HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM CONTROL LEVERAGING FUTURE WEATHER
A method for monitoring and controlling an environment of an indoor space within a building includes obtaining a future weather data for an area where the building is located, the building including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to control the environment within the indoor space; receiving at least one of a current temperature and a current humidity within the indoor space; receiving at least one of a temperature range and a humidity range for the indoor space; determining an operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range; and controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/338,188 filed May 4, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDThe embodiments herein generally relate to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and more specifically, to method and apparatus for increasing the effectiveness of the HVAC system using weather data.
Conventional HVAC systems are not well equipped to handle changes in external weather conditions and only react after the change has occurred. More efficient solutions are greatly desired.
BRIEF SUMMARYAccording to one embodiment, a method for monitoring and controlling an environment of an indoor space within a building includes obtaining a future weather data for an area where the building is located, the building including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to control the environment within the indoor space; receiving at least one of a current temperature and a current humidity within the indoor space; receiving at least one of a temperature range and a humidity range for the indoor space; determining an operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range; and controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the obtaining the future weather data for the area where the building is located further includes querying an online weather database to obtain the future weather data.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the receiving the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space further includes receiving a manual input on a computing device from an individual using a computer application to enter the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes adjusting a blower of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes adjusting an external outlet vent fan or an external inlet vent fan of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes at least one of turning on and off the HVAC system and controlling a flow of refrigerant in the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include receiving current indoor air quality within the indoor space; receiving a desired indoor air quality for the indoor space; determining the operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the desired indoor air quality; and controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
According to another embodiment, an environmental monitoring and control system for monitoring and controlling an environment of an internal space, the environmental monitoring and control system includes a processor; and a memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations including obtaining a future weather data for an area where a building is located, the building including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to control the environment within an indoor space within the building; receiving at least one of a current temperature and a current humidity within the indoor space; receiving at least one of a temperature range and a humidity range for the indoor space; determining an operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range; and controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the obtaining the future weather data for the area where the building is located further includes querying an online weather database to obtain the future weather data.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the receiving the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space further includes receiving a manual input on a computing device from an individual using a computer application to enter the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes adjusting a blower of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes adjusting an external outlet vent fan or an external inlet vent fan of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes at least one of turning on and off the HVAC system and controlling a flow of refrigerant in the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
According to another embodiment, a computer program product tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including obtaining a future weather data for an area where a building is located, the building including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to control an environment within an indoor space within the building; receiving at least one of a current temperature and a current humidity within the indoor space; receiving at least one of a temperature range and a humidity range for the indoor space; determining an operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the at least one of the temperature range or the humidity range; and controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the obtaining the future weather data for the area where the building is located further includes querying an online weather database to obtain the future weather data.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the receiving the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space further includes receiving a manual input on a computing device from an individual using a computer application to enter the at least one of the temperature range or the humidity range for the indoor space.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes adjusting a blower of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes adjusting an external outlet vent fan or an external inlet vent fan of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further includes at least one of turning on and off the HVAC system and controlling a flow of refrigerant in the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
Technical effects of embodiments of the present disclosure include adjusting the performance of an HVAC system based on future weather data.
The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description and drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and non-limiting.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Traditional controls of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system decides on/off action of components (e.g., furnace, air conditioner, heat pump, etc.) and fan speed based on current sensor readings of indoor temperature and humidity versus their set points. With increased weather prediction capability available through internet connectivity, the HVAC system usage may be better planned for increased efficiency.
The efficiency of the HVAC system may be improved by factoring in future weather predictions in control and at the same time improve indoor air quality due to venting. Embodiments disclosed herein focus on leveraging future weather predictions.
In order to leverage future weather prediction, the controller of the HVAC system employed herein may have control over all available HVAC related actuators in the HVAC system including HVAC ventilator, if installed. If the ventilator cannot be commanded by the HVAC controller, the ventilator's control logic may need to be considered for the HVAC controller design to appropriately chart out future control action plan.
The homeowner may set an acceptable indoor temperature range and a humidity target. Heat could be pumped in or out at the most efficient (cost-effective if utility rate trajectory is available) heat exchange opportunities, determined by the set point range trajectory, the utility rate trajectory, and the trajectory of difference between outdoor temperature and estimated indoor temperature. Whenever this temperature difference is sufficiently favorable (negative for cooling, positive for heating), the ventilator may be used for heating or cooling at a very low cost, if one is installed. This would further help improve efficiency. Traditional Model Predictive Control (MPC) architecture may be appropriate for this task and could be improved with Reinforcement Learning (RL).
