Systems and Methods for HVAC and Irrigation Control

• US 20150066215A1
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Buduri, Arun Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 9,890,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/246 Air-conditioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/247 Watering arrangements
• 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system has an irrigation subsystem and an HVAC system controller configured to selectively implement a drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme.

Claims

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

an irrigation subsystem; and

an HVAC system controller configured to selectively implement a drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller is configured to present a drought related alert.

3. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller is configured to receive a drought related alert from a remote source.

4. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller is configured to calculate whether a drought condition has occurred.

5. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller is configured to prevent overriding a remotely supplied drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme.

6. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller is configured to allow selective implementation of a remotely supplied drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme.

7. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller is configured to allow replacement of a previously remotely supplied drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme with a subsequently remotely supplied drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme.

8. The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system controller is configured to notify a remotely located system that a drought condition has occurred.

9. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein HVAC system controller is configured to receive a drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme in response to notifying the remotely located system that a drought condition has occurred.

10. An HVAC system controller, comprising:

a processor configured to selectively implement control of an irrigation subsystem according to a drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme.

11. The HVAC system controller of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to at least one of generate, receive, and display a drought related alert.

12. The HVAC system controller of claim 11, wherein the HVAC system controller comprises a wall mountable thermostat.

13. A method, comprising:

providing an HVAC system controller; and

operating the HVAC system controller to selectively implement control of an irrigation subsystem according to a drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

operating the HVAC system controller to at least one of receive, generate, and display a drought related alert.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising operating the HVAC system controller to determine whether a drought condition has occurred.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme is provided to the HVAC system controller from a remote source.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme is generated by the HVAC system controller.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme is optional.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

replacing the drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme with a subsequently received drought related irrigation subsystem control scheme.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the HVAC system controller comprises a wall mountable thermostat.