System for Management of an HVAC System

Described is a system for networked management of an HVAC system. The system includes an HVAC system controller and at least one vent register in communication with the HVAC system controller. Each vent register includes a transceiver and an actuator configured to alter a flow-through area of the vent register. The system also includes at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one environmental condition including: temperature, humidity, light, atmospheric pressure, differential pressure, motion, air quality, sound, airflow, or any combination thereof. The system further includes a control processor in communication with the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, and the at least one sensor. The control processor is configured to control operation of the HVAC system controller and the at least one vent register based at least partially on data received from the at least one sensor and/or the HVAC system controller.

Skip to: Description  ·  Claims  · Patent History  ·  Patent History
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/543,086 filed Aug. 9, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

Disclosed embodiments relate generally to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and in some non-limiting embodiments or aspects, to computer-networked systems and hardware to manage and operate an HVAC system in response to detected environmental conditions and user input.

Technical Considerations

Management of HVAC systems in residential, commercial, and industrial settings has been an area of significant development. Due to concerns about rising environmental and energy costs, systems have been designed to reduce the load and operating time of HVAC systems. Conventional systems typically condition an entire floor or structure, even when only a portion of the floor or structure is occupied and/or in need of conditioning. In such systems, an individual may manually close a vent in an unoccupied portion of the structure to reduce load on the HVAC system, however, vents may not be located in locations or heights that are convenient to access, and manual adjustment requires attention by building occupants. Moreover, an occupant may not be a reliable judge of the environmental conditions to know what adjustments to the vents/HVAC system should be made.

To address the inconvenience and unreliability of manually opening and closing vents, “smart vents,” i.e., microcontroller-enabled vents, have been introduced to remotely control vent adjustments. However, smart vents are difficult to install in retrofit scenarios, because smart vents require a power source and electrical wiring is typically not supplied to existing vent installations. Batteries may be provided, but the persistent connection typically required to communicate with a remote control module causes constant battery drain. Furthermore, traditional vents are typically formed of a heavy metal that corrodes, has a high coefficient of friction, and/or is prone to bending, which would require more power to open and close. For battery power sources, these complications necessitate an increase in battery storage capacity for consistent operation of opening and closing the vent, and they decrease the overall service lifetime of the vent. In view of the above, many building occupants instead choose to leave vents open and untouched, which does not allow for finer, efficient control of airflow in a building.

In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a control system to efficiently manage the operations of an HVAC system, and particularly to address the disadvantages associated with the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, and generally, provided is an improved system for networked management of an HVAC system. Preferably, provided is an HVAC system controller and at least one vent register including a transceiver and an actuator configured to alter a flow-through area of the vent register. Preferably, provided is at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one environmental condition, and a control processor configured to control operation of the HVAC system controller and the at least one vent register at least partially in response to detected conditions.

According to one non-limiting embodiment or aspect, provided is a system for networked management of an HVAC system. The system includes an HVAC system controller. The system also includes at least one vent register. Each vent register of the at least one vent register includes a transceiver and an actuator configured to alter a flow-through area of the vent register, thereby altering a rate of air flowing through the vent register. The system further includes at least one sensor. The at least one sensor is configured to monitor at least one environmental condition including at least one of the following: temperature, humidity, light, atmospheric pressure, differential pressure, motion, air quality, sound, airflow, or any combination thereof. The system further includes a control processor in communication with the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, and the at least one sensor. The control processor is configured to control operation of the HVAC system controller and the at least one vent register based at least partially on data received from the at least one sensor and/or the HVAC system controller. The at least one sensor is communicatively connected to the control processor with at least one wireless connection. The at least one sensor is further configured to intermittently transmit sensed environmental data to the control processor.

In further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the at least one sensor may be configured to establish communication with the control processor when an environmental condition of the at least one environmental condition satisfies a corresponding predetermined threshold. The at least one sensor may include a plurality of sensors and the at least one environmental condition may include a plurality of different environmental conditions. The environmental data received from the plurality of sensors may include motion data for a room or corridor associated with a sensor of the plurality of sensors. The control processor may be further configured to modify operation of the HVAC system or the at least one vent register in response to motion detected by the at least one sensor.

In further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the at least one environmental condition may include at least temperature and the predetermined threshold corresponding to temperature may be automatically determined by the control processor as a change in temperature from a target environmental temperature. The target environmental temperature may be time dependent and change at least partially based on time of day, day of week, or day of year. The at least one non-persistent, wireless connection between the at least one sensor and the control processor may be encrypted. The HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, the at least one sensor, and the control processor may be configured to communicate over at least two communication channels including a first communication channel for sensor data and a second communication channel for control data.

In further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the at least one vent register may include a rectangular vent register. The actuator of the rectangular vent register may be mechanically connected to at least one sliding aperture cover of the rectangular vent register, such that activation of the actuator causes the at least one sliding aperture cover to move to a position between an open position and a closed position, inclusively. The at least one vent register may also include a circular vent register. The actuator of the circular vent register may be mechanically connected to at least one sliding aperture cover of the circular vent register, the at least one sliding aperture cover configured to rotate about an axis perpendicular to a face of the circular vent register, such that activation of the actuator causes the at least one sliding aperture cover to move to a position between an open position and a closed position, inclusively. The control processor may be configured to control the HVAC system controller to manage fan speed and operation of a furnace or air conditioning unit of the HVAC system.

In further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, the at least one sensor, or any combination thereof may be configured to communicate with a communication device of a user. The control processor is configured to communicate with the communication device to send HVAC system status data and receive input from the user to control the HVAC system. The input from the user may include at least one of the following: a temperature threshold; a room or corridor priority level; a schedule of occupancy; an environmental preference; or any combination thereof. The control processor may be configured to receive location data from the communication device and modify operation of the HVAC system in response to the location data indicating that the communication device is returning to or leaving a building associated with the HVAC system. The control processor may be configured to determine a permissions setting of the user and modify operation of the HVAC system, in response to the input, for rooms and/or corridors that the user is authorized to manage, as determined from the permissions setting. The control processor may be programmed to identify user preferences of the user based at least partially on the input. The user preferences may include at least a temperature preference of the user for a time of day. The control processor is further configured to modify operation of the HVAC system at least partially in response to the identified user preferences. At least one of the HVAC system controller and the control processor may include a user interface for the user to indicate one or more of the user preferences.

