Wireless control of a heating or cooling unit

• US 9,213,342 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Drake, Willis K., Leise, William C., Siravuri, Rishi, Rody, Marc P. N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elve, M. Alexandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRENSHAW, HENRY T
• Application Number:
  US13/073,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20120248207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 236/1.C, 236/51, 622/62, 454/338, 454/256, 454/258
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 5/04 with return of the air or the air-heater
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space

Abstract

A control system includes a remote temperature sensor configured to wirelessly communicate a signal indicative of a space temperature, and a return air temperature sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a temperature of return airflow within an air conditioning/heating unit. The system further includes a controller segregated from the space that is responsive to the signals from the sensors for determining a working sensed temperature based upon a temperature value associated with the return air sensor and at least one temperature value associated with at least one remote temperature sensor. The controller is configured to compare the working sensed temperature to a set-point temperature and responsively generate a command signal to activate the air conditioning or heating unit to control temperature relative to a set-point. The controller controls the air conditioning/heating unit at all times based upon the temperature value associated with the return air sensor.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling an air conditioning unit and/or heating unit of a climate control system, the control system comprising:

a plurality of remote temperature sensors each within a corresponding area of a space having a plurality of areas, each remote sensor configured to wirelessly communicate a signal indicative of air temperature in the corresponding area of the space;

a return air temperature sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a temperature of return airflow within a return air duct of an air conditioning unit or heating unit;

a user interface device located within the space and configured to receive, store, and transmit a user set-point temperature value input by a user, and

a controller responsive to the signals from the sensors for determining a working sensed temperature based upon (a) a temperature value associated with, and determined from the signal communicated by, the return air sensor and (b) at least one temperature value associated with, and determined from at least one signal communicated by, the remote temperature sensors, the controller further configured to determine a differential between temperature values associated with the areas, the controller being segregated from the space and configured to compare the working sensed temperature to a set-point temperature received from the user interface device located remotely in the space and responsively generate a command signal to control operation of the air conditioning unit or heating unit to control temperature in the space relative to the received set-point temperature;

the command signal generated to circulate air in the space from at least one of the areas into at least one other of the areas in response to the differential and using the working sensed temperature, without operating an air conditioning unit compressor and without operating a heating unit heater.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine a weighted calculation for determining the working sensed temperature, the weighted calculation based at least in part on the temperature value associated with the return air temperature sensor in a manner such that any temperature value associated with a remote sensor that a signal is not received from will not affect the weighted calculation as determined by the one or more remaining sensors.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a programmable read-only-memory encoded with an instruction operable to determine a weighted calculation of a working sensed temperature based upon the temperature value associated with the return air sensor and the at least one temperature value associated with the remote temperature sensors.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a working sensed temperature using a weighted calculation that weights the temperature value associated with the return air sensor and the at least one temperature value associated with the remote temperature sensors, wherein the weighting for the temperature value associated with the return air sensor is between 4 percent and 100 percent of the weighting for the at least one temperature value associated with the remote temperature sensors.

5. The control system of claim 3, wherein the weighted calculation is a weighted average of the temperature value associated with the return air sensor and the at least one temperature value associated with the remote temperature sensors.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein a temperature value associated with the remote temperature sensors is assigned a default temperature value of zero when the controller does not receive a signal within a predetermined time from a particular remote temperature sensor with which the temperature value is associated.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive, from a thermostat mounted in the space, one or more signals indicative of (a) the set-point temperature and/or (b) a temperature sensed in the space, the controller further configured to responsively generate the command signal to the air conditioning unit or heating unit based in part on the one or more signals, no capability of the thermostat to provide command signals being used to provide command signals to the air conditioning unit or heating unit.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the user interface device is configured to wirelessly transmit a user-selected set-point temperature value to the controller, wherein all command signals for activating the air conditioning unit or heating unit are provided exclusively by the controller and not the user interface device.

9. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface device that is a mobile device having a software application designed to interface with the controller through wireless communication.

10. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface device that is a mobile computer having a software application designed to interface with the controller through wireless communication.

11. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a thermostat disposed within the space and configured to wirelessly communicate a signal indicative of one of the following:

(a) a sensed temperature or (b) user-selected set-point temperature to the controller, where all command signals for activating the air conditioning unit or heating unit are provided exclusively by the controller, and no capability of the thermostat to provide command signals is used to provide command signals to the air conditioning unit or heating unit.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the air conditioning unit or heating unit based upon the temperature values associated with the return air sensor and the remote temperature sensors, regardless of whether a loss of communication between the thermostat and the controller occurs.

