Z-WAVE CONTROLLER SHIFT IN THERMOSTATS

• US 20160330565A1
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Jayaram, Ashwini, Krishnamurthy, Thyagarajan, Singamsetty, Sasikanth
• Granted Patent: US 10,489,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A Z-Wave networking device is disclosed having a processor, a WiFi transceiver, a Z-Wave network transceiver, and a flash memory from which the processor boots a startup image. The processor can boot a first startup image that configures the Z-Wave network transceiver as a Z-Wave network controller, and the processor can boot a second startup image that configures the Z-Wave network transceiver as a Z-Wave repeater node. An Internet server receives registration information for the device, and instructs the device to boot from the first startup image upon determining that a Z-Wave network controller is not present in the Z-Wave network, or from the second startup image upon determining that a Z-Wave network controller is already present in the Z-Wave network. In embodiments, the Z-Wave networking device comprises an HVAC thermostat.

Claims

1. A networking device, comprising:

a processor;

an Internet WiFi transceiver;

a network transceiver; and

a flash memory from which the processor boots a startup image;

wherein the processor can boot a first startup image that configures the network transceiver as a network controller; and

wherein the processor can boot a second startup image that configures the network transceiver as a repeater node.

2. The networking device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the networking device is configured to flash the flash memory with the second startup image and reboot the processor.

3. The networking device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the networking device flashes the flash memory and reboots the processor in response to a command received by the Internet WiFi transceiver.

4. The networking device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the networking device includes a thermostat.

5. The networking device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network transceiver is a Z-Wave network transceiver.

6. The networking device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the first startup image configures the network transceiver as a Z-Wave network controller.

7. The networking device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the second startup image configures the network transceiver as a Z-Wave repeater node.

8. A system for adding a Z-Wave networking device to a Z-Wave network, the system comprising:

a remote server; and

the Z-Wave networking device in communication with the remote server, wherein the Z-Wave networking device comprises;

a processor;

a WiFi transceiver;

a Z-Wave network transceiver; and

a flash memory from which the processor can boot either first or second startup images;

wherein a user registers the Z-Wave networking device with the remote server; and

wherein the remote server determines whether the Z-Wave network comprises a device configured as a controller.

9. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the remote server instructs the Z-Wave networking device to load the first startup image into the flash memory and reboots the processor such that the Z-Wave network transceiver joins the Z-Wave network configured as a Z-Wave controller node when the remote server determines that the Z-Wave network does not comprise a device configured as a controller.

10. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the remote server instructs the Z-Wave networking device to load the second startup image into the flash memory and reboots the processor such that the Z-Wave network transceiver joins the Z-Wave network configured as a Z-Wave repeater node when the remote server determines that the Z-Wave network already comprises a device configured as a controller.

11. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the Z-Wave networking device is a thermostat.

12. A method of adding a Z-Wave networking device to a Z-Wave network, the device having a processor and a flash memory from which the processor can boot either first or second startup images, the method comprising:

an Internet server receiving registration information for the device; and

the server instructing the device to boot from the first startup image that configures the device as a controller for the Z-Wave network.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

the server determining that the Z-Wave network already comprises a device configured as a controller; and

the server instructing the device to load the second startup image into the flash memory and to reboot the processor such that the device joins the Z-Wave network configured as a Z-Wave repeater node.

14. An Internet server for managing Z-Wave networking devices in a Z-Wave network, comprising:

an HTTP server; and

an Internet protocol server;

wherein the HTTP server receives registration information concerning a new device for addition to the Z-Wave network.

15. The Internet server in accordance with claim 14, wherein the Internet protocol server directs a controller on the Z-Wave network into inclusion mode to add the new device.

16. The Internet server in accordance with claim 14, wherein the Internet protocol server directs the new device to reconfigure as a Z-Wave repeater before enrolling in the Z-Wave network.