Smart register apparatus and method

• US 10,260,765 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afero, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Afero, Inc.
• Inventors: Zakaria, Omar
• Primary Examiner(s): Elamin, Abdelmoniem I
• Application Number:
  US14/675,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• 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 11/526 giving audible indications
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/082 Grilles, registers or guards
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0002 for admittance of outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power

Abstract

A smart register is described. For example, one embodiment of the smart register apparatus comprises: a set of dampers which enable or restrict airflow from an heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) system when opened and closed, respectively; a motor to control the opening and closing of the dampers; a battery to provide power to the motor; and register control logic to determine a threshold temperature based on a desired temperature set by a user and to read a current temperature from a temperature sensor, the control logic to automatically open or close the dampers to enable or restrict airflow from the HVAC system based on differences between the threshold temperature and the current temperature.

Claims

1. A smart register apparatus comprising:

a set of dampers which enable or restrict airflow from a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system when opened and closed, respectively;

a motor to control the opening and closing of the dampers;

a battery to provide power to the motor;

a wireless communication interface to couple the smart register to an Internet of Things (IoT) hub, the IoT hub to send a desired temperature set by a user to the smart register, the desired temperature set by the user via an app or browser installed on a user device; and

register control logic circuitry to determine a threshold temperature based on the desired temperature received from the IOT hub and to read a current temperature from a temperature sensor, the register control logic circuitry to automatically open or close the dampers to enable or restrict airflow from the HVAC system based on differences between the threshold temperature and the current temperature.

2. The smart register apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the threshold temperature comprises an offset from the desired temperature.

3. The smart register apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the battery comprises a rechargeable battery.

4. The smart register apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising a power source to generate power using air flowing through the dampers to charge the battery.

5. The smart register apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the power source comprises a miniature set of wind turbines and an induction generator may be used to convert the kinetic energy of air flowing through the dampers into electrical energy to charge the battery.

6. The smart register apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising a solar power source to generate power electromagnetic radiation to charge the battery.

7. The smart register apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the IoT hub comprises temperature control logic circuitry to receive the current temperature from a temperature sensor and to provide the current temperature to the smart register.

8. The smart register apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interface.

9. A system comprising:

an Internet of Things (IoT) hub comprising a first wireless interface to receive current temperature data from a set of one or more temperature sensors;

one or more smart registers, each comprising a set of dampers which enable or restrict airflow from a heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) system when opened and closed, respectively;

a motor to control the opening and closing of the dampers;

a battery to provide power to the motor; and

a second wireless interface to establish a communication channel with the IoT hub; and

temperature control logic circuitry implemented within the IoT hub to determine a threshold temperature based on a desired temperature set by a user and to send a command to the smart register to cause register control logic circuitry within the smart register to open or close the dampers to enable or restrict airflow from the HVAC system based on differences between the threshold temperature and the current temperature.

10. The system as in claim 9 wherein the threshold temperature comprises an offset from the desired temperature.

11. The system as in claim 9 wherein the battery comprises a rechargeable battery.

12. The system as in claim 11 further comprising a power source to generate power using air flowing through the dampers to charge the battery.

13. The system as in claim 12 wherein the power source comprises a miniature set of wind turbines and an induction generator may be used to convert the kinetic energy of air flowing through the dampers into electrical energy to charge the battery.

14. The system as in claim 11 further comprising a solar power source to generate power electromagnetic radiation to charge the battery.

15. The system as in claim 9 wherein the first and second wireless interfaces comprise Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interfaces.

16. A system as in claim 9 wherein a first smart register is to be used in a first room in a home and a second smart register is to be used in a second room in the home, wherein the temperature control logic circuitry is to send a first command to the first smart register to cause the register control logic circuitry within the first smart register to close its dampers while the HVAC system is running and while the dampers within the second smart register remain open.

17. The system as in claim 16 wherein the temperature control logic circuitry is to send the first command to the first smart register to cause the register control logic circuitry within the first smart register to close its dampers while the HVAC system is running when the current temperature provided by a sensor in the same room as the first smart register is equal to the threshold temperature.

18. The system as in claim 17 wherein the temperature control logic circuitry is to send a second command to the second smart register to cause the register control logic circuitry within the second smart register to close its dampers when the current temperature provided by a sensor in the same room as the second smart register is equal to the threshold temperature.