Wireless sensor device with wireless remote programming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10409239-B2
Application number	US-201715449480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Jul 24, 2012
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

The disclosure relates generally to wireless sensor devices, and more particularly, to remote programming of wireless sensor devices. A wireless sensor device wirelessly may receive messages from a remotely located device to a wireless sensor device. The wireless sensor device may be programmed via the receive messages. In one example, a building controller may be programmed to wirelessly send one or more messages to a wireless sensor device in order to change the behavior of the wireless sensor device, even while the wireless sensor device and building controller are on-line and actively controlling a building control system. In some instances, a technician or installer may use a diagnostic or setup tool to send one or more messages to a wireless sensor device to change the behavior of the wireless sensor device. These are just some examples.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery-powered wireless sensor device having a higher power awake mode and a lower power sleep mode, the battery-powered wireless sensor device for use with a remotely located HVAC controller that executes a programmable schedule that includes a scheduled unoccupied time period and a scheduled occupied time period, the battery-powered wireless sensor device, comprising:
a battery for providing power to the wireless sensor device;
a sensor for sensing one or more conditions in or around the wireless sensor device;
a wireless transceiver for wirelessly sending and receiving messages to/from the remotely located HVAC controller, wherein in the lower power sleep mode, the wireless sensor device does not send or receive messages to/from the remotely located HVAC