Usage monitoring HVAC control method

• US 20080183335A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MMI Controls Ltd.
• Original Assignee: MMI Controls Ltd.
• Inventors: McDowell, Johnnie L., Poth, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24168 Identify connected programmer to allow control, program entry
• 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: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2131 Lost password, e.g. recovery of lost or forgotten passwords

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for a usage monitoring HVAC control method. A method, includes: receiving a request for an additional period of heating ventilation and air conditioning system services from a requesting system user, the requesting system user composing a plurality of system users; maintaining a data structure in an on board memory of a programmable thermostat, the data structure including a list of time entries, each time entry associated with one of the plurality of system users; and updating the data structure by adding a duration in units of time to the time associated with the requesting system user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for an additional period of heating ventilation and air conditioning system services from a requesting system user, the requesting system user composing a plurality of system users;

maintaining a data structure in an on board memory of a programmable thermostat, the data structure including a list of time entries, each time entry associated with one of the plurality of system users; and

updating the data structure by adding a duration in units of time to the time associated with the requesting system user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the time entry associated with the requesting user is updated dynamically in real time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the on board memory can include a member selected from the group consisting of electrically erasable programmable read only memory, flash memory, random access memory, and network storage devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising reformatting the data structure to a spreadsheet format that is compatible with software on the central billing computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising uploading the data structure to a central billing computer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising satisfying the request for the additional period of heating ventilation and air conditioning system services.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data structure includes a first segment associated with personal identification numbers and a second segment associated with time entries.