Systems and methods for controlling multiple HVAC systems

• US 9,494,952 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Storm, Timothy Wayne, Taylor, John Tanner
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US13/077,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,056 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 700/20, 700/174, 700207-210, 700/276, 700/3, 700/277, 236/1.B, 236/25.R, 236/25.A, 236/44.R, 236/44.A, 236/44.B, 236/44.C, 236/90, 715700-760, 345/661
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

An HVAC control system has a first system controller associated with a first HVAC system and configured to control the first HVAC system and a second system controller associated with a HVAC system and configured to control the second HVAC system wherein the first system controller is selectively operable to control the second HVAC system. A method of controlling multiple HVAC systems includes providing a first HVAC system which may include a required first system controller, providing a second HVAC system which may include a required second system controller, and enabling wireless communication between the first system controller and the second system controller.

Claims

1. An HVAC control system, comprising:

a first system controller associated with a first HVAC system and configured to control the first HVAC system, wherein the first system controller is located in a first zone conditioned by the first HVAC system; and

a second system controller associated with a second HVAC system and configured to control the second HVAC system, wherein the second system controller is located in a second zone conditioned by the second HVAC system;

wherein the first system controller is selectively operable to control the second HVAC system;

wherein the first system controller comprises a user interface configured to simultaneously display (1) a first zone indicator, a first condition, and a first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first HVAC system and (2) a second zone indicator, a second condition, and a second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second HVAC system;

wherein the user interface is configured to selectively receive an input to adjust at least one of the (1) at least one of the first condition and the first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first HVAC system and (2) at least one of the second condition and the second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second HVAC system to cause (1) the first system controller to operate the first HVAC system in accordance with at least one of the adjusted first condition and the adjusted first operating parameter when the simultaneously displayed at least one of the first condition and the first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first HVAC system is adjusted, wherein at least one of the adjusted first condition and the adjusted first operating parameter comprises a different value with respect to the second condition and the second operating parameter, respectively, and (2) the second system controller to display on a user interface of the second controller at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter and operate the second HVAC system in accordance with at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter when the simultaneously displayed at least one of the second condition and the second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second HVAC system is adjusted, wherein at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter comprises a different value with respect to the first condition and the first operating parameter, respectively.

2. The HVAC control system of claim 1, wherein the first HVAC system is inoperable without the first system controller.

3. The HVAC control system of claim 1, wherein the second HVAC system is inoperable without the second system controller.

4. The HVAC control system of claim 1, wherein the first HVAC system is inoperable without the first system controller, and wherein the second HVAC system is inoperable without the second system controller.

5. The HVAC control system of claim 1, wherein the first system controller is connected to the first HVAC system via a first wired communication connection, wherein the second system controller is connected to the second HVAC system via a second wired communication connection, and wherein the first wired communication connection is a separate communication bus from the second wired communication connection.

6. The HVAC control system of claim 1, wherein the first system controller and the second system controller selectively communicate with each other via a wireless connection.

7. The HVAC control system of claim 1, wherein the first system controller and the second system controller selectively communicate with each other via a wireless communication router.

8. The HVAC control system of claim 1, wherein the first system controller is selectively configurable to at least one of control an operating parameter of the second HVAC system and monitor the second HVAC system.

9. A method of controlling multiple HVAC systems, comprising:

providing a first HVAC system comprising a required first system controller located in a first zone conditioned by the first HVAC system;

providing a second HVAC system comprising a required second system controller located in a second zone conditioned by the second HVAC system;

operating the first HVAC system to condition the first zone in accordance with at least one of a first condition and a first operating parameter;

operating the second HVAC system to condition a second zone in accordance with at least one of a second condition and a second operating parameter;

simultaneously displaying on a user interface of the first controller (1) a first zone indicator, the first condition, and the first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first HVAC system and (2) a second zone indicator, the second condition, and the second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second HVAC system;