13. A control system for controlling an air conditioning unit and/or heating unit of a climate control system, the control system comprising:

a plurality of remote temperature sensors each within a corresponding one of a plurality of areas within a space, each configured to wirelessly communicate a signal indicative of air temperature in a corresponding area of the space;

a return air temperature sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a temperature of return airflow within a return air duct of an air conditioning unit or heating unit;

a controller responsive to the signals from the sensors for determining a working sensed temperature based upon (a) a temperature value associated with, and determined from the signal communicated by, the return air sensor and (b) at least one temperature value associated with, and determined from at least one signal communicated by, the remote temperature sensors, the controller being further configured to determine a differential between temperature values associated with the areas, the controller being segregated from the space and configured to compare the working sensed temperature to a set-point temperature received from a user interface located remotely in the space and responsively provide an electrical power signal to operate at least a fan of the air conditioning unit and/or of the heating unit based on a size of the differential, to control temperature in the space relative to the received set-point temperature; and

a thermostat disposed within the space and including the user interface, the user interface configured to receive, store, and transmit a user set-point temperature value selected by a user and wirelessly communicate a signal indicative of a sensed temperature or user-selected set-point temperature to the controller, electrical power signals for operating the air conditioning unit or heating unit being provided exclusively by the controller, no capability of the thermostat to provide command signals being used to operate the air conditioning unit or heating unit.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein the controller is programmed to determine a weighted calculation for determining the working sensed temperature, the weighted calculation based at least in part upon the temperature value associated with the return air temperature sensor in a manner such that any temperature value associated with a remote sensor that a signal is not received from will not affect the weighted calculation as determined by the one or more remaining sensors.

15. The control system of claim 13, wherein the electrical power signal is provided to circulate air in the space from at least one of the areas into at least one other of the areas in response to the differential and using the working sensed temperature, without operating an air conditioning unit compressor and without operating a heating unit heater.

16. A control system for controlling an air conditioning unit and/or heating unit of a climate control system, the control system comprising:

a plurality of remote temperature sensors within a space, each configured to wirelessly communicate a signal indicative of air temperature in a corresponding area of the space;

a return air temperature sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a temperature of return airflow within a return air duct of an air conditioning unit or heating unit;

a user interface device located within the space and configured to receive, store, and transmit a user set-point temperature value input by a user, and

a controller responsive to the signals from the sensors for determining a working sensed temperature from a weighted calculation based upon (a) a temperature value associated with, and determined from the signal communicated by, the return air sensor and (b) at least one temperature value associated with, and determined from at least one signal communicated by, the remote temperature sensors, the controller further configured to determine a differential between temperature values associated with the areas, the controller being segregated from the space and disposed in close proximity to the return air sensor so as to allow a direct wired connection between the controller and return air sensor, the controller including a programmable read-only-memory encoded with an instruction operable to compare the working sensed temperature to a set-point temperature received from the user interface device located remotely in the space and responsively provide an electrical power signal to activate the air conditioning unit or heating unit to control temperature in the space relative to the received set-point temperature, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the air conditioning unit or heating unit based on the differential and using the weighted calculation based upon temperature values associated with the return air sensor and at least one remote temperature sensor.

17. The control system of claim 16, wherein the programmable read-only-memory is encoded with an instruction operable to determine the weighted calculation in a manner such that the temperature value associated with any remote sensor that a signal is not received from will not affect the weighted calculation as determined by the remaining one or more sensors.

18. The control system of claim 16, wherein the weighted calculation weights the temperature value associated with the return air sensor and the at least one temperature value associated with the remote temperature sensors, wherein the weighting for the temperature value associated with the return air sensor is between 4 percent and 100 percent of the weighting for the temperature value associated with at least one remote temperature sensor.

19. The control system of claim 16, wherein the weighted calculation is a weighted average of the temperature value associated with the return air sensor and at least one temperature value associated with the remote temperature sensors.

20. The control system of claim 16, wherein a temperature value associated with the remote temperature sensors is assigned a default temperature value of zero when the controller does not receive a signal within a predetermined time from a particular remote temperature sensor associated with the temperature value.

21. The control system of claim 16, further comprising a user interface device that is a mobile device having a software application designed to interface with the controller through wireless communication.

22. The control system of claim 16, further comprising a user interface device that is a mobile computer having a a software application designed to interface with the controller through wireless communication.

23. The control system of claim 16, wherein the controller does not receive input from and is not connected to a thermostat mounted within the space, and all command signals for activating the air conditioning unit or heating unit are provided exclusively by the controller and not the thermostat.

24. The control system of claim 16, further comprising a user interface device configured to wirelessly transmit a user-selected set-point temperature to the controller, wherein all electrical power signals for activating the air conditioning unit or heating unit are provided exclusively by the controller and not the user interface device, regardless of whether a loss of communication between the user interface and the controller occurs.