Adaptive power-stealing thermostat
First Claim
1. A method of harvesting power from a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system using an HVAC controller, the method comprising:
- harvesting, by the HVAC controller, power from the HVAC system;
measuring, by the HVAC controller, an electrical characteristic of the HVAC controller, wherein the electrical characteristic indicates whether the power harvested from the HVAC system is high enough to risk interfering with a normal operation of the HVAC system; and
increasing, by the HVAC controller, the power harvested from the HVAC system until the electrical characteristic indicates that the HVAC controller is at risk of interfering with the normal operation of the HVAC system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of harvesting power from a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system using an HVAC controller may include harvesting power from the HVAC system and measuring an electrical characteristic of the HVAC controller. The electrical characteristic may indicate whether the power harvested from the HVAC system is high enough to risk interfering with a normal operation of the HVAC system. The method may also include increasing the power harvested from the HVAC system until the electrical characteristic indicates that the HVAC controller is at risk of interfering with the normal operation of the HVAC system.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of harvesting power from a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system using an HVAC controller, the method comprising:
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harvesting, by the HVAC controller, power from the HVAC system; measuring, by the HVAC controller, an electrical characteristic of the HVAC controller, wherein the electrical characteristic indicates whether the power harvested from the HVAC system is high enough to risk interfering with a normal operation of the HVAC system; and increasing, by the HVAC controller, the power harvested from the HVAC system until the electrical characteristic indicates that the HVAC controller is at risk of interfering with the normal operation of the HVAC system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controller comprising:
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a power-harvesting circuit that harvests power from the HVAC system; and a measurement circuit that measures an electrical characteristic of the HVAC controller, wherein the electrical characteristic indicates whether the power harvested from the HVAC system is high enough to risk interfering with a normal operation of the HVAC system; wherein the power-harvesting circuit increases the power harvested from the HVAC system until the electrical characteristic indicates that the HVAC controller is at risk of interfering with the normal operation of the HVAC system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification