Remote control for use in zoned and non-zoned HVAC systems

• US 8,387,892 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Koster, Chad W., Leen, Cary, Schultz, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyler, Cheryl J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradford, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US12/323,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20090140058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/94, 236/1.B, 700276-278
• US Class Current: 236/94
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• 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: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

An HVAC remote controller for use in an HVAC system is described. In some instances, the HVAC remote controller may include a wireless interface for communicating with one or more HVAC controllers and/or other HVAC devices. The HVAC remote controller may be configured to automatically determine whether the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system, and operate accordingly.

Claims

1. A portable wireless remote control unit for use in conjunction with one or more wireless thermostats for controlling an HVAC system, the wireless remote control unit comprising:

a wireless interface for communicating with the one or more wireless thermostats;

a display;

a controller in communication with the wireless interface and the display, the controller configured to communicate with the one or more wireless thermostats of the HVAC system via the wireless interface;

a controller memory;

a first set of one or more menu screens corresponding to a zoned HVAC system having two or more wireless thermostats and a second set of one or more menu screens corresponding to a non-zoned HVAC system having only one wireless thermostat stored in the controller memory; and

the controller configured to automatically determine whether the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system, the controller further configured to communicate with two or more wireless thermostats when the controller determines that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system and further configured to communicate with only one wireless thermostat when the controller determines that the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system, wherein the controller is further configured to display from the first set of the one or more menu screens corresponding to the zoned HVAC system when the controller determines that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system, and wherein the controller is further configured to display from the second set of the one or menu screens corresponding to the non-zoned HVAC system when the controller determines that the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system.

2. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the controller automatically determines whether the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system through the detection of the presence of one or more wireless thermostats via the wireless interface.

3. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 2, wherein the controller determines that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system by detecting the presence of two or more wireless thermostats.

4. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 2, wherein the controller determines that the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system by detecting the presence of only one wireless thermostat.

5. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 2 further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing a measure of temperature at the portable wireless remote control unit, wherein if the controller determines that the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system, the controller is configured to display a read temperature menu option on the display that allows a user to select whether a temperature sensed by a detected wireless thermostat is to be used for controlling the non-zoned HVAC system or whether the measure of temperature provided by the temperature sensor of the portable wireless remote control unit is to be used for controlling the non-zoned HVAC system.

6. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 5, wherein if the controller determines that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system, the controller does not display the read temperature menu option.

7. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 2, wherein the portable wireless remote control unit is configured to detect and establish communication with each of the one or more wireless thermostats either simultaneously, sequentially or by user selection.

8. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the first set of the one or more zone menu screens corresponding to a zoned HVAC system:

allow a user to select between the two or more zones of the zoned HVAC system, where upon selection of a selected zone, the controller loads one or more parameters and/or settings associated with the selected zone from a wireless thermostat that is associated with the selected zone via the wireless interface, and displays at least one of the received parameters and/or settings on the display; and

allow a user to change one or more of the parameters and/or settings that are displayed on the display for the selected zone, and to send the one or more changed parameters and/or settings to the wireless thermostat that is associated with the selected zone via the wireless interface, wherein the wireless thermostat that is associated with the selected zone subsequently operates in accordance with the one or more changed parameters and/or settings in the selected zone.

9. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 8, wherein if the controller determines that the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system, the controller does not display the first set of the one or more zone menu screens corresponding to a zoned HVAC system.

10. A portable wireless remote control unit for use in conjunction with an HVAC system having one or more wireless thermostats, the wireless remote control unit comprising:

a wireless interface;

a display;

a controller in communication with the wireless interface and the display, the controller configured to communicate with the one or more wireless thermostats of the HVAC system via the wireless interface;

a controller memory;

a first algorithm for controlling a non-zoned HVAC system and a second algorithm for controlling a zoned HVAC system stored in the controller memory; and

the controller further configured to detect each of the one or more wireless thermostats of the HVAC system via the wireless interface, and to automatically change its behavior depending on whether only one wireless thermostat is detected or whether two or more wireless thermostats are detected, the controller further configured to control the HVAC system according to the first algorithm when the controller detects and enrolls only one wireless thermostat and to control the HVAC system according to the second algorithm when the controller detects and enrolls two or more wireless thermostats wherein the controller is further configured to display one or more menu screens on the display, and to automatically change the one or more menu screens that are displayed depending on whether only one wireless thermostat is detected or whether two or more wireless thermostats are detected.

11. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 10, wherein if two or more wireless thermostats are detected, the controller is configured to automatically change the one or more menu screens depending on how many wireless thermostats are detected.

12. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 10, wherein if two or more wireless thermostats are detected, the controller is configured to automatically change its behavior depending on how many wireless thermostats are detected.

13. A portable wireless remote control unit for use in conjunction with an HVAC system, the wireless remote control unit comprising:

a wireless interface;

a display;

a controller in communication with the wireless interface and the display, the controller configured to communicate with the HVAC system via the wireless interface; and

the controller configured to detect the presence of one or more wireless thermostats of the HVAC system, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system when the controller detects the presence of only one wireless thermostat, and wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system when the controller detects the presence of two or more wireless thermostats

and based on the determination, the controller is further configured to automatically change its behavior depending on whether the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system wherein the controller is further configured to display one or more menu screens on the display, and to automatically change the one or more menu screens depending on whether the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or whether the HVAC system is a non-zoned HVAC system.

14. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 13, wherein the controller receives an indication of whether the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system via the wireless interface.

15. A portable wireless remote control unit for use in conjunction with an HVAC system, the wireless remote control unit comprising:

a wireless interface;

a display;

a controller in communication with the wireless interface and the display, the controller configured to communicate with the HVAC system via the wireless interface;

the controller further configured to display one or more menu screens on the display; and

the controller further configured to automatically determine without input from a user whether the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system when two or more wireless thermostats are detected by the controller or a non-zoned HVAC system when only one thermostat is detected by the controller, and to automatically change its behavior based on whether it is determined that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system wherein the controller is further configured to select from a first set of one or more menu screens corresponding to a zoned HVAC system or a second set of one or menu screens corresponding to a non-zoned HVAC system for display on the display based on whether it is determined that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system.

16. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to control the HVAC system according to a first algorithm for controlling a zoned HVAC system or a second algorithm for controlling a non-zoned HVAC system based on whether it is determined that the HVAC system is a zoned HVAC system or a non-zoned HVAC system.