Remote maintenance

• US 9,678,518 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Boesveld, Willem Hendrik, Kalk, Hendrik Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Tecklu, Isaac T
• Application Number:
  US14/256,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1009 for central heating
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/52 Weather protecting means, e.g. against wind, rain or snow
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermostat for communicating with a remote maintenance server. The thermostat being configured for receiving and sending network data from and to the remote maintenance server. The thermostat is configured to receive network data provided by a maintenance interface service for receiving and displaying network data from and to a maintenance person. The thermostat is configured for receiving and sending remote controller data from and to a remote controller. The thermostat is configured to receive remote controller data from a user through a controller user interface. The thermostat is configured for receiving and sending appliance data from and to at least one appliance. The thermostat is configured for generating a request for appliance data from the at least one appliance and the thermostat is configured for receiving appliance data in response to the request for appliance data.

Claims

1. A thermostat for communicating with a remote maintenance server,

said thermostat being configured to:

receive and send network data from and to the remote maintenance server;

receive and send remote controller data from and to a remote controller;

receive and send appliance data from and to at least one appliance; and

generate a request for appliance data from the at least one appliance to receive appliance data from the at least one appliance in response to the request for appliance data,

wherein the at least one appliance corresponds to at least one of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a domestic heating device, an air conditioning unit, a ventilation unit, or combinations thereof wherein the thermostat is further configured to store the appliance data over time and to predict an appliance error by comparing the stored appliance data over time with reference appliance data.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is configured for receiving reference appliance data from the remote maintenance server and/or the thermostat and/or the remote controller.

3. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the appliance data over time is stored within at least one of the thermostat, the remote maintenance server, and the remote controller.

4. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the stored appliance data over time is compared with reference appliance data stored in a database provided by at least one of the thermostat, the remote maintenance server, and the remote controller.

5. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein the stored appliance data is representative for a current status of a component of the appliance and the database includes reference appliance data representative for a specification of the component of the appliance.

6. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the reference appliance data (55) is updated and/or filled based on experience from the maintenance person (30) and/or factory settings and/or appliance data from other appliances.

7. The thermostat of claim 6, wherein the reference appliance data is at least one of updated and filled based on appliance data received from other appliances through other thermostats.

8. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the at least one appliance includes at least one sensor for generating appliance sensor data representative for a status of the appliance, and wherein the appliance sensor data is compared with reference appliance data for predicting an appliance error.

9. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is further configured to receive an appliance error from the at least one appliance, generate at least one of a service request and a maintenance request, send a push notification to the remote controller, in response to at least one of the received appliance error, the generated service request, and the maintenance request, and wherein the thermostat is further configured to generate status information and to send the status information to the remote controller.

10. The thermostat of claim 9, wherein the thermostat is further configured to send the push notification to the remote controller through the remote maintenance server.

11. The thermostat of claim 9, wherein the thermostat is further configured to send the status information together with the push notification.

12. The thermostat of claim 9, wherein a controller user interface is configured to:

receive remote controller data from a user through the controller user interface; and

transfer the received status information to the maintenance person in response to an input by the user on the controller user interface.

13. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is further configured to receive a request for status information originated by the remote controller, and to generate the status information, in response to the request for status information, and send the status information to the remote controller.

14. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the thermostat is further configured to receive the request for status information from the remote maintenance server, and wherein the request for status information is originated by the remote controller.

15. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the thermostat is further configured to send the status information to the remote controller through the remote maintenance server.

16. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the request for status information is in response to at least one of a received maintenance request, a service request, and an appliance error.

17. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is further configured to distribute a reset instruction to the at least one appliance in response to a received reset instruction from the remote maintenance server.

18. The thermostat of claim 17, wherein the thermostat is further configured to delay the distribution of the reset instruction by a predetermined amount of time.

19. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat includes a gateway to distribute appliance data between the at least one appliance and the remote controller.

20. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the gateway is housed separately from the thermostat.

21. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is further configured to distribute appliance data between the at least one appliance and the remote controller through the remote maintenance server.

25. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat is further configured to receive network data provided by a maintenance interface service for receiving and displaying network data from and to a maintenance person.

22. A thermostat system, comprising:

a remote controller;

a remote maintenance server; and

at least one appliance, wherein the at least one appliance corresponds to at least one of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a domestic heating device, an air conditioning unit, a ventilation unit, or combinations thereof; and

a thermostat for communicating with the remote maintenance server, said thermostat being configured to;

receive and send network data from and to the remote maintenance server;

receive and send remote controller data from and to the remote controller;

receive and send appliance data from and to the at least one appliance; and

generate a request for appliance data from the at least one appliance to receive appliance data from the at least one appliance in response to the request for appliance data wherein the thermostat is further configured to store the appliance data over time and predict an appliance error by comparing the stored appliance data over time with reference appliance data.

23. The thermostat system of claim 22, wherein the thermostat is further configured to:

generate at least one of a service request or a maintenance request in response to a predicted appliance error; and

send a push notification to the remote controller in response to at least one of the service request or the maintenance request.

24. The thermostat system of claim 23, wherein the thermostat is further configured to:

send a push notification to the remote controller in response to at least one of the service request or the maintenance request.