Patents by Inventor Brian D. Rigg

Brian D. Rigg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10559045
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space. The thermostat includes a communications interface and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to engage in bidirectional communications with heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and to receive an indication of a current heating or cooling load from the HVAC equipment. The processing circuit is configured to determine an occupancy of the building space based on the indication of the current heating or cooling load received from the HVAC equipment. The processing circuit is further configured to operate the HVAC equipment based on the determined occupancy of the building space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Tom R. Tasker, Tyler McCune, John W. Uerkvitz, Shaun B. Atchison, Daniel S. Middleton, Aneek Muhammad Noor, William P. Alberth, Jr., Joseph R. Ribbich
  • Publication number: 20200025408
    Abstract: A climate management system includes a conditioning unit having a reversible fan and an enclosure. The enclosure separates an inner space of the enclosure from an external environment while allowing air flow therethrough. The reversible fan is configured to be turned by a fan motor in a first circumferential direction to pull air from the external environment into the inner space of the enclosure. The climate management system includes a monitoring system configured to monitor operational characteristics of the climate management system, and to communicate data feedback corresponding to the operational characteristics. The climate management system includes a controller configured to instruct, based on analysis of the data feedback, the fan motor to turn in a second circumferential direction opposite to the first circumferential direction to push air from the inner space into the external environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Cody J. Kaiser, Shawn A. Hern, Andy M. Boyd, Brian D. Rigg, Tom R. Tasker, Noel A. Grajeda-Trevizo
  • Patent number: 10510127
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space includes a communications interface, an electronic display, and a processing circuit. The communications interface is configured to receive service provider information via a network connection. The electronic display includes a user interface configured to display the service provider information. The processing circuit is configured to determine when to display the service provider information on the electronic display by monitoring thermostat events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Tom R. Tasker, Tyler McCune, John W. Uerkvitz, Shaun B. Atchison, Daniel S. Middleton, Aneek Muhammad Noor, William P. Alberth, Jr., Joseph R. Ribbich
  • Publication number: 20190376723
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to present disclosure relates to a heating and cooling system having a duct liner configured to be disposed within an air duct and at least partially downstream of a heat exchanger coil relative to a direction of airflow within the air duct. The duct liner includes a tube and is configured to flow fluid from the heat exchanger coil toward a drain of the heating and cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Brian D. Rigg, Bennie D. Hoyt, Tyler P. McCune
  • Publication number: 20190353368
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having a control system suitable to control operation of a device in the HVAC system. The control system may include a zone control panel that may control operation of the device using power-line communication. Accordingly, the zone control panel and the device may be both communicatively and electrically coupled via one or more power lines. To that end, the zone control panel may determine a primary address identifying the device and/or a secondary address indicating the one or more power lines electrically coupled to the device. Further, the zone control panel may communicate with and/or coordinate operation of the device by transmitting data messages to the device via the one or more power lines based on the primary address and/or the secondary address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Theresa N. Gillette, Tyler P. McCune, Jonathan A. Burns, Brian D. Rigg, Shawn A. Hern, Tom R. Tasker, Andrew M. Boyd, Cody J. Kaiser, Noel A. Grajeda-Trevizo
  • Publication number: 20190353372
    Abstract: A control system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes control circuitry having a storage device and a microcontroller. The storage device is configured to store faults. The microcontroller is configured to monitor for a condition of the HVAC system associated with a fault, store a fault in the storage device when the condition is detected, identify whether a duration of time that the fault has been stored in the storage device exceeds a threshold time period, and clear the fault from the storage device when the duration exceeds the threshold time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Brian D. Rigg, Shaun B. Atchison
  • Publication number: 20190353376
    Abstract: The present disclosure presents techniques for improving operational efficiency of climate control systems. A climate control system may include climate control equipment, a sensor that measures temperature in a building, and a control system that controls operation of the equipment using a first temperature schedule, which associates each time step with a temperature setpoint, when the building is occupied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Brian D. Rigg, Shawn A. Hern, Cody J. Kaiser, Noel A. Grajeda-Trevizo, Tom R. Tasker, Andrew M. Boyd
  • Publication number: 20190353382
