Building controllers with local and global parameters

• US 9,002,481 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Leen, Cary, Tessier, Patrick, Zywicki, Stan
• Primary Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/836,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20120012662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• US Class Current: 700/9
• 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 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A building controller is configured to designate one or more stored parameters as local or global. Parameters that are designated as global may be selectively communicated to remote devices and, parameters that are designated as local, may remain local to the building controller. In some instances, the remote devices may be selectable by a user, include all the other devices on the network, and/or include devices that share a common wireless accessory (e.g. an outdoor temperature sensor).

Claims

1. A building controller for controlling one or more building components, comprising:

a wireless interface;

a memory;

a user interface including a display;

a control module in communication with the wireless interface, the memory, and the user interface;

the control module configured to store a plurality of building control parameters in the memory, wherein at least one of the plurality of building control parameters relates to an environmental condition inside the building, wherein the control module provides one or more control signals for controlling the one or more building components in accordance with the plurality of building control parameters;

the control module is further configured to display one or more screens on the display that provide a user, via the user interface of the building controller, a choice between local and global as a designation for at least one of the plurality of building control parameters;

the control module is further configured to transmit the building control parameters that are designated as global parameters to a remote building controller via the wireless interface while not transmitting the building control parameters that are designated as local parameters to the remote building controller; and

the control module is further configured to receive one or more building control parameters that are designated as global parameters by the remote building controller and/or another remote building controller via the wireless interface, but not receiving building control parameters that are designated as local parameters by the remote building controller and/or another remote building controller, and storing the one or more received building control parameters in the memory for use by the control module to provide one or more control signals for controlling the one or more building components.

2. The building controller of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of building control parameters can be designated as local or global using one or more inputs received via the user interface of the building controller, wherein the designation of each parameter is changeable from local to global and/or from global to local.

3. The building controller of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes the display and one or more buttons.

4. The building controller of claim 1, wherein the display includes a touch screen display.

5. The building controller of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of building control parameters is designated as a local parameter using one or more inputs received from the user via the user interface of the building controller and at least one of the plurality of building control parameters is designated as a global parameter using one or more inputs received from the user via the user interface of the building controller.

6. The building controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more building components comprises an HVAC system.

7. A building control system, comprising:

a first building control device including;

a first wireless interface;

a first memory;

a first user interface configured to interface with a user; and

a first controller in communication with the first user interface, the first wireless interface, and the first memory, the first controller configured to store a plurality of building control parameters in the first memory, wherein at least one of the plurality of building control parameters relates to an environmental condition inside the building, wherein each of the plurality of building control parameters is configured to be designated as either a global parameter or a local parameter, wherein the designation of each parameter is changeable from local to global and/or from global to local, the first controller configured to control the first building control device in accordance with the plurality of building control parameters, wherein at least some of the plurality of building control parameters stored in the first memory are designated as local or global via one or more inputs received via the first user interface of the first building control device;

a second building control device including;

a second wireless interface, wherein the first controller is configured to transmit via the first wireless interface those building control parameters designated as global parameters to the second building control device via the second wireless interface, while not transmitting those building control parameters designated as local parameters;

a second memory; and

a second controller in communication with the second wireless interface and the second memory, the second controller configured to store the plurality of global parameters received via the second wireless interface in the second memory;

the second controller is further configured to provide one or more control signals for controlling one or more building components in accordance with at least some of the plurality of global parameters received via the second wireless interface and stored in the second memory.

8. The building control system of claim 7, wherein the building control parameters designated as local are not transmitted to the second building control system device.

9. The building control system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of building control parameters stored in the first memory can be designated as local or global via one or more inputs received via the first user interface.

10. The building control system of claim 7, wherein the building control parameters transmitted to the second wireless interface via the first wireless interface and stored in the second memory are automatically designated as global parameters by the second controller.

11. The building control system of claim 10, wherein the second building control device includes a second user interface for inputting one or more local building control parameters into the second building control device.

12. The building control system of claim 11, wherein the one or more local building control parameters input into the second building control device are stored in the second memory and designated as local parameters.

13. The building control system of claim 7, wherein the user interface includes a display and one or more buttons.

14. The building control system of claim 7, wherein the user interface includes a touch screen display.

15. A method of configuring a plurality of devices on a building control system network that includes a plurality of building control devices that are configured to wirelessly communicate over a building control system network, where each of the plurality of building control devices includes a memory configured to store a number of building control parameters, where at least one of the building control parameters relates to an environmental condition inside a building, the method comprising:

storing a first building control parameter in a first memory of a first building control device of the plurality of building control devices, wherein the first building control parameter is field programmable to be designated as either a global parameter or a local parameter using a user interface of the first building control device;

a user choosing a designation for the first building control parameter stored in the first memory, wherein the user chooses between global and local as the designation for the first building control parameter, wherein the choice is made in the field using the user interface of the first building control device;

if the first building control parameter is chosen by the user to be a global parameter, transmitting the first building control parameter from the first building control device to a second building control device that is remote from the first building control device, storing the first building control parameter in a second memory of the second building control device, and providing one or more control signals from the second building control device for controlling one or more building components based at least in part on the first building control parameter that is stored in the second memory; and

if the first building control parameter is chosen by the user to be a local parameter, not transmitting the first building control parameter from the first building control device to the second building control device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing a second building control parameter in the first memory of the first building control device;

designating the second building control parameter as either a global parameter or a local parameter in the field using the user interface of the first building control device;

if the second building control parameter is designated as a global parameter, transmitting the second building control parameter from the first building control device to the second building control device, storing the second building control parameter in the second memory of the second device, and providing one or more control signals from the second building control device for controlling one or more building components based at least in part on the second building control parameter that is stored in the second memory; and

if the second building control parameter is designated as a local parameter, not transmitting the second building control parameter from the first building control device to the second building control device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first building control parameter is designated as a global parameter and the second building control parameter is designated a local parameter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first building control parameter and the second building control parameter are stored in the first memory.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the first building control parameter from the first building control device to the second building control device is a wireless transmission.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of building control devices comprises an HVAC system, and the user may change each parameter from local to global and/or from global to local.