Referring now to
A controller 330, such as a microprocessor control controls the dampers 34, the temperature changing component 22 (e.g., the outdoor unit 27 and the indoor unit 29), the indoor air handler 24, and also communicates with a thermostat 130 associated with each of the zones 210, 220, 230, 240. It should be appreciated that, in certain instances, these thermostats 130 may replace the typical temperature/humidity inputs and setpoints provided by multiple smart sensors (e.g., one or more temperature sensor and/or humidity sensor) that may be positioned within each zone.
The controller 330 may be an electronic controller, as discussed further herein, including a processor and an associated memory comprising computer-executable instructions (i.e., computer program product) that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The processor may be, but is not limited to, a single-processor or multi-processor system of any of a wide array of possible architectures, including field programmable gate array (FPGA), central processing unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP) or graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogenously or heterogeneously. The memory may be but is not limited to a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic or any other computer readable medium.
The thermostat 130 allows a user to set desired temperature, comfort levels, etc. for each of the zones 210, 220, 230, 240 relative to the others. Moreover, the thermostat 130 may include a temperature sensor and/or a humidity sensor for providing an actual temperature and an actual humidity back to the controller 330. The thermostat 130 may be an electronic controller including a processor and an associated memory comprising computer-executable instructions (i.e., computer program product) that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The processor may be, but is not limited to, a single-processor or multi-processor system of any of a wide array of possible architectures, including field programmable gate array (FPGA), central processing unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP) or graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogenously or heterogeneously. The memory may be but is not limited to a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic or any other computer readable medium.
As disclosed, the controller 330 is able to receive configuring information with regard to each of these system components so that controller 330 understands individual characteristics of the elements of the HVAC system 20, which may include, but are not limited to, the temperature changing component 22 (e.g., the outdoor unit 27 and the indoor unit 29), the indoor air handler 24, the variable speed blower 25, supply ducts 28, 30, 32, 33, damper 34, and thermostat 130. Details of this feature may be as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,004 B2, filed on Jan. 7, 2004, and entitled “Self-Configuring Controls for Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems.” The disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
In the prior art, the amount of air driven by the air handler 24 to each of the zones 210, 220, 230, 240 sometimes become excessive. Dampers 34 may be opened or closed to restrict or allow additional airflow into the zones 210, 220, 230, 240. While there are dampers 34 that are driven to either be full open or full closed, the embodiments disclosed herein may include a damper 34 having not only full open and full closed positions, but also several incrementally closed positions. In one example, there are 16 incremental positions for the damper 34 between full open and full closed. As any one of the dampers 34 is closed to reduce conditioning in that zone, additional airflow is driven to the more open of the dampers 34. This may sometimes result in too much air being delivered to one of the zones 210, 220, 230, 240, which can cause excessive temperature change, and undue noise. In the prior art, pressure responsive bypass valves may be associated with the ducting 28, 30, 32, 33 or upstream in plenum 31. The bypass of the air has undesirable characteristics, as it requires additional valves, ducting, etc., and thus complicates assembly. Typically, the bypass air is returned to the temperature changing component 22 through return duct 26. Thus, the air approaching temperature changing component 22 has already been changed away from ambient, and may be too cold or too hot for efficient operation.
It is understood that while the figures and associated description describe four zones 210, 220, 230, 240, the embodiments disclosed herein are also applicable to HVAC systems with more or less than four zones.
The bypass air may be filtered through a filter 50 prior to returning to the temperature changing component 22. The bypass air may also be exposed to a biological management device 70 to kill various bacteria and viruses prior to returning to the temperature changing component 22. The biological management device 70 may include an ultra-violate (UV) light, ultra-violate germicidal irradiation (UVGI) light, ultra-violate photocatalytic oxidation (UVPCO) light, needle point ionization, HEPA filtration, and/or any other similar device known to one of skill in the art. Although illustrated as being down stream of the filter 50, the biological management device 70 may be located upstream of the filter 50.
The bypass air may also be exposed to an odor and chemical pollution management device 72. The odor and chemical pollution management device 72 may include at least one of a UVPCO light, carbon filters and/or any other similar device known to one of skill in the art. Although illustrated as being down stream of the biological management device 70 and the filter 50, the odor and chemical pollution management device 72 may be located upstream of the odor and chemical pollution management device 72 and/or the filter 50.