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having a control system suitable to control operation of a device in the HVAC system. The control system may include a zone control panel that may maintain an instance of each schedule used by one or more devices in the HVAC system to operate. Further, the zone control panel may include a set of one or more status flags, which may each indicate whether data associated with a respective flag is available to be retrieved. Accordingly, the zone control panel may communicate information, such as an update to a schedule, rapidly between devices in the HVAC system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Shaun B. Atchison, Brian D. Rigg
  • Publication number: 20190353370
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes techniques that enable a conditioned air system to automatically restore functionality and/or to operate at reduced functionality when a fault is detected, for example, to facilitate reducing likelihood that continuing operation with the fault present will decrease lifespan of the conditioned air system. To facilitate improving operation of the conditioned air system when a fault is present, the control system of the conditioned air system may utilize substitute sensor data and/or adjust its control algorithm. In this manner, the control system may facilitate improving operational reliability and/or availability of the conditioned air system, for example, by adaptively adjusting its operation to enable the conditioned air system to continue operating even when a fault is present, while reducing likelihood that the continued operation will reduce lifespan of the conditioned air system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Shawn A. Hern, Brian D. Rigg, Tom R. Tasker, Cody J. Kaiser, Andrew M. Boyd, Noel Grajeda-Trevizo
  • Publication number: 20190323823
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and methods for determining dimensions, shapes, and locations of rooms of a building using a mobile device for controlling heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) provided to the rooms and building. A measuring device receives a shape of a room in the building and determines a dimension set of the room based on the shape of the room. The measuring device transmits the shape of the room and the dimension set to a mobile device that determines a layout of the building based on the shapes and the dimension sets corresponding to the rooms of the building. In this manner, the systems and methods provide the layout of the building more efficiently, resulting in an improved HVAC system installation and operation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Shaun B. Atchison, Jedidiah O. Bentz, John W. Uerkvitz, Aneek M. Noor, Drew H. Carlton, Andrew M. Boyd, Brian D. Rigg, Shawn A. Hern, Noel A. Grajeda-Trevizo, Cody J. Kaiser, Tom R. Tasker
  • Publication number: 20190310831
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system may include a HVAC unit that may control air flow, a first control system that may directly control operation of equipment in the HVAC unit, and a second control system communicatively coupled to the first control system. The second control system may be located in a different zone of a building as compared to the first control system, such that the second control system may receive a request to adjust the air flow output by the HVAC unit and send a command to the first control system based on the request. The command may cause the first control system to adjust the operation of the equipment in the HVAC unit to cause the air flow output by the HVAC unit to be adjusted according to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Theresa N. Gillette, Tyler P. McCune, Jonathan A. Burns, Shaun B. Atchison, Shawn A. Hern, Brian D. Rigg, John W. Uerkvitz
  • Patent number: 10410300
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building space includes a network communication module and a processing circuit. The network communication module is communicatively coupled to at least one of one or more social media servers and one or more calendar servers. The processing circuit is configured to receive at least one of social media activity, social media events, and calendar events associated with a user via the network communication module. The processing circuit is further configured to determine an expected occupancy of the building based on at least one of the social media events and the calendar events. The processing circuit is further configured to adjust a setpoint of the thermostat based on at least one of the expected occupancy and the social media activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Tom R. Tasker, Tyler McCune, John W. Uerkvitz, Shaun B. Atchison, Daniel S. Middleton, Aneek Muhammad Noor
  • Publication number: 20190265662
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a control system of the HVAC system, a user device configured to be communicatively coupled to the control system and receive feedback indicative of a lock out event of the HVAC system, where the lock out event is configured to effectuate at least a partial shutdown of the HVAC system, and a dealer device configured to receive authorization from the user device to remotely clear the lock out event of the HVAC system, where the dealer device is configured to remotely clear the lock out event upon receiving the authorization from the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Shaun B. Atchison, Brian D. Rigg
  • Publication number: 20190145649
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a control board including a switchable input/output port. The switchable I/O port may provide a switchable communication bus capable of selectively supporting one of multiple different communication protocols and may provide a switchable power bus capable of selectively conducting electrical power from one of multiple different power supplies. As such, the control board may communicatively and/or electrically couple to a wide range of devices. To that end, the control board may support the dynamic interchange and reconfiguration of devices coupled to the control board, allowing a control system including the control board greater operational flexibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Shaun B. Atchison, Brian D. Rigg
