METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONFIGURING A FILTER CHANGE NOTIFICATION OF AN HVAC CONTROLLER
First Claim
1. An HVAC controller configured to control, at least in part, an HVAC system that includes an air filter, the air filter progressing from a clean condition to a dirty condition during normal operation of the HVAC system, the HVAC system including one or more sensors for providing one or more parameters that are related to the current condition of the air filter of the HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:
- a controller for issuing one or more control signals to the HVAC system and for putting the HVAC system into one or more operating states;
a memory coupled to the controller;
a user interface including a display, the user interface coupled to the controller;
the controller is configured to initiate a calibration test for the air filter by activating one or more control signals that put the HVAC system into a particular one of the one or more operating states, and once in the particularly one of the one or more operating states, the controller monitoring the one or more parameters related to the current condition of the air filter;
the controller is further configured to determine a filter change threshold value based on the calibration test, and store the filter change threshold value in the memory;
during subsequent operation of the HVAC system, the controller is configured to display a filter change notification message on the display of the HVAC controller when the current condition of the air filter passes the filter change threshold value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for monitoring the condition of an air filter of an HVAC system to provide an indication of when the air filter should be changed. An HVAC controller may be configured to include a filter change notification, wherein the HVAC controller may monitor the current condition of the air filter, and may display a filter change notification on the display when the current condition of the air filter passes a filter change threshold value. In some cases, the HVAC controller may be configured to perform, sometimes at the request of a user, one or more calibration tests on the air filter to help the user identify an appropriate filter change threshold value. Alternatively, or in addition, the HVAC controller may, through a user interface, allow a user to enter and/or change a filter change threshold value, as desired.
68 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An HVAC controller configured to control, at least in part, an HVAC system that includes an air filter, the air filter progressing from a clean condition to a dirty condition during normal operation of the HVAC system, the HVAC system including one or more sensors for providing one or more parameters that are related to the current condition of the air filter of the HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:
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a controller for issuing one or more control signals to the HVAC system and for putting the HVAC system into one or more operating states; a memory coupled to the controller; a user interface including a display, the user interface coupled to the controller; the controller is configured to initiate a calibration test for the air filter by activating one or more control signals that put the HVAC system into a particular one of the one or more operating states, and once in the particularly one of the one or more operating states, the controller monitoring the one or more parameters related to the current condition of the air filter; the controller is further configured to determine a filter change threshold value based on the calibration test, and store the filter change threshold value in the memory; during subsequent operation of the HVAC system, the controller is configured to display a filter change notification message on the display of the HVAC controller when the current condition of the air filter passes the filter change threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An HVAC controller configured to control, at least in part, an HVAC system that includes an air filter, the air filter progressing from a clean condition to a dirty condition during normal operation of the HVAC system, the HVAC system including one or more sensors for providing one or more parameters that are related to a current condition of the air filter of the HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:
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a controller for issuing one or more control signals to the HVAC system and for putting the HVAC system into one or more operating states; a memory coupled to the controller; a user interface including a display, the user interface coupled to the controller; the controller is configured to include a filter change notification, wherein the filter change notification monitors the current condition of the air filter and displays a filter change notification on the display when the current condition of the air filter passes a filter change threshold value; the controller is further configured to display one or more screens for setting up the filter change notification, wherein at least one of the screens allows a user to change the filter change threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of configuring a filter change notification feature of an HVAC controller, the filter change notification feature including a filter change threshold value relating to when an air filter of an HVAC system is to be changed, the method comprising:
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activating a guided programming routine; once activated, the guided programming routine providing two or more queries to a user via a sequence of screens displayed on a user interface, at least some of the queries soliciting information related to setting up the filter change notification feature; at least one of the queries includes soliciting a user to select via the user interface one of a first filter monitor calibration test and a second filter monitor calibration test; at least one of the queries includes soliciting a user to adjust a filter threshold value resulting from the execution of the selected one of the first filter monitor calibration test and the second filter monitor calibration test; using the user selections and/or adjustments to set a final filter threshold value for the filter change notification feature; and operating the filter change notification feature using the final filter threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification