System and method for controlling a multi-zone heating or cooling system

• US 20060185818A1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Garozzo, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,448,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/11.100
• 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 11/65 for selecting an operating mode

Abstract

A control system is provided for automatically setting up and controlling a climate control system for a building having one or more zones and one or more thermostats in communication with the associated heating or cooling components of the climate control system. In some embodiments, the climate control system comprises one or more heating or cooling systems which may be controlled by one or more thermostats. In other embodiments, the climate control system comprises a thermostat, a heating and cooling system, one or more remote temperature sensors corresponding to at least some of the one or more zones within the building, and one or more dampers corresponding to at least some of the one or more zones within the building.

Claims

1. A climate control system for conditioning one or more zones within a building, the control system comprising:

two or more heating or cooling systems for conditioning of the one or more zones within the building;

one or more remote temperature sensor devices disposed in at least some of the one or more zones within the building; and

a thermostat having a local temperature sensor, the thermostat being adapted to communicate with the two or more heating and cooling systems and the one or more remote temperature sensors, wherein the thermostat operates a set-up mode that initiates the operation of one of the two or more heating or cooling systems and responsively assigns the heating or cooling system to the thermostat where the local temperature sensor detects a temperature change corresponding to the operation of the heating or cooling system.

2. The climate control system of claim 1, wherein the thermostat successively initiates operation of each of the two or more heating or cooling systems, and responsively assigns the particular heating or cooling system to the thermostat when the local temperature sensor detects a temperature change corresponding to the operation of the heating or cooling system.

3. The climate control system of claim 2, wherein the thermostat initiates the operation of an assigned heating or cooling system and responsively assigns to the thermostat each remote temperature sensor device that detects a temperature change corresponding with the temperature change sensed by the local temperature sensor.

4. The climate control system of claim 3, further comprising one or more dampers corresponding to at least some of the one or more zones within the building, where each damper controllably prohibits or permits the flow of conditioned air to at least one of the zones.

5. The climate control system of claim 4, wherein the thermostat initiates the operation of an assigned heating or cooling system and successively operates each of the one or more damper devices, such that the thermostat may responsively assign each damper device that causes an assigned remote temperature sensor to detect an associated temperature change corresponding to the opening or closing of the particular damper device.

6. The climate control system of claim 5, further comprising a second thermostat having a local temperature sensor, where the second thermostat initiates the operation of one of the two or more heating or cooling systems not assigned to first thermostat, and responsively assigns the heating or cooling system to the second thermostat where the local temperature sensor detects a temperature change corresponding to the operation of the heating or cooling system.

7. The climate control system of claim 6, wherein the second thermostat initiates the operation of its assigned heating or cooling system and responsively assigns to the second thermostat each unassigned remote temperature sensor device that detects a temperature change corresponding with the temperature change sensed by the local temperature sensor of the second thermostat.

8. The climate control system of claim 7, wherein the second thermostat initiates the operation of its assigned heating or cooling system and successively operates each of the one or more unassigned damper devices, such that the second thermostat may responsively assign each damper device that causes a remote temperature sensor assigned to the second thermostat to detect an associated temperature change corresponding to the opening or closing of the particular damper device.

9. A climate control system for conditioning one or more zones within a building having a heating or cooling system, the climate control system comprising:

one or more dampers corresponding to at least some of the one or more zones within the building, where each damper controllably permits the flow of conditioned air to at least one of the zones;

one or more remote temperature sensor devices disposed in at least some of the one or more zones within the building; and

a thermostat having a local temperature sensor, the thermostat being adapted to communicate with the heating and cooling system and one or more remote temperature sensors, wherein the thermostat includes a set-up mode that initiates the operation of the heating or cooling system and responsively assigns to the thermostat each remote temperature sensor device that detect a temperature change corresponding with temperature change sensed by the local temperature sensor.

10. The control system of claim 9 wherein the thermostat initiates the operation of the heating or cooling system and successively operates each of the one or more damper devices, such that the thermostat may responsively assign each damper device that causes an assigned remote temperature sensor to detect an associated temperature change corresponding to the opening or closing of the particular damper device.

11. The climate control system of claim 11, wherein the dampers are initially closed and the thermostat successively opens each of the one or more damper devices, such that the thermostat may responsively assign each opened damper device that causes an assigned remote temperature sensor to detect an associated temperature change corresponding to the particular damper device.

12. The climate control system of claim 11 wherein the thermostat stores identifying information for the assigned heating or cooling system, assigned remote temperature sensors, and assigned damper devices in memory.

13. A method for controlling set-up of a climate control system having at least one thermostat and at least one heating or cooling system for conditioning one or more zones within a building, the method comprising:

initiating a set-up mode in at least one thermostat;

identifying at least one unassigned heating or cooling system in communication with the thermostat via a network;

initiating the operation of an unassigned heating or cooling system via the thermostat;

sensing the temperature of the space local to the thermostat; and

assigning the operating heating or cooling system to the thermostat in response to detecting a change in temperature of the space local to the thermostat corresponding to the operation of the heating or cooling system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising reading the temperature sensed by at least one unassigned remote temperature sensor in at least one of the one or more zones, and assigning to the thermostat at least one remote temperature sensor for the at least one zone when the temperature change sensed by the remote sensor corresponds with the change in temperature of the space local to the thermostat

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising opening at least one unassigned damper device to prohibit or permit the flow of conditioned air to at least one of the one or more zones, and assigning to the thermostat the at least one damper that causes an assigned remote temperature sensor to detect an associated temperature change in the zone corresponding to the opening or closing of the particular damper device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the dampers are initially closed and the thermostat successively opens each of the one or more damper devices, such that the thermostat may responsively assign each closed damper device that causes an assigned remote temperature sensor to detect an associated temperature change corresponding to the closure of the particular damper device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising initiating a set-up mode of a second thermostat having a sensor for sensing the temperature local to the second thermostat.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising identifying at least one unassigned heating or cooling system associated with the second thermostat, initiating the operation of an unassigned heating or cooling system via the second thermostat, sensing the temperature of the space local to the second thermostat, and assigning the operating heating or cooling system to the second thermostat in response to detecting a change in temperature of the space local to the second thermostat corresponding to the operation of the heating or cooling system.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising reading the temperature sensed by at least one unassigned remote temperature sensor in at least one of the one or more zones, and assigning to the second thermostat at least one remote temperature sensor for the at least one zone when the temperature change sensed by the remote sensor corresponds with the change in temperature of the space local to the second thermostat.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising closing at least one unassigned damper device to prohibit flow of conditioned air to at least one of the one or more zones, and assigning to the second thermostat the at least one closed damper that causes a remote temperature sensor assigned to the second thermostat to detect an associated temperature change in the zone corresponding to the closure of the particular damper device.

21. A climate control system for conditioning one or more zones within a building, the control system comprising:

two or more heating or cooling systems for conditioning of the one or more zones within the building;

one or more remote temperature sensor devices disposed in at least some of the one or more zones within the building;

a thermostat having a local temperature sensor, the thermostat being adapted to communicate with the two or more heating and cooling systems and the one or more remote temperature sensors, and

a control device adapted to communicate with the thermostat, the two or more heating and cooling systems and the one or more remote temperature sensors, wherein the control device operates a set-up mode that initiates the operation of one of the two or more heating or cooling systems and responsively assigns the heating or cooling system to the thermostat where the local temperature sensor detects an associated temperature change within a given time period that corresponds to the operation of the one heating or cooling system.