Process and apparatus for individual adjustment of an operating parameter of a plurality of environmental control devices through a global computer network

• US 6,241,156 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2000
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acutherm LP (Acutherm)
• Original Assignee: Acutherm LP (Acutherm)
• Inventors: Kline, James R., Costick, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WAYNER, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US09/642,060
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/49.3, 700/276, 700/277, 165/217, 165/212
• US Class Current: 236/49.3
• 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 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• 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: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2638 Airconditioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31104 Remote configuration of parameters of controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

An apparatus and process for individual adjustment of an operating parameter of a plurality of environmental control devices, such as VAV devices (27, 29) in an HVAC system. The process includes the step of connecting at least one of computers (34) for input of a parameter control set point based signal and a unique VA device identifying signal through an Internet website (71) to the plurality of HVAC devices (27, 29). The computer (34) is, for example, connected to the VAV devices (27, 29) such that the computer (34) can be used to adjust the temperature set point of only one of the plurality of VAV devices (27, 29), most typically the device located in the same space (22) as the communicating computer (34). Such computer (34) can be wired or wireless, and use the global computer network website (71) to connect to the VAV devices (27, 29) through a building computer (24) and local area network (32). In the preferred form, the computers (34) are also capable of retrieving the current temperature set point from the VAV device (27, 29) and the current room air temperature proximate the VAV device (27, 29), outputting or displaying them on a computer output or display device, and thereafter adjusting the temperature set point for the environmental control device, for example, by using graphical interface software.

Claims

1. A process for individual adjustment of an operating parameter of a selected one of a plurality of environmental control devices in a building comprising the steps of:

providing at least one computer formed to produce an operating parameter set point based signal and to produce an environmental control device identifying signal for communication to a selected environmental control device located in said building, each of the plurality of environmental control devices being adapted for, and responsive to, receipt of said set point based signal and a unique identifying signal to adjust an operating parameter set point therefor;

connecting said computer through a global computer network for communication of signals to said plurality of environmental control devices;

inputting said computer to produce a unique identifying signal for said selected environmental control device and to produce said set point based signal for adjustment of the operating parameter set point of said selected environmental control device; and

communicating said unique identifying signal and said set point based signal to the selected environmental control device through said global computer network to effect adjustment of the operating parameter set point for said selected environmental control device independently of a remainder of said environmental control devices.

2. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said step of providing a computer is accomplished by providing said computer as an Internet appliance, and

said step of connecting said computer is accomplished by connecting said Internet appliance to a website on said global computer network.

3. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said step of connecting said global computer network to at least one of said plurality of environmental control devices is accomplished by connecting a website on said global computer network to a building computer connected to said plurality of environmental control devices through a local area network;

and

said step of connecting said Internet appliance to a website is accomplished by connecting a wireless telephone to said website.

4. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said plurality of environmental control devices are located in a plurality of spaces in said building;

and wherein

said step of providing at lest one computer is accomplished by providing a computer in each of said spaces; and

said step of communicating is accomplished by communication of said unique identifying signal and said set point based signal from a computer located in the same space as said selected environmental control device through said global computer network to said selected environmental control device.

5. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein,

each of said environmental control devices is further adapted to produce space parameter signal as to current parameter in a space in which said environmental control device is located;

said providing step is accomplished by providing a plurality of computers each capable of producing a set point based signal and a unique identifying signal;

said step of connecting said computer is accomplished by connecting a selected one of said plurality of computers to a website on said global computer network adapted for communicating signals to said environmental control devices;

said step of connecting said computer is further accomplished by connecting said website to a building computer having a storage device therein formed for storage of space parameter signals correlated to individual environmental control devices, said building computer being connected to communicate signals to and from said environmental control devices; and

the steps of;

communicating space parameter signals from said environmental control devices to said storage device in said building computer, and

retrieving a stored space parameter signal from said storage device for an individual environmental control device using said selected one of said plurality of computers.

6. The process as defined in claim 5 wherein,

said building computer is further adapted to retrieve space parameter signals from said environmental control devices as to a current parameter value in said plurality of spaces in said building and to store the retrieved space parameter signals in said storage device.

