HVAC CONTROLLER WITH INDOOR AIR QUALITY SCHEDULING

• US 20130226352A1
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Dean-Hendricks, Barbara, Edberg, Joshua Jacque, Quam, David, Ragland, Amy
• Granted Patent: US 9,810,441 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/59 for presetting
• 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 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

An HVAC controller, such as a thermostat, may be configured to allow a user to set and/or select schedule time period in which one or more indoor quality units (e.g. humidification, dehumidification, ventilation, etc.) will or will not operate, and/or will operated but using different settings. In some cases, the schedule time periods available for selection may correspond to the time periods of a programmable temperature schedule of the HVAC controller, but this is not required. In some instances, the HVAC controller may allow a user to select which indoor air quality units will or will not operate, and/or what settings the indoor air quality units will operate, during a user'"'"'s vacation.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system of a building, the HVAC controller comprising:

a user interface including a display;

a memory;

a predetermined operating schedule including two or more time periods and one or more temperature set points for each of the two or more time periods, the predetermined operating schedule stored in the memory;

an I/O block for sending and/or receiving signals to and/or from the one or more components of the HVAC system, including one or more indoor air quality components; and

a controller coupled to the user interface, the memory, and the I/O block, the controller configured to generate one or more signals to control one or more components of the HVAC system in accordance with the predetermined operating schedule, the controller further configured to allow a user to select at least a first time period of the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule to control at least one of the one or more indoor air quality components differently than during at least one other of the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule.

2. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to allow a user to identify at least a first time period of the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule to operate at least one of the one or more indoor air quality components, and to identify at least a second time period of the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule to not-operate at least one of the one or more indoor air quality components.

3. The HVAC controller according to claim 2, wherein the first time period is identified by selection of the first time period, and the second time period is identified by non-selection of the second time period.

4. The HVAC controller according to claim 2, wherein the first time period is identified by non-selection of the first time period, and the second time period is identified by selection of the second time period.

5. The HVAC controller according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to allow a user to identify which of the one or more indoor air quality components to operate during the first time period and/or which of the one or more indoor air quality components to not-operate during the second time period.

6. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to allow a user to identify a first indoor air quality setting for a first time period of the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule, and to identify a second indoor air quality setting for a second time period of the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule, wherein the first indoor air quality setting is different from the second indoor air quality setting.

7. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule include a wake time period, a leave time period, a return time period, and a sleep time period.

8. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more indoor air quality components is a humidifier unit, a dehumidifier unit or a ventilation unit.

9. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display on the display of the user interface one or more screens related to a user'"'"'s vacation schedule, wherein at least one of the one or more screens allows the user to identify one or more indoor air quality components to operate according at a reduced level according to one or more indoor air quality settings in a mode associated with the user'"'"'s vacation schedule.

10. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to store and display a user'"'"'s indoor air quality setting of a mode corresponding to a user'"'"'s vacation schedule for at least one indoor air quality component, and to display on the display of the user interface which indoor air quality component is operating in the mode corresponding to a user'"'"'s vacation schedule.

11. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the HVAC controller is a thermostat including a temperature sensor.

12. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system of a building, the HVAC controller comprising:

a user interface including a display;

a memory;

an I/O block for sending and/or receiving signals to and/or from the one or more components of the HVAC system, including one or more indoor air quality components; and

a controller coupled to the user interface, the memory, and the I/O block, the controller configured to operate one or more of the indoor air quality components differently during a first period of time than during a second period of time, wherein the first period of time and the second period of time are programmable by a user via the user interface of the HVAC controller.

13. The HVAC controller of claim 12, wherein one or more of the indoor air quality components are operated during the first period of time and are not operated during the second period of time.

14. The HVAC controller of claim 12, wherein one or more of the indoor air quality components are operated using a first indoor air quality setting during the first period of time and are operated using a second indoor air quality setting during the second period of time.

15. The HVAC controller of claim 12, wherein the controller allows a user to select which of the one or more indoor air quality components are active during the first period of time and/or which of the one or more indoor air quality components are active during the second period of time.

16. The HVAC controller of claim 12, further comprising:

a predetermined operating schedule including two or more time periods and one or more temperature set points for each of the two or more time periods, the predetermined operating schedule stored in the memory; and

wherein the first period of time corresponds to one of the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule, and the second period of time corresponds to another one of the two or more time periods of the predetermined operating schedule.

17. The HVAC controller according to claim 12, wherein the second period of time corresponds to a user'"'"'s vacation schedule.

18. The HVAC controller according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more indoor air quality components is a humidifier unit, a dehumidifier unit or a ventilation unit.

19. A method of controlling an HVAC system including one or more indoor air quality components, the method comprising:

receiving one or more time periods related to a user'"'"'s schedule at a user interface of a thermostat;

receiving one or more temperature set points corresponding to the one or more time periods related to the user'"'"'s schedule at the user interface of a thermostat; and

receiving a user'"'"'s input at the user interface of the thermostat that identifies at least one of the one or more time periods during which at least one of the one or more indoor air quality components will not-operate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the user'"'"'s input includes making an overt selection of the at least one of the one or more time periods.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the user'"'"'s input includes not overtly selecting the at least one of the one or more time periods.