THERMOSTAT FOR A HVAC

• US 20140316586A1
• Filed: 04/18/2014
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Boesveld, Willem, Kalk, Hendrik Johannes, Herman Van Wijk, Cornelis Jan, Zavialova, Tetiana, Cusell, Erica
• Application Number:
  US14/256,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316586A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/278
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A thermostat for a HVAC comprising:

• • a data communication port for connection to the HVAC,
    wherein the thermostat is arranged to
  • communicate via the data communication port an operating parameter of the HVAC, and
  • estimate an energy consumption of the HVAC from the communicated operating parameter of the HVAC.

The operating parameter may express a fraction of a nominal load of the HVAC, the thermostat being arranged to estimate the energy consumption from a multiplication of the operating parameter and a nominal energy consumption parameter of the HVAC at the nominal load.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A thermostat for a HVAC, comprising:

a thermostat arrangement including a data communication port for connection to the HVAC;

wherein the thermostat arrangement is configured to communicate via the data communication port an operating parameter of the HVAC, and to estimate an energy consumption of the HVAC from the communicated operating parameter of the HVAC.

20. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the operating parameter expresses a fraction of a nominal load of the HVAC, and wherein the thermostat is configured to estimate the energy consumption from a multiplication of the operating parameter and a nominal energy consumption parameter of the HVAC at the nominal load.

21. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the thermostat is configured to accumulate the estimated energy consumption over time.

22. The thermostat of claim 21, wherein the accumulating the estimated energy consumption over time comprises accumulating the operating parameter over time, and multiplying the accumulated operating parameter by the nominal energy consumption to obtain the accumulated estimated energy consumption.

23. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the thermostat is configured to compare the estimated energy consumption with a predetermined threshold, and to display an icon on a display device of the thermostat when the estimated energy consumption is below the threshold.

24. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the thermostat arrangement is configured to start a timer in response to receiving a tap water heating active message, periodically increase the timer value as long as the tap water heating active message is received, compare the timer value with an shower notification timer value, and send a tap water temperature low signal to the HVAC when reaching or exceeding the shower notification timer value.

25. The thermostat of claim 24, wherein the thermostat arrangement is configured to store a pre-notification timer value of the timer having a value to be reached by the timer before reaching the shower notification timer value, compare the timer value with a shower pre-notification timer value, and send a tap water pulse temperature low signal to the HVAC wherein reaching the shower pre-notification timer value for the HVAC to pulse the tap water temperature to a lower value.

26. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the thermostat arrangement is configured to receive an event setpoint, the event setpoint being associated to an event time and an event temperature, and to set a clock program to the received event temperature starting from the event time.

27. The thermostat of claim 26, further comprising:

a further data communication port for connection to a data communication network, wherein the thermostat arrangement is configured to receive the event setpoint via the further date communication port.

28. The thermostat of claim 26, wherein the event setpoints include at least one of wake up, leave, come home and sleep.

29. The thermostat of claim 26, wherein the event setpoint includes an alarm clock time.

30. The thermostat of claim 27, wherein the thermostat arrangement is configured to establish a connection via the further data communication port to an electronic home appliance connect with the data communication network, to monitor if the appliance is active, and to set a thermostat setpoint to a comfort temperature when the appliance is active.

31. The thermostat of claim 30, wherein the appliance includes at least one of a television, a tablet computer and a smartphone.

32. The thermostat of claim 30, wherein the thermostat is configured to establish via the further data communication port a connection to a wireless communication network, to receive via the wireless communication network information about a connection to or location of a mobile user device, to derive from the received information about the connection to or location of the mobile user device if the mobile user device resides in a predetermined proximity area, to set a temperature setpoint of the thermostat to a comfort temperature when derived that the mobile user device resides in the predetermined proximity zone, and to set the temperature setpoint of the thermostat to an absence temperature when derived that the mobile user device does not reside in the predetermined proximity zone.

33. The thermostat of claim 32, wherein a first comfort temperature setpoint is associated with a first mobile user device and a second comfort temperature set point is associated with a second mobile user device, and wherein the thermostat arrangement is configured to set the comfort temperature to the first comfort temperature setpoint when having derived that the first mobile user device resides in the predetermined proximity zone, to set the comfort temperature to the second comfort temperature set point when having derived that the second mobile user device resides in the predetermined proximity zone, and to set the comfort temperature to a highest one of the first and second comfort temperature setpoints if it is derived that the first and second mobile user devices reside in the predetermined proximity zone.

34. The thermostat of claim 30, wherein the thermostat is configured to store location data representing a geo-location of the thermostat, and to request via the further data communication port a temperature at the geo-location.

35. The thermostat of claim 30, wherein the display device includes a touch sensitive display, and wherein the thermostat arrangement is configured to block a touch input signal from the touch sensitive display for a predetermined period after detecting a touch moving from a first zone of the touch sensitive display to a second zone of the touch sensitive display.

36. The thermostat of claim 35, wherein the first zone and the second zone extend along opposite edges of the touch sensitive display.