Power-sensing circuit for wireless zone sensors
First Claim
1. A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for controlling climate conditions in a dwelling including a plurality of zones, the system comprising:
- a plurality of wireless thermostats disposed throughout the plurality of zones within the dwelling, each thermostat being operable to control a climate condition in a corresponding zone, the corresponding zone being selected from the plurality of zones;
a master control unit communicatively linked to the plurality of wireless thermostats and operable to receive a plurality of signals therefrom, the plurality of signals being communicated through a network associated with the system; and
a primary power source linked to the master control unit and operable to supply power to each thermostat operatively connected thereto, wherein each thermostat powered by the primary power source is operable to operate in a high-power mode;
wherein each thermostat includes a corresponding secondary power source operable to supply power for operating in a low-power mode;
wherein each thermostat not powered by the primary power source in the high-power mode is powered by the corresponding secondary power source in the low-power mode;
wherein each thermostat is selectively operable between a repeating thermostat and a non-repeating thermostat;
wherein each thermostat operating in the high-power mode operates as a repeating thermostat to receive and route signals received from other thermostats operating in either the high-power mode or the low-power mode through a wireless portion of the network, the signals being selected from the plurality of signals;
wherein each thermostat operating in the low-power mode operates as a non-repeating thermostat to limitedly perform sensing functions and wirelessly transmit sensed parameters of at least one corresponding zone to an exclusion of control parameters of other non-corresponding zones;
wherein a thermostat operating in the high-power mode as a repeating thermostat automatically switches to operating in the low-power mode as a non-repeating thermostat in response to a switch from the primary power source providing power to the thermostat to the secondary power source providing power to the thermostat; and
wherein a thermostat operating in the low-power mode as a non-repeating thermostat automatically reverts to operating in the high-power mode as a repeating thermostat in response to a switch from the secondary power source providing power to the thermostat to the primary power source providing power to the thermostat.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in a dwelling is provided. The system includes a plurality of wireless thermostats disposed throughout multiple zones within the dwelling and operable to control climate conditions in the corresponding zones. The system further includes a primary power source operable to supply power to thermostats for operating in a high-power mode when operatively connected thereto. The thermostats each include a secondary power source operable to supply power to the thermostats for operating in a low-power mode when the corresponding thermostat is not powered by the primary power source. Thermostats operating in the high-powered mode are operable to receive and repeat signals originating from one or more thermostats operating in the low-power mode.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for controlling climate conditions in a dwelling including a plurality of zones, the system comprising:
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a plurality of wireless thermostats disposed throughout the plurality of zones within the dwelling, each thermostat being operable to control a climate condition in a corresponding zone, the corresponding zone being selected from the plurality of zones; a master control unit communicatively linked to the plurality of wireless thermostats and operable to receive a plurality of signals therefrom, the plurality of signals being communicated through a network associated with the system; and a primary power source linked to the master control unit and operable to supply power to each thermostat operatively connected thereto, wherein each thermostat powered by the primary power source is operable to operate in a high-power mode; wherein each thermostat includes a corresponding secondary power source operable to supply power for operating in a low-power mode; wherein each thermostat not powered by the primary power source in the high-power mode is powered by the corresponding secondary power source in the low-power mode; wherein each thermostat is selectively operable between a repeating thermostat and a non-repeating thermostat; wherein each thermostat operating in the high-power mode operates as a repeating thermostat to receive and route signals received from other thermostats operating in either the high-power mode or the low-power mode through a wireless portion of the network, the signals being selected from the plurality of signals; wherein each thermostat operating in the low-power mode operates as a non-repeating thermostat to limitedly perform sensing functions and wirelessly transmit sensed parameters of at least one corresponding zone to an exclusion of control parameters of other non-corresponding zones; wherein a thermostat operating in the high-power mode as a repeating thermostat automatically switches to operating in the low-power mode as a non-repeating thermostat in response to a switch from the primary power source providing power to the thermostat to the secondary power source providing power to the thermostat; and wherein a thermostat operating in the low-power mode as a non-repeating thermostat automatically reverts to operating in the high-power mode as a repeating thermostat in response to a switch from the secondary power source providing power to the thermostat to the primary power source providing power to the thermostat. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A zone thermostat for use in a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having multiple zone thermostats, comprising:
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a processor operatively coupled to at least one sensor; a wireless communication component operable to transmit a signal indicative of a measured zone parameter measured by the at least one sensor to a master control unit associated with the HVAC system; a primary power source operable to supply power to the thermostat; an auxiliary power source operable to supply power to the zone thermostat in response to the thermostat not being powered by the primary power source; a power sensing circuit configured to determine whether the zone thermostat is operatively connected to and powered by the primary power source or the auxiliary power source; and a switching circuit communicatively linked to the power sensing circuit and configured to switch operation of the zone thermostat between a high-power mode and a low-power mode; wherein when the power sensing circuit determines that the zone thermostat is powered by the primary power source, the processor instructs the switching circuit to configure the zone thermostat to operate in the high-power mode as a repeating thermostat; wherein when the power sensing circuit determines that the zone thermostat is powered by the auxiliary power source, the processor instructs the switching circuit to configure the zone thermostat to operate in the low-power mode as a non-repeating thermostat; wherein when the zone thermostat is operating as the repeating thermostat in the high-power mode, the repeating thermostat is operable to receive and route control signals received from other zone thermostats, the other zone thermostats being selected from the multiple zone thermostats; and wherein when the zone thermostat is operating as the non-repeating thermostat in the low-power mode, the zone thermostat is limited to performing sensing functions and wirelessly transmitting sensed parameters of at least one zone corresponding to the zone thermostat to an exclusion of control parameters of other non-corresponding zones. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for operating a zone thermostat in a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having multiple zone thermostats, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a zone thermostat that is configurable between a repeating thermostat and a non-repeating thermostat in a zone conditioned by the HVAC system; actively detecting whether a primary power source or a secondary power source is supplying power to the zone thermostat; operating the zone thermostat in a low-power mode, using power supplied from the secondary power source, and automatically switching from operating the zone thermostat as a repeating thermostat to operating the zone thermostat as a non-repeating thermostat upon detecting that the primary power source is not supplying power to the zone thermostat; and operating the zone thermostat in a high-power mode, using power supplied from the primary power source, and automatically switching from operating the zone thermostat as a non-repeating thermostat to operating the zone thermostat as a repeating thermostat upon detecting that the primary power source is supplying power to the zone thermostat; wherein, when in the low-power mode; configuring the zone thermostat as a non-repeating thermostat; selectively measuring parameters in at least one corresponding zone; and communicating wireless signals based on the measured parameters of the at least one corresponding zone to an exclusion of control parameters of other non-corresponding zones through a network to a master control unit; wherein, when in the high-power mode; configuring the zone thermostat as a repeating thermostat; actively measuring the parameters in the at least one corresponding zone; communicating signals based on the measured parameters of the at least one corresponding zone through the network to the master control unit; and routing other signals received from other zone thermostats operating in each of the low-power mode as non-repeating thermostats and the high-power mode as repeating thermostats through the network, the other zone thermostats being selected from the multiple zone thermostats. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification