SYSTEM FOR PERSONALIZED INDOOR MICROCLIMATES

• US 20200132330A1
• Filed: 10/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mowery, Keith R., Ho, Nguyen T.
• Granted Patent: US 11,255,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/54 Inlet and outlet arranged on opposite sides
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/59 for presetting
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/80 for controlling the temperature of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2003/003 with primary air treatment in the central station and subsequent secondary air treatment in air treatment units located in or near the rooms
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/12 Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/40 Damper positions, e.g. open or closed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/02 electric

Abstract

A network of wireless remote climate sensors in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system permits the creation of personalized microclimates within an enclosed space. In addition to collecting temperature and humidity data, the wireless remote climate sensors can detect whether the enclosed space is occupied by a human. Human detection is made possible by optional cameras, microphones, and gas sensors on the wireless remote climate sensors. As the human moves throughout the enclosed space, the HVAC system is able to track the human'"'"'s movement using the wireless remote climate sensors. The HVAC system may adjust airflow to different portions of the enclosed space based on the human'"'"'s location. The result is an efficient use of system resources to keep users at their ideal temperature.

Claims

1. A system for establishing a personalized microclimate in an enclosed space, comprising:

a zone comprising;

a variable damper, wherein the first variable damper controls the flow of air through a first air duct outlet,

a first wireless remote sensor, the first wireless remote sensor comprising a thermometer, hygrometer, and a human recognition sensor;

a second wireless remote, the second wireless remote sensor comprising a thermometer, hygrometer, and a human recognition sensor;

a control unit wirelessly coupled to the wireless remote sensors and the variable damper, the control unit comprising;

a memory configured to store a plurality of climate profiles, wherein each climate profile comprises a desired temperature, a desired humidity, and at least one user identifier;

a processor configured to;

receive, from the first wireless remote sensor, the identification of the human in the zone;

receive, from the first and second wireless remote sensors, measurements of the temperature and the humidity in the zone;

search for a match between the identification of the human in the zone with a first user identifier in a first climate profile;

if a match is found;

compare the desired temperature and humidity in the first climate profile with the temperature and humidity measured by the first and second wireless remote sensors;

instruct the variable damper to alter the flow of air into the zone if the temperature and humidity measurements from the first zone differ from the desired temperature and desired humidity settings in the first climate profile.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second zone comprising;

a second variable damper, wherein the second variable damper controls the flow of air through a second air duct outlet,

a third wireless remote sensor capable of measuring temperature and humidity, and further capable of identifying a human occupying the second zone;

a fourth wireless remote sensor capable of measuring temperature and humidity, and further capable of identifying a human occupying the second zone; and

wherein the processor is further configured to instruct the second variable damper to decrease the flow of air into the second zone if the processor instructs the first variable damper to increase the flow of air into the first zone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from the first wireless remote sensor, an identification of a second human in the first zone;

match the identification of the second human in the first zone with a second user identifier in a second climate profile;

apply an arbitration logic to determine that the control unit must ignore the desired temperature and desired humidity in the second climate profile.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory is further configured to store a default climate profile comprising a desired temperature and humidity, and wherein the processor is further configured to, if a match is not found:

compare the desired temperature and humidity in the default climate profile with the temperature and humidity measured by the first and second wireless remote sensors;

instruct the variable damper to alter the flow of air into the zone if the temperature and humidity measurements from the first zone differ from the desired climate settings in the default climate profile.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the human recognition sensor comprises a camera, and wherein the user identifier is an image of the human.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the human recognition sensor comprises a microphone, and wherein the user identifier is a voice sample of the human.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the human recognition sensor comprises a Bluetooth scanner capable of detecting a smart device associated with the human, and wherein the user identifier is an identification number associated with the smart device.

8. A method for establishing a personalized microclimate in an enclosed space, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first wireless remote sensor, an identification of a human located in a first zone of an enclosed space;

matching the identification of the human in the first zone with a first user identifier in first a climate profile;

comparing a desired temperature saved in the first climate profile with a temperature measurement received from a wireless remote sensor located in the first zone;

instructing a first variable damper located in the first zone to alter the flow of air into the first zone if the temperature and humidity measurements from the first zone differ from the desired temperature saved in the first climate profile.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising instructing a second variable damper to decrease the flow of air into a second zone of the enclosed space if the first variable damper is instructed to increase the flow of air into the first zone.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from the first wireless remote sensor, an identification of a second human located in the first zone of the enclosed space;

matching the identification of the second human in the first zone with a second user identifier in a second climate profile;

applying an arbitration logic to determine that the desired temperature and desired humidity in the second climate profile should be ignored.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the identification of the human in the first zone does not match a first user identifier in first a climate profile

retrieving a default climate profile comprising a desired temperature and a desired humidity to apply when the human is unidentified;

instructing the first variable damper to alter the flow of air into the first zone if the temperature and humidity measurements from the first zone differ from the desired climate settings in the default climate profile.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification of the human located in the first zone of the enclosed space comprises an image of the human captured in the first zone.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification of the human located in the first zone of the enclosed space comprises a voice sample of the human captured in the first zone.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification of the human located in the first zone of the enclosed space comprises the detection of a Bluetooth enabled smart device associated with the human.

15. A wireless remote sensor for managing an indoor climate system, the wireless remote sensor comprising:

a housing that fits into a wall box;

an environmental data collector, wherein the environmental data collector comprises a thermometer and a hygrometer;

a memory configured to store data collected by the environmental data collector and a database of human identification characteristics;

a networking interface configured to connect the wireless remote sensor to a wireless network;

a processor coupled to the memory and the environmental data collector, the processor configured to;

detect the presence of a human;

compare characteristics of the detected human with the database of human identification characteristics stored in the memory;

transmit, to a HVAC control unit, the identification of the human.

16. The wireless remote sensor of claim 15, wherein the wall box is a light switch box,

further comprising a touch screen, and

wherein the processor is further configured to act as a virtual light switch based on user interaction with the touch screen.

17. The wireless remote sensor of claim 15, wherein the wall box is an electrical outlet box, further comprising at least one socket for accepting an electric plug.

18. The wireless remote of claim 15, further comprising a camera, and wherein the processor is further configured to detect the presence of a human using facial recognition software.

19. The wireless remote sensor of claim 15, further comprising a microphone, and wherein the processor is further configured to detect the presence of a human using voice recognition software.

20. The wireless remote sensor of claim 15, wherein the environmental data collector further comprises a gas detector capable of measuring carbon dioxide concentration in the air.