THERMOSTAT WITH BI-DIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS INTERFACE FOR MONITORING HVAC EQUIPMENT

• US 20170076263A1
• Filed: 09/08/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Bentz, Jedidiah O., Rigg, Brian D., Gillette, Theresa N., Tasker, Tom R., McCune, Tyler, Uerkvitz, John W., Atchison, Shaun B., Middleton, Daniel S., Noor, Aneek Muhammad
• Granted Patent: US 11,087,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0003 characterised by a split arrangement, wherein parts of the air-conditioning system, e.g. evaporator and condenser, are in separately located units
• 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 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• 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 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0383 Remote input, i.e. interface arrangements in which the signals generated by a pointing device are transmitted to a PC at a remote location, e.g. to a PC in a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 : for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 : by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 : Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 : Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 : Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 : Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 : Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 : for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/08 : Use of distortion metrics or a particular distance between probe pattern and reference templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 : Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities 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 H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 : for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A thermostat for a building space. The thermostat includes a user interface and a processing circuit. The user interface is configured to serve notifications to a user and receive input from the user. The communications interface is configured to perform bidirectional data communications with HVAC equipment controlled by the thermostat. The communications interface is configured to receive performance information for the HVAC equipment. The processing circuit is configured to provide control signals to the HVAC equipment to achieve a setpoint for the building space. The processing circuit is further configured to evaluate the performance information for the HVAC equipment to determine a recommendation for improving HVAC equipment performance. The processing circuit is further configured to automatically adjust at least one of the setpoint and the control signals provided to the HVAC equipment based on the recommendation for improving HVAC equipment performance.

Claims

1. A thermostat for a building space, the thermostat comprising:

a user interface configured to serve notifications to a user and receive input from the user;

a communications interface configured to perform bidirectional data communications with HVAC equipment controlled by the thermostat, wherein the communications interface is configured to receive performance information for the HVAC equipment; and

a processing circuit configured to;

provide control signals to the HVAC equipment to achieve a setpoint for the building space;

evaluate the performance information for the HVAC equipment to determine a recommendation for improving HVAC equipment performance; and

automatically adjust at least one of the setpoint and the control signals provided to the HVAC equipment based on the recommendation for improving HVAC equipment performance.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

receive a target bill amount from the user interface of the thermostat;

determine optimal setpoints for the building space based on the performance information and the target bill amount; and

present the optimal setpoints to the user through the user interface.

3. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

determine whether the HVAC equipment has taken longer than a threshold time to achieve the setpoint based on the performance information; and

generate a new setpoint for the building space in response to a determination that the HVAC equipment has taken longer than the threshold time to achieve the setpoint, wherein the processing circuit calculates the new setpoint such that the HVAC equipment reaches the new setpoint within the threshold time.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to generate a report from the performance information and serve the report to the user through the user interface, the report comprising at least one of:

an energy usage of the HVAC equipment;

an energy usage for a plurality of operating parameters of the HVAC equipment;

runtime costs of a plurality of stages of the HVAC equipment; and

equipment replacement suggestions for the HVAC equipment.

5. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

log the energy usage of the HVAC equipment over time;

determine historical energy usage from the logged energy usage;

identify a current energy usage of the HVAC equipment; and

provide an equipment replacement suggestion in response to a determination that the current energy usage of the HVAC equipment exceeds the historical energy usage by a predetermined amount.

6. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

transmit the performance information to an analytics service; and

receive a report generated by the analytics service from the performance information.

7. Thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

automatically generate multiple different sets of thermostat settings for operating the HVAC equipment;

automatically use each set of the thermostat settings to operate the HVAC equipment at different times;

determine an energy usage of the HVAC equipment resulting from each set of the thermostat settings based on the performance information; and

notify the user of the set of thermostat settings that results in a lowest energy usage through the user interface.

8. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to receive information for a plurality of neighborhood buildings from a data analytics service, the information comprising at least one of setpoints of the neighborhood buildings, monthly energy bills of the neighborhood buildings, and equipment used in the neighborhood buildings.

9. The thermostat of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

suggest setpoints to the user based on the setpoints of the neighborhood buildings and the monthly energy bills of the neighborhood buildings; and

suggest equipment purchases to the user based on the equipment used in the neighborhood buildings.

10. A method for a thermostat with bidirectional communication, the method comprising:

serving notifications to a user and receiving input from the user through a user interface;

performing bidirectional data communications with HVAC equipment controlled by the thermostat, wherein the thermostat receives performance information for the HVAC equipment through a communications interface; and

evaluating the performance information for the HVAC equipment and determining a recommendation for improving HVAC equipment performance.

11. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising generating a report and serving the report to the user through the user interface, the report comprising at least one of:

an energy usage of the HVAC equipment;

an energy usage for a plurality of operating parameters of the HVAC equipment;

runtime costs of a plurality of stages of the HVAC equipment; and

equipment replacement suggestions for the HVAC equipment.

12. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising generating equipment replacement suggests by:

logging energy usage of the HVAC equipment over time, wherein the energy usage is determined from the performance information;

determining historical energy usage from the logged energy usage; and

determining an equipment replacement suggestion in response to a determination that current energy usage of the HVAC equipment exceeds the historical energy usage by a predetermined amount.

13. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising determining energy efficient settings by:

automatically generating multiple different sets of thermostat settings for controlling the HVAC equipment;

automatically using each set of the thermostat settings to control the HVAC equipment at different times;

determining a plurality of energy usage amounts of the HVAC equipment resulting from each set of the thermostat settings based on the performance information; and

notifying the user of the set of thermostat settings that results in a lowest energy usage through the user interface.

14. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising:

receiving a target bill amount from the user interface of the thermostat;

determining optimal setpoints for a building space based on the performance information and the target bill amount; and

presenting the optimal setpoints to the user through the user interface.

15. A thermostat for a building space with bidirectional communication, the thermostat comprising:

a user interface configured to serve information to a user and receive input from the user;

a communications interface configured to perform bidirectional data communications with HVAC equipment controlled by the thermostat, wherein the communications interface is configured to receive performance information for the HVAC equipment; and

a processing circuit configured to perform at least one of the following operations;

make suggestions for replacing HVAC equipment based on the performance information for the HVAC equipment;

receive a target bill amount from a user through the user interface and make HVAC equipment setting suggestions to the user through the user interface that achieve the target bill amount; and

generate a thermostat report and serve the report to the user through the user interface.

16. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the performance information for the HVAC equipment comprises:

runtime information of the HVAC equipment; and

error codes of the HVAC equipment.

17. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

automatically generate multiple different sets of thermostat settings for operating the HVAC equipment;

automatically use each set of the thermostat settings to operate the HVAC equipment at different times;

determine an energy usage of the HVAC equipment resulting from each set of the thermostat settings based on the performance information; and

notify the user of the set of thermostat settings that results in a lowest energy usage through the user interface.

18. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

determine whether the HVAC equipment has taken longer than a threshold time to achieve a setpoint based on the performance information; and

generate a new setpoint for the building space in response to a determination that the HVAC equipment has taken longer than the threshold time to achieve the setpoint, wherein the processing circuit calculates the new setpoint such that the HVAC equipment reaches the new setpoint within the threshold time.

19. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the report comprises at least one of:

an energy usage of the HVAC equipment;

an energy usage for a plurality of operating parameters of the HVAC equipment;

runtime costs of a plurality of stages of the HVAC equipment; and

equipment replacement suggestions for the HVAC equipment.

20. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to receive information for a plurality of neighborhood buildings from a data analytics service, the information comprising at least one of setpoints of the neighborhood buildings, monthly energy bills of the neighborhood buildings, and equipment used in the neighborhood buildings.