The filter 50, the biological management device 70, and the pollution management device 72, may be optional upgrades to the HVAC system 20 and are not required.
The HVAC system 20 may also include an external inlet vent fan 52 to pull in fresh air from outside of a building 410 into the HVAC system 20 and an external outlet vent fan 440 to remove air from the building 410.
The air may be removed from the zones 210, 220, 230, 240 and returned to the air handler 24 through a return duct 26. The zones 210, 220, 230, 240 may be referred to collectively as indoor space 412 of the building 410. The HVAC system 20 may also include an external outlet vent fan 440 configured to remove air the indoor space 412 of the building 410 and vent the air to an area outside of the building 410. The HVAC system 20 may use the return duct 26 and/or the external outlet vent fan 440 to remove air from the indoor space 412 and may then replace the air in the indoor space 412 with fresh air or filtered air from the air handler 24 through supply ducts 28, 30, 32, 33. The fresh air may be pulled into the air handler 24 through an external inlet vent fan 52 that is fluidly connected to an area outside of the building 410. The filtered air may be air that has been recovered from the indoor space 412 through the return duct and filtered by the filter 50 of the HVAC system 20.
Referring now to
The environmental monitoring and control system 300, as illustrated, may include the cloud-based controller 340, an environmental control system 310, and a computer application 550 installed or accessible on a computing device 500.
It is understood that the computer application 550 may be a mobile application installed on the computer device 500. The computer application 550 may be accessible from computing device 500, such as, for example, a software-as-as service or a website. The computer application 550 may be in communication with the cloud-based controller via the internet 306.
The environmental control system 310 is configured to control environmental conditions within the building 410. The HVAC system 20 may be controlled via the computer application 550 to set operational ranges and temperature set points.
The HVAC system 20 includes a controller 330. The controller 330 for the HVAC system 20 may be an internet of things (IoT) connected device. The building 410 may be a home, an apartment, a business, an office building, a hotel, a sports facility, a garage, a room, a shed, a boat, a plane, a bus, or any other structure known to one of skill in the art.
The controller 330 is configured to communicate with the computer application 550 and the cloud-based controller 340. The controller 330 may be an electronic controller including a processor 332 and an associated memory 334 comprising computer-executable instructions (i.e., computer program product) that, when executed by the processor 332, cause the processor 332 to perform various operations. The processor 332 may be, but is not limited to, a single-processor or multi-processor system of any of a wide array of possible architectures, including field programmable gate array (FPGA), central processing unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP) or graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogenously or heterogeneously. The memory 334 may be but is not limited to a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic or any other computer readable medium.
The controller 330 also includes a communication device 336. The communication device 336 may be capable of wireless communication including but not limited to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Sub-GHz RF Channel, cellular, satellite, or any other wireless signal known to one of skill in the art. The communication device 336 may be configured to communicate with the cloud-based controller 340 through the internet 306 using the communication device 336. The communication device 336 may be connected to the internet 306 through a Wi-Fi router or home automation system(not shown). Alternatively, or additionally, the communication device 336 may be configured to communicate directly with the cloud-based controller 340.
The cloud-based controller 340 may belong to and/or be managed by an HVAC maintainer or manufacturer 408, such as, for example a manufacturer of the HVAC system 20, a third-party service provider, or any service provider that may maintain the HVAC system 20. The HVAC maintainer or manufacturer 408 may be a person, an organization, a group, a partnership, a company, or a corporation.
In an alternate embodiment, the cloud-based controller 340 may be distributed amongst multiple cloud-based controllers rather than the single cloud-based controller 340 that is illustrated in
The cloud-based controller 340 may be a remote computer server that includes a processor 342 and an associated memory 344 comprising computer-executable instructions (i.e., computer program product) that, when executed by the processor 342, cause the processor 342 to perform various operations. The processor 342 may be, but is not limited to, a single-processor or multi-processor system of any of a wide array of possible architectures, including field programmable gate array (FPGA), central processing unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP) or graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogenously or heterogeneously. The memory 344 may be but is not limited to a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic or any other computer readable medium.
In alternate embodiment, the cloud-based controller 340 may be an algorithm on the computing device 500 and/or the controller 330.
