Method to control a communication rate between a thermostat and a cloud based server

• US 10,018,372 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Lemire, Patrick R., Juntunen, Robert D., Robideau, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chu, Alan
• Application Number:
  US15/373,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20170089602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 700276
• 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 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25011 Domotique, I-O bus, home automation, building automation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A communication rate between a cloud-based server and an HVAC controller located within a building may be controlled based on the amount of power available at the HVAC controller. The cloud-based server may notify a user if the amount of power available at the HVAC controller is determined to be low.

Claims

1. A system comprising a building controller in communication with a server over a network, the system comprising:

a building controller located within a building comprising;

a command module for sending one or more control signals to one or more building components;

a communications module for sending and/or receiving messages over the network;

a power module for powering at least part of the building controller;

a controller operatively coupled to the command module, the communications module, and the power module, the controller is configured to determine an available amount of power stored in the power module and is further configured to communicate, via the communications module, one or more messages that is related to the determined available amount of power stored in the power module;

the controller is further configured to perform one or more of;

communicate at a plurality of communication times via the communications module, wherein there is a delay between each of the plurality of communication times, and wherein the delay is based, at least in part, on the determined available power stored in the power module; and

execute a plurality of functions, wherein the controller selectively prohibits certain of the plurality of functions based, at least in part, on the determined available power stored in the power module;

a server in communication with the building controller over the network, the server configured to receive the one or more messages that is related to the determined available amount of power stored in the power module of the building controller, the server further configured to transmit information to a mobile user device via the network, wherein the information notifies the user as to the power state of the building controller and prompts the user to take a specified action to address the available amount of power stored in the power module, wherein the specified action to address the available amount of power comprises one or more of;

adding a common wire (C-wire) to the building controller to directly supply power to the power module of the building controller; and

temporarily activating one or more of the building components to facilitate a power stealing block of the power module in charging an energy storage device of the power module of the building controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information transmitted to the mobile device from the server further includes an expected delay time before a next communication time with the building controller.

3. A method of operating a building control system, wherein a building controller of the building control system includes an energy storage device for powering at least part of the building controller, and a communications port for sending and/or receiving messages to an external server via a network at successive communication times separated by a delay, the method comprising:

determining an available amount of power stored in the energy storage device of the building controller;

determining when the available amount of power is below a first predetermined threshold and is indicative of a reduced power state of the energy storage device, and when so, increasing the delay between successive communication times relative to when the available amount of power is above the first predetermined threshold;

reducing the functionality of the building controller when the available amount of power is below a second predetermined threshold;

sending a message to the external service that indicates a measure of the available amount of power stored in the energy storage device; and

sending a message from the external service to a user'"'"'s mobile device that prompts the user to take a specified action to address the available amount of power stored in the energy storage device when the available amount of power is indicative of a reduced power state of the energy storage device, wherein the specified action to address the available amount of power comprises one or more of;

adding a common wire (C-wire) to the building controller to supply power to the building controller; and

temporarily activating one or more building components of the building control system to facilitate a power stealing block in charging the energy storage device of the building controller.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first predetermined threshold is different from the second predetermined threshold.