An Improved Forced-Air Zone Climate Control system for Existing Residential Houses

• US 20040182941A1
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emme E2MS, LLC
• Original Assignee: Home Comfort Zones Incorporated
• Inventors: Alles, Harold Gene
• Granted Patent: US 6,983,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/49.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/10 movable, e.g. dampers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/087 using inflatable bellows
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/0442 with volume control at a constant temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 With common valve operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A low cost and easy to install zone climate control system for retrofit to existing residential forced air HVAC system that provides independent minute-by-minute, day-by-day, and room-by-room climate control, including easy to use methods for specify temperature schedules and providing local temperature control, and providing detailed energy use information of so occupants can make informed cost versus comfort decisions.

Claims

1. A zone climate control system for installation in an existing forced air HVAC system in a residential building comprising:

1) a plurality of airflow control devices adapted for installation inside the air vents in the rooms of said building, and

2) a first means for independently controlling each said airflow control device, said first means mounted on the discharge plenum of said HVAC system such that said first means is accessible from the inside of said plenum,

3) a second means for connecting each said airflow control device to said controlling means such that said second means is entirely inside said plenum and said air ducts, and such that said first means controls each said airflow control device through said second means,

whereby said first means, said second means, and each said airflow control device of said control system are installed by accessing only said plenum and accessing only said air vents in said rooms, and

whereby said air ducts are unmodified in any other way, and

whereby said air ducts remain assembled throughout said installation, and

whereby said installation is simplified.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein said airflow control devices are flexible bladders, each said bladder sized and shaped such that when inflated by pressurized air, airflow through respective said air vent is substantially obstructed, and when said bladder is deflated by a vacuum, airflow through respective said air vent is substantially unobstructed, whereby said airflow control devices are controlled and actuated by applying either said pressurized air or said vacuum.

3. The control system of claim 2 wherein said bladders are positioned inside said air vents such that the air grills of said HVAC system can cover said air vents without modification to said air grills, said air grills substantially obscuring from view from said rooms said bladders, whereby said installation of said airflow control devices is not visible.

4. The control system of claim 1 wherein said second means are flexible air tubes with a diameter as small as practical and with a diameter large enough to inflate and deflate the air bladders in an appropriate amount of time, whereby the airflow characteristics of said air ducts are substantially unaffected by said air tubes and whereby said air ducts provide an unobstructed path from said plenum to said air vents for controlling and actuating said airflow control devices.

5. The control system of claim 1 wherein said first means controls said airflow control devices by selectively providing pressurized air or vacuum, further including:

1) an air pump that provides pressurized air and vacuum, and

2) a plurality of independently operable air valves, each air valve comprising;

a) an alpha means for connecting to said pressurized air, and

b) a beta means for connecting to said vacuum, and

c) a gamma means for providing a valve slide having a pressure position adapted to provide a path from said alpha means to said second means, and said gamma means having a vacuum position adapted to provide a path from said beta means to said second means, and

3) a delta means for moving said gamma means, adapted for moving one at a time any one of the plurality of said gamma means to either said pressure position or said vacuum position, the delta means responsive to valve control signals generated by a controlling processor, and

4) a epsilon means for positioning said delta means, adapted for positioning said delta means such that each of the plurality of said gamma means can be independently set to said pressure position or said vacuum position, said epsilon means responsive to position control signals generated by said controlling processor,

whereby various combination of said valve control signals and said position control signals independently cause either said pressurized air or said vacuum to be connected to each of the plurality of said second means for connecting.