  • Publication number: 20180267701
    Abstract: A building controller for a building includes a user interface device configured to display output to a user and receive input from the user and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive, via the user interface device, a custom user interface created by a user via the user interface device, the custom user interface defining a home screen for the building controller customized with user preferred interface elements, cause the user interface device to display the custom user interface, and operate one or more pieces of building equipment to control an environmental condition of the building.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, John W. Uerkvitz, Jonathan A. Burns
  • Patent number: 10047967
    Abstract: A thermostat includes a memory configured to store operating conditions for previously run conditioning events. The thermostat further includes a controller configured to receive first temperature data from a first temperature sensor indicative of a current indoor ambient temperature inside; receive second temperature data from a second temperature sensor indicative of a current outdoor ambient temperature outside; receive a temperature setpoint for a desired indoor ambient temperature of the building; determine a severity of a call for conditioning based on at least one of the current indoor ambient temperature, the current outdoor ambient temperature, and the temperature setpoint; and operate the multi-stage HVAC system in one of the plurality of stages for a current conditioning event based on the severity of the call for conditioning and the operating conditions for a similar previously run conditioning event to drive the current indoor ambient temperature towards the temperature setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Tyler McCune, Shaun B. Atchison
  • Publication number: 20180209703
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes, an electronic expansion valve (EEV), and a controller in communication with the EEV. The controller is configured to determine a minimum EEV setpoint position value based on a comparison of a superheat error value to a setpoint error threshold. The controller is further configured to determine a maximum EEV setpoint position value based on a comparison of a second superheat error value to a second setpoint error threshold. The controller is further configured to calculate an average setpoint value based on the maximum EEV setpoint position value and the minimum EEV setpoint position value. The controller is further configured to configure the EEV to a position corresponding to the average setpoint value and operate the EEV for a predetermined amount of time. The controller is further configured to operate the EEV according to a PID algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: SHAWN A. HERN, BRIAN D. RIGG, TOM R. TASKER, Elton D. Ray
  • Publication number: 20180031288
    Abstract: Systems and methods to control an electronic expansion valve (EEV) of a vapor compression system are described. A heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes control circuitry having a sensor. The control circuitry sets a control setpoint of a vapor compression system such that an electronic expansion valve operates across a first operating range. The control circuitry receives a signal from the sensor indicative of an operating condition of the vapor compression system. The control circuitry adjusts the control setpoint based at least in part on the operating condition. The control circuitry controls operation of the electronic expansion valve based at least in part on the adjusted control setpoint, wherein the electronic expansion valve operates across a second operating range, different from the first operating range, at the adjusted control setpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Shawn A. Hern, Brian D. Rigg, Jeffrey N. Nichols, Robert L. Eskew
  • Publication number: 20180032969
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a controller associated with a residence. The controller is configured to determine an expected value range for an operating parameter of a component of the HVAC system. Additionally, the controller is configured to receive a signal from a sensor indicative of a current value of the operating parameter of the component and determine if the current value of the operating parameter is outside the expected value range. Based on the determination that the current value is outside the expected value range, the controller is additionally configured to initiate a diagnostic mode of the controller. In the diagnostic mode, the controller is configured to collect diagnostic data associated with the HVAC system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Theresa Thy N. Gillette, Jedidiah O. Bentz, Brian D. Rigg, Shawn A. Hern, Tom R. Tasker, Shaun B. Atchison, Tyler P. McCune, Aneek M. Noor, John W. Uerkvitz
  • Publication number: 20180031267
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes an outdoor unit having a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a coil configured to route refrigerant therethrough. The HVAC system also includes a motor configured to drive a fan, a motor controller configured to regulate operation of the motor, and a global controller configured to regulate operation of global aspects of the HVAC system. The HVAC system also includes a power sensor configured to detect a power parameter relating to a power input to the motor controller, a power output from the motor controller, or a power input to the motor, wherein the global controller is configured to receive data indicative of the power parameter from the power sensor, and wherein the global controller is configured to analyze the data indicative of the power parameter to detect a frozen coil condition, a fouled coil condition, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Shawn A. Hern, Brian D. Rigg, Theresa N. Gillette, Jedidiah O. Bentz, Shaun B. Atchison, Tyler McCune, Aneek M. Noor, Tom R. Tasker