selectively receiving an input via the user interface of the first controller to adjust at least one of (1) at least one of the first condition and the first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first HVAC system and (2) at least one of the second condition and the second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second HVAC system to cause (1) the first HVAC system to operate in accordance with at least one of the adjusted first condition and the adjusted first operating parameter when the simultaneously displayed at least one of the first condition and the first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first HVAC system is adjusted, wherein at least one of the adjusted first condition and the adjusted first operating parameter comprises a different value with respect to the second condition and the second operating parameter, respectively, and (2) the second HVAC system to operate in accordance with at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter when the simultaneously displayed at least one of the second condition and the second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second HVAC system is adjusted, wherein at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter comprises a different value with respect to the first condition and the first operating parameter, respectively;

enabling wireless communication between the first system controller and the second system controller;

communicating at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter from the first system controller to the second system controller; and

displaying on a user interface of the second controller at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

routing the wireless communication between the first system controller and the second system controller through a wireless communication router.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

operating the first system controller to view a temperature set point of the second zone.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

operating the first system controller to alter a temperature set point of the second zone.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication router is configured to assign network addresses to the first system controller and the second system controller.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless router is further configured to communicate with an off-premises device.

15. An HVAC system, comprising:

a first air conditioning system comprising a first wired system controller located in a first zone conditioned by the first air conditioning system and configured to control the first air conditioning system via a first wired communication bus; and

a second air conditioning system comprising a second wired system controller located in a second zone conditioned by the second air conditioning system and configured to control the second air conditioning system via a second wired communication bus;

wherein each of the first wired system controller and the second wired system controller are configured for selective wireless communication with each other using wireless communication protocol;

wherein the first wired system controller comprises a user interface configured to simultaneously display (1) a first zone indicator, a first condition, and a first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first HVAC system and (2) a second zone indicator, a second condition, and a second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second HVAC system; and

wherein the user interface is configured to selectively receive an input to adjust (1) at least one of the first condition and the first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first HVAC system and (2) at least one of the second condition and the second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second HVAC system to cause (1) the first air conditioning system to operate in accordance with at least one of the adjusted first condition and the adjusted first operating parameter when the simultaneously displayed at least one of the first condition and the first operating parameter of the first zone associated with the first air conditioning system is adjusted, wherein at least one of the adjusted first condition and the adjusted first operating parameter comprises a different value with respect to the second condition and the second operating parameter, respectively, and (2) the second air conditioning system to operate in accordance with at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter when the simultaneously displayed at least one of the second condition and the second operating parameter of the second zone associated with the second air conditioning system is adjusted, wherein at least one of the adjusted second condition and the adjusted second operating parameter comprises a different value with respect to the first condition and the first operating parameter, respectively.

16. The HVAC system of claim 15, wherein the selective wireless communication comprises routing wireless communication through a wireless communication router.

17. The HVAC system of claim 15, wherein the selective wireless communication comprises an exchange of at least one of (1) the first condition and the first operating parameter and (2) the second condition and the second operating parameter.

18. The HVAC system of claim 15, wherein the first wired system controller is configured to selectively control the second air conditioning system as if the second wired system controller were being used to control the second air conditioning system.

19. The HVAC system of claim 15, wherein during wireless communication between the first wired system controller and the second wired system controller, each of the first wired system controller and the second wired system controller are configured to selectively unilaterally discontinue the wireless communication.

20. The HVAC system of claim 15, wherein the first wired system controller is configured to at least one of control and monitor at least one of the second condition and the second operating parameter of the second zone.

21. An HVAC control system, comprising:

a first system controller configured to control a first HVAC system and located in a first zone conditioned by the first HVAC system; and

a second system controller configured to control a second HVAC system and located in a second zone conditioned by the second HVAC system;

wherein the first system controller is configured to simultaneously display a zone information group for each zone conditioned by either the first HVAC system or the second HVAC system, wherein each zone information group comprises a zone indicator, a zone mode indicia, a current temperature associated with the respective zone, and at least one temperature set point associated with the respective zone; and

wherein the first controller is configured to selectively receive an input to adjust the temperature set point of the first zone and the temperature set point of the second zone to cause (1) the first HVAC system to operate in accordance with the adjusted temperature set point of the first zone when the temperature set point of the first zone is adjusted, wherein the adjusted first temperature set point of the first zone comprises a different value than the temperature set point of the second zone and (2) the second HVAC to operate in accordance with the adjusted second temperature set point when the second temperature set point of the second zone is adjusted, wherein the adjusted second temperature set point of the second zone comprises a different value than the temperature set point of the first zone.