6. A zone climate control system for installation in an existing forced air HVAC system in a residential building comprising:

1) a plurality of airflow control devices adapted for installation inside the air vents in the rooms of said building, said airflow control devices controlled and actuated by connections passing entirely through the air ducts from said air vents in said rooms to the discharge plenum of said HVAC system, and

2) a plurality of battery powered wireless thermometer devices located in a plurality of said rooms, each said wireless thermometer device associated with at least one of said airflow control devices and located such that the air temperature at said wireless thermometer device is affected more by the airflow from associated said air vent than any other said air vent, said wireless thermometer device transmitting temperature data and unique identification data such that said temperature data can be associated with corresponding said wireless thermometer device, and

3) a first means for receiving said temperature data and said unique identification data from each of said wireless thermometer devices, the receiving means located proximally to said plenum, and

4) a second means for processing said temperature data and said unique identification data and for generating control commands through said connections passing entirely through said air ducts that control said airflow control devices and for generating control commands that control said HVAC system such that the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device is maintained within a predetermined temperature range, said second means located proximally to said plenum,

whereby said airflow control devices of said control system are installed by accessing only said plenum and accessing only said air vents in said rooms, and said air ducts are otherwise unmodified and remain assembled throughout installation, and

whereby said wireless thermometer are installed without wiring between said rooms and,

whereby said first means and said second means are located proximally to said plenum, and

whereby installation of said control system in said building is simplified and non-obtrusive.

7. The control system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of said wireless thermometer devices each transmits said temperature data and said identification data as digital packets using the same radio frequency, such that the transmission time for each said packet is short compared to the time between transmission of successive said packets, and such that each said wireless thermometer device independently varies the time between transmission of said packets such that each said wireless thermometer device has substantially the same probability of transmitting said packet at a time when no other wireless thermometer device is transmitting said packet, whereby a multitude of wireless thermometer devices can transmit said packets using said same radio frequency, and whereby said first means for receiving receives sufficient said packets free of interference from other said wireless thermometer devices such that said second means for processing is able to maintain the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device within a predetermined temperature range.

8. The control system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of said wireless thermometer devices each have at least one pushbutton for entering commands, such that the wireless thermometer devices transmits the pushbutton command data such that the first means for receiving receives said pushbutton command data and such that said second means for processing responds to said pushbutton command data in a predetermined way to alter said predetermined temperature range.

9. The control system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of said wireless thermometer devices each transmits said temperature data and said identification data and said pushbutton command data as digital packets using the same radio frequency, such that the transmission time for each said packet is short compared to the time between transmission of successive said packets, and such that each said wireless thermometer device independently varies the time between transmission of said packets such that each said wireless thermometer device has substantially the same probability of transmitting said packet at a time when no other wireless thermometer device is transmitting said packet, whereby a multitude of wireless thermometer devices can transmit said packets using said same radio frequency, and whereby said first means for receiving receives sufficient said packets free of interference from other said wireless thermometer devices such that said second means for processing is able to maintain the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device within a predetermined temperature range.

10. The control system of claim 6 further comprising:

1) a means for specifying a plurality of temperature schedules, each said temperature schedule spanning a 24-hour period and comprising one or more said predetermined temperature ranges spanning corresponding periods within said 24-hour period, and

2) a means for assigning a said temperature schedule to each said wireless thermometer device, and

3) a means for transferring said temperature schedules and said assignments to said second means,

whereby the temperature at each wireless thermometer device is controlled according to respective said temperature schedules.

11. The control system of claim 10 further comprising a means for assigning different said temperature schedules to each day of a 7-day cycle for each said wireless temperature device.

12. The control system of claim 10 further comprising a means for assigning to at least one said wireless thermometer device at least one of said temperature schedules for at least one predetermined future date.

13. The control system of claim 10 further including a means for specifying a plurality of comfort climates each comprising a lower predetermined temperature and a higher predetermined temperature, and a means for using the comfort climates to provide said predetermined temperature ranges, whereby changes made to said comfort climates also changes all respective said predetermined temperature ranges of said temperature schedules.

14. A zone climate control system for a residential HVAC system comprising:

1) a plurality of airflow control devices adapted for installation inside the air vents in the rooms of said building, said airflow control devices controlled and actuated by connections passing entirely through the air ducts from said air vents in said rooms to the discharge plenum of said HVAC system, and

2) a plurality of battery powered wireless thermometer devices located in a plurality of said rooms, each said wireless thermometer device associated with at least one of said airflow control devices and located such that the temperature at said wireless thermometer device is affected more by the airflow from associated said air vent then by any other said air vent, each said wireless thermometer device having at least one pushbutton for making at least one pushbutton command, said wireless thermometer devices transmitting temperature data, pushbutton command data, and unique identification data such that said temperature data and said pushbutton command data can be associated with corresponding said wireless thermometer device, and

3) a first means for receiving said temperature data, said pushbutton command data, and said identification data from each of said wireless thermometer devices, and said first means located proximally to said plenum, and

4) a second means for specifying a plurality of temperature schedules and associating one of said temperature schedules with each said wireless thermometer device for each day of a 7-day cycle, and

5) a third means for processing said temperature data, said pushbutton command data, and said identification data received by the first means, and for processing said temperature schedules from said second means, and for generating control commands that control said airflow control devices and for generating control commands that control said HVAC system such that the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device is maintained according to respective said temperature schedules,

whereby the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device is controlled according to the respective assignment of one of a plurality of said temperature schedules for each day of said 7-day cycle.

15. The control system of claim 14 further including a means for associating at least one of a plurality of predetermined pushbutton command functions with each of said wireless thermometer devices, whereby said pushbutton command from each said wireless thermometer device can be adapted for function appropriate for the occupant in the proximity of each said wireless thermometer device.

16. The control system of claim 15 wherein one of said predetermined pushbutton command functions temporarily changes the one currently associated said temperature schedule such that the current predetermined temperature range is changed by a predetermined amount and for a predetermined time after which said temperature range returns to the predetermined value that is current at the end of said predetermined time, whereby said occupant can temporarily change the temperature in the proximity of said wireless thermometer by a single press of said pushbutton on said wireless thermometer device.

17. The control system of claim 15 wherein one of said predetermined pushbutton command functions changes the association of at least one said temperature schedule with at least one said wireless thermometer device for an indefinite time, whereby said occupant can permanently change at least one said temperature schedule by a single press of said pushbutton on said wireless thermometer device.

18. The control system of claim 14 further including a pressure sensor such that the air pressure in said plenum is measured by said third means for processing, and said third means further includes a means for relating said measured plenum pressure to total airflow through said plenum and in turn said air ducts.

19. The control system of claim 18 wherein said second means for specifying further includes a means for specifying one of a plurality of levels of airflow noise during the 24-hour span of said temperature schedules, and said third means for processing further includes a means for predetermining the maximum plenum pressure allowed for each airflow noise level, and a means for controlling said plenum pressure using said airflow control devices such that said maximum plenum pressure is not exceeded, whereby the noise level is controlled.

20. The control system of claim 18 wherein said third means for processing further including a means for storing said plenum pressure and storing the setting of each said airflow control device for each cycle of said HVAC system and periodically processing the stored data to determine the relative airflow for each said air vent for each said cycle of said HVAC system, whereby the relative energy used for each said air vent is determined, and whereby the energy used to maintain said temperature schedules at each said wireless thermometer device is determined.

21. The control system of claim 20 wherein said second means for specifying further including a means for receiving the relative energy use data for each said wireless thermometer device and displaying said energy use data in a way informative to said occupant.

22. The control system of claim 21 wherein said second means for specifying further including a means for using said relative energy use data to estimate the corresponding change in energy use for changes in said temperature schedules, whereby said occupant is informed of the approximate change in future energy use resulting from current said changes in said temperature schedules.

