METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AN OPERATIONAL MODE OF A BUILDING CONTROL COMPONENT

• US 20160178225A1
• Filed: 02/01/2016
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Vallikannu, Appar, Subramaniam, Raman, Krishnaswamy, Janaki
• Granted Patent: US 10,330,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/56 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: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low

Abstract

This disclosure relates to methods, systems, and devices for detecting an operational mode of a building component of an environmental control system. In some instances, the apparatus may include a sensor for outputting a signal related to a measure of power drawn by the building component. The sensor may be a current sensor associated with a power cord of an air conditioning unit. The signal output by the sensor may be received by a signal conditioning circuit for conditioning the signal received from the sensor such as, for example, by amplifying and/or filtering. A comparator may be configured to compare the conditioned signal to a specified threshold associated with an ON condition and/or an OFF condition of the building component. The apparatus may include a wireless interface configured to wirelessly transmit a determination of whether the building component is ON or OFF based on the result determined by the comparator.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting an operational mode of a building component of an environmental control system, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor for outputting a signal related to a measure of power drawn by the building component;

a signal conditioning circuit coupled to the sensor, the signal conditioning circuit for conditioning the signal received from the sensor;

a comparator coupled to the signal conditioning circuit, the comparator for comparing the conditioned signal to a specified threshold associated with an ON condition of the building component; and

a wireless interface configured to wirelessly transmit a determination of whether the building component is ON or OFF based on a result determined by the comparator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a split core current sensor wherein the split core current sensor is coupled around at least one conductor of a power cord of the building component.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioning circuit conditions the signal received from the sensor by amplifying and/or filtering.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the comparator compares the conditioned signal to two or more specified thresholds, wherein a first threshold corresponds to a first operational mode of the building component, and a second threshold corresponds to a second operational mode of the building component, and wherein both the first operational mode and the second operational mode correspond to operational modes when the building component is ON.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are configurable.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the building component is an air conditioner, and wherein the first threshold corresponds to an operational mode indicating that a fan is ON, and the second threshold corresponds to an operational mode indicating that both a compressor and the fan are ON.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the building component is an air conditioner, and the apparatus determines the operational mode of the building component in response to a message received at the wireless interface sent by a discrete air conditioner controller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a timer circuit, wherein the apparatus transmits the determined operational mode of the building component via the wireless interface after a specified duration that is timed by the timer circuit.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a controller and a memory for storing information about one or more different air conditioner models, wherein the controller is configured to determine the specified threshold using the information about the one or more different air conditioner models.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a duty cycle of the air conditioner.

11. A building control system for controlling one or more building components located within a building, the building control system comprising:

an air conditioner coupled to a power source;

a discrete air conditioner controller configured to communicate with and control one or more discrete air conditioner units located within the building via a first wireless communications path, the discrete air conditioner controller comprising a memory and a controller located within a housing, the memory storing an operating schedule for operating the one or more discrete air conditioner units and the controller configured to send out one or more commands to the one or more discrete air conditioner units in accordance with the operating schedule stored in the memory;

a central coordinator comprising a user interface, a memory, and a controller, the controller of the central coordinator configured to receive and accept an operating schedule from a user via the user interface and to send at least a portion of the operating schedule to the discrete air conditioner controller via a second wireless communications path, wherein at least a portion of the operating schedule is stored in the memory of the discrete air conditioner controller; and

an operational mode sensor associated with the air conditioner, the operational mode sensor comprising;

a current sensor for outputting a signal related to a measure of power drawn by the building component;

a signal conditioning circuit coupled to the current sensor, the signal conditioning circuit for conditioning the signal received from the current sensor;

a comparator coupled to the signal conditioning circuit, the comparator for comparing the conditioned signal to a specified threshold associated with an ON condition of the building component; and

a wireless interface configured to communicate a determination of whether the building component is ON or OFF based on a result determined by the comparator.

12. The building control system of claim 11, wherein the current sensor is a split core current sensor wherein the current sensor is coupled around at least one conductor of a power cord of the air conditioner.

13. The building control system of claim 11, wherein the signal conditioning circuit conditions the signal received from the current sensor by amplifying and/or filtering.

14. The building control system of claim 11, wherein the comparator compares the conditioned signal to two or more specified thresholds, wherein a first threshold corresponds to a first operational mode of the air conditioner, and a second threshold corresponds to a second operational mode of the air conditioner, and wherein the first operational mode and the second operational mode both correspond to operational modes when the air conditioner is ON.

15. The building control system of claim 14, wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are configurable.

16. The building control system of claim 14, wherein the first threshold corresponds to an operational mode indicating that a fan of the air conditioner is ON, and the second threshold corresponds to an operational mode indicating that a compressor and the fan of the air conditioner are ON.

17. A method of confirming that one or more commands that were wirelessly sent to a building component of a building were received and implemented, the method comprising:

wirelessly sending one or more commands to a building component of a building, the one or more commands configured to change an operational mode of the building component to a predetermined operational mode;

sensing a measure of power consumed by the building component;

comparing the measure of power consumed by the building component to a specified threshold associated with the predetermined operational mode of the building component, and based on the comparison, determining whether the building component is in the predetermined operational mode;

wirelessly sending one or more messages that indicate whether the building component is in the predetermined operational mode; and

if the building component is in the predetermined operational mode, confirming that the one or more commands were received and implemented by the building component.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

configuring the specified threshold based on a building component type.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the building component is an air conditioner unit.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined operational mode corresponds to an ON mode as opposed to an OFF mode.