System and method for budgeted zone heating and cooling
First Claim
1. A system for zoned temperature control comprising:
- a first zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a first zone;
a second zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a second zone;
a first electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from a duct into said first zone;
a second electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from said duct into said second zone; and
a central system, said central system configured to obtain a first setpoint temperature and a first current zone temperature from said first zone thermostat, to obtain a second setpoint temperature and a second current zone temperature from said second zone thermostat, and to compute a first vent opening amount for said first electronically-controlled register vent and a second vent opening amount for said second electronically-controlled register vent according to said first and second current zone temperatures, said first and second setpoint temperatures, and a priority of said first zone relative to said second zone, said central system further configured to control operation of an HVAC system according to an allowed budget;
wherein said central system is configured to ration use of said HVAC system by maintaining different temperature ranges in zones according to a priority of each zone such that during heating periods, the temperature of relatively lower priority zones is allowed to fall below a desired setpoint relatively more than the temperature of relatively higher priority zones.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An Electronically-Controlled Register vent (ECRV) that can be easily installed by a homeowner or general handyman is disclosed. The ECRV can be used to convert a non-zoned HVAC system into a zoned system. The ECRV can also be used in connection with a conventional zoned HVAC system to provide additional control and additional zones not provided by the conventional zoned HVAC system. In one embodiment, the ECRV is configured to have a size and form-factor that conforms to a standard manually-controlled register vent. In one embodiment, a zone thermostat is configured to provide thermostat information to the ECRV. In one embodiment, the zone thermostat communicates with a central monitoring system that coordinates operation of the heating and cooling zones and provides heating and cooling to the various zones according to a cost budget.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A system for zoned temperature control comprising:
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a first zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a first zone; a second zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a second zone; a first electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from a duct into said first zone; a second electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from said duct into said second zone; and a central system, said central system configured to obtain a first setpoint temperature and a first current zone temperature from said first zone thermostat, to obtain a second setpoint temperature and a second current zone temperature from said second zone thermostat, and to compute a first vent opening amount for said first electronically-controlled register vent and a second vent opening amount for said second electronically-controlled register vent according to said first and second current zone temperatures, said first and second setpoint temperatures, and a priority of said first zone relative to said second zone, said central system further configured to control operation of an HVAC system according to an allowed budget; wherein said central system is configured to ration use of said HVAC system by maintaining different temperature ranges in zones according to a priority of each zone such that during heating periods, the temperature of relatively lower priority zones is allowed to fall below a desired setpoint relatively more than the temperature of relatively higher priority zones. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A system for zoned temperature control comprising:
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a first zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a first zone; a second zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a second zone; a first electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from a duct into said first zone; a second electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from said duct into said second zone; and a control system, said control system configured to obtain a first setpoint temperature and a first current zone temperature from said first zone thermostat, to obtain a second setpoint temperature and a second current zone temperature from said second zone thermostat, and to compute a first vent opening amount for said first electronically controlled register vent and a second vent opening amount for said second electronically controlled register vent computed at least in part based on said first and second current zone temperatures, said first and second setpoint temperatures, and a priority of said first zone relative to said second zone; wherein said central system is configured to ration use of said HVAC system by maintaining different temperature ranges in zones according to a priority of each zone such that during heating periods, the temperature of relatively lower priority zones is allowed to fall below a desired setpoint relatively more than the temperature of relatively higher priority zones. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A system for zoned temperature control comprising:
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a first zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a first zone; a second zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a second zone; a first electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from a duct into said first zone; a second electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from said duct into said second zone; and a central system, said central system configured to obtain a first setpoint temperature and a first current zone temperature from said first zone thermostat, to obtain a second setpoint temperature and a second current zone temperature from said second zone thermostat, and to compute a first vent opening amount for said first electronically-controlled register vent and a second vent opening amount for said second electronically-controlled register vent according to said first and second current zone temperatures, said first and second setpoint temperatures, and a priority of said first zone relative to said second zone, said central system further configured to control operation of an HVAC system according to an allowed budget; wherein said central system is configured to ration use of said HVAC system by maintaining different temperature ranges in zones according to a priority of each zone such that during cooling periods, the temperature of relatively lower priority zones is allowed to rise higher above a desired setpoint relatively more than the temperature of relatively higher priority zones. - View Dependent Claims (59)
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60. A system for zoned temperature control comprising:
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a first zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a first zone; a second zone thermostat to measure a temperature of a second zone; a first electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from a duct into said first zone; a second electronically-controlled register vent configured to vent air from said duct into said second zone; and a control system, said control system configured to obtain a first setpoint temperature and a first current zone temperature from said first zone thermostat, to obtain a second setpoint temperature and a second current zone temperature from said second zone thermostat, and to compute a first vent opening amount for said first electronically controlled register vent and a second vent opening amount for said second electronically controlled register vent computed at least in part based on said first and second current zone temperatures, said first and second setpoint temperatures, and a priority of said first zone relative to said second zone; wherein said central system is configured to ration use of said HVAC system by maintaining different temperature ranges in zones according to a priority of each zone such that during cooling periods, the temperature of relatively lower priority zones is allowed to rise higher above a desired setpoint relatively more than the temperature of relatively higher priority zones. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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Specification