SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRING-RELAY CONFIGURATION IN DIGITAL THERMOSTATS

• US 20140048608A1
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: Frank, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,732,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/51
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/59 for presetting
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature

Abstract

In a thermostat having a plurality of demand circuits and a thermostat controller, a method of controlling devices connected to the demand circuits. One or more demand circuits in a thermostat are connected to devices in an HVAC system. The thermostat is configured to associate each connected demand circuit with the device to which it is connected and control signals are routed from the thermostat controller to the one or more demand circuits to control devices associated with the demand circuits.

Claims

1. A thermostat for controlling a first device and a second device in a HVAC system, comprising:

a thermostat controller;

a plurality of demand circuits, including a first and a second demand circuit;

a demand circuit mapper connected to the thermostat controller and to the plurality of demand circuits; and

a configuration memory that stores a mapping of demand circuit assignments to particular demand circuits;

wherein the demand circuit mapper receives a control signal from the thermostat controller and routes that control signal to one of the plurality of demand circuits as a function of the mapping stored in the configuration memory.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the configuration memory is a configuration register.

3. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat controller is configured to receive demand circuit assignments across a network.

4. The thermostat of claim 3, wherein the thermostat controller includes a wireless interface to a mesh network.

5. In a thermostat having a plurality of demand circuits and a thermostat controller, a method of assigning demand circuits to devices, comprising:

connecting one or more demand circuits to devices; and

configuring the thermostat to associate each connected demand circuit with the device to which it is connected.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein configuring includes replacing one thermostat configuration with a second thermostat configuration.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein configuring includes:

displaying a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a configuration application for associating each demand circuit with the device to which it is connected;

storing the association as a demand circuit mapping; and

routing control signals from the thermostat controller to each demand circuit as a function of the demand circuit mapping.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein configuring includes:

displaying, on a first device, a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a configuration application for associating each demand circuit with the device to which it is connected;

storing the association as a demand circuit mapping, wherein storing includes;

transmitting the association from the first device to a server;

activating the thermostat to retrieve the association from the server; and

recording the association in a configuration register as a demand circuit mapping; and

routing control signals from the thermostat controller to each demand circuit as a function of the demand circuit mapping.

9. A heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system, comprising:

a plurality of devices, wherein each device performs some aspect of heating, cooling or ventilation; and

a thermostat, wherein the thermostat includes;

a thermostat controller;

a plurality of demand circuits, including a first and a second demand circuit, wherein each demand circuit is connected to one of the plurality of devices;

a demand circuit mapper connected to the thermostat controller and to the plurality of demand circuits; and

a configuration memory that stores a mapping of demand circuit assignments to demand circuits connected to particular devices from the plurality of devices;

wherein the demand circuit mapper receives a control signal from the thermostat controller and routes that control signal to one of the plurality of demand circuits as a function of the mapping stored in the configuration memory.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the configuration memory is a configuration register.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the thermostat controller is configured to receive demand circuit assignments across a network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the thermostat controller includes a wireless interface.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the thermostat controller includes a wireless interface to a mesh network.

14. In a thermostat having a plurality of demand circuits and a thermostat controller, a method of controlling devices connected to the demand circuits, the method comprising:

connecting one or more demand circuits to devices;

configuring the thermostat to associate each connected demand circuit with the device to which it is connected; and

routing control signals from the thermostat controller to the one or more demand circuits to control devices associated with the demand circuits.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein configuring includes replacing one mapping with a second mapping.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein configuring includes:

displaying a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a configuration application for associating each demand circuit with the device to which it is connected; and

storing the association as a demand circuit mapping; and

wherein routing control signals includes routing as a function of the demand circuit mapping.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein configuring includes:

displaying, on a first device, a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a configuration application for associating each demand circuit with the device to which it is connected;

storing the association as a demand circuit mapping, wherein storing includes;

transmitting the association from the first device to a server;

activating the thermostat to retrieve the association from the server; and

recording the association in a configuration register as a demand circuit mapping; and

routing control signals from the thermostat controller to each demand circuit as a function of the demand circuit mapping.