HVAC CONTROLLER WITH COMPONENT CHANGE NOTIFICATION

• US 20120323374A1
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Ragland, Amy, Dean-Hendricks, Barbara J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,080,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/39 Monitoring filter performance
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/526 giving audible indications
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/10 by separation, e.g. by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/108 using dry filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/00 Systems controlled by a computer G05B13/00, G05B19/00 take precedence; automatic controllers with particular characteristics G05B11/00

Abstract

HVAC methods and systems are provided for issuing a component change notification to a user when an air filter or other replaceable component should be changed. In some instances, an HVAC controller may solicit information from a user that is related to one or more features of the replaceable component (e.g. air filter) of the HVAC system. This can include, size, type, model number and/or any other suitable feature, parameter and/or property. In some cases, the time before a component change notification message is issued by the HVAC controller may be dependent on, determined by, and/or adjusted based on the received information. In some instances, the HVAC controller may display at least some of the received information in a subsequently issued component change notification message.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller for controlling an HVAC system, the HVAC system having one or more air filters, the HVAC controller comprising:

a controller;

a memory coupled to the controller;

a user interface having a display, the user interface coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to;

display one or more screens on the display, wherein one or more of the screens solicit a user for information related to one or more features of the one or more air filters of an HVAC system;

accept a user response;

wherein the controller is further configured to adjust an air filter change notification indicator setting based on the user response to the solicitation for information related to the one or more features of the one or more air filters.

2. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more features of the one or more air filters include a depth of one or more of the air filters, and wherein one or more of the screens solicit a user for information related to the depth of one or more of the air filters.

3. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more features of the one or more air filters include a height and a width of one or more of the air filters, and wherein one or more of the screens solicit a user for information related to the height and the width of one or more of the air filters.

4. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more features of the one or more air filters include a Minimum Efficiency Rating Value (MERV) of one or more of the air filters, and wherein one or more of the screens solicit a user for information related to the MERV rating of one or more of the air filters.

5. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more features of the one or more air filters include a model number of one or more of the air filters, and wherein one or more of the screens solicit a user for information related to the model number of one or more of the air filters.

6. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein:

a first screen of a sequence of two or more screens solicits a user for a total number of air filters in the HVAC system; and

a second screen of the sequence of two or more screens solicits a user for information related to a height and a width of at least one of the one or more air filters.

7. The HVAC controller of claim 6, wherein the first screen of the sequence of two or more screens solicits a user for information related to a depth of at least one the one or more of the air filters.

8. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the air filter change notification indicator setting is a filter threshold value.

9. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the air filter change notification indicator setting is a length of time of an air filter change notification timer.

10. The HVAC controller of claim 9, wherein:

when the air filter change notification timer expires, the controller is configured to display on the display a notification that indicates that air filter replacement is desired; and

displaying one or more quantitative features for a suitable replacement air filter.

11. The HVAC controller of claim 10, wherein the one or more quantitative features for a suitable replacement air filter are displayed only after a user requests more filter information via the user interface.

12. The HVAC controller of claim 11, wherein the one or more quantitative features for a suitable replacement air filter include one or more of a depth, a width, a height, and a MERV rating.

13. An HVAC controller for controlling an HVAC system, the HVAC system having one or more replaceable components, the HVAC controller comprising:

a controller;

a memory coupled to the controller;

a user interface having a display, the user interface coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to;

accept from a user via the user interface of the HVAC controller one or more features related to the one or more replaceable components of the HVAC system;

display a user message on the user interface that indicates it is time to replace one or more of the replaceable components of the HVAC system after a change component notification has been triggered;

display a user message on the user interface that identifies one or more features of one or more suitable replacement components of the HVAC system.

14. The HVAC controller of claim 13, wherein:

the one or more replaceable component of the HVAC system includes one or more air filters of the HVAC system, and the change component notification is an air filter change notification; and

the controller is configured to adjust a time at which the air filter change notification is triggered based on the one or more features accepted via the user interface.

15. The HVAC controller of claim 13, wherein:

the one or more replaceable component of the HVAC system includes one or more air filters of the HVAC system, and the controller is configured to compare a received measure related to a flow through the one or more air filters of the HVAC system to an air filter threshold value; and

the controller is configured to trigger the change component notification when the received measure related to a flow through the one or more air filters of the HVAC system surpasses the air filter threshold value.

16. A method of configuring an air filter change notification feature of an HVAC controller, the filter change notification feature including an air filter change notification that is triggered when one or more air filters of an HVAC system is to be changed, the method comprising:

activating a guided programming routine;

once activated, the guided programming routine provides two or more queries to a user via a sequence of screens displayed via a user interface, where one or more of the queries solicit a user for information related to a feature of the one or more air filters of the HVAC system;

at least one of the queries includes soliciting the user for a depth of the one or more air filters via the user interface;

at least one of the queries includes soliciting a user for a width of the one or more air filters via the user interface;

at least one of the queries includes soliciting a user for a height of an air filter of the one or more air filters via the user interface;

using the user input to adjust a time at which the air filter change notification is to be triggered;

updating in the HVAC controller the time at which the air filter change notification is to be triggered.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein in response to the air filter change notification being triggered, the controller displaying a user notification indicating it is time to replace an air filter of the HVAC system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user notification provides quantitative information relating to the air filter that needs to be replaced.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the user notification queries the user for selection of more air filter information, and if selected by the user, the controller displaying the quantitative features relating to the air filter that needs to be replaced.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the time at which the air filter change notification is to be triggered is after the expiration of an air filter change notification timer, and a length of time before the air filter notification expires is adjusted based on the received the user input.