Patent Application
20070045429
The present invention relates generally to heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) control systems, and more particularly to HVAC zoning control systems that regulate the temperature of different zones throughout a dwelling or commercial structure.
In most residential dwellings and many commercial structures a single thermostat is used to control the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to regulate the temperature within the dwelling. While this solution performs adequately for many consumers, it does not actually regulate the temperature in each of the different rooms or areas of the dwelling or structure particularly well. This is a result of many factors including the layout of the dwelling, how many floors are occupied, and where the thermostat is located within the dwelling or structure.
In a typical dwelling or structure, the thermostat is located in a hallway or other central area of the house. The thermostat senses the temperature at its location and controls the HVAC system to maintain the desired temperature at that location. Unfortunately, while the temperature regulation provided by the thermostat is typically very good at that location, often the occupants of the dwelling are not in the same room or location with the thermostat. Therefore, these occupants may experience wide temperature variations at their location despite the fact that the temperature is well maintained at the point of installation of the thermostat itself. This problem is particularly acute in two story dwellings where the thermostat is located on the ground floor. Since hot air rises, many consumers in such a dwelling with a typical thermostat installation complain of high temperatures on the second floor, despite the fact that at the point of installation of the thermostat the temperature is well regulated to the desired set point.
To overcome this problem, many HVAC systems now include a remote temperature sensor that may be installed in a room that is most typically occupied by the residents. In this way, the temperature in this “occupied” room can now be regulated based on the temperature sensed by the remote sensor even though the thermostat may be located in a different area of the dwelling. The thermostat in such a system is programmed to use the temperature sensed by the remote sensor rather than the temperature sensed by its internal sensor to control the HVAC system. In such a system, the temperature in the “occupied” room is now well regulated to the desired temperature set point.
However, while such systems allow for a different area of the dwelling to be well regulated by the thermostat, such systems do not address the fact that other areas of the dwelling will still experience the wider temperature variations, leading to occupant discomfort and complaint when those areas are occupied.
To address this problem other systems that utilize a remote temperature sensor include programming within the thermostat to average the temperature readings from the remote and the internal sensors for control of the HVAC system. Such averaging type HVAC control systems are particularly good in two story dwellings. In such a system a remote sensor is typically placed on the second floor while the internal sensor of the thermostat is installed on the first floor. By averaging the temperature sensed by the remote and the internal sensors, the control of the HVAC system is adjusted to try to maintain a comfortable temperature on both the second and first floor.
However, with any averaging type system, neither zone will necessarily be regulated to the desired set point temperature. That is, while wide temperature variations in the location of the remote sensor and of the thermostat are precluded, neither zone is particularly well controlled to the desired set point temperature set by the consumer. Such a system also fails to recognize that different areas of the dwelling are occupied at different times during the day. That is, in the averaging type control system the control of the temperature on the first floor during the day is affected by the temperature on the second floor even though the second floor is typically not occupied during the daylight hours, and the temperature of the second floor at night is affected by the temperature on the first floor even though the first floor is typically not occupied during the night time hours.
To provide better temperature zone control, some consumers have installed an HVAC zone control system in the dwelling. Such a zoning control system requires that dampers, damper controllers, and thermostats be installed in every area of the dwelling or structure to insure adequate temperature control in each of these various areas. However, as may well be imagined, such a system is vastly more expensive than a typical thermostat controlled HVAC system. As such, most consumers find this system too expensive to be considered, despite the fact that it provides regulated temperature control in each area of the residence or structure.
There exists therefore, a need in the art for a HVAC control system that is capable of regulating the temperature in various areas of a dwelling based on the likely occupancy of those areas during different times of the day.
