Modular multi-function thermostat

• US 10,318,266 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Ribbich, Joseph R., Hicks, Jacob P., Posten, Zachary N., Gottschalk, Daniel R., Ribbich, Michael L., Gaidish, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes-Bullock, Crystal J
• Application Number:
  US15/360,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20170146260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/59 for presetting
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A thermostat includes a motherboard, a first modular board, and a display. The motherboard is configured to perform a thermostat function and generate a user interface a user interface including information relating to the thermostat function. The first modular board is configured to be added to the thermostat by coupling the first modular board to the motherboard and to be removed from the thermostat by decoupling the first modular board from the motherboard. The first modular board is configured to supplement the thermostat function performed by the motherboard when the first modular board is coupled to the motherboard. The display is communicably coupled to the motherboard. The display is configured to display the user interface. The motherboard is configured to adaptively reconfigure the user interface to include supplemental information provided by the first modular board in response to coupling of the first modular board to the motherboard.

Claims

1. A thermostat, comprising:

a motherboard configured to perform a thermostat function and generate a user interface comprising information relating to the thermostat function;

a first modular board configured to be added to the thermostat by coupling the first modular board to the motherboard and to be removed from the thermostat by decoupling the first modular board from the motherboard, the first modular board configured to supplement the thermostat function performed by the motherboard when the first modular board is coupled to the motherboard; and

a display communicably coupled to the motherboard and configured to display the user interface;

wherein the motherboard is configured to adaptively reconfigure the user interface to include supplemental information provided by the first modular board in response to coupling of the first modular board to the motherboard.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the first modular board comprises a first sensor configured to obtain a first set of sensor data;

wherein the first modular board is configured to provide the first set of sensor data to the motherboard when the first modular board is coupled to the motherboard; and

wherein the motherboard is configured to adaptively reconfigure the user interface based on at least one of the first sensor and the first set of sensor data.

3. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the first modular board is configured to facilitate communication between the motherboard and an external device using a first communication network;

wherein the motherboard is configured to communicate with the external device over the first communication network when the first modular board is coupled to the motherboard; and

wherein the motherboard is configured to adaptively reconfigure the user interface based on the communication between the motherboard and the external device.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the first modular board is interchangeable with a second modular board configured to be added to the thermostat by decoupling the first modular board from the motherboard and coupling the second modular board to the motherboard, the second modular board configured to supplement the thermostat function performed by the motherboard when the second modular board is coupled to the motherboard;

and

wherein the motherboard is configured to adaptively reconfigure the user interface to include supplemental information provided by the second modular board in response to coupling of the second modular board to the motherboard.

5. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein the second modular board comprises a second sensor configured to obtain a second set of sensor data;

wherein the second modular board is configured to provide the second set of sensor data to the motherboard when the second modular board is coupled to the motherboard; and

wherein the motherboard is configured to adaptively reconfigure the user interface based on at least one of the second sensor and the second set of sensor data.

6. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein the second modular board is configured to facilitate communication between the motherboard and an external device using a second communication network;

and

wherein the motherboard is configured to communicate with the external device over the second communication network when the second modular board is coupled to the motherboard.

7. The thermostat of claim 4, further comprising an IR gun communicably coupled to the motherboard;

wherein the thermostat is mounted at least partially within a wall;

wherein the IR gun is configured to project a beam into an environment proximate the thermostat, the beam configured obtain a temperature measurement of a space or surface in the environment;

wherein the thermostat is mounted within the wall such that the display is substantially flush with the wall and such that the motherboard is located within the wall;

wherein the first modular board is located within the wall when the first modular board is coupled to the motherboard; and

wherein the second modular board is located within the wall when the second modular board is coupled to the motherboard.

8. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein the thermostat comprises an equipment model that defines a variable used by the thermostat and is configured to facilitate interactions between the thermostat and a building automation system;

wherein the equipment model has a first configuration when the first modular board is coupled to the motherboard; and

wherein the equipment model has a second configuration when the second modular board is coupled to the motherboard.