In further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the system may include a non-transitory local memory communicatively connected to the control processor and/or the at least one sensor. The local memory may be configured to store historic environmental data from the at least one sensor. The control processor may be further configured to communicate an alert to the communication device of the user in response to determining an unexpected environmental variance based on current environmental data and the historic environmental data. The at least one vent register may include a plurality of vent registers, the at least one sensor may include a plurality of sensors, and each vent register of the plurality of vent registers may be associated with and communicatively connected to one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors, thereby forming a plurality of vent-sensor nodes corresponding to rooms and/or corridors in a building associated with the HVAC system. The HVAC system controller and the control processor may be included within a same computing device communicatively connected to a data network that is external to a building associated with the HVAC system.

Other preferred and non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the present invention will be set forth in the following numbered clauses:

Clause 1: A system for networked management of an HVAC system, the system comprising: an HVAC system controller; at least one vent register, each vent register of the at least one vent register comprising a transceiver and an actuator configured to alter a flow-through area of the vent register, thereby altering a rate of air flowing through the vent register; at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one environmental condition comprising at least one of the following: temperature, humidity, light, atmospheric pressure, differential pressure, motion, air quality, sound, airflow, or any combination thereof; and a control processor in communication with the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, and the at least one sensor, the control processor configured to control operation of the HVAC system controller, and the at least one vent register based at least partially on data received from the at least one sensor and/or the HVAC system controller, wherein the at least one sensor is communicatively connected to the control processor with at least one wireless connection, the at least one sensor being further configured to intermittently transmit sensed environmental data to the control processor.

Clause 2: The system of clause 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to establish communication with the control processor when an environmental condition of the at least one environmental condition satisfies a corresponding predetermined threshold.

Clause 3: The system of clause 1 or 2, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors and the at least one environmental condition comprises a plurality of different environmental conditions.

Clause 4: The system of any of clauses 1-3, wherein the environmental data received from the plurality of sensors comprises motion data for a room or corridor associated with a sensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the control processor is further configured to modify operation of the HVAC system or the at least one vent register in response to motion detected by the at least one sensor.

Clause 5: The system of any of clauses 1-4, wherein the at least one environmental condition comprises at least temperature and the predetermined threshold corresponding to temperature is automatically determined by the control processor as a change in temperature from a target environmental temperature.

Clause 6: The system of any of clauses 1-5, wherein the target environmental temperature is time dependent and changes at least partially based on time of day, day of week, or day of year.

Clause 7: The system of any of clauses 1-6, wherein the at least one non-persistent, wireless connection between the at least one sensor and the control processor is encrypted.

Clause 8: The system of any of clauses 1-7, wherein the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, the at least one sensor, and the control processor are configured to communicate over at least two communication channels comprising a first communication channel for sensor data and a second communication channel for control data.

Clause 9: The system of any of clauses 1-8, wherein the at least one vent register comprises a rectangular vent register, and wherein the actuator of the rectangular vent register is mechanically connected to at least one sliding aperture cover of the rectangular vent register, such that activation of the actuator causes the at least one sliding aperture cover to move to a position between an open position and a closed position, inclusively.

Clause 10: The system of any of clauses 1-9, wherein the at least one vent register comprises a circular vent register, and wherein the actuator of the circular vent register is mechanically connected to at least one sliding aperture cover of the circular vent register, the at least one sliding aperture cover configured to rotate about an axis perpendicular to a face of the circular vent register, such that activation of the actuator causes the at least one sliding aperture cover to move to a position between an open position and a closed position, inclusively.

Clause 11: The system of any of clauses 1-10, wherein the control processor is configured to control the HVAC system controller to manage fan speed and operation of a furnace or air conditioning unit of the HVAC system.

Clause 12: The system of any of clauses 1-11, wherein the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, the at least one sensor, or any combination thereof are configured to communicate with a communication device of a user, and wherein the control processor is configured to communicate with the communication device to send HVAC system status data and receive input from the user to control the HVAC system.

Clause 13: The system of any of clauses 1-12, wherein the input from the user comprises at least one of the following: a temperature threshold; a room or corridor priority level; a schedule of occupancy; an environmental preference; or any combination thereof.

Clause 14: The system of any of clauses 1-13, wherein the control processor is configured to receive location data from the communication device and modify operation of the HVAC system in response to the location data indicating that the communication device is returning to or leaving a building associated with the HVAC system.

Clause 15: The system of any of clauses 1-14, wherein the control processor is configured to determine a permissions setting of the user and modify operation of the HVAC system, in response to the input, for rooms and/or corridors that the user is authorized to manage, as determined from the permissions setting.

Clause 16: The system of any of clauses 1-15, wherein the control processor is programmed to identify user preferences of the user based at least partially on the input, the user preferences comprising at least a temperature preference of the user for a time of day, and wherein the control processor is further configured to modify operation of the HVAC system at least partially in response to the identified user preferences.

Clause 17: The system of any of clauses 1-16, wherein at least one of the HVAC system controller and the control processor comprises a user interface for the user to indicate one or more of the user preferences.

Clause 18: The system of any of clauses 1-17, further comprising a non-transitory local memory communicatively connected to the control processor and/or the at least one sensor, the local memory configured to store historic environmental data from the at least one sensor, and the control processor further configured to communicate an alert to the communication device of the user in response to determining an unexpected environmental variance based on current environmental data and the historic environmental data.

Clause 19: The system of any of clauses 1-18, wherein the at least one vent register comprises a plurality of vent registers, the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and each vent register of the plurality of vent registers is associated with and communicatively connected to one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors, thereby forming a plurality of vent-sensor nodes corresponding to rooms and/or corridors in a building associated with the HVAC system.

Clause 20: The system of any of clauses 1-19, wherein the HVAC system controller and the control processor are comprised by a same computing device communicatively connected to a data network that is external to a building associated with the HVAC system.

These and other features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structures and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description, and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and the claims, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional advantages and details of the invention are explained in greater detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one non-limiting embodiment or aspect of a system and method for networked management of an HVAC system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one non-limiting embodiment or aspect of a system and method for networked management of an HVAC system;

FIG. 3 is a process diagram of one non-limiting embodiment or aspect of a system and method for networked management of an HVAC system;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of one non-limiting embodiment or aspect of a rectangular vent register for use in a system and method for networked management of an HVAC system;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of one non-limiting embodiment or aspect of a four-slot circular vent register for use in a system and method for networked management of an HVAC system;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of one non-limiting embodiment or aspect of a six-slot circular vent register for use in a system and method for networked management of an HVAC system;

FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram of one non-limiting embodiment or aspect of a sensor module for use in a system and method for networked management of an HVAC system; and

FIG. 7B is a schematic diagram of one non-limiting embodiment or aspect of a sensor module, with battery cover separated to show the interior cavity, for use in a system and method for networked management of an HVAC system.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “lateral,” “longitudinal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as it is oriented in the drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative variations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting. Also, it should be understood that any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. For example, a range of “1 to 10” is intended to include all sub-ranges between (and including) the recited minimum value of 1 and the recited maximum value of 10, that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1 and a maximum value of equal to or less than 10.