The cloud-based controller 340 also includes a communication device 346. The communication device 346 may be capable of communication with the internet. The communication device 346 may be configured to communicate with the computing device 500 through the internet 306. The communication device 346 may be a software module that handles communications to and from the computer application 550 and an online weather database 600.
The online weather database 600 may be one or more weather websites the provide current weather data 610 and future weather data 620 for the area where the building 410 is located. Existing vendors offer weather prediction services in cloud environment. The cloud-based controller 340 is configured to query these current weather data 610 and future weather data 620 from the online weather database 600 Existing sources for current weather data 610 may be queried, for example, by using SQL queries (e.g., Snowflake Data Marketplace), S3 bucket queries (e.g., Amazon Web Services), etc.
The computing device 500 may belong to or be in possession of an individual 404. The individual 404 may be a homeowner, a renter, maintenance person, a building manager, an HVAC maintenance person, an employee or contractor of the HVAC maintainer or manufacturer 408, or any other individual that may be responsible for the environmental conditions within the building 410.
The computing device 500 may be a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a mobile computing device that is typically carried by a person, such as, for example a phone, a smart phone, a PDA, a smart watch, a tablet, a laptop, or any other mobile computing device known to one of skill in the art.
The computing device 500 includes a controller 510 configured to control operations of the computing device 500. The controller 510 may be an electronic controller including a processor 530 and an associated memory 520 comprising computer-executable instructions (i.e., computer program product) that, when executed by the processor 530, cause the processor 530 to perform various operations. The processor 530 may be, but is not limited to, a single-processor or multi-processor system of any of a wide array of possible architectures, including field programmable gate array (FPGA), central processing unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP) or graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogenously or heterogeneously. The memory 520 may be but is not limited to a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic or any other computer readable medium.
The computing device 500 includes a communication device 540 configured to communicate with the internet 306 through one or more wireless signals. The one or more wireless signals may include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Sub-GHz RF Channel, cellular, satellite, or any other wireless signal known to one of skill in the art. Alternatively, the computing device 500 may be connected to the internet 306 through a hardwired connection. The computing device 500 is configured to communicate with the cloud-based controller 340 through the internet 306.
The computing device 500 may include a display device 580, such as for example a computer display, an LCD display, an LED display, an OLED display, a touchscreen of a smart phone, tablet, or any other similar display device known to one of the skill in the art. The individual 404 operating the computing device 500 is able to view the computer application 550 through the display device 580.
The computing device 500 includes an input device 570 configured to receive a manual input from a user (e.g., human being) of computing device 500. The input device 570 may be a keyboard, a touch screen, a joystick, a knob, a touchpad, one or more physical buttons, a microphone configured to receive a voice command, a camera or sensor configured to receive a gesture command, an inertial measurement unit configured to detect a shake of the computing device 500, or any similar input device known to one of skill in the art. The user operating the computing device 500 is able to enter data into the computer application 550 through the input device 570. The input device 570 allows the user operating the computing device 500 to data into the computer application 550 via a manual input to input device 570. For example, the user may respond to a prompt on the display device 580 by entering a manual input via the input device 570. In one example, the manual input may be a touch on the touchscreen. In an embodiment, the display device 580 and the input device 570 may be combined into a single device, such as, for example, a touchscreen.
The computing device 500 device may also include a feedback device 560. The feedback device 560 may activate in response to a manual input via the input device 570. The feedback device 560 may be a haptic feedback vibration device and/or a speaker emitting a sound. The feedback device 560 may activate to confirm that the manual input entered via the input device 570 was received via the computer application 550. For example, the feedback device 560 may activate by emitting an audible sound or vibrate the computing device 500 to confirm that the manual input entered via the input device 570 was received via the computer application 550.
The computing device 500 may also include a location determination device 590 that may be configured to determine a location of the computing device 500 using cellular signal triangulation, a global position satellite (GPS), or any location termination method known to one of skill in the art.
The HVAC system 20 is configured to control environmental conditions within the building 410. The HVAC system 200 may provide conditioned air to the indoor space 412 of the building 410. The conditioned air may be heated or cooled air by the HVAC system 200. The HVAC system 200 may also filter the air provided to the indoor space 412 of the building 410 using a filter 50. As aforementioned, the HVAC system 200 may be configured to provide conditioned air to different zones 210, 220, 230, 240 of the building 410. The amount of conditioned air provided to each zone 210, 220, 230, 240 may be adjusted using one or more dampers 34. It is understood, while the zones 210, 220, 230, 240 are illustrated in the same room on the same floor of the building 410, the embodiments disclosed herein are also applicable to zones being located in different rooms and/or on different floors.
