HVAC controller with dynamic temperature compensation

• US 9,016,593 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1339416 BC Limited, Generac Holdings Incorporated, Generac Power Systems Incorporated (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ecobee Inc (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Metselaar, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradford, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US13/179,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 621/26, 621/32, 236/1.C, 236/94
• US Class Current: 236/1.C
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/526 giving audible indications
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/59 for presetting
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• 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: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value

Abstract

A controller is provided for operating HVAC equipment using an environmental control program. The controller has an environmental sensor operable to provide a measured temperature value to the environmental control program. The controller further runs a dynamic temperature control program that is operable to provide a dynamic correction factor to the environmental control program that dynamically compensates the measured temperature value for waste heat generated by power consumption within the controller.

Claims

1. A controller for operating HVAC equipment on a premise, the controller having:

a processor operable to run an environmental control program, the environmental control program being operable to control the HVAC equipment;

volatile and non-volatile memory; and

an environmental sensor operable to provide a measured temperature value to the environmental control program for use in operating the HVAC equipment; and

wherein the processor is further operable to run a dynamic temperature control program that is operable to provide a dynamic correction factor to the environmental control program that dynamically compensates the measured temperature value relative to a premise temperature to create a corrected indoor temperature value, the dynamic correction factor being a function of a power consumption value determined by the controller.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a current sensor and the power consumption value within the controller is determined based upon a measured current flow within the controller.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller includes an airflow sensor and the dynamic correction factor includes an airflow coefficient representing airflow within the controller.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the dynamic correction factor is determined by referencing the power consumption value in a heat offset table to return a heat offset value, the heat offset value being used to determine the dynamic correction factor.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the dynamic correction factor is applied in an increasing amount for a period of time until 100% of the dynamic correction factor is applied to the measured temperature value upon initialization of the controller.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to communicate with an environmental web service across a network, and the dynamic correction factor is determined by referencing the power consumption value in a heat offset table to return a heat offset value, the heat offset value being used to determine the dynamic correction factor, and where the heat offset table is updatable across the network.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the power consumption value within the controller is determined based upon discrete levels of operation of subcomponents of the controller.

8. The controller of claim 1, wherein the power consumption value within the controller is determined based upon discrete levels of operation of subcomponents of the controller, the subcomponents including at least one of a display, a RF subassembly and the processor.

9. The controller of claim 1, wherein the dynamic correction factor is applied to a measured temperature provided by an environmental sensor located within the controller, and then averaged with at least one other measured temperature provided by at least one remote sensor.

10. A method for measuring temperature in a controller on a premise, the controller having an internal environmental sensor, the method comprising:

receiving a measured temperature value from the environmental sensor;

applying a dynamic correction factor to the measured temperature value to determine a corrected indoor temperature value which compensates for waste heat within the controller; and

providing the corrected indoor temperature value to an environmental control program running on the controller, the environmental control program being operable to control HVAC equipment on the premise; and

wherein the dynamic correction factor is determined by calculating a power consumption value within the controller, the dynamic correction factor being a function of the power consumption value within the controller.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the power consumption value within the controller is determined based upon a measured current flow within the controller.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the dynamic correction factor includes an airflow coefficient representing airflow within the controller.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the dynamic correction factor is determined by referencing the power consumption value in a heat offset table to return a heat offset value, the heat offset value being used to determine the dynamic correction factor.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the dynamic correction factor is applied in an increasing amount for a period of time until 100% of the dynamic correction factor is applied to the measured temperature value upon initialization of the controller to create the corrected indoor temperature value.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the dynamic correction factor is determined by referencing the power consumption value in a heat offset table to return a heat offset value, the heat offset value being used to determine the dynamic correction factor, and where the heat offset table is updatable across a network.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the power consumption value within the controller is determined based upon discrete levels of operation of subcomponents of the controller.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the power consumption value within the controller is determined based upon discrete levels of operation of subcomponents of the controller, the subcomponents including at least one of a display, a RF subassembly and a processor.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the dynamic correction factor is applied to a measured temperature provided by an environmental sensor located within the controller, and then averaged with at least one other measured temperature provided by at least one remote sensor to provide the corrected indoor temperature.

19. A dynamic control program for compensating for waste heat measured in a controller, the dynamic control program being stored in a non-volatile memory storage on the controller and operable to run on a processor of the controller located on a premise, the controller having an internal environmental sensor, comprising:

the program receiving a measured temperature value from the environmental sensor;

the program applying a dynamic correction factor to the measured temperature value to determine a corrected indoor temperature value which compensates for waste heat within the controller; and

the program providing the corrected indoor temperature value to an environmental control program running on the controller, the environmental control program being operable to control HVAC equipment on the premise; and

wherein the dynamic correction factor is determined by calculating a power consumption value within the controller, the dynamic correction factor being a function of the power consumption value within the controller.

20. The program of claim 19, wherein the power consumption value within the controller is determined based upon a measured current flow within the controller.