As used herein, the terms “communication” and “communicate” refer to the receipt or transfer of one or more signals, messages, commands, or other type of data. For one unit (e.g., any device, system, or component thereof) to be in communication with another unit means that the one unit is able to directly or indirectly receive data from and/or transmit data to the other unit. This may refer to a direct or indirect connection that is wired and/or wireless in nature. Additionally, two units may be in communication with each other even though the data transmitted may be modified, processed, relayed, and/or routed between the first and second unit. For example, a first unit may be in communication with a second unit even though the first unit passively receives data and does not actively transmit data to the second unit. As another example, a first unit may be in communication with a second unit if an intermediary unit processes data from one unit and transmits processed data to the second unit. It will be appreciated that numerous other arrangements are possible.

As used herein, the term “communication device” may refer to one or more electronic devices including at least one processor configured to communicate via one or more direct and/or indirect communication channels, such as a local area communication network. As an example, a communication device may include a mobile device, such as a cellular phone (e.g., a smartphone or standard cellular phone), a portable computer (e.g., a tablet computer, a laptop computer, etc.), a wearable device (e.g., a watch, pair of glasses, lens, clothing, and/or the like), a personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or other like devices. A communication device may also include a non-mobile computing device, such as a desktop computer, a smart-home computer interface, an onboard computer of a vehicle, a voice-responsive personal computer assistant (e.g., Google Home, Amazon Alexa, etc.), and/or the like. A communication device may include one or more interfaces running computer-driven applications for user interaction, the interfaces including one or more screens, selection controls (e.g., pointers, mice, touchscreens), microphones, speakers, tactile feedback devices, indicator lights, and/or the like. For example, the communication device may have a touchscreen for displaying data and receiving user input, may receive voice commands and provide audible responses, and/or the like. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

As used herein, the term “server” may refer to or include one or more processors or computers, storage devices, or similar computer arrangements that are operated by or facilitate communication and processing for multiple parties in a network environment, such as the internet, although it will be appreciated that communication may be facilitated over one or more public or private network environments and that various other arrangements are possible. Further, multiple computers, e.g., servers, or other computerized devices, e.g., communication devices, directly or indirectly communicating in the network environment may constitute a “system,” such as a networked HVAC system. Reference to “a server” or “a processor,” as used herein, may refer to a previously-recited server and/or processor that is recited as performing a previous step or function, a different server and/or processor, and/or a combination of servers and/or processors. For example, as used in the specification and the claims, a first server and/or a first processor that is recited as performing a first step or function may refer to the same or different server and/or a processor recited as performing a second step or function.

As used herein, the term “sensor” may refer to one or more electronic devices configured to detect, evaluate, measure, compare, and/or report one or more environmental conditions including, but not limited to, temperature, humidity, light, atmospheric pressure, differential pressure, motion, air quality (e.g., PM2.5, CO, VO2, CO2, and/or the like), sound, airflow, or any combination thereof. A sensor may be associated with one or more environmental conditions, and it will be appreciated that other environmental conditions not explicitly listed above may be associated with a sensor. As used herein, the term “sensor module” may refer to a device including one or more sensors.

In non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the present invention, described systems and methods improve over prior art systems by providing for computer-networked, automatic, and modular management of HVAC systems that run at greater efficiency, independency, and precision than the prior art. Individual rooms and corridors of a building may be independently monitored by intermittently reporting sensor modules, which reduce power consumption and data network use. Networked vent registers with onboard motors may independently open and close without the need for occupant interaction. The entire building need not heat/cool as one; described systems improve over prior art by allowing for isolation, monitoring, and adjustment on an individual room/corridor basis. A number of environmental conditions may be monitored at once through distributed sensor modules, and multiple thresholds may be set or determined by the system to maintain preferred occupant conditions. The system may also be configured to interface with a data network (e.g., an Internet connection), to allow access and communication with external electronic devices, such as communication devices of users. Communication devices, e.g., mobile devices, may be used to provide system data to users, receive user input, and notify the HVAC management system of the communication device's location and identity, which may be used for triggering custom protocols and environmental settings. In view of the foregoing, greater power and cost savings can be achieved, while also providing room-by-room adjustments and customization for occupants not present in the prior art.