The environmental monitoring and control system 300 may include sensors 430 located in each zone 210, 220, 230, 240. The sensors 430 are configured to monitor environmental parameters throughout the building 410 and the HVAC system 20.
The individual 404 enters in a temperature range 388 and/or a humidity range 372 in the computer application 550 via a manual input on the computing device 500. Each of the temperature range 388 and the humidity range 372 may include a minimum value and the maximum value. The temperature range 388 and/or a humidity range 372 are then shared with the cloud-based controller 340. Then cloud-based controller 340 is configured to determine an operation schedule for the HVAC system 20 based on the future weather data 620 and at least one of the temperature range 388 or the humidity range 372. The operation schedule 386 is then shared with the controller 330 to control operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule 386. Advantageously, the operation of the HVAC system 20 may be optimized in advance to plan for upcoming weather.
Air conditioner, heat pump, and vents directly interact with outdoor weather and could thus leverage outdoor weather for efficient heating and cooling. A heat pump pumps heat from indoor to outdoor, or in the reverse direction, for cooling and heating, respectively. The energy consumed (load) for the operation directly depends on the difference between indoor and outdoor temperature. The higher the difference, the harder the heat pump has to work (more energy consumption) to pump the heat. It would be most opportune to pump heat when the load is least as compared to when the load is high. It would be better if the system could glide without having to pump the heat when the load is high. The temperature range set by the user allows the system to glide. For example, if the temperature range is 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning any temperature in this range is acceptable to the user, and at an opportune time when the cooling load is low but about to rise, the system cools the indoor to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and as the outdoor temperature rises to a peak increasing the cooling load, the system does not use the heat pump but lets the indoor temperature rise in response from 70 degrees Fahrenheit to a maximum of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, thereby avoiding cooling during high load and thus save energy. The heat pump would need to work when temperature starts to creep above the acceptable high temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The opportune times for heating and cooling could be effectively managed if known in advance what the future weather and temperature range set schedule is going to be. Knowing this in advance, allows the system to estimate future loads and times when the loads will be high to avoid heat pump operation during the high load times as much as possible.
In the case of vents, if the indoor temperature is higher than the desired temperature, cooling would be necessary, but if the outdoor temperature is less than the desired temperature, one could open the vents and blow out the hot indoor air and refill it with external cool air to get the cooling without spending higher energy needed to operate an AC or heat pump.
The operation schedule 386 may include operation commands to adjust operation of selected components at select times based on the future weather data 620 while maintaining a detected humidity within the humidity range 373 and a detected temperature within the temperature range 388. For example, the operation commands may adjust operation of one or more of the external inlet vent fan 52, the external outlet vent fan 440, the blower 25, turning on and off the HVAC system 20, controlling a flow of refrigerant in the HVAC system 20, and/or any other component of the HVAC system 20.
Referring now to
At block 802, a future weather data 620 is obtained for an area where the building 410 is located. The building 410 includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 20 configured to control the environment within the indoor space 412. The future weather data 620 for the area where the building 410 is located may be obtained by querying an online weather database 600 to obtain the future weather data 620.
At block 804, at least one of a temperature range 388 or a humidity range 373 is received for the indoor space 412. The temperature range 388 or a humidity range 373 may vary over a time period (e.g., a schedule) or remain constant until changed. The at least one of the temperature range 388 or the humidity range 373 for the indoor space 412 may be received by receiving a manual input on a computing device 500 from an individual 402 using a computer application 550 to enter the at least one of the temperature range 388 or the humidity range 373 for the indoor space 412.
At block 806, an operation schedule 386 for the HVAC system 20 is determined based on at least the future weather data 620 and the at least one of the temperature range 388 or the humidity range 373.
At block 808, operation of the HVAC system 20 is controlled in accordance with the operation schedule 386. An input to block 808 is the current temperature and/or humidity in the indoor space 412. The HVAC system 20 may be controlled in accordance with the operation schedule 386 by adjusting a blower 25 of the HVAC system 20 in accordance with the operation schedule 386. The HVAC system 20 may be controlled in accordance with the operation schedule 386 by adjusting an external outlet vent fan 440 of the HVAC system 20 in accordance with the operation schedule 386. The HVAC system 20 may be controlled in accordance with the operation schedule 386 by adjusting an external inlet vent fan 52 of the HVAC system 20 in accordance with the operation schedule 386.
