HVAC controller having economy and comfort operating modes

• US 9,416,987 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Ragland, Amy, Quam, David, Paine, Brad
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US13/952,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20150027681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276
• 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• 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 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0046 using natural energy, e.g. solar energy, energy from the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25387 Control sequences so as to optimize energy use by controlled machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control

Abstract

An HVAC controller may be programmed to control an HVAC system according to a comfort mode and an economy mode. When the HVAC system is operating according to the comfort mode, the HVAC system may primarily draw energy from a locally generated energy source or local energy storage system. The HVAC controller may be programmed to transition the HVAC system from operating according to the comfort mode to operating according to an economy mode, wherein the economy mode is a more energy efficient that the comfort mode.

Claims

1. A building controller for controlling an HVAC system of a building, the building controller comprising:

a memory for storing an economy set point and a comfort set point, wherein the comfort set point is different from the economy set point;

an output for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system;

an input for receiving forecast data from a remote location; and

a controller coupled to the memory and the output, the controller configured to control the HVAC system via the one or more control signals in accordance with a first mode for heating and/or cooling the building using energy primarily derived locally at the building, and a second mode for heating and/or cooling the building using energy primarily derived from a remote utility, the controller configured to control the HVAC system via the one or more control signals in accordance with the comfort set point when operating the HVAC system in the first mode, and controlling the HVAC system in accordance with the economy set point when operating the HVAC system in the second mode, the controller further configured to control the HVAC system in accordance with an anticipation set point, which is different from the economy set point and the comfort set point, when operating the HVAC system in the first mode if it is indicated, based at least in part on the forecast data, that energy savings could be achieved in the future.

2. The building controller of claim 1, wherein, in the first mode, the HVAC system operates an economizer to use energy derived from air outside of the building to heat and/or cool the building.

3. The building controller of claim 1, wherein, in the first mode, the HVAC system uses locally generated solar energy to heat and/or cool the building.

4. The building controller of claim 1, wherein, in the first mode, the HVAC system uses locally stored energy to heat and/or cool the building.

5. The building controller of claim 4, wherein the locally stored energy includes locally stored solar energy.

6. The building controller of claim 4, wherein the locally stored energy includes energy derived from a thermal mass.

7. The building controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate in the first mode if the heating and/or cooling of the building can be accomplished using energy primarily derived locally.

8. The building controller of claim 1, wherein in the first mode, the HVAC system derives at least some energy from the remote utility, but less than in the second mode.

9. The building controller of claim 1, wherein the first mode uses greater than 50% of energy derived locally.

10. The building controller of claim 1, wherein the first mode uses greater than 70% of energy derived locally.

11. The building controller of claim 1, wherein the first mode uses greater than 80% of energy derived locally.

12. The building controller of claim 1, wherein the first mode uses greater than 90% of energy derived locally.

13. A building controller for controlling an HVAC system of a building, the building controller comprising:

a memory for storing an economy set point and a comfort set point, wherein the comfort set point is different than the economy set point;

an input for receiving weather forecast data;

an output for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system; and

a controller coupled to the memory and the output, the controller configured to control the HVAC system in a first mode for heating and/or cooling the building using energy primarily derived from a local energy storage system local to the building, and a second mode for heating and/or cooling the building using energy primarily derived from a remote energy source that charges for the energy, wherein;

when operating the HVAC system in the first mode, the controller is configured to control the HVAC system via the one or more control signals in accordance with the economy set point until the local energy storage system is charged to at least a threshold level and then control the HVAC system in accordance with the comfort set point, wherein the threshold level is dependent on the received weather forecast data; and

when operating the HVAC system in the second mode, controlling the HVAC system in accordance with the economy set point.

14. The building controller of claim 13, wherein the local energy storage system include a battery that is charged by one or more of solar and wind energy.

15. The building controller of claim 13, wherein the local energy storage system include a heat storage device.

16. A method for controlling an HVAC system of a building, the method comprising:

receiving weather forecast data;

selecting a first mode or a second mode for operating the HVAC system for heating and/or cooling the building, wherein in the first mode the HVAC system uses energy primarily derived locally of the building, and in the second mode the HVAC system uses energy primarily derived from a utility;

when operating the HVAC system in the first mode, controlling the HVAC system via the one or more control signals in accordance with a comfort set point;

when operating the HVAC system in the second mode, controlling the HVAC system in accordance with an economy set point, wherein the comfort set point is different than the economy set point; and

transitioning from the first mode to the second mode when the energy derived locally of the building falls below a threshold level, wherein the threshold level is dependent on the received forecast data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the economy set point is a more energy efficient set point than the comfort set point.