With reference to FIG. 1, and in non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the invention, provided is a system 100 for networked management of an HVAC system 102. As described herein, the HVAC system 102 may be a single or multi-stage system for filtering, heating, cooling, creating airflow, dehumidifying, and/or humidifying one or more rooms and/or corridors in a building (residential, commercial, industrial, or otherwise). It will be appreciated that the systems and methods described herein may be carried out for multiple HVAC systems 102. The operation of the HVAC system 102 may be controlled by an HVAC system controller 104, i.e., a circuit or computing device configured to activate, deactivate, or modify the parameters of operation of an HVAC system 102. The HVAC system controller 104 may be powered by a battery pack or a hard-wired AC connection, such as through a 24V AC/DC power adapter power supply. Non-limiting embodiments of an HVAC system controller 104 may include a processor, a local memory, and at least a communicatively connected temperature sensor for reading the ambient temperature in an area near the HVAC system controller 104, for comparison with a set target temperature. The system 100 further includes a control processor 106 that may be separate from the HVAC system controller 104, or may form a shared control device 108 (e.g., a central control computer) with the HVAC system controller 104. The control processor 106 is in communication with the HVAC system controller 104 and may be further communicatively connected to one or more vent registers 110, one or more sensor modules 112, and/or communication devices 120 and other electronic devices 122 (e.g., personal computers, smart televisions, etc.). The control processor 106 is programmed and/or configured to direct the HVAC system 102 and/or the HVAC system controller 104 based on information received from the HVAC system 102, the HVAC system controller 104, one or more sensor modules 112, communication devices 120, and/or other electronic devices 122. The control processor 106 may be an AC-powered device, having multiple wireless connections, including a network interface 116 to a data network 118 (e.g., an Internet connection). The control processor 106 may operate WPA2/Enterprise or other like security algorithms to establish connections with the network interface 116 and the network 118, including cloud services for data storage, machine-learning environmental/occupancy analysis, and HVAC system analytics. The control processor's 106 communications may utilize secure protocols, such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) for all external network communications, such as through the network interface 116. From time to time, the control processor 106 may collect and send HVAC system 102 data, including local environmental condition data from the sensors of sensor modules 112, to cloud storage. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the system 100 may include one or more vent registers 110 that are configured to alter a flow-through area of air through the register 110, to thereby alter the amount of air flowing through the register 110. Each vent register 110 may include an integrated circuit, microcontroller, computing device, and/or other processor to control operation of one or more openings in the vent register 110. The vent register 110 may further include a power source (e.g., a battery pack, such as three AA batteries, a connection to an external power source, etc.) and an actuator (e.g., an electric motor, a servo, and/or the like) to open or close one or more airflow openings (also called “apertures” herein) in the vent register 110. The airflow openings may be opened and/or closed by one or more actuators moving one or more covers (e.g., panels) to open, partially close, or close the opening(s) of the vent register 110. The covers may be rotated about an axis perpendicular to a face, translated along a face, rotated along an edge, folded, bent, and/or the like by the actuator to open, partially close, or close the vent register 110. In this manner, individual vent registers 110 may be automatically adjusted (i.e., without human physical mechanical operation) to modify the environmental conditions of a room or corridor in which they are installed. One or more vent registers 110 may be installed in one or more rooms and/or corridors of a building associated with the HVAC system 102. The vent registers 110 are pneumatically connected to the air-modifying equipment of the HVAC system 102 by ducting/air channels. The vent registers 110 may further include a transceiver to communicate with the HVAC system controller 104, the control processor 106, one or more sensor modules 112, communication devices 120, and/or other electronic devices 122. One or more vent registers 110 may be designated as associated with one or more sensor modules 112, so that combinations of vents 110 with sensors 112 may be treated as vent-sensor nodes, effectively operating as controllable and manageable nodes within a greater HVAC network that may correspond to rooms and/or corridors of a building. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, a vent register 110 may include a custom printed circuit board (PCB) with a microcontroller unit (MCU) and a wireless data network transceiver. The vent register 110 may operate in a “sleep mode” a majority of the time and intermittently awaken to transmit local sensor readings (from a sensor module 112 in close proximity to the vent register 110, and/or from sensors onboard the vent register 110) and a vent register 110 status, if applicable, and/or evaluate if the control processor 106 has control instructions to transmit. If the control processor 106 has control instructions, upon receiving an intermittent broadcast from a vent register 110, the control processor 106 may communicate those instructions over the same communication channel, or otherwise instruct the vent register 110 to connect to a separate control communication channel to receive the instructions. In another non-limiting embodiment, the control processor 106 may periodically or consistently broadcast the instructions to one or more vent registers 110, over one or more channels, without direction from a vent register 110; and the vent registers 110 may receive the instructions when awakening or “listening” for the instructions. It will be appreciated that data connections may be persistent while the sending/receiving of data may be intermittent. Control instructions may include one or more commands for the vent register 110 to actuate its vent opening(s) to fully open, fully close, or partially open/close the vent register 110. After the vent register 110 receives the control instructions and acts thereon, the vent register 110 may communicate its resulting status, monitor for further instructions, and if none, return to a sleep state. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With further reference to FIG. 1, and in specific reference to FIG. 4, in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, a vent register 110 may take one of many physical forms, including a rectangular vent register 402. FIG. 4 depicts an angled, rear-side view (relative to a room- or corridor-facing front side) of a rectangular vent register 402. The rectangular vent register 402 includes a faceplate 404 for mounting and contact with a wall, floor, or ceiling surface. Adjacent and connected to the faceplate 404 is a vent register body 406 that includes a cover surface 408 that includes a plurality of apertures 410. Individually, each aperture 410 has a flow-through area that, when uncovered, air passes through—together, the apertures 410 produce a total flow-through area of the rectangular vent register 402. It will be appreciated that the configuration of apertures 410 may vary greatly by shape, position, size, number, and flow-through area. The rectangular vent register 402 further includes one or more sliding panels 412 (also called “sliding aperture covers” herein) for covering the apertures 410 of the cover surface 408, either totally or partially. The non-limiting embodiment depicted includes one sliding panel 412 having a series of apertures corresponding to the apertures 410 of the cover surface 408 such that, when the sliding panel 412 is translated to one side (e.g., to a shorter side) of the rectangular vent register 402, the non-apertured portions of the sliding panel 412 totally or partially cover the apertures 410 of the cover surface 408 (thereby totally or partially restricting the flow of air through the rectangular vent register 402). When the sliding panel 412 is translated to another side (e.g., the opposite side) of the rectangular vent register 402, the apertures of the sliding panel 412 totally or partially align with the apertures 410 of the cover surface 408 (thereby totally or partially permitting the flow of air through the rectangular vent register 402). It will be appreciated that many configurations of cover surface 408 and sliding panel 412 are possible.

With further reference to FIG. 4, the rectangular vent register 402 includes a vent control device 413 having a vent control device housing 414 that may include an actuator (e.g., an electric motor), a wireless transceiver, a control circuit, one or more local sensors, a power source (e.g., batteries) or a connection to a power source, and a vent control housing cover 416, so as to provide access to the power source and/or other components. The vent control device 413 includes an armature 418 that is connected to the actuator on one end and the sliding panel 412 on another end, to control the opening and closing of the apertures 410 of the cover surface 408 by manipulating the sliding panel 412. The armature 418 may be moved by the actuator to partially or totally open or close the apertures 410. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With further reference to FIG. 1, and in specific reference to FIG. 5, in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, a vent register 110 may be a round vent register, such as a 4-slot round vent register 502 that is depicted (at an angled, rear-side view). A round vent register may include sectorized openings and sectorized sliding panels of various sizes and shapes. For example, a 4-slot round vent register 502 may have four approximately 45° angle sector openings 504 (also called “apertures” herein) in the faceplate 503 of the vent register 502, set alternating and separated by four approximately 45° angle sectors of solid faceplate 503. A sliding panel 506 (behind or on the faceplate 503) may include a series of four approximately 45° angle sector cover panels, approximately the same size as the corresponding openings 504, to rotate over and cover the sector openings 504. The sliding panel 506 also includes apertures corresponding to the sector openings 504, such that the apertures and openings 504 align in the vent's 502 open position. In the open position, the four sector openings 504 are unblocked, therefore providing about 50% pass-through airflow through the faceplate 503. In a half-closed position, the four sector openings 504 are partially covered by the corresponding sector cover plates of the sliding panel 506, providing about 25% pass-through airflow. When completely blocked, airflow is reduced effectively to 0%. The 4-slot round vent register 502 further includes an actuator 508 (e.g., a rotating electric motor) to rotate the sliding panel 506 into varying alignments adjacent the faceplate 503 to allow the openings 504 to be totally open, totally closed, or in between. The actuator 508 may be connected to a power source and/or a control circuit via a cable 510 (for power and/or control signal transmission). Alternatively, the power source may be housed at the location of the actuator 508, in the form of a battery, and may share a housing with a transceiver, a control circuit, and one or more local sensors, like the rectangular vent register depicted in FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