The invention provides such a time of day zoning climate control system and method. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
The present invention provides a new and improved HVAC control system that overcomes the above-described and other problems existing in the art. More particularly, the present invention provides a new and improved HVAC control system that provides time of day zoning control to better regulate the temperature of the zone in which occupants are likely to be at different times of the day to improve overall occupant comfort throughout the dwelling or structure without the necessity of installing costly zone control equipment. Even more particularly, the present invention provides a new and improved time of day zoning control system that allows a user to select which areas of a dwelling or structure will be monitored to control the HVAC system during different times of the day based on the likely occupancy of those areas.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a programmable thermostat is provided that targets certain temperatures in the dwelling or structure at certain times. In this way, the programmable thermostat of the present invention controls the temperature in certain areas of the dwelling or structure at certain times during the day. By allowing an occupant to program the thermostat for which sensor is to be used at specific times throughout the day, the thermostat is better able to provide comfort to the occupants as they move from one area to another throughout the day by controlling the temperature in the space most likely occupied at that time. Preferably, the system of the present invention provides an internal temperature sensor within the programmable thermostat as well as at least one and preferably a plurality of remote sensors that may be placed in different zones or rooms in the dwelling or structure.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the programmable thermostat includes a schedule menu that allows the user to select which sensor is to be used to control the HVAC system at a given time of the day. As an example of such programming in an exemplary embodiment that utilizes a single internal temperature sensor within the thermostat and a single remote temperature sensor placed in the home's sleeping area, the homeowner may set the thermostat to control the temperature based on the remote temperature sensor from 10:30 p.m. until 8:00 a.m., and can program the thermostat to control the temperature based on the internal temperature sensor from 8:00 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. In such an exemplary embodiment, this programming reflects the user's desire that the temperature be controlled at the remote sensor placed in the home's sleeping area during the hours that the occupants of the dwelling are typically in the sleeping area, and be controled at the internal temperature sensor of the thermostat that is installed in the home's living area during those hours when the occupants are most likely in that area.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the times of the events that may be selected by the user in the programming of the thermostat are tied to the existing HVAC schedule. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the times for these events that may be programmed by the user may be independent of the existing HVAC schedule. The number of remote sensors and the times at which the thermostat uses selected temperature sensors may vary as desired based on system resources, consumers desires, and costs.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the system allows a consumer to add a weighting factor to each of the sensors. This weighting factor is utilized by the thermostat to control the HVAC system so that the temperature regulation in one area of the home is regulated without completely ignoring another area of the dwelling. This weighting may also be set to equally weight both/all sensors, which is essentially an averaging function.
In the exemplary embodiment discussed above, an example of such weighting of the sensor inputs may have the consumer placing 80% of the HVAC control based on the remote sensor located in the sleeping area and 20% based on the internal temperature sensor in the thermostat located in the living area from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. The user may then place, e.g., 100% based on the internal temperature sensor from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The user may then program 10% based on the remote sensor located in the sleeping area and 90% based on the internal temperature sensor in the thermostat located in the living area from 5:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. Finally, the user may set 100% of the HVAC control based on the remote sensor located in the sleeping area from 10:30 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
Such programming would indicate that the user wants the remote sensor to carry 80% of the demand for regulation and the internal sensor only to carry 20% of the demand from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. recognizing that the occupants will be transitioning from the sleeping area to the living area during that period. Such would recognize a consumer's preference that when they leave the sleeping area for the living area to, for example, have breakfast, the consumer does not want the living area to be uncomfortable. However, once the consumer has left the sleeping area for the day, the full HVAC control may be based on the internal sensor since the occupants will be unlikely to return to the sleeping area during the daylight hours for any extended period of time. However, in the evening the consumer may want part of the regulation based on the remote sensor in the sleeping area to prepare this area for eventual occupancy during the evening and night time hours. Once the occupant has transitioned to the sleeping area in the night time hours, the control of the HVAC system will be based solely on the remote temperature sensor located in that sleeping area.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
