Multiple environmental zone control with integrated battery status communications

• US 10,126,011 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Marc
• Application Number:
  US14/977,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20160231013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/022 comprising a compressor cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/72 for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/40 Pressure, e.g. wind pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 : Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 : Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/40 : Damper positions, e.g. open or closed
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/044 : Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/10 : with air supply, or exhaust, through perforated wall, floor or ceiling outlet members for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air-diffusers F24F13/06
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 : each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means

Abstract

Various arrangements for controlling multiple environmental zones are presented. A first zone specific device may be configured to alter an environmental condition of a first environmental zone of the multiple environmental zones. The first zone specific device may include a rechargeable power source for at least partially powering the operation of the first zone specific device. The first zone specific device may include a communication interface for communicating with other devices of the system. Also, a central controller may be present that is configured to communicate with the first zone specific device to determine a power status of the rechargeable power source of the first zone specific device.

Claims

1. A system for controlling multiple environmental zones, comprising:

a first zone-specific electronically-controlled register vent (ECRV) device configured to alter an environmental condition of a first environmental zone of the multiple environmental zones, each environmental zone delineating a volume within a structure, the first zone-specific ECRV device including;

a rechargeable power source for at least partially powering the operation of the first zone-specific ECRV device; and

a communication interface, configured to;

wirelessly transmit and receive, for communicating with other devices of the system; and

route communication packets between a central controller and another ECRV device; and

the central controller configured to communicate with the first zone-specific ECRV device to determine a power status of the rechargeable power source of the first zone-specific ECRV device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit an address or identifier of the first zone-specific ECRV device to the central controller that distinguishes the zone-specific ECVR device from the other devices of the system as part of each communication packet transmitted by the communication interface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first zone-specific ECRV device is configured to ignore received communications that do not comprise a communication address or communication identifier matching the address or the identifier of the first zone-specific ECRV device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first zone-specific ECRV device stores an identifier or device address that distinguishes the zone-specific ECRV device from the other devices of the system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface communicates with the other devices of the system using the 900 MHz band.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first zone-specific ECRV device is configured to wait for an acknowledgement from the central controller after transmitting a message by the communication interface using the 900 MHz band to the central controller.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured to transmit, to the first zone-specific ECRV device, using the 900 MHz band, one or more messages that instruct the first zone-specific ECRV device to change a wake-up interval;

and the first zone-specific ECRV device is configured to, in response to receiving the one or more messages, change the wake-up interval from a first time period to a second time period.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first zone-specific ECRV device is further configured to alter an amount of airflow to the first environmental zone based at least in part on the power status of the rechargeable power source of the first zone-specific ECRV device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first zone-specific ECRV device is further configured to recharge the rechargeable power source using the airflow.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first zone-specific ECRV device is configured to communicate to the central controller a power status of the rechargeable power source, a temperature, or diagnostic information.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second zone-specific ECRV device, the first zone-specific ECRV device being configured to route communication packets between the other ECRV device and the second zone-specific ECRV device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to receiving an instruction from the central controller, the first zone-specific ECRV device is configured to transmit an instruction complete message.

13. A method for controlling multiple environmental zones, comprising:

altering an environmental condition of a first environmental zone of the multiple environmental zones by a first zone-specific electronically-controlled register vent (ECRV) device, each environmental zone delineating a volume within a structure, the first zone-specific ECRV device including;

a rechargeable power source for at least partially powering the operation of the first zone-specific ECRV device; and

a communication interface, configured to;

wirelessly transmit and receive, for communicating with other devices; and

route communication packets between a central controller and another ECRV device; and

communicating, from the first zone-specific ECRV device to the central controller via the communication interface of the first zone-specific ECRV device, a power status of the rechargeable power source of the first zone-specific ECRV device; and

determining, by the central controller, the power status of the rechargeable power source of the first zone-specific ECRV device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein communicating the power status of the rechargeable power source of the first zone-specific ECRV device comprises transmitting, as part of each communication packet used to communicate the power status, an address or identifier of the first zone-specific ECRV device that distinguished the first zone-specific ECRV device from each of the other devices.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

waiting, by the first zone-specific ECRV device, for an acknowledgement from the central controller; and

in response to not receiving the acknowledgment, communicating, for a second time, from the first zone-specific ECRV device to the central controller via the communication interface of the first zone-specific ECRV device, the power status of the rechargeable power source of the first zone-specific ECRV device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit and receive on the 900 MHz band.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the first zone-specific ECRV device, a message from the central controller that comprises the identifier or address of the first zone-specific ECRV device and a request to change a wakeup interval of the first zone-specific ECRV device, wherein the wake-up interval indicates an amount of time between when the first zone-specific ECRV device enters a sleep mode and enters an awake mode; and

in response to receiving the message, altering, by the first zone-specific ECRV device, the wake-up interval of first zone-specific ECRV device.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the first zone-specific ECRV device, a communication packet comprising a first identifier or first address from the central controller;

comparing, by the first zone-specific ECRV device, the first identifier or first address to a stored second identifier of the first zone-specific ECRV device or a stored second address of the first zone-specific ECRV device;

determining, by the first zone-specific ECRV device, the first identifier or the first address and the stored second identifier or the stored second address do not match; and

ignoring, by the first zone-specific ECRV device, the communication packet in response to determining the first identifier or the first address and the stored second identifier or the stored second address do not match.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising recharging, by the first zone-specific ECRV device, the rechargeable power source using the airflow.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising communicating the power status of the rechargeable power source of the first zone-specific ECRV device to a user.