Wireless condenser controller

• US 10,240,809 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Duvivier
• Original Assignee: Michael Duvivier
• Inventors: Duvivier, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Crenshaw, Henry T
• Application Number:
  US14/637,367
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 236 51
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• 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 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits

Abstract

A wireless connection between an air conditioning unit or heat pump condenser and a split system furnace or air handler where the furnace or air handler is in the structure and the air conditioning condensing unit or heat pump condenser are external to the structure, and a thermostat in the structure which controls the air conditioning or heat pump unit. In this way, when a cooling signal from a thermostat goes out, the circuit board is energized and turns on the air conditioning or heat pump portion of the air conditioning unit which is wired internally to the compressor so that cooling or heating in the structure occurs. The wireless circuit board eliminates the need for having the hard wired communication between the furnace or air handler and the air conditioning condenser or the heat pump condenser.

Claims

1. A thermostat located in a structure, an apparatus to wirelessly turn on and off a compressor of an alternating current air condensing unit of an air conditioner at a location external to said structure, the apparatus comprising:

a. a furnace in said structure;

b. said thermostat having a control section including a first section having a VOUT1 24 volt alternating current electrically wired to and connecting the thermostat to a module transmitter board located at the furnace;

c. said module transmitter board including a first detector, an on light, a fuse, a voltage regulator, a transmitter, a programmable address dip switch, a ground and a transmitting antenna;

d. in the module transmitter board, the VOUT1 24 volt alternating current electrically connected to the first detector, the voltage regulator reducing 24 volts alternating current to 3.3 volts direct current in the first detector and the first detector electrically connected with 3.3 volts direct current to the transmitter and transmitting a digital signal to the transmitter;

e. said programmable first address dip switch programmed with a specific address electrically connected to the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting an electrical signal obtained from the digital signal of the first detector and the specific address through the transmitting antenna;

f. the alternating current air condenser unit electrically connected to a 220 volt alternating current transformer to reduce the 220 volt alternating current to 24 volts alternating current, the transformer electrically connected to a module receiver board;

g. the module receiver board including a regulator reducing the 24 volts alternating current received from the transformer to 3.3 volts direct current electrically connected to an LED light, a ground, a fuse, and a receiver in the modular receiving board;

h. the module receiver board located at the alternating current air condensing unit, the module receiver board including a receiving antenna to wirelessly receive said digital signal and specific address transmitted from said transmitting antenna, the module receiver board including a programmable second address dip switch programmed with the specific address matching the first address dip switch and electrically connected to a receiver which in turn is electrically connected to the receiving antenna;

i. the receiver electrically connected to a first power relay having a first coil and a first normally open contact within the module receiver board, the first power relay electrically connected to a third coil and a third normally open contact within the module receiver board and electrically connected to the alternating current air conditioner condensing unit and the compressor; and

j. when cooling is set in the thermostat, a signal for cooling is received in the first detector of the module transmitter board and transmitted through the transmitter to the transmitting antenna which wirelessly sends the signal to the receiving antenna which in turn electrically sends the signal the receiver in the module receiver board which sends the signal through the first power relay which energizes the first coil which closes the first normally open contact which energizes the third coil which in turn closes the third normally open contact to turn on the compressor of the alternating current air condensing unit.

2. A thermostat located in a structure, an apparatus to wirelessly turn on and off a condenser of a heat pump and a reversing valve at a location external to said structure, the apparatus comprising:

a. an air handler in said structure;

b. said thermostat having a control section including a first section having a VOUT1 24 volt alternating current electrically wired to and connecting the thermostat to a module transmitter board located at the air handler;

c. said module transmitter board including a first detector, an on light, a fuse, a voltage regulator, a transmitter, a programmable first address dip switch, a ground, and a transmitting antenna;

d. the transmitting antenna electrically connected to the transmitter and a second detector to allow the transmitting antenna to send a wireless signal to a reversing valve located externally from the air handler;

e. in the module transmitter board, the VOUT1 24 volt alternating current is electrically connected to the first detector, the voltage regulator reducing 24 volts alternating current to 3.3 volts direct current in the first detector and the first detector electrically connected with 3.3 volts direct current to the transmitter and transmitting a first digital signal to the transmitter;

f. the control section including a second section having in the module transmitter board a VOUT2 24 volts alternating current electrically wired to a reversing valve circuit in turn electrically connected to the second detector;

g. in the module transmitter board, the VOUT2 24 volt alternating current is electrically connected to the second detector, the voltage regulator reducing 24 volts alternating current to 3.3 volts direct current in the second detector and the second detector electrically connected with 3.3 volts direct current to the transmitter and transmitting a second digital signal to the transmitter;

h. said programmable first address dip switch programmed with a first specific address electrically connected to the transmitter, the transmitter transmitting a first electrical signal obtained from the first digital signal of the first detector through the transmitting antenna and said programmable first address dip switch programmed with a second electrical signal obtained from the second detector and the specific address through the transmitting antenna and transmitting a second electrical signal obtained from the second digital signal of the second detector through the transmitting antenna;

i. the heat pump condenser electrically connected to a 220 volt alternating current transformer to reduce the 220 volt alternating current to 24 volts alternating current, the transformer electrically connected to a module receiver board;

j. the module receiver board including a regulator reducing the 24 volts alternating current received from the transformer to 3.3 volts direct current electrically connected to an LED light, a ground, a fuse, and a receiver in the module receiver board;

k. the module receiver board located at the heat pump, the module receiver board including a receiving antenna to wirelessly receive said first digital signal and specific first address transmitted from said transmitting antenna, and to wirelessly receive said second digital signal and specific second address transmitted from said transmitting antenna, and the module receiver board including a programmable second address dip switch programmed with the specific second address and the second address matching the first address dip switch and electrically connected to a receiver which in turn is electrically connected to the receiving antenna;

l. the receiver electrically connected to a first power relay having a first coil and a first normally open contact within the module receiver board, the first power relay electrically connected to a third coil and a third normally open contact within the module receiver board and electrically connected to the heat pump condenser;

m. the receiver electrically connected to a second power relay having a second coil and a second normally open contact within the module receiver board, the second power relay electrically connected to a fourth coil and a fourth normally open contact within the module receiver board and electrically connected to the reversing valve;

n. when cooling is set in the thermostat, a signal for cooling which includes both the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, the signal for cooling is received in the first and second detectors of the module transmitter board and transmitted through the transmitter to the transmitting antenna which wirelessly sends the first and second electrical signals to the receiving antenna which in turn electrically sends the first electrical signal to the receiver in the module receiver board which sends the signal through the first power relay which energizes the first coil which closes the first normally open contact which energizes the third coil which in turn closes the third normally open contact to turn on the heat pump condenser and which in turn electrically sends the second electrical signal to the receiver in the module receiver board which sends the signal through the second power relay which energizes the second coil which closes the second normally open contact which energizes the fourth coil which in turn closes the fourth normally open contact to turn on the reversing valve to provide cooling to the structure; and

o. when heating is set in the thermostat, a signal for heating which includes only the first electrical signal, the signal for heating is received in the first detector of the module transmitter board and transmitted through the transmitter to the transmitting antenna which wirelessly sends the first electrical signal to the receiving antenna which in turn electrically sends the first electrical signal to the receiver in the module receiver board which sends the signal through the first power relay which energizes the second coil which closes the first normally open contact which energizes the third coil which in turn closes the third normally open which turns on the heat pump condenser to provide heating to the structure.

3. An air conditioning system including, an apparatus to wirelessly turn on and off a compressor of a condensing unit, the apparatus comprising:

a. an air handler located adjacent a structure having a thermostat and separated from said condensing unit with a wireless connection connecting said air handler and said condensing unit;

b. said condensing unit having a compressor, a cooling condenser, a module transmitter board, and a module receiver board;

c. said module transmitter board including a first detector, a second detector, a fuse, a voltage regulator, a transmitter, a ground, and a receiving antenna;

d. said module receiver board located at said compressor and condensing unit with said module receiver board including a receiver, a receiving antenna to wirelessly receive a signal from said transmitter, a first programmable address dip switch and a second programmable address dip switch with said second programmable address dip switch programmed with a specific address matching said first programmable address dip switch;

e. a control transformer electrically connected to the module receiver board to power the receiving module receiver board;

f. a thermostat located adjacent said air handler with said thermostat including a control section with said control section having a first VOUT1 24 volt alternating current switch;

g. the first Vout1 24 volt alternating current switch connected to the first detector and a reversing valve connected to the second detector, with the first detector connected to and transmitting a digital signal to the transmitter and the second detector connected to and transmitting a digital signal to said transmitter;

h. the receiver electrically connected to a first power relay having a first coil and a first normally open contact, the first power relay connected to said VOUT1 24 volt alternating current switch having a third coil and a third normally open contact, the receiver connected to a second power relay having a second coil and a second normally open contact, the second power relay connected to a second VOUT2 24 volt alternating current reversing valve having a fourth coil and a fourth normally open contact; and

i. a signal received from the receiver energizes the first coil at 3.3 volts alternating current which in turn closes the first normally open contact which energizes the third coil which in turn closes the third normally open contact, the signal received from receiver also energizes the second coil at 3.3 volts alternating current which in turn closes the second normally open contact which energizes the fourth coil which in turn closes the fourth normally open contact, to turn on said air conditioning system.

4. The air conditioning system in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

said voltage regulator reduces the alternating current from 24 volts alternating current to 3.3 volts alternating current.

5. The air conditioning system in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

the antenna electrically connected to the transmitter and a second detector to allow the antenna to send a wireless signal to the reversing valve located externally from the air handler.

6. The air conditioning system in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

the module transmitter board includes an on light.