9. The thermostat of claim 8, wherein the motherboard comprises a modular board recognizer;

wherein the second modular board transmits a signal to the modular board recognizer when the second modular board is coupled to the motherboard;

wherein, in response to receiving the signal from the second modular board, the modular board recognizer requests an equipment model update;

wherein the modular board recognizer receives the equipment model update; and

wherein the modular board recognizer updates the equipment model, using the equipment model update, such that the equipment model has the second configuration.

10. The thermostat of claim 9, wherein the modular board recognizer receives the equipment model update from an external device;

wherein the external device contains a library of equipment model updates; and

wherein the external device selects the equipment model update from the library of equipment model updates based on the signal transmitted from the second modular board to the modular board recognizer.

11. A system for operating a thermostat, the system comprising:

a thermostat for interacting with a building automation system, the thermostat configured to provide a user interface that facilitates user interaction with the building automation system, the thermostat comprising;

a first modular board configured to perform a thermostat function, the first modular board configured to be removable from the thermostat;

a display configured to display the user interface; and

an equipment model that defines a variable used by the thermostat and is configured to facilitate interactions between the thermostat and the building automation system, the equipment model based on the thermostat function; and

an external device configured to communicate with the thermostat, the external device containing a library of equipment model updates;

wherein the thermostat is configured to adaptively reconfigure the user interface to remove supplemental information provided by the first modular board in response to removal of the first modular board.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the thermostat further comprises a modular board recognizer configured to update the equipment model;

wherein the modular board recognizer communicates an equipment model update request to the external device when an additional modular board is coupled to the thermostat, the equipment model update request based on a thermostat function associated with the additional modular board;

wherein the modular board recognizer receives an equipment model update, in response to the equipment model update request, the equipment model update based on the thermostat function performed associated with the additional modular board; and

wherein the modular board recognizer is configured to update the equipment model based on the equipment model update.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the thermostat further comprises a second modular board configured to perform a second thermostat function, the second modular board configured to be removable from the thermostat;

wherein the thermostat function performed by the first modular board is different from the second thermostat function performed by the second modular board; and

wherein the equipment model is additionally based on the second thermostat function performed by the second modular board.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the thermostat function performed by the first modular board is to provide temperature data to the thermostat;

and

wherein the second thermostat function performed by the second modular board is to provide humidity data to the thermostat.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the thermostat further comprises an IR gun;

wherein the thermostat is mounted at least partially within a wall; and

wherein the IR gun is configured to determine a temperature measurement of a space or surface external to the thermostat and proximate the thermostat.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a personal electronic device communicable with the thermostat and the external device;

wherein the thermostat is configured to transmit an equipment model update request to the personal electronic device;

wherein the personal electronic device is configured to route the equipment model update request to the external device;

wherein the external device is configured to transmit an equipment model update, based on the equipment model update request, to the personal electronic device;

wherein the personal electronic device is configured to transmit the equipment model update to the thermostat; and

wherein the thermostat is configured to apply the equipment model update to the equipment model.

17. A method for reconfiguring a thermostat, the method comprising:

copying configuration information from an old modular board in the thermostat onto a personal electronic device;

removing the old modular board from the thermostat connecting a new modular board to the thermostat, the new modular board configured to perform a thermostat function;

copying the configuration information from the personal electronic device to the new modular board;

receiving, by the thermostat, a signal from the new modular board, the signal including information about the new modular board;

transmitting, by the thermostat, an equipment model update request based on the signal from the new modular board;

receiving, by the thermostat, an equipment model update in response to the equipment model update request, the equipment model update based on the signal from the new modular board; and

applying, by the thermostat, the equipment model update to an equipment model of the thermostat;

wherein the equipment model defines a variable used by the thermostat and is configured to facilitate interactions between the thermostat and a building automation system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising adapting a user interface provided by a display of the thermostat to include supplemental information provided by the new modular board based on the thermostat function performed by the new modular board.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, by the personal electronic device, the equipment model update request from the thermostat;

transmitting, by the personal electronic device, the equipment model update request to an external device;

selecting, by the external device, the equipment model update based on the equipment model update request;

transmitting, by the external device, the equipment model to the personal electronic device; and

transmitting, by the personal electronic device, the equipment model to the thermostat.