From 808, the process reverts to 802. The thermostat will continuously determine how to control/operate different components of the HVAC system, rather than using a fixed schedule. Every time the weather forecast changes or the temperature range changes or a new reading for actual indoor temperature is available, the future schedule gets recomputed.
In other embodiments, the HVAC system 20 is configured to control indoor air quality in the indoor space 412. An air quality value may be input by the user, and may be a single threshold indicating that user wants the indoor air quality above a certain acceptable threshold. The HVAC system 20 would receive a current indoor air quality and control the HVAC system 20 per the operations in
While the above description has described the flow process of
As described above, embodiments can be in the form of processor-implemented processes and devices for practicing those processes, such as processor. Embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code (e.g., computer program product) containing instructions embodied in tangible media (e.g., non-transitory computer readable medium), such as floppy diskettes, CD ROMs, hard drives, or any other non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes a device for practicing the embodiments. Embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes a device for practicing the exemplary embodiments. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A method for monitoring and controlling an environment of an indoor space within a building, the method comprising:
- obtaining a future weather data for an area where the building is located, the building including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to control the environment within the indoor space;
- receiving at least one of a current temperature and a current humidity within the indoor space;
- receiving at least one of a temperature range and a humidity range for the indoor space;
- determining an operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range; and
- controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the future weather data for the area where the building is located further comprises:
- querying an online weather database to obtain the future weather data.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space further comprises:
- receiving a manual input on a computing device from an individual using a computer application to enter the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises:
- adjusting a blower of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises:
- adjusting an external outlet vent fan or an external inlet vent fan of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises at least one of:
- turning on and off the HVAC system and controlling a flow of refrigerant in the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- receiving current indoor air quality within the indoor space;
- receiving a desired indoor air quality for the indoor space;
- determining the operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the desired indoor air quality; and
- controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
8. An environmental monitoring and control system for monitoring and controlling an environment of an internal space, the environmental monitoring and control system comprising:
- a processor; and
- a memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- obtaining a future weather data for an area where a building is located, the building including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to control the environment within an indoor space within the building;
- receiving at least one of a current temperature and a current humidity within the indoor space;
- receiving at least one of a temperature range and a humidity range for the indoor space;
- determining an operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range; and
- controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
9. The environmental monitoring and control system of claim 8, wherein the obtaining the future weather data for the area where the building is located further comprises:
- querying an online weather database to obtain the future weather data.
10. The environmental monitoring and control system of claim 8, wherein the receiving the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space further comprises:
- receiving a manual input on a computing device from an individual using a computer application to enter the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space.
11. The environmental monitoring and control system of claim 8, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises:
- adjusting a blower of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
12. The environmental monitoring and control system of claim 8, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises:
- adjusting an external outlet vent fan or an external inlet vent fan of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
13. The environmental monitoring and control system of claim 8, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises at least one of:
- turning on and off the HVAC system and controlling a flow of refrigerant in the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
14. A computer program product tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- obtaining a future weather data for an area where a building is located, the building including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to control an environment within an indoor space within the building;
- receiving at least one of a current temperature and a current humidity within the indoor space;
- receiving at least one of a temperature range and a humidity range for the indoor space;
- determining an operation schedule for the HVAC system based on at least the future weather data and the at least one of the temperature range or the humidity range; and
- controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the obtaining the future weather data for the area where the building is located further comprises:
- querying an online weather database to obtain the future weather data.
16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the receiving the at least one of the temperature range and the humidity range for the indoor space further comprises:
- receiving a manual input on a computing device from an individual using a computer application to enter the at least one of the temperature range or the humidity range for the indoor space.
17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises:
- adjusting a blower of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises:
- adjusting an external outlet vent fan or an external inlet vent fan of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the controlling operation of the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule further comprises at least one of:
- turning on and off the HVAC system and controlling a flow of refrigerant in the HVAC system in accordance with the operation schedule.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 28, 2023
Publication Date: Nov 9, 2023
Inventors: Ravindra Patankar (Plymouth, MI), Gundeep Singh (Carmel, IN)
Application Number: 18/309,137
