Remote testing of HVAC systems

• US 10,571,903 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2016
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simons, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhat, Aditya S
• Application Number:
  US15/224,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20160334783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 702183
• 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 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/00 Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems room units F24F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/005 Testing of complete machines, e.g. washing-machines or mobile phones testing of machine parts G01M13/00; testing of electric apparatus or components G01R31/50
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A number of methods for testing an HVAC system for a building structure from a remote location outside of the building structure are disclosed. Generally, the HVAC system has a primarily active component and a primarily dormant component. The method includes the steps of transmitting a test request to the HVAC system from the remote location, performing a test on the primarily dormant component of the HVAC system in response to the test request, and producing a test result. The test result can then be transmitted to a location outside of the building structure.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to:

transmit one or more test requests to each of a plurality of client HVAC controllers via the Internet, wherein each of the client HVAC controllers is part of a corresponding client HVAC system that services a corresponding client building, and wherein at least one of the one or more test requests is configured to test a dormant HVAC component of the corresponding client HVAC system, wherein the dormant HVAC component is a heating component during the cooling season or a cooling component during the heating season;

receive test results from each of the plurality of client HVAC controllers via the Internet resulting from the one or more test requests; and

identify which of the plurality of client HVAC systems need service based at least in part on the received test results.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further causing the computer to schedule maintenance for at least some of the client HVAC systems that are determined to need service.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program causes the computer to access a customer database that stores information for each of the plurality of client HVAC controllers, wherein the information includes one or more of an account number, a client address, an alarm threshold, a messaging option, a contractor, and received test results.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program causes the computer to access a customer database that stores information for each of the client HVAC controllers and links a particular contractor to each of at least some of the plurality of client HVAC controllers.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the program causes the computer to allow access to the customer database by two or more contractors, wherein a particular contractor can only access information for those client HVAC controllers that are linked to that particular contractor.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the program causes the computer to transmit the one or more test requests in response to a test request from a contractor, and the one or more test requests are transmitted to less than all of the client HVAC controllers that are linked to the contractor that made the test request.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the program causes the computer to allow the contractor to select which of the client HVAC controllers linked to the contractor that the one or more test requests are to be transmitted.

8. A remote contractor system configured to communicate with a plurality of client HVAC controllers over a network, wherein each of the client HVAC controllers is part of a corresponding client HVAC system that services a corresponding client building, the remote contractor system comprising:

a memory;

a microprocessor coupled to the memory and configured to;

transmit one or more test requests to each of a plurality of client HVAC controllers via the Internet, wherein each of the client HVAC controllers is part of a corresponding client HVAC system that services a corresponding client building, and wherein at least one of the one or more test requests is configured to test a dormant HVAC component of the corresponding client HVAC system, wherein the dormant HVAC component is a heating component during the cooling season or a cooling component during the heating season;

receive test results from each of the plurality of client HVAC controllers via the Internet resulting from the one or more test requests; and

identify which of the plurality of client HVAC systems need service based at least in part on the received test results.

9. The remote contractor system of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to schedule maintenance for at least some of the client HVAC systems that are determined to need service.

10. The remote contractor system of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to access a customer database that stores information for each of the plurality of client HVAC controllers, wherein the information includes one or more of an account number, a client address, an alarm threshold, a messaging option, a contractor, and received test results.

11. The remote contractor system of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to access a customer database that stores information for each of the client HVAC controllers and links a particular contractor to each of at least some of the plurality of client HVAC controllers.

12. The remote contractor system of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to allow access to the customer database by two or more contractors, wherein a particular contractor can only access information for those client HVAC controllers that are linked to that particular contractor.

13. The remote contractor system of claim 12, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to allow the contractor to select which of the client HVAC controllers linked to the contractor that the one or more test requests are to be transmitted.

14. The remote contractor system of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to transmit the one or more test requests in response to a test request from a contractor, and the one or more test requests are transmitted to less than all of the client HVAC controllers that are linked to the contractor that made the test request.

15. A method for communicating with a plurality of client HVAC controllers over a network, wherein each of the client HVAC controllers is part of a corresponding client HVAC system that services a corresponding client building, the method comprising:

transmitting one or more test requests to each of a plurality of client HVAC controllers via the Internet, wherein each of the client HVAC controllers is part of a corresponding client HVAC system that services a corresponding client building, and wherein at least one of the one or more test requests is configured to test a dormant HVAC component of the corresponding client HVAC system, wherein the dormant HVAC component is a heating component during the cooling season or a cooling component during the heating season;

receiving test results from each of the plurality of client HVAC controllers via the Internet resulting from the one or more test requests; and

identifying which of the plurality of client HVAC systems need service based at least in part on the received test results.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

scheduling maintenance for at least some of the client HVAC systems that are determined to need service.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

accessing a customer database that stores information for each of the client HVAC controllers and links a particular contractor to each of at least some of the plurality of client HVAC controllers.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

allowing access to the customer database by two or more contractors, wherein a particular contractor can only access information for those client HVAC controllers that are linked to that particular contractor.

19. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

transmitting the one or more test requests in response to a test request from a contractor, and the one or more test requests are transmitted to less than all of the client HVAC controllers that are linked to the contractor that made the test request.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting, by the contractor, which of the client HVAC controllers linked to the contractor that the one or more test requests are to be transmitted.