23. The control system of claim 20 further including a wireless thermometer device adapted for measuring the outside temperature, and said third means for processing further including a means for storing the outside temperature and periodically processing the stored outside temperature data and said stored data to determine the approximate thermal resistance from the proximity of each said wireless thermometer device to the outside, and said second means for specifying further including a means for receiving the thermal resistance data for each said wireless thermometer device and displaying said thermal resistance data in a way informative to said occupant, whereby the thermal paths with smaller thermal resistance are identified for potential improvement.

24. The control system of claim 14 wherein said third means for processing further including a means for generating maintenance massages, and said second means for specifying further including a means for displaying said maintenance messages, and said system further including a means for alerting said occupant responsive to requests from said third means, whereby said occupant uses said second means to receive said maintenance message.

25. The control system of claim 24 wherein said wireless thermometer devices including means for reporting a low battery, said first means for receiving further including a means for receiving the low battery report and said third means for processing further including a means for receiving said low battery report from said first means and generating a maintenance message reporting said low battery report from said wireless thermometer, whereby said occupant is alerted to replace the battery in said wireless thermometer device.

26. The control system of claim 24 wherein said first means for receiving further including a means for measuring the received signal strength of each said wireless thermometer devices and said third means for processing further comprising a means for receiving and comparing said received signal strengths to predetermined acceptable strengths, and generating a maintenance message reporting signal strengths less than said acceptable strengths, whereby said occupant is alerted to weak signal strengths.

27. The control system of claim 14 wherein said third means for processing further including processing to use only the blower of said HVAC system to selectively circulate air to equalize the temperatures comprising:

a) processing to identify at least two of said rooms that have respective said temperatures that differ by a predetermined amount, and

b) controlling said airflow control devices such that airflow is enabled only to the identified said rooms,

c) and controlling said blower to cause circulation of air,

whereby the air from said identified said rooms is selectively mixed to equalize respective said temperatures.

28. A zone climate control system for a residential HVAC system comprising:

1) a plurality of airflow control devices adapted for installation inside the air vents in the rooms of said building, said airflow control devices controlled and actuated by connections passing entirely through the air ducts from said air vents in said rooms to the discharge plenum of said HVAC system, and

2) a first means for airflow bypass from said plenum to the air return of said HVAC system, said fourth means comprising an air duct and a bypass airflow control, and

3) a second means for sensing air pressure in said plenum, and

4) a third means for sensing the air temperature in said plenum,

5) a plurality of battery powered wireless thermometer devices located in a plurality of said rooms, each said wireless thermometer device associated with at least one of said airflow control devices and located such that the temperature at said wireless thermometer device is affected more by the airflow from associated said air vents in said room then by any other said air vent, each said wireless thermometer device having at least one pushbutton for making at least one pushbutton command, said wireless thermometer devices transmitting temperature data, pushbutton command data, and unique identification data such that said temperature data and said pushbutton command data can be associated with corresponding said wireless thermometer device, and

6) a forth means for receiving said temperature data, said pushbutton command data, and said identification data from each of said wireless thermometer devices, and said forth means located proximally to said plenum, and

7) a fifth means for specifying a plurality of temperature schedules and associating one of said temperature schedules with each said wireless thermometer device for each day of a 7-day cycle, and

8) a sixth means for processing the plenum pressure from said second means, the plenum temperature from said third means, said temperature data, said pushbutton command data, and said identification data received by the fourth means, and the said temperature schedules from said fifth means, and for generating control commands that control said airflow control devices is said air vents and said first means and for generating control commands that control said HVAC system such that the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device is maintained according to respective said temperature schedules, and

whereby the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device is controlled according to the respective assignment of one of a plurality of said temperature schedules for each day of said 7-day cycle.

29. The control system of claim 28 wherein said sixth means for processing further including;

a) a means for predicting said plenum pressure for any combination of settings of said airflow control devices and setting of said bypass airflow control, and

b) a means for comparing predicted said plenum pressure to a predetermined maximum plenum pressure, and

c) a means for determining a combination of the airflow control device setting and the bypass airflow control setting such that the predicted plenum pressure is less than the maximum plenum pressure, and such that said airflow control device setting maintain the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device within the temperature ranges of said respective temperature schedules,

whereby said HVAC system is operated such that said plenum pressure is less than said maximum plenum pressure.

