Battery-operated wireless zone controllers having multiple states of power-related operation

• US 9,182,140 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US14/182,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20140158778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 236/1.B, 236/49.3, 236/51, 621/86, 165/205, 165/212, 165/217, 454/256, 454/284
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/022 comprising a compressor cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• 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 11/58 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: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/72 for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/40 Pressure, e.g. wind pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 : Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 : Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/40 : Damper positions, e.g. open or closed
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/044 : Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/10 : with air supply, or exhaust, through perforated wall, floor or ceiling outlet members for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air-diffusers F24F13/06
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 : each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means

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 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.

Claims

1. A system for wirelessly controlling multiple environmental zones, the system comprising:

a plurality of battery-operated zone controllers, each battery-operated zone controller being;

located on-board an electronically-controlled register vent that controls airflow from a duct into one of the multiple environmental zones from a central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;

associated with one of the multiple environmental zones, each battery-operated zone controller being configured to;

trigger opening and closing of the electronically-controlled register vent on which the battery-operated zone controller is located at least partially based on a pressure condition;

operate in a first state and a second state; and

alternate between the first state and the second state over a period of time, wherein;

the first state for each battery-operated zone controller is configured such that the battery-operated zone controller performs operations, and

the second state for each battery-operated zone controller is configured such that the battery-operated zone controller performs at least one of;

monitoring an environmental condition associated with the battery-operated zone controller, wherein the environmental condition is the pressure condition within the duct; and

communicating, wirelessly, environmental condition data for the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller from the battery-operated zone controller to a central controller, wherein the environmental condition data is a pressure measurement for the pressure condition within the duct.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each battery-operated zone controller includes:

a communication interface configured to communicate the environmental condition data for the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller to the central controller; and

a sensor configured to monitor the environmental condition of the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller; and

the first state is a “

sleep”

state and the second state is an “

awake”

state.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each battery-operated zone controller is further configured to:

receive a “

wake-up”

signal instructing it to change from the “

sleep”

state to the “

awake”

state; and

in response to receiving the “

wake-up”

signal, changing its operational state from the first state to the second state such that the communication interface transitions from not sending communications to other devices to wirelessly communicating the environmental condition data for the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller to the central controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein being configured to alternate between the first state and the second state includes being configured to change from the first state to the second state after a predetermined period of time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each battery-operated zone controller is further configured to control, in the second state, a local device specific to the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein being configured to control the local device specific to the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller includes:

being configured to control the local device specific to the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller in response to a communication from the central controller.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each battery-operated zone controller is further configured to:

receive a communication from the central controller selected from the group consisting of;

an instruction to perform a measurement;

an instruction to enter the first state;

an instruction to enter the second state;

an instruction to report battery status;

an instruction to change a period of time at which the battery-operated zone controller will change from the first state to the second state; and

an instruction to run self-diagnostics and report results thereof to the central controller.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each battery-operated zone controller is further configured to:

alternate to a third state, the third state being a state in which the battery-operated zone controller is configured to receive, wirelessly, instructions from the central controller.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first state of each battery-operated zone controller is configured such that the battery-operated zone controller monitors an environmental condition of the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises the central controller, the central controller being configured to communicate, to at least one of the battery-operated zone controllers, an instruction for the at least one battery-operated zone controller to enter the first state and an instruction for the at least one battery-operated zone controller to enter the second state.

11. A method for wirelessly controlling multiple environmental zones, the method comprising, for each of a plurality of battery-operated zone controllers respectively associated with each of the environmental zones:

alternating, over time, an operation of the battery-operated zone controller between a first state and a second state, wherein the battery-operated zone controller is located on-board an electronically-controlled register vent that controls airflow from a duct into one of the multiple environmental zones from a central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;

monitoring, by the battery-operated zone controller, an environmental condition of the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller while in at least one of the first state or the second state, wherein the environmental condition is the pressure condition within the duct;

communicating, wirelessly, environmental condition data for the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller from the battery-operated zone controller to a central controller while in the second state but not in the first state, wherein the environmental condition data is a pressure measurement for the pressure condition within the duct; and

controlling actuation of opening and closing of the electronically-controlled register vent at least partially based on the environmental condition.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, for each battery-operated zone controller:

logging, by the battery-operated zone controller, environmental data derived from the monitoring of the environmental condition while in the first state; and

communicating the logged environmental data from the battery-operated zone controller to the central controller while in the second state.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising, for each battery-operated zone controller:

monitoring, by the battery-operated zone controller, the environmental condition of the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller while in the second state;

deriving, by the battery-operated zone controller, environmental data from the monitored environmental condition while in the second state; and

communicating the environmental data from the battery-operated zone controller to the central controller while in the second state.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising, for each battery-operated zone controller:

receiving an instruction from the central controller while in the second state;

determining whether the instruction includes an identifier associated with the battery-operated zone controller;

ignoring the instruction when it is determined that the instruction does not include the identifier associated with the battery-operated zone controller; and

performing an operation when it is determined that the instruction does include the identifier associated with the battery-operated zone controller.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the instruction is an instruction to report battery status, and performing an operation includes determining a battery status of the battery-operated zone controller and communicating the battery status of the battery-operated zone controller to the central controller.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising, for each battery-operated zone controller:

determining, by the battery-operated zone controller, whether the battery-operated zone controller received an acknowledgment in response to communicating the environmental condition data; and

repeating communication of the environmental condition data at least once in response to determining that the battery-operated zone controller did not receive the acknowledgment.

17. A battery-operated zone controller associated with one of multiple environmental zones for controlling an environmental condition of the associated environmental zone, the battery-operated zone controller comprising:

a sensor configured to monitor the environmental condition of the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller; and

a communication interface coupled to the sensor and configured to wirelessly communicate environmental condition data for the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller from the battery-operated zone controller to a central controller,

wherein the battery-operated zone controller is configured to trigger opening and closing of an electronically-controlled register vent that controls airflow from a duct into the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller;

wherein the battery-operated zone controller is configured to operate in a first state and a second state and to alternate between the first state and the second state over a period of time, the first state being configured such that the battery-operated zone controller performs operations, the second state being configured such that the battery-operated zone controller performs at least one of;

monitoring, via the sensor, the environmental condition of the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller wherein the environmental condition comprises the pressure condition within the duct; and

communicating, wirelessly via the communication interface, the environmental condition data for the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller from the battery-operated zone controller to the central controller.

18. The battery-operated zone controller of claim 17, further comprising a wake-up circuit configured to receive a wake-up signal from the central controller and, in response to the wake-up signal, change a state of operation of the battery-operated zone controller from the first state to the second state.

19. The battery-operated zone controller of claim 18, wherein the wake-up circuit is further configured to receive a second wake-up signal from the central controller and, in response to the second wake-up signal, change a state of operation of the battery-operated zone controller to a “

listening”

state wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive commands from the central controller while the battery-operated zone controller is in the “

listening”

state.

20. The battery-operated zone controller of claim 17, further comprising an actuation circuit configured to control a local device specific to the environmental zone associated with the battery-operated zone controller.