In further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the round vent register may alternatively have four 60° angle sector openings in the faceplate of the vent register, set alternating and separated by four 30° angle sectors of solid faceplate. Two stacked sliding panels (behind or on the faceplate) may each include a series of four 30° angle sector cover panels. In the open position, the four sector openings are unblocked, therefore providing about 66% pass-through airflow. In a half-closed position, one of the two stacked sliding panels may rotate into position, each sector cover panel covering half of a corresponding sector opening, reducing overall pass-through airflow to 33%. In a fully closed position, both stacked sliding panels may rotate into position, each sliding panel sector cover panel covering half of a respective sector opening, reducing overall pass-through airflow effectively to 0%. For circular vent registers, a rotating electric motor may be used. Sector cover panels may be provided with ridges or the like to lessen turbulence, reduce flow-through blockage, and enhance stability and structure of the blades (formed in the panel between the apertures). For either rectangular or circular vent registers, the aperture sizes and corresponding cover panels may assume many configurations, and multiple sets of cover panels may be employed in conjunction to vary the pass-through area of airflow through a vent's openings. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With further reference to FIG. 1, and in specific reference to FIG. 6, in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, a vent register 110 may be a round vent register, such as a 6-slot round vent register 602 that is depicted. A round vent register may include sectorized openings and sectorized sliding panels of various sizes and shapes. For example, a 6-slot round vent register 602 may have six approximately 30° angle sector openings 604 in the faceplate 603 of the vent register 602, set alternating and separated by six approximately 30° angle sectors of solid faceplate 603. A sliding panel 606 (behind or on the faceplate 603) may include a series of six approximately 30° angle sector cover panels, approximately the same size as the corresponding openings 604, to rotate over and cover the sector openings 604. The sliding panel 606 also includes apertures corresponding to the sector openings 604, such that the apertures and openings 604 align in the open position of the vent 602. In the open position, the six sector openings 604 are unblocked, therefore providing about 50% pass-through airflow through the faceplate 603. In a half-closed position, the six sector openings 604 are partially covered by the corresponding sector cover plates of the sliding panel 606, providing about 25% pass-through airflow. When completely blocked, airflow is reduced effectively to 0%. The 6-slot round vent register 602 further includes an actuator 608 (e.g., a rotating electric motor) to rotate the sliding panel 606 into varying alignments adjacent the faceplate 603, to allow the openings 604 to be totally open, totally closed, or somewhere in between. The actuator 608 may be connected to a power source and/or a control circuit via a cable 610 (for power and/or control signal transmission). Alternatively, the power source may be housed at the location of the actuator 608, in the form of a battery, and may share a housing with a transceiver, a control circuit, and one or more local sensors, like the rectangular vent register depicted in FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With further reference to FIG. 1, and in specific reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B, in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the system 100 may include one or more sensor modules 112 for sensing environmental conditions in rooms and/or corridors of a building associated with the HVAC system 102. The environmental conditions may include, but are not limited to, temperature, humidity, light, atmospheric pressure, differential pressure, motion, air quality (e.g., PM2.5, CO, VO2, CO2, and/or the like), sound, airflow, or any combination thereof. The sensor module 112 may include a sensor module body 704 having a battery cover 706 and one or more outward-facing sensors 708, such as a passive infrared motion sensor. Sensors may also be internal to the sensor body. A sensor module 112 may include a circuit, a power source (e.g., one or more batteries), a transceiver, and one or more sensors. For example, the sensor module 112 may include a printed circuit board (PCB) 714, a microcontroller unit (MCU), a transceiver (e.g., a Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi transceiver), and a battery pack (e.g., two AA batteries). The battery cover 706 may cover and conceal a cavity 710 for placing the batteries in contact with battery connectors 712. The sensor module 112 and/or its one or more sensors may be integrated with a vent register 110, may be proximal to a vent register 110, or may be installed separate and independently therefrom. The sensor module 112 may be communicatively connected to one or more vent registers 110, the control processor 106, the HVAC system controller 104, communication devices 120, and/or other electronic devices 122. One or more sensor modules 112 may be distributed through one or more rooms and/or corridors, and the sensor modules 112 may vary from one to another by number and type of sensors, and number and type of environmental conditions sensed. The software and protocols of a sensor module 112 may vary from one to another and may be updated. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the sensor modules 112 may be wirelessly coupled to the control processor 106, such as by short-wavelength radio connection (e.g., Bluetooth®), wireless local area networking (e.g., Wi-Fi), and/or the like. The wireless connection may be a non-persistent data connection and may be configured as an advertising, broadcasting, non-connection-oriented, non-persistent data connection. For example, the sensor module 112 may establish a communicative connection from time to time, such as when transmitting or receiving data. A non-persistent connection or advertising coupling may allow for energy conservation by providing for a passive, lower power observation mode where data is transmitted intermittently. Sensor modules 112 may be powered by battery or a hard-wired power source. A non-persistent connection is especially advantageous for a battery power source, to increase the lifespan of a battery charge and reduce the need to replace or recharge the battery. Alternatively, a communication connection may be persistently established, but data transmission/reception may be intermittent to reduce energy consumption.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the sensor module 112 may be programmed and/or configured to transmit at least one of the monitored environmental conditions to the control processor 106. The sensor module 112 may transmit some or all sensed environmental condition data when it determines that one or more monitored conditions satisfy (e.g., are equal to, greater than, and/or less than) a predetermined threshold value. Alternatively, the sensor module 112 may transmit some or all sensed environmental condition data, and the control processor 106 and/or the HVAC system controller 104 may determine to take one or more actions in response to determining that one or more monitored conditions satisfy a predetermined threshold value. The threshold value may be a target value (e.g., a maximum or minimum value), a differential from a previous value (e.g., a change in value from a historic value), or a differential from a target value (e.g., a difference from an optimum or predefined value). Also, more than one threshold may be used for the same evaluated metric (e.g., as an upper and lower bound). For example, the sensor module 112 may enter a “wake up” mode and transmit data of one or more environmental conditions (one, some, or all). It may do this, for example, when it detects a temperature differential from the target temperature, e.g., a rise of two degrees Fahrenheit. The control processor 106 and/or the HVAC system controller 104, in response to the values being received, may modify operation of the HVAC system 102 and/or one or more vent registers 110 to change the environmental conditions of the building and/or the rooms/corridors therein, and may do so in response to applying a machine-learning algorithm to the received values. For example, if the threshold was a rise in temperature, the HVAC system 102 may be activated to cool and/or condition the air, and one or more vent registers 110 may be opened (or opened wider) to allow the cooled air to enter the affected space proximal to the respective sensor module 112. The sensor module 112 may also transmit data when an amount of time has elapsed (e.g., 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, etc.) and may also transmit data in rapid succession (e.g., no transmission of data for a first time period, then a series of messages transmitted in succession within a much shorter second time period, e.g., 0.1 seconds). The transmission of data in rapid succession may help determine that the sensor is active and functioning while showing consistency in sensed environmental conditions. In this manner, a non-persistent connection that is used by the sensor module 112 only when variances occur, or when periodically solicited by a control processor 106, or when a set time has elapsed allows energy to be conserved. In some non-limiting embodiments, the control processor 106 may compare the sensed environmental conditions to thresholds based on the regularly received data from the sensor modules 112, and operate thereon. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the predetermined threshold for transmission of data from a sensor module 112, or for the operation of the HVAC system 102 to be modified, may be dynamic, based on time, location, other environmental conditions, user input, and/or the like. For example, a temperature difference of three degrees Fahrenheit may be acceptable during a weekday when residential occupants are not at home, or a temperature difference of three degrees Fahrenheit may be acceptable when coupled with a relatively low humidity. Further, different thresholds may be programmed and/or learned for different times of the day, days of the week, or days of the year (e.g., desired cooler temperature thresholds at night, more airflow on weekends when occupants are home, desired lower humidity thresholds for summer, etc.). Moreover, thresholds may be dynamic depending on the location of a vent register 110 or sensor module 112. For example, a vent register 110 or sensor module 112 in a low-traffic room or corridor of a building may have a larger acceptable temperature threshold than a high-traffic room or corridor. In another example, a vent register 110 or sensor module 112 proximal to a door, window, or other opening may have a greater acceptable threshold differential since the opening may introduce temperature fluctuations that can be absorbed by the remainder of the rooms/corridors. Moreover, a sensor module 112 and/or control processor 106 may have multiple thresholds for various environmental conditions. For example, a sensor module 112 may have a temperature threshold of two degrees Fahrenheit differential and a humidity threshold of a 10% humidity differential. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments, provided is example pseudocode for the data passing operations of an example sensor module 112 that transmits data in response to satisfied thresholds:

(i) first, the sensor module 112 reads a current temperature, and if the absolute value of the temperature differential exceeds a threshold (as the threshold here may be greater or less than the target), the “send” flag is set to true.

temp = getTemp( ) if abs(temp − target_temp) > temp_threshold   send_flag = true

Or, more abstractly, the same steps may be carried out for one or more environmental conditions:

condition = getCondition( ) if abs(condition − target_condition) > condition_threshold   send_flag = true if send_flag == true   sendToHub(all_data)   send_flag = false   send_time = getTime( ) else if abs(getTime( ) − send_time) > interval_threshold   sendToHub(all_data)   send_time = getTime( )

It will be appreciated that the above threshold comparisons may instead be carried out at the control processor 106 after environmental condition data is transmitted from a given sensor module 112. Instead of transmitting the data to a hub in response to satisfied thresholds, the control processor 106 may take one or more actions, such as modifying operation of the HVAC system 102, when thresholds are met. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the system 100 may further include a local memory 114 (or a plurality thereof) communicatively connected to the control processor 106 and/or one or more sensor modules 112. The local memory 114 may be programmed and/or configured to store historic environmental data from sensor modules 112. The control processor 106 may be programmed and/or configured to communicate an alert to a communication device 120 of a user in response to determining an unexpected environmental variance based on current environmental data and historic environmental data (e.g., by detecting a difference beyond a standard deviation from a calculated average, by identifying a value beyond a predetermined historic threshold, and/or the like). Unexpected environmental variances may include, but are not limited to: detected motion where none was expected, which may indicate an intruder; detected lack of motion where motion was expected, which may indicate an occupant has become incapacitated; detected temperature rise outside of normal ranges, which may indicate a fire or impending fire hazard; detected temperature drop outside of normal ranges, which may indicate an open window, open door, or open refrigerator/freezer; detected drop in air quality, which may indicate the presence of smoke, a poisonous gas, and/or the like; detected lack of light, which may indicate a broken or failing light source; detected unexpected amount of light, which may indicate a fire, an intruder, and/or the like; detected unexpected amount of sound, which may indicate a mechanical failure, distress, fire, or an intruder; and detected lack of sound, which may indicate a mechanical failure, incapacitation of an occupant, and/or the like. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the HVAC system controller 104, the control processor 106, the vent registers 110, and/or the sensor modules 112 may communicate over one or more wireless communication channels, such as Bluetooth®, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, cellular, and/or the like, which may be integrated in a network that is partially wired. Two separate wireless communication channels may be used for the components of the system 100, such as a first channel for sensor data (environmental data and status reports) and a second channel for control data (directions to modify operations of vent registers 110, the HVAC system 102, and/or the like). Another example may be using one channel to communicate between the HVAC system controller 104 and the control processor 106, and another channel to communicate between the control processor 106, vent registers 110, and sensor modules 112. One or more of the channels or segments of communication between two or more components may be encrypted (e.g., P25, DES, AES, and/or the like). For example, the wireless communication channel between a sensor module 112 and the control processor 106 may be encrypted. The system 100 components (e.g., the HVAC system controller 104, the control processor 106, the vent registers 110, and the sensor modules 112) may all share a same wireless communication network, or subsets of components may use separate wireless communication networks. When the system 100 or a sensor module 112 is initialized, the sensor module 112 may broadcast one or more identifiers (e.g., a MAC address, a unique string, a location in the building, etc.), and the control processor 106 may receive the one or more identifiers and register the sensor module 112 to the system 100, in a scanner and registration process. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the system 100 may include one or more communication devices 120 and/or other electronic devices 122 (e.g., a personal computer, a smart television, etc.) for interaction with other components in the system 100 over a communication network 118. The control processor 106, HVAC system controller 104, vent registers 110, and sensor modules 112 may utilize a network interface 116 (e.g., a router) to communicate with said communication devices 120 and other devices 122. Communication devices 120 and other electronic devices 122 may be used to receive user input, such as environmental condition thresholds, occupancy schedules (e.g., a user's calendar), environmental condition preferences (e.g., “warm,” “cold,” “dry,” “breezy,” etc.), or any combination thereof. The communication devices 120 and other electronic devices 122 may interact with other system 100 components through a user interface, such as a web application or native application, which may be used to provide HVAC system 102 data and feedback for vents, sensors, rooms, corridors, and the like, such as values/categories for one or more environmental conditions. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With reference to FIG. 2, and in non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the invention, provided is a system 100 for networked management of an HVAC system 102. Depicted is a non-limiting embodiment where the HVAC system controller 104 and the control processor 106 are separate components, but it will be appreciated that both may be comprised in a shared control device. In the simplified example building 202 shown, there are four rooms 204a, 204b, 204c, 204d. The first room 204a includes a vent register 110, a sensor module 112, a communication device 120, and an HVAC system controller 104. The second room 204b includes a vent register 110, a sensor module 112, and a control processor 106. The third room 204c includes the mechanical heating, filtering, conditioning, and/or airflow components of the HVAC system 102, and it will be appreciated that in many configurations, the cooling component of the HVAC system 102 is external to the building 202. The fourth room 204d includes a vent register 110 and a sensor module 112. It will be appreciated that each room 204a, 204b, 204c, 204d may include one or more sensor modules 112 and one or more vent registers 110, and the locations of the sensor modules 112, vent registers 110, and other system components may vary. Also depicted is a communication device 120 external to the building 202. Each sensor module 112 may monitor one or more environmental conditions in its associated room and may communicate with the HVAC system controller 104, the control processor 106, and/or one or more vent registers 110 to provide environmental feedback. For example, the sensor module 112 in the second room 204b may detect a temperature drop of three degrees Fahrenheit and communicate that change to the control processor 106. The control processor 106 may also receive the environmental data and itself detect the temperature drop. The control processor 106 may then communicate with the HVAC system controller 104 to activate the heating and fan of the HVAC system 102 (if needed), and further communicate (directly or indirectly) with the vent register 110 in the second room 204b to open (if not already open). When it has been detected (by the sensor module 112 in the second room 204b or the control processor 106 communicating therewith) that the temperature drop has abated, the control processor 106 may instruct the HVAC system controller 104 to deactivate the HVAC system 102 heating and/or fan, and/or may instruct the vent register 110 in the second room 204b to close. The control processor 106 may send vent control instructions directly to a vent register 110, or may route said instructions through a corresponding sensor module 112 that is associated with the vent register 110. It will be appreciated that many such configurations and sequences are possible.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, and in non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the invention, the communication devices 120 may communicate their location inside or outside of the building 202 to the control processor 106, either through the house network or via a data network external to the building 202 that is interfaced with the control processor 106. The location of a communication device 120 or activity in other electronic devices in the building 202 (e.g., operation of a smart refrigerator, use of an in-home, voice-activated, personal computer assistant, etc.) may be inferred to correspond to the position of an occupant, and the control processor 106 may modify operation of the HVAC system 102 and/or vent registers 110 to adjust the environment proximal to the communication device 120. Also, based on one or more identifiers provided by the communication device 120, the control processor 106 may modify the environment according to preferences of an associated user. For example, a communication device 120 may communicate its position in the first room 204a, and the communication device 120 may communicate an identifier that is associated with a first user who prefers cooler environments. The control processor 106 may then control the state of the vent register 110 in the first room 204a and the HVAC system 102 to reduce the temperature of the first room 204a. If the user provides instructions through the communication device 120 to control the HVAC system 102, the control processor 106 may determine if the user has permissions to do so for a given building or room/corridor based on the user's predetermined permission settings. By way of further example, a communication device 120 may communicate its position relative to the building 202, indicating that the communication device 120 (and therefore, an associated user) is returning to or leaving the building 202. For the scenario of a returning communication device 120, the control processor 106 may then modify operation of the HVAC system 102 and vent registers 110 in the building 202 to return its environmental conditions to preferred occupant settings (e.g., turn on the air conditioning so that an otherwise hot and humid house is comfortably cool when the owner returns). For the scenario of a leaving communication device 120, the control processor 106 may then modify operation of the HVAC system 102 and vent registers 110 in the building 202 to set operating parameters to more efficient settings (e.g., disabling fans, setting the temperature higher during warm seasons/lower during cold seasons than typically preferred during occupancy, since occupants will not be present). It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With reference to FIG. 3, and in non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the invention, provided is a registration method 300 for networked management of an HVAC system. The depicted process may be carried out by the control processor, the HVAC system controller, or both for the embodiment of a shared computing device. The registration method 300 includes connecting the control processor to a power source (e.g., battery, wired connection, etc.) and initiating a scanner process, in step 302. The scanner process is programmed and/or configured to monitor a communication channel (e.g., a wireless data network) for system component identifiers being broadcast. In step 304, one or more sensor modules, mounted/installed in their operational locations, are connected to a power source (e.g., battery, wired connection, etc.) and activated. In step 306, one or more vent registers, mounted/installed in their operational locations, are connected to a power source (e.g., battery, wired connection, etc.) and activated. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the sensor modules may be integrated with the vent registers, in which case, a single set of identifiers may be sufficient. In step 308, each sensor module broadcasts one or more identifiers, such as a MAC address, a unique string, a location, etc., to identify the sensor module. In step 310, the control processor receives the broadcast identifiers and registers each sensor module in a local memory. In step 312, each sensor module may record initial readings of one or more environmental conditions and broadcast said readings to the control processor. In step 314, the control processor may receiving the readings of environmental conditions and store the environmental conditions as a baseline for historic environmental data. In step 316, each vent register broadcasts an identifier, such as a MAC address, a unique string, a location, etc., to identify the vent register. In step 318, the control processor receives the broadcast identifiers and registers each vent register in a local memory. Thereafter, each communication to or from a sensor module and/or a vent register may be identified by one of the stored and registered identifiers. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to the foregoing figures, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, the control processor 106 may employ machine-learning algorithms (e.g., linear regression, logistic regression, decision trees, support vector machines, random forest, neural networks, etc.) to conduct learning processes to identify patterns in occupancy, environment, and operation. These machine-learning algorithms may also be generated and/or run via cloud computing, the output of which may be communicated to the control processor 106 via the network interface 116. The learning processes may be used to enrich historical environmental data, modify operation of HVAC systems, and/or provide feedback to system users. Environmental and operational data from the system 100 may be generated from a first time period to create a training dataset for one or more machine-learning algorithms, and the one or more machine-learning algorithms may be thereafter employed over a second time period. For example, the learning processes may identify patterns of occupancy using motion and time data from the sensor modules 112. These occupancy patterns may be used to identify occupancy pattern violations, e.g., the presence of an intruder, or to predict occupancy of a room/corridor to modify building environments in anticipation of occupancy. The learning processes may also identify patterns in temperature, light, and other environmental conditions. For example, temperature patterns may be used to identify temperature pattern violations, e.g., a stove left on, a window left open, etc. Furthermore, occupancy patterns and other environmental patterns may be combined to activate HVAC protocols in anticipation of occupancy. In other words, rooms may be cooled, warmed, and/or conditioned according to preferred temperatures/parameters for when occupants are anticipated to be present, rather than merely reactively adjusting protocols. More precise user/occupant location data received from communication devices also may be used to more efficiently activate HVAC protocols in anticipation of occupancy (e.g., a communication device may signal when a user is returning to a building, and HVAC systems may be operated to adjust to the user's preferred settings, in anticipation of return). Given that a building may be modularized according to vent register and sensor module nodes (i.e., pairings/combinations of vent(s) and sensor(s)), the learning processes may be made granular and specific to rooms and corridors associated with those nodes. This provides for greater efficiency and optimization on a room-by-room basis that was previously not possible. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

