DISTRIBUTED NETWORKED THERMOSTAT SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a method for controlling a thermostat, wherein the thermostat includes a thermostat control module connected across a first network to a thermostat module, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a server located at a location remote from the thermostat, programming instructions for the thermostat;
executing the programming instructions from within an application executing on the server in order to create schedule logic;
transmitting the schedule logic from the server across a communication network to a thermostat controller module;
transmitting a new temperature value from the thermostat controller module to the thermostat module when indicated by the schedule logic;
receiving the new temperature value at the thermostat module;
replacing a current set temperature in the thermostat module with the new temperature value;
sensing, at the thermostat module, a sensed temperature; and
modifying operation of the HVAC system as a function of the sensed temperature and the new current set temperature.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments include methods and systems for a distributed networked device controller such as a thermostat.
57 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. In a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a method for controlling a thermostat, wherein the thermostat includes a thermostat control module connected across a first network to a thermostat module, the method comprising:
-
receiving, at a server located at a location remote from the thermostat, programming instructions for the thermostat; executing the programming instructions from within an application executing on the server in order to create schedule logic; transmitting the schedule logic from the server across a communication network to a thermostat controller module; transmitting a new temperature value from the thermostat controller module to the thermostat module when indicated by the schedule logic; receiving the new temperature value at the thermostat module; replacing a current set temperature in the thermostat module with the new temperature value; sensing, at the thermostat module, a sensed temperature; and modifying operation of the HVAC system as a function of the sensed temperature and the new current set temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A thermostat system, comprising:
-
a thermostat module, wherein the thermostat module includes; a network interface; a temperature sensor; a control interface for controlling an HVAC system; and a programmable controller connected to the network interface, the temperature sensor and the control interface, wherein the programmable controller includes a current set temperature value; and a thermostat control module, wherein the thermostat control module includes; a first and a second network interface; and a programmable controller connected to the network interface, wherein the programmable controller includes program code; wherein the thermostat control module and the thermostat module can be connected via their network interfaces; wherein the thermostat module reads temperature from the temperature sensor and modifies operation of the HVAC system as a function of the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the current set temperature value; and wherein the programmable controller for thermostat control module includes program code which, when executed, causes the programmable controller for the thermostat control module to transmit a new temperature value at preselected times to the programmable controller of the thermostat module, wherein the new temperature value replaces the current set temperature value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
-
-
14. In a system having a device to be controlled, a method for controlling the device, the method comprising:
-
receiving, at a server located at a location remote from the device, programming instructions for the changing operation of the device; executing the programming instructions from within an application executing on the server in order to create schedule logic; transmitting the schedule logic from the server across a communication network to a system controller module; transmitting a new value from the system controller module to the device control module when indicated by the schedule logic; receiving the new value at the device control module; replacing a current set value in the device control module with the received new value; sensing, at the device control module, a sensed parameter relevant to operation of the device; and modifying operation of the device as a function of the sensed parameter and the new current set value. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. In a system having a device to be controlled, a method for controlling the device, the method comprising:
-
receiving, at a server located at a location remote from the device, programming instructions for the changing operation of the device; executing the programming instructions from within an application executing on the server in order to create schedule logic; transmitting the schedule logic from the server across a communication network to a system controller module; transmitting a new value from the system controller module to the device control module when indicated by the schedule logic; receiving the new value at the device control module; replacing a current set value in the device control module with the received new value; and modifying operation of the device as a function of the new current set value. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A distributed networked control system for controlling a device, comprising:
-
a device control module, wherein the device control module includes; a network interface; a control interface for controlling the device; and a programmable controller connected to the network interface and the control interface, wherein the programmable controller includes a current set value; and a system control module, wherein the system control module includes; a first and a second network interface; and a programmable controller connected to the network interface, wherein the programmable controller includes program code; wherein the system control module and the device control module can be connected via their network interfaces; wherein the device control module modifies operation of the device as a function of the current set value; and wherein the programmable controller for system control module includes program code which, when executed, causes the programmable controller for the system control module to transmit a new set value at preselected times to the device control module, wherein the new set value replaces the current set value. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
-
Specification