CONTROL TECHNIQUES IN A HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING NETWORK BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL DATA

• US 20140346237A1
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hadzidedic, Darko, Grohman, Wojciech, Thorson, Timothy H., Wallaert, Timothy E., Mirza, Muhammad Al, Kailani, Ammar
• Granted Patent: US 10,802,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/49.3
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 27/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

The disclosure provides embodiments of an HVAC controller. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) an interface coupled to an air quality sensor proximate to the premises and coupled to a data source external to the HVAC system, the interface configured to receive environmental data from both the air quality sensor and the external data source and (2) a processor configured to automatically operate a demand unit of the HVAC system based on the environmental data.

Claims

1. A controller for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a premises, comprising:

an interface coupled to an air quality sensor proximate to said premises and coupled to a data source external to said HVAC system, said interface configured to receive environmental data from both said air quality sensor and said external data source; and

a processor configured to automatically operate a demand unit of said HVAC system based on said environmental data.

2. The controller as recited in claim 1 further comprising a screen, wherein said processor is further configured to provide said environmental data to said screen and said screen is configured to display said environmental data.

3. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is further configured to provide said environmental data to a remote device for display.

4. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said air quality sensor is located within said premises.

5. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said environmental data from said external data source corresponds to a geographic location of said premises.

6. The controller as recited in claim 5 wherein said environmental data from said external data source includes present and forecasted environmental data.

7. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said air quality sensor is a located outside of said premises.

8. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said demand unit is a blower of said HVAC system.

9. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said demand unit is ventilation equipment of said HVAC system.

10. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is configured to automatically operate said demand unit based on said environmental data from both said air quality sensor and from said external data source.

11. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said interface is configured to receive said environmental data from said external data source via a user interface gateway and a data bus of said HVAC system.

12. An HVAC network, comprising:

a controller as recited in claim 1;

a data bus coupled to said controller;

an air quality sensor coupled to said controller;

a temperature sensor, coupled to said controller, including a RFID tag and a thermistor; and

a RFID receiver configured to receive a reading of said thermistor by said RFID tag.

13. A controller for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a premises, comprising:

an interface configured to receive environmental data from an air quality sensor proximate to said premises or from a data source external to said HVAC system; and

a processor configured to automatically operate at least one demand unit of said HVAC system in response to said environmental data.

14. The controller as recited in claim 13 wherein said interface is configured to receive environmental data from said air quality sensor proximate to said premises and from said data source external to said HVAC system.

15. The controller as recited in claim 13 wherein said demand unit is a blower of said HVAC system and said air quality sensor is located inside said premises.

16. The controller as recited in claim 13 wherein said environmental data includes weather data.

17. The controller as recited in claim 13 further comprising a screen and said processor is further configured to provide said environmental data to said screen and said screen is configured to display said environmental data.

18. A controller configured to operate demand units of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) system according to a method, wherein said controller is coupled to said demands units via a data bus of a HVAC network, said method comprising:

gathering, by said HVAC network, current and forecasted weather information, wherein said HVAC network receives said forecasted weather information from an Internet, coupled to said HVAC network through a gateway; and

deciding upon HVAC conditioning states by said HVAC network based upon both said current and said forecasted weather information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said deciding is further based on electric rates.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying said current weather information, said forecasted weather information or both said current and forecasted weather information to a user.