7. The process as defined in claim 6 wherein,

said environmental control devices are a plurality of VAV devices located in said plurality of spaces in said building,

said operating parameter set point in said space is the temperature set point for room air in said spaces into which supply air is to be discharged from said VAV devices,

said space parameter signals are for a current room air temperature for said space, and

prior to said communicating step, retrieving a current temperature set point for the VAV devices in a selected space from said building computer through the global computer network website, and during said communicating step, communicating a new temperature set point signal through the global computer network website and through the building computer to the VAV device.

8. The process as defined in claim 7 wherein,

prior to said communicating step, retrieving a space parameter signal as to the current room air temperature for said space.

9. The process as defined in claim 7 wherein,

said retrieving and communicating steps include retrieving and communicating encoded temperature set point based signals which are uniquely encoded to only effect adjustment of an individual VAV device.

10. The process as defined in claim 6 and the step of:

prior to communicating a new temperature set point based signal, the step of retrieving a stored space parameter signal for the space having the selected environmental control device thereon from said storage device and outputting the retrieved space parameter signal at said computer.

11. The process as defined in claim 10 wherein,

said providing step is accomplished by providing at least one of said plurality of computers as a wireless telephone.

12. An environmental parameter control system comprising:

a plurality of environmental control devices each adapted for, and responsive to, receipt of a signal to adjust an operating parameter set point for operation of the environmental control device, at least one of said environmental control devices being located in each of a plurality of spaces in a building;

at least one computer adapted for the transmission of an operating parameter set point based signal to a selected one of said environmental control devices so as to enable adjustment of the operating parameter set point thereof; and

a global computer network adapted for selective connecting to said computer and to said environmental devices for the communication of operating parameter set point based signals between said computer and said selected one of said environmental control devices.

13. The environmental parameter control system as defined in claim 12 wherein,

said computer is a wireless telephone.

14. The environmental parameter control system as defined in claim 12 wherein,

said plurality of environmental control devices are provided by a plurality of VAV devices each having an adjustable temperature set point for the discharge of supply air into said spaces, and

said operating parameter set point is said temperature set point for room air temperature in spaces into which said VAV devices discharge supply air.

15. The environmental parameter control system as defined in claim 12 wherein,

said global computer network is adapted for connection to a building computer adapted to communicate encoded temperature set point based signals to and from each of said VAV devices through a local area network.

16. The environmental parameter control system as defined in claim 14 wherein,

said VAV devices are formed to produce a space parameter signal as to the current room air temperature in said spaces,

said global computer network includes a website adapted for connection to said building computer, said building computer includes software adapted to retrieve and store temperature set point based signals from said environmental control devices and to retrieve and store space parameter signals as to the current room air temperatures in said spaces, said software further being adapted to communicate temperature set point based signals and space parameter signals to a selected computer of said plurality of computers upon connecting of said selected computer to said building computer through said website.

17. The environmental parameter control system as defined in claim 16 wherein,

said software includes graphical interface software formed to display said retrieved temperature set point based signals, to be adjustable by a user through said selected computer, and to communicate the adjusted temperature set point based signal to said VAV device from said website through said building computer.

18. The environmental parameter control system as defined in claim 16 wherein,

at least one of said computers is a wireless telephone.

19. A process for individual adjustment of an operating parameter of a selected one of a plurality of environment control devices in a building comprising the step of:

communicating a unique environmental control device identifying signal and an operating parameter set point based signal to a selected environmental control device through a global computer network to effect adjustment of the operating parameter set point for said selected environmental control device independently of a remainder of said environmental control devices.

20. An environmental parameter control system comprising:

a plurality of environmental control devices each adapted for, and responsive to, receipt of a signal to adjust an operating parameter set point for operation of the environmental control device, at least one of said environmental control devices being located in each of a plurality of spaces in a building;

at least one computer adapted for wireless transmission of an operating parameter set point based signal to a selected one of said environmental control devices so as to enable adjustment of the operating parameter set point thereof; and

a computer network adapted for selective wireless connection to said computer and connected to environmental devices for the communication of operating parameter set point based signals between said computer and said selected one of said environmental control devices.