SMARTVENT AND ATMOSPHERIC CONTROLLER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20170176034A1
• Filed: 03/02/2017
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ConnectM Technology Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Keen Home, Inc. (ConnectM Technology Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: DiPietro, Dean, Hussain, Nayeem M., McLeod, William J., Fant, Ryan T., Ullrich, Theodore R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,514,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

The SmartVent and Atmospheric Controller Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“SmartVent”) transforms user desired environmental setting and SmartVent measurement inputs via SmartVent components into SmartVent adjustment messages and environmental change outputs. In one embodiment, a SmartVent system may include a self-regulating HVAC system, comprising a plurality of smart HVAC vents disposed in wireless communication with a remote computing device. Where the remote computing device includes a memory and a processor disposed in communication with the memory, configured to record calibration data from each of said plurality of smart HVAC vents. The calibration data may include temperature and flow rate data from each of said plurality of smart HVAC vents. The system may generate calibration tables in accordance with the recorded calibration data and transmit instructions to each of the plurality of smart HVAC vents to optimize thermal conditions and energy efficiency of the HVAC system, in accordance with said calibration tables.

Claims

1. An HVAC system, comprising:

a plurality of vents in communication with a computing device; and

a plurality of sensors;

said computing device comprising;

a memory;

a processor in communication with said memory and configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor issues instructions to;

acquire data from each of said plurality of sensors, said data comprising temperature and flow rate data from each of said plurality of sensors;

transmit instructions to each of said plurality of vents to optimize thermal conditions and energy efficiency of said HVAC system, in accordance with said data; and

wherein said remote computing device collects and analyzes presence detection data to generate and transmit revised instructions to each of said plurality of vents.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of vents include at least one of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the plurality of sensors are each selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a flow sensor, a humidity sensor, a motion sensor, an air quality sensor, and an infrared sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are disposed within ducts of the HVAC system, said sensors being disposed remotely from the plurality of vents.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said computing device is remote from the vents and is selected from the group consisting of a home server, cloud-based server, a mobile device, and a home HVAC controller.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said calibration data is stored in calibration tables configured to facilitate transmission of instructions to adjust a plurality of vents in parallel.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said processor is disposed in wireless communication with one or more ZigBee devices, and further wherein said processor analyzes atmospheric data received from said one or more ZigBee devices to determine if flow conditions in a particular room have changed due to an external condition selected from the group consisting of an open window, the engagement of a ceiling fan, the presence of one or more individuals in a room, the presence of a household pet, an open door, and the engagement of a room fan.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said processor is disposed in wireless communication with one or more ZigBee devices, and further wherein said processor analyzes atmospheric data received from said one or more ZigBee devices to update said calibration tables.

8. A method of enhancing an HVAC system, comprising:

instantiating a plurality of vents throughout the HVAC system in wireless communication with an HVAC controller, wherein each of said plurality of vents are in wireless communication with one another;

calibrating said plurality of vents by incrementing flow rates through each of said plurality of vents and measuring corresponding room temperatures to populate a calibration database;

analyzing said calibration database to determine an optimized HVAC status condition;

transmitting instructions to said plurality of vents to adjust vent flow rates to achieve said optimized HVAC status condition;

determining additional room temperature data after said instructions have been transmitted to said plurality of vents; and

updating said calibration database with said additional room temperature data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the flow rate through each of said plurality of vents is incremented by adjusting a vane internal to the corresponding vent.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising further calibrating said plurality of vents by incrementing a system flow rate for the HVAC system and measuring corresponding room temperatures to further populate the calibration database.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

instantiating an additional vent in said HVAC system; and

updating said calibration database with data received from said additional vent.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving supplemental atmospheric data regarding at least one room within a structure within which said HVAC system is disposed, and analyzing said supplemental atmospheric data and said calibration database to determine an optimized HVAC status condition.

13. A vent, comprising:

an interchangeable decorative face plate disposed on said vent;

a mounting structure for mounting said vent to an HVAC duct structure;

a wireless transmitter for communicating data from said vent to a computing device;

a processor and memory device disposed in communication with said wireless transmitter;

a rechargeable battery for providing power to said wireless transmitter, processor and memory;

a recharging device for providing additional power to said rechargeable battery, said recharging device comprising a structure selecting from the group consisting of;

a thermal charger, an airflow charger, a solar charger, and a capacitor;

an atmospheric condition sensor disposed in communication with said processor, said atmospheric condition sensor including at least one of a temperature measuring sensor, a presence detection sensor, or a flow rate sensor; and

a flow rate adjustment vane disposed within said vent;

said vent configured to collect and transmit at least one of flow rate, temperature or presence detection data to said computing device; and

said vent further configured to wirelessly receive optimization instructions from said computing device based on the at least one of flow rate, temperature, or presence detection data, to change the flow rate through said vent, and to subsequently measure atmospheric conditions in proximity to said vent to determine if additional optimization instructions are required.

14. The vent of claim 13 wherein said computing device is a master vent.

15. The vent of claim 14 wherein said master vent is disposed in wireless communication with one or more ZigBee devices, and further wherein said master smart vent analyzes atmospheric data or motion presence data received from said one or more ZigBee devices to determine if additional optimization instructions are required.

16. The vent of claim 15 wherein said master vent is disposed in wireless communication with one or more ZigBee devices, and further wherein said master vent analyzes atmospheric data received from said one or more ZigBee devices to determine if flow conditions in a particular room have changed due to an external condition selected from the group consisting of an open window, the engagement of a ceiling fan, the presence of one or more individuals in a room, the presence of a household pet, an open door, and the engagement of a room fan.

17. The vent of claim 13 wherein said atmospheric condition sensor detects atmospheric conditions adjacent the vent.

18. The vent of claim 13 wherein the vent is configured to collect and transmit presence detection data, and wherein the optimization instructions are based on the presence detection data.