WIRELESS CONTROLLER WITH GATEWAY

• US 20100168924A1
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Hartzler, Jeffrey S., Tessier, Patrick C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,033,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1084 for air heating systems
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• 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 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/20 Feedback from users
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric

Abstract

Remote control of energy consumption is realized using a readily installable, flexible approach. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a remote source communicates with a wireless controller for executing energy usage control. The remote source sends signals to the wireless controller via a gateway located near or, in one implementation, forming part of the wireless controller. In response to the signals, the wireless controller sets control settings for operating one or more of a variety of equipment types, such as a furnace, air conditioner, water heater or heat pump. With this approach, wired connections from the gateway to energy-consuming equipment do not necessarily need to be made in order to effect remote energy-consumption control. For instance, when used in connection with a controller wired to the energy-consuming equipment, the gateway need only communicate wirelessly with the controller and does not necessarily need to be coupled to the energy-consuming equipment. In addition, access to the energy-consuming equipment for establishing remote energy control is not necessary; rather, the remote energy control can be effected by accessing user-friendly locations, such as those where thermostats and other controllers are typically located.

Claims

1. A thermostat for use in controlling an HVAC system of a building or other structure, the building or other structure having a local gateway coupled to a communications network, the thermostat comprising:

a user interface for allowing a user to interact with the thermostat;

a wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the local gateway of the building or other structure, wherein the local gateway is located remotely from the thermostat;

a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature inside the building or other structure and for providing a signal related to the sensed temperature; and

a thermostat controller coupled to the user interface, the wireless transceiver and the temperature sensor, the thermostat controller having a control algorithm for controlling the HVAC system based, at least in part, on one or more control parameters, the thermostat controller configured to allow a user to change one or more of the control parameters from a remote location on the communications network via the local gateway and the wireless transceiver.

2. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the thermostat includes:

a thermostat housing and a thermostat base, wherein the thermostat housing is removably coupled to the thermostat base such that when the thermostat housing is coupled to the thermostat base, one or more electrical signals can be communicated between the thermostat housing and the thermostat base; and

the thermostat housing carrying the user interface, the temperature sensor and the thermostat controller, and the thermostat base carrying the wireless transceiver.

3. The thermostat of claim 2 wherein the thermostat base is configured to be mounted to an interior wall of the building or other structure.

4. The thermostat of claim 3 wherein the thermostat base includes one or more wire connectors, wherein the one or more wire connectors are configured to accept and retain one or more control wires for the HVAC system.

5. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the thermostat controller is configured to provide one or more operational characteristics of the HVAC system to the remotely located gateway via the wireless transceiver, which can then be viewed from a remote location on the communications network via the local gateway.

6. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the gateway is located outside of the building or other structure.

7. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the HVAC system includes an air heating component.

8. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the HVAC system includes an air cooling component.

9. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver is an RF transceiver.

10. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver enters a low power mode when not communicating with the remotely located gateway.

11. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver is configured and arranged to bind to the gateway during initialization.

12. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the thermostat controller is configured to receive one or more user access messages from the remotely located gateway via the wireless transceiver, and provide one or more user responses, wherein the one or more user access messages allow a user to remotely control the thermostat.

13. An HVAC controller for use in controlling an HVAC system of a building or other structure, the building or other structure having a local gateway coupled to a communications network, the HVAC controller comprising:

a wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the local gateway of the building or other structure, wherein the local gateway is located remotely from the HVAC controller;

a controller coupled to the wireless transceiver, the controller having a control algorithm for controlling the HVAC system based, at least in part, on one or more control parameters, the controller configured to allow a user to change one or more of the control parameters from a remote location on the communications network via the local gateway and the wireless transceiver.

14. The HVAC controller of claim 13 further having:

a housing and a base, wherein the housing is removably coupled to the base such that when the housing is coupled to the base, one or more electrical signals can be communicated between the housing and the base; and

the housing carrying the controller, and the base carrying the wireless transceiver.

15. The HVAC controller of claim 14 wherein the base is configured to be mounted to wall of the building or other structure.

16. The HVAC controller of claim 15 wherein the base includes one or more wire connectors, wherein the one or more wire connectors are configured to accept and retain one or more control wires for the HVAC system.

17. The HVAC controller of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to provide one or more operational characteristics of the HVAC system to the remotely located gateway via the wireless transceiver, which can then be viewed from a remote location on the communications network via the local gateway.

18. The HVAC controller of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more user access messages from the remotely located gateway via the wireless transceiver, and provide one or more user responses, wherein the one or more user access messages allow a user to remotely control the HVAC controller.

19. A method for changing one or more operating parameters of a thermostat, wherein the thermostat is located inside of a building or other structure, comprising:

sending a request to change a desired operating parameter of the thermostat from a location outside of the building or other structure, the request passing across a communications network to a local gateway, wherein the local gateway is located inside of the building or other structure;

sending a corresponding request from the local gateway to a wireless transceiver, wherein the wireless transceiver is associated with and connected to the thermostat;

once the request is received, changing the desired operating parameter of the thermostat; and

operating the thermostat using the changed operating parameter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the wireless transceiver is part of the thermostat.