30. The control system of claim 29 wherein said airflow bypass provides sufficient bypass airflow such that said plenum pressure is less than said maximum plenum pressure when more than approximately 80% of said air vents are obstructed by said airflow control devices, whereby a small number of rooms can be conditioned at one time.

31. The control system of claim 30 wherein said sixth means for processing further including processing to monitoring said plenum temperature while a HVAC system component is conditioning the air, and comparing said plenum temperature to predetermined temperature limits, and turning off said HVAC system component when said plenum temperature is outside said predetermined temperature limits, whereby said HVAC system can condition a small number of rooms at one time.

32. The control system of claim 29 wherein said sixth means for processing further includes processing such that if only one of said rooms needs conditioning, and if conditioning only said room would cause said plenum pressure to exceed said maximum plenum pressure, then selecting for conditioning at least one additional room from among those rooms closest to their respective temperature range such that said plenum pressure will be less than said maximum plenum pressure, whereby said HVAC system is activated if only a single room needs conditioning.

33. The control system of claim 28 wherein said sixth means for processing further including processing to use only the blower of said HVAC system to selectively circulate air to equalize the temperatures comprising:

a) a means for predicting said plenum pressure for any combination of settings of said airflow control devices and setting of said bypass airflow control, and

b) a means for comparing the predicted plenum pressure to a predetermined maximum plenum pressure, and

c) processing to identify at least two of said rooms that have respective said temperatures that differ by a predetermined amount, and

d) if said predicted plenum pressure is greater than said maximum plenum pressure, processing to select one at a time additional said rooms with respective temperatures between the respective temperatures of the identified said rooms, until said predicted plenum pressure is less than said maximum plenum pressure, and

e) controlling said airflow control devices such that airflow is enabled only to said identified said rooms and only the additionally selected said rooms,

g) and controlling said blower to cause circulation of air,

whereby selective temperatures are equalized.

34. The control system of claim 28 wherein said sixth means for processing further including processing to use only the blower of said HVAC system to selectively circulate air to equalize the temperatures comprising:

a) a means for predicting said plenum pressure for any combination of settings of said airflow control devices and setting of said bypass airflow control, and

b) a means for comparing the predicted plenum pressure to a predetermined maximum plenum pressure, and

c) processing to identify at least two of said rooms that have respective said temperatures that differ by a predetermined amount, and

d) if said predicted plenum pressure is greater than said maximum plenum pressure, enabling said bypass airflow control, and

e) if said predicted plenum pressure is greater than said maximum plenum pressure, processing to select one at a time additional said rooms with respective temperatures between the respective temperatures of the identified said rooms, until said predicted plenum pressure is less than said maximum plenum pressure, and

f) controlling said airflow control devices such that airflow is enabled only to said identified said rooms and only the additionally selected said rooms,

g) and controlling said blower to cause circulation of air,

whereby selective temperatures are equalized.

35. A method for providing zone climate control for and existing HVAC system for a residential building comprising:

1) providing a first means for connecting from each of a plurality of air vents in said building through the air ducts of said HVAC system into the conditioned air discharge plenum of said HVAC system, and

2) providing an airflow control device at each said air duct, and

3) connecting said first means to each said airflow device in each said air vent, and

4) providing a second means for controlling located on said plenum, said second means providing controls for each said airflow control device and means for providing controls for each controllable device of said HVAC system, and

5) connecting each said first means inside said plenum to the corresponding airflow control means provided by said second means, and

6) connecting each said controllable device of said HVAC system to the HVAC controls provided by said second means, and

7) providing a plurality of wireless thermometer devices for transmitting temperature data and unique identification data, said wireless thermometer device located in each of said rooms with said air vents with said airflow control devices,