With continued reference to the foregoing figures, and in further non-limiting embodiments or aspects, an interface application (e.g., a web application, a native application) may be provided for a user to monitor and control the climate in each building zone (e.g., a room, a corridor, and/or a vent-sensor node). The interface application may be accessible by a communication device or other computing device. The interface application may be provided with a dashboard to allow a user (e.g., a property manager, a homeowner, a tenant, etc.) to create different user profiles and assign roles/permissions to those user profiles (for accessing and controlling each component/zone in the system), as well as change the configuration of each room, corridor, sensor, and/or vent. The communication device or other computing device may be used to communicate with any component of the system, and the communication device or other computing device may be configured to display, on a user interface, information about the system and receive input from a user to control or set thresholds, priorities, and/or preferences. The user profiles may be associated with permission settings, to provide a given user with authorization to access/control a set of sensors/vents, and/or decline authorization to access/control a set of sensors/vents. The user interface may also allow for learned preferences of users based on user feedback, such as comfort level (e.g., “too hot,” “too cold,” “too humid,” “just right,” etc.). The control processor may then compare feedback to current conditions and determine what environmental conditions are optimal for the user. For example, the control processor may receive feedback that the user is “too cold,” and note that the sensor modules closest to the user read “70° F.,” and therefore determine that the rooms/corridors that the user occupies should be above 70° F. It will be appreciated that many configurations are possible.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method, and/or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more non-transitory computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium (including, but not limited to, non-transitory computer readable storage media). A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of the described systems and methods herein, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electromagnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, radio frequency, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object-oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred and non-limiting embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.

Claims

1. A system for networked management of an HVAC system, the system comprising:

an HVAC system controller;
at least one vent register, each vent register of the at least one vent register comprising a transceiver and an actuator configured to alter a flow-through area of the vent register, thereby altering a rate of air flowing through the vent register;
at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one environmental condition comprising at least one of the following: temperature, humidity, light, atmospheric pressure, differential pressure, motion, air quality, sound, airflow, or any combination thereof; and
a control processor in communication with the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, and the at least one sensor, the control processor configured to control operation of the HVAC system controller, and the at least one vent register based at least partially on data received from the at least one sensor and/or the HVAC system controller,
wherein the at least one sensor is communicatively connected to the control processor with at least one wireless connection, the at least one sensor being further configured to intermittently transmit sensed environmental data to the control processor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to establish communication with the control processor when an environmental condition of the at least one environmental condition satisfies a corresponding predetermined threshold.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors and the at least one environmental condition comprises a plurality of different environmental conditions.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the environmental data received from the plurality of sensors comprises motion data for a room or corridor associated with a sensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the control processor is further configured to modify operation of the HVAC system or the at least one vent register in response to motion detected by the at least one sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one environmental condition comprises at least temperature and the predetermined threshold corresponding to temperature is automatically determined by the control processor as a change in temperature from a target environmental temperature.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the target environmental temperature is time dependent and changes at least partially based on time of day, day of week, or day of year.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-persistent, wireless connection between the at least one sensor and the control processor is encrypted.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, the at least one sensor, and the control processor are configured to communicate over at least two communication channels comprising a first communication channel for sensor data and a second communication channel for control data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vent register comprises a rectangular vent register, and wherein the actuator of the rectangular vent register is mechanically connected to at least one sliding aperture cover of the rectangular vent register, such that activation of the actuator causes the at least one sliding aperture cover to move to a position between an open position and a closed position, inclusively.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vent register comprises a circular vent register, and wherein the actuator of the circular vent register is mechanically connected to at least one sliding aperture cover of the circular vent register, the at least one sliding aperture cover configured to rotate about an axis perpendicular to a face of the circular vent register, such that activation of the actuator causes the at least one sliding aperture cover to move to a position between an open position and a closed position, inclusively.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the control processor is configured to control the HVAC system controller to manage fan speed and operation of a furnace or air conditioning unit of the HVAC system.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller, the at least one vent register, the at least one sensor, or any combination thereof are configured to communicate with a communication device of a user, and wherein the control processor is configured to communicate with the communication device to send HVAC system status data and receive input from the user to control the HVAC system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the input from the user comprises at least one of the following: a temperature threshold; a room or corridor priority level; a schedule of occupancy; an environmental preference; or any combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the control processor is configured to receive location data from the communication device and modify operation of the HVAC system in response to the location data indicating that the communication device is returning to or leaving a building associated with the HVAC system.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the control processor is configured to determine a permissions setting of the user and modify operation of the HVAC system, in response to the input, for rooms and/or corridors that the user is authorized to manage, as determined from the permissions setting.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the control processor is programmed to identify user preferences of the user based at least partially on the input, the user preferences comprising at least a temperature preference of the user for a time of day, and wherein the control processor is further configured to modify operation of the HVAC system at least partially in response to the identified user preferences.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the HVAC system controller and the control processor comprises a user interface for the user to indicate one or more of the user preferences.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a non-transitory local memory communicatively connected to the control processor and/or the at least one sensor, the local memory configured to store historic environmental data from the at least one sensor, and the control processor further configured to communicate an alert to the communication device of the user in response to determining an unexpected environmental variance based on current environmental data and the historic environmental data.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vent register comprises a plurality of vent registers, the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and each vent register of the plurality of vent registers is associated with and communicatively connected to one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors, thereby forming a plurality of vent-sensor nodes corresponding to rooms and/or corridors in a building associated with the HVAC system.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller and the control processor are comprised by a same computing device communicatively connected to a data network that is external to a building associated with the HVAC system.

Patent History
Publication number: 20190107307
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 9, 2018
Publication Date: Apr 11, 2019
Inventors: Jacob Kring (Owings Mills, MD), Daniel Mosse (Pittsburgh, PA), Brendan Quay (Pittsburgh, PA)
Application Number: 16/059,635
Classifications
International Classification: F24F 11/56 (20060101); F24F 13/08 (20060101); F24F 11/76 (20060101);