An embodiment of a thermostat constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention to incorporate the time of day zoning control of the HVAC system of the invention is illustrated in
In addition to the soft keys 104, 106, this embodiment of the thermostat 100 of the present invention also includes adjustment keys 108, 110. These adjustment keys 108, 110 may serve to adjust a currently selected parameter up or down, such as in the case of setting the control temperature at which the thermostat will maintain the ambient environment. Additionally, these keys 108, 110 may scroll through the available data for a selected parameter, such as scrolling through alphanumeric data that may be selected for a given parameter. These keys 108, 110 may also function as soft keys depending on the programmatic state in which the thermostat is operating. When this functionality is provided, the function that will be instituted by selection of key 108 will be provided generally in the upper right hand corner of display 102, while the functionality that will be instituted by selection of key 110 will be displayed generally in the lower right hand corner of user display 102. In addition to the above, other use input means, such as an alphanumeric keypad, user rotatable knob, a touch screen, etc. may be utilized instead of the buttons 104-110 illustrated in the embodiment of
In this embodiment, the thermostat 100 also includes operating mode visual indicators 112, 114, 116. These indicators 112-116 provide a visual indication of the current operating mode of the thermostat. In the embodiment illustrated in
In embodiments of the present invention that do not utilize automated switching control between the heating and cooling modes of operation, these indicators 112-116 may operate as user selectable switches to allow the consumer to select the operating mode of the thermostat 100. For example, during the summer months the consumer may select the cooling mode by depressing indicator 112. In this mode, the furnace will not be turned on even if the interior ambient temperature drops below the set point. To switch from the cooling to the heating mode of operation, the consumer, in this alternate embodiment, would need to select indicator 116 to allow the thermostat 100 to operate the furnace. Consumer selection in this embodiment of indicator 114 would operate the fan continuously, as opposed to its normal automatic operation based upon a call for cooling or heat by the thermostat 100. In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the indicators 112-116 may also be utilized to provide a visual indication of system trouble, or that there is a system reminder message being displayed on user screen 102.
Having discussed the physical structure of one embodiment of a thermostat 100 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the discussion will now focus on the time of day zoning control of the HVAC system which forms an aspect of the present invention. Indeed, while the following discussion will utilize the structure of the thermostat 100 illustrated in
The time of day zoning provided by the thermostat 100 of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the simplified dwelling illustration of
In this simplified
The second floor 124 of the exemplary dwelling 120 shown in
In the exemplary dwelling 120 shown in
The temperature regulated area 130 of the second floor 124 may be, for example, a bedroom or sleeping area where the occupants spend a significant period of time, typically during the nighttime hours. The un-temperature-regulated areas 134 may be, for example, a bathroom or other area that the consumer is not so concerned with specific temperature regulation therein. However, as discussed above, the system of the present invention would allow for the installation of a remote temperature sensor in these currently unregulated areas 134. The communication of temperature information from the remote temperature sensor 132 to the thermostat 100 may be via wired connection or wireless communication as is known in the art.
In an embodiment of the present invention that utilizes the soft key menu driven thermostat 100 illustrated in
Once this select functionality 142 has been indicated by the depression of soft key 106 (see
If the user were to select the remote temperature sensor 148 for regulation of the HVAC system, the display 102 would return to the comfort settings menu 138 illustrated in
If, however, the user had selected the average selection 150 from the select sensor menu 144 of
Returning to the selection sensor menu 144 illustrated in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the user of thermostat 100 may change the programming through the main menu 158 illustrated in
Once this selection has been made, an embodiment of the present invention displays a schedule menu 164 such as that illustrated in
Once the program function 166 has been selected, and embodiment of the present invention displays a select program days menu 170 such as that illustrated in
Assuming for this dicussion that the consumer has selected the Monday to Sunday programming option 172, the Monday to Sunday program screen 182 illustrated in
However, assuming that four events per day have been selected by the consumer as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Once the consumer has reached the desired sensor for that event, the consumer depresses soft key 106 in proximity to the accept functionality 192. If, however, the consumer wanted to change a previous option, the consumer would depress soft key 104 in proximity to the back functionality 194. Once each of the programmable settings for each of the events have been programmed, the screen of
As illustrated in
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