8) providing a third means for receiving said temperature data and identification data from said wireless thermometer devices, said third means located proximately to said plenum, and

9) providing a communicating connection between said second means and said third means such that said second means receives said temperature data and said identification data, and

10) providing a software program executed by said second means such that said second means controls said airflow control devices and said controllable devices of said HVAC system such that the temperature at each said wireless thermometer device is maintained to be within a predetermined temperature range,

whereby said air ducts are unmodified in any other way, and

whereby said air ducts remain assembled throughout said installation, and

whereby said installation is simplified.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

1) providing a means for specifying a plurality of temperature schedules, each said temperature schedule spanning a 24-hour period and providing at least one pre determined temperature range for use during a predetermined period during said 24-hour period, and

2) providing a means for associating one of said temperature schedules with each day of a 7-day cycle for each said wireless thermometer device, and

4) providing a means for transferring the associated temperature schedules to said software program, and

3) providing a means for said software program to use said associated temperature schedules to provide said predetermined temperature ranges for all times during said 7-day cycle for each said wireless thermometer device,

whereby the temperature range at each said wireless thermometer device is independently specified and controlled, and

whereby occupants are more comfortable, and

whereby energy is save by conditioning rooms only when occupied.

37. In a forced air HVAC system having a network of air ducts connecting a central discharge plenum to a plurality of air of air vents, a method for installing an air tube from said plenum to at least one of said air vents, comprising:

1) sealing all said air vents except said one of air vents, and

2) providing a blower, and

3) connecting said blower to said plenum such that the only substantial airflow path is from said one of air vents through said air ducts to said plenum and to said blower, and

4) providing a flexible and expandable air flow restricting device adapted for passing through said air ducts and substantially restricting airflow at any location in said air ducts.

5) providing a string connecting to said restricting device, said string sufficiently long to connect from said one of air ducts to said plenum, and sufficiently flexible to easily follow the path through said air ducts, and sufficiently strong so as not to break when used to pull said air tube through said air duct, and

6) inserting said restricting device into said one of air vents, and

7) running said blower such that air flows at a rate sufficiently fast to pull said restricting device and said string from said one of air vents to said plenum, and

8) providing tension on said string while letting out said string such that said restricting device moves through said air ducts at a practical and reasonable speed until said restricting device reaches said plenum, and

9) stopping said blower when said restricting device arrives at said plenum, and

10) connecting said air tube to said string at said one of air vents, and

11) accessing said string at said plenum, and

12) pulling said string at said plenum such that said air tube is pulled from said one of air vents through said air ducts to said plenum,

whereby said air tube is installed from said one of air vents to side plenum by accessing said air ducts only at said one of air vents and at said plenum.

38. The method of claim 37 further including repeating steps 1) through steps 12) for each of the other said air vents.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein said step 4), providing said restricting device further including:

providing a substantially square or round sheet of plastic film of area of approximately the same as the largest cross section area of any said air duct, and

providing at least three strings of length approximately equal to the largest linear dimension of said sheet, and

connecting one end of each said strings approximately equally spaced around the perimeter of said sheet, and

connecting the other end of said strings to said string provided in said step

     6),

whereby said flexible and expandable airflow restricting device is a simple parachute.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein said step 8) further including a method for enabling said restricting device to pass by a snag comprising:

a) sensing said tension in said string abruptly decreasing, indicating said restricting device is snagged, and

b) pulling said string back towards said air vent until said tension returns to approximate value before said snag, and

c) releasing said string such that said restricting device quickly accelerates, and

d) monitoring said string as said restricting device accelerates and reapplying said tension to said string after said restricting device has passed said snag, and

e) repeating said steps b) through d) until said restricting device has passed said snag, wherein the length of said string pulled back toward said air duct is varied and wherein the rate of releasing said tension is varied,

whereby said restricting device passes by said snag.