Thermostat and method for controlling an HVAC system with remote temperature sensor and onboard temperature sensor

• US 10,684,037 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2017
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Kaliyaperumal, Arulkumar, Smith, Christopher Blake, Hughes, John, Vairamudi, Vinoth, Thiruvengadam, Satish Mukundan, Kraft, Wayne N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan M
• Application Number:
  US15/724,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20190101303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• 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 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1928 sensing the temperature of one space
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space

Abstract

A heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) system is provided. The system includes a thermostat including an onboard temperature sensor, a remote temperature sensor in operable communication with the thermostat, and a controller in operable communication with each of the onboard sensor and the remote sensor and configured to execute a control algorithm that calculates a temperature difference between a temperature detected by the onboard temperature sensor and a temperature detected by the remote temperature sensor, such that when the remote temperature sensor fails, the controller uses the calculated temperature difference to calibrate the onboard temperature sensor and set the thermostat to the temperature detected by the remote temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) system, the system comprising:

a thermostat including an onboard temperature sensor;

a remote temperature sensor in operable communication with the thermostat; and

a controller in operable communication with each of the onboard temperature sensor and the remote temperature sensor and configured to execute a control algorithm that calculates a temperature difference between a temperature detected by the onboard temperature sensor and a temperature detected by the remote temperature sensor, such that when the remote temperature sensor fails, the controller uses the calculated temperature difference to calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control algorithm is configured to calculate the temperature difference by mapping a temperature detected by the remote temperature sensor to a temperature detected by the onboard temperature sensor over a time period, calculate an error constant based on the mapped temperatures, and calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the time period is divided into a plurality of time periods and the error constant is calculated for each time period of the plurality of time periods.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the control algorithm is further configured to analyze a pattern of the error constant over one time period of the plurality of time periods, if the pattern of the error constant deviates beyond a predetermined threshold pattern for a predetermined time, alert a user, via the thermostat, of the deviation, and calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the control algorithm calculates the error constant using the equations:

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote temperature sensor is connected to the thermostat via a wireless connection or a wired connection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard temperature sensor is configured as a backup sensor, and

wherein the remote temperature sensor is configured as a primary sensor.

8. A method for controlling a heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) system having a thermostat coupled to a remote temperature sensor and an onboard temperature sensor, the method comprising:

executing, using a controller, a control algorithm that calculates a temperature difference between a temperature detected by the onboard temperature sensor and a temperature detected by the remote temperature sensor; and

when the remote temperature sensor fails, using the calculated temperature difference to calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising calculating the temperature difference by mapping a temperature detected by the remote temperature sensor to a temperature detected by the onboard temperature sensor over a time period, calculating an error constant based on the mapped temperatures, and calibrating the onboard temperature sensor.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising dividing the time period into a plurality of time periods and calculating the error constant for each time period of the plurality of time periods.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising analyzing a pattern of the error constant over one time period of the plurality of time periods, if the pattern of the error constant deviates beyond a predetermined threshold pattern for a predetermined time, alerting a user, via the thermostat, of the deviation, and calibrating the onboard temperature sensor.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the control algorithm calculates the error constant using the equations:

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the remote temperature sensor is connected to the thermostat via a wireless connection or a wired connection.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the onboard temperature sensor is configured as a backup sensor, and

wherein the remote temperature sensor is configured as a primary sensor.

15. A building automation system (BAS) system, the system comprising:

a thermostat including an onboard temperature sensor;

a remote temperature sensor in operable communication with the thermostat; and

a controller in operable communication with each of the onboard temperature sensor and the remote temperature sensor and configured to execute a control algorithm that calculates a temperature difference between a temperature detected by the onboard temperature sensor and a temperature detected by the remote temperature sensor, such that when the remote temperature sensor fails, the controller uses the calculated temperature difference to calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control algorithm is configured to calculate the temperature difference by mapping a temperature detected by the remote temperature sensor to a temperature detected by the onboard temperature sensor over a time period, calculate an error constant based on the mapped temperatures, and calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the time period is divided into a plurality of time periods and the error constant is calculated for each time period of the plurality of time periods.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control algorithm is further configured to analyze a pattern of the error constant over one time period of the plurality of time periods, if the pattern of the error constant deviates beyond a predetermined threshold pattern for a predetermined time, alert a user, via the thermostat, of the deviation, and calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote temperature sensor is connected to the thermostat via a wireless connection or a wired connection.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the onboard temperature sensor is configured as a backup sensor, and

wherein the remote temperature sensor is configured as a primary sensor.

21. A heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) system, the system comprising:

a thermostat including an onboard temperature sensor;

a remote temperature sensor in operable communication with the thermostat; and

a controller in operable communication with each of the onboard temperature sensor and the remote temperature sensor and configured to execute a control algorithm that calculates an error constant based on temperatures detected by the onboard temperature sensor and the remote temperature sensor over a time period, such that when the remote temperature sensor fails, the controller uses the calculated error constant to calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the detected temperatures of the onboard temperature sensor and the remote temperature sensor are mapped over the time period.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the time period is divided into a plurality of time periods and the error constant is calculated for each time period of the plurality of time periods.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the control algorithm is further configured to analyze a pattern of the error constant over one time period of the plurality of time periods, if the pattern of the error constant deviates beyond a predetermined threshold pattern for a predetermined time, alert a user, via the thermostat, of the deviation, and calibrate the onboard temperature sensor.