HVAC Customer Support System

• US 20140228983A1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Groskreutz, Mark Eldo, Jameson, Richard Lee
• Application Number:
  US14/169,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20140228983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• 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 11/62 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/40 Noise
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/005 using recorded signals, e.g. speech

Abstract

An HVAC thermostat has a processor configured to control at least one component of an HVAC system in response to temperature and at least one of (1) receive voice over internet protocol (VOIP) data and (2) transmit VOIP data.

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) thermostat, comprising:

a processor configured to;

control at least one component of an HVAC system in response to temperature; and

at least one of (1) receive voice over internet protocol (VOIP) data and (2) transmit VOIP data.

2. The HVAC thermostat of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone configured to selectively receive sound inputs for conversion into the VOIP data.

3. The HVAC thermostat of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker configured to selectively output sound converted from the VOIP data.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processor system is configured to store product information further comprising HVAC component information related to the at least one HVAC component connected to the thermostat.

5. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to store product information which further comprises at least information identifying the thermostat, information identifying the HVAC component, diagnostic information related to the operation of the thermostat, and diagnostic information related to the operation of the HVAC component, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit product information comprising the at least information identifying the thermostat, information identifying the HVAC component, diagnostic information relating to the operation of the thermostat, and diagnostic information related to the operation of the HVAC component to a remote service center.

6. The thermostat according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to receive additional diagnostic information from the remote service center, and to display the additional diagnostic information on a display.

7. The thermostat according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

store diagnostic instructions relating to the functions of the HVAC component and the thermostat;

receive a command from the remote service center invoking the diagnostic instructions; and

execute the invoked diagnostic instructions.

8. The thermostat according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to limit communications to a predetermined list of allowed numbers, the numbers being one of Internet Protocol addresses and customer service telephone numbers.

9. A method of operating a thermostat, comprising:

controlling, in response to a signal from at least one climate sensor attached to a thermostat, a heating, ventilation, and air/or conditioning (HVAC) component;

transmitting voice information from the thermostat using voice over internet protocol (VOIP); and

receiving voice information using VOIP, and outputting the received voice information via a speaker.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing product information, the product information comprising system identification information and diagnostic information relating to at least the configuration and operation of the thermostat and HVAC component;

receiving by the thermostat a customer service command to initiate a customer service call to a remote service center;

transmitting the product information to the remote service center via a network interface attached to the thermostat in response to the customer service command.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

performing diagnostic actions on one of the thermostat and the HVAC component in response to receiving voice information, and

reporting the results of the diagnostic actions using VOIP.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating HVAC diagnostic information by the HVAC component relating to the operation of the HVAC component;

transmitting the HVAC diagnostic information to the thermostat; and

comprising the HVAC diagnostic information in said storing product information and said transmitting the product information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the customer service command is a voice command received by the thermostat through a microphone.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying, at the remote service center, a malfunction of the HVAC component;

identifying, at the remote service center, a part required for repair of the malfunction of the HVAC component; and

transmitting, by the remote service center, information identifying the part to at least one of the thermostat, an HVAC parts dealer, and a HVAC service center.

15. A device, comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

an input;

a network interface; and

a processor system configured to;

store product information regarding the device as a whole;

receive a customer service command from the input to initiate a customer service call regarding the device;

transmit the service information via the network interface in response to the customer service command;

transmit, in response to the customer service command, first voice information input by the microphone to a remote service center via the network interface using voice over internet protocol (VOIP); and

receive second voice information from the remote service center via the network interface using VOIP, and output the second voice information via the speaker.

16. The device according to claim 15, further comprising a display, wherein the processor system is further configured to receive diagnostic information from the remote service center and to display the diagnostic information on the display.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the processor system is further configured to store predetermined customer service information regarding at least one of a customer service telephone number and a customer service Internet Protocol address, and to retrieve the customer service information in response to a customer service command.

18. The device according to claim 15, further comprising a display, and wherein the processor system is further configured to:

store diagnostic instructions relating to diagnosis of the functions of the device;

receive a command from the remote service center invoking the diagnostic instructions and to execute the invoked diagnostic instructions; and

display data retrieved as a result of the execution of the diagnostic instructions on the display and at the remote service center.

19. The device according to claim 15, wherein the processor system is further configured to limit communications to a predetermined list of allowed numbers, the numbers being one of Internet Protocol addresses and customer service telephone numbers.

20. The device according to claim 15, wherein the input is limited to a predetermined list of allowed choices for establishing a communication via VOIP.

21. A method of operating a customer service center, comprising:

receiving diagnostic data generated by a heating, ventilation, and air/or conditioning (HVAC) controller associated with a first HVAC system component; and

receiving voice over internet protocol (VOIP) data from the HVAC controller.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

controlling, by the customer service center, a function of the HVAC system component; and

transmitting voice information using VOIP from the customer service center to the HVAC controller.