating condition of a site in response to detecting the mobile device establishing the wireless connection; and   altering an operating condition of the site in response to detecting the mobile device losing the wireless connection.   
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising:
 enabling an away mode of a network device disposed at the site in response to detecting the mobile device losing the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection; and   disabling an away mode of the network device in response to detecting the mobile device establishing the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection.   
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 detecting a location change of the mobile device during the away mode; and   altering the operating condition of the network device in response to the mobile device being disposed away from the site.   
     
     
         20 . The method as set forth in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 detecting a temperature setting of a network device at the site; and   initiating a communication of the temperature setting to the mobile device using the Bluetooth enabled wireless network.   
     
     
         21 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising:
 initiating use of a first user schedule in response to detecting the mobile device establishing the wireless connection.   
     
     
         22 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 initiating use of a second user schedule in response to detecting the mobile device losing the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection.   
     
     
         23 . The method as set forth in  claim 17  further comprising:
 detecting a second mobile device establishing or losing a wireless connection with the Bluetooth enabled wireless network; and 
 determining when to alter the operating condition based on the status of the Bluetooth enabled wireless connections of the first and second mobile devices. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method as set forth in  claim 23  further comprising:
 enabling a first schedule associated with the first mobile device in response to detecting the first mobile device establishing a wireless connection in the absence of the second mobile device establishing a Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         25 . The method as set forth in  claim 24  further comprising:
 enabling a second schedule associated with the second mobile device in response to detecting the first mobile device losing the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection and the second mobile device establishing and maintaining the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection. 
 
     
     
         26 . The method as set forth in  claim 18  further comprising the network device including one or more of: a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart phone, a cellular or mobile phone a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server or storage device, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, a wireless router. 
     
     
         27 . A system comprising:
 a network device capable of communicating using a Bluetooth enabled wireless network at a site;   an application capable of being used on a mobile device, which is operably associated with the network device and the Bluetooth enabled wireless network, wherein the application is configured to:   detect a wireless connection to the Bluetooth enabled wireless network at the site;   initiate communicating data using the Bluetooth enabled wireless connection;   detect the Bluetooth enabled wireless network not being available; and   initiate communicating data using a second network.   
     
     
         28 . The system as set forth in  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a thermostat operably coupled to the network device;   the application capable of communicating a temperature set point using the Bluetooth enabled wireless network; and   the application capable of receiving operating condition data using the second network.   
     
     
         29 . The system as set forth in  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a smart energy device located at the site and capable of communicating using the Bluetooth enabled wireless network; and   the application configured to initiate altering an operating condition of the smart energy device using the second network.   
     
     
         30 . The system as set forth in  claim 27  wherein the network device includes one or more of: a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart phone, a cellular or mobile phone a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server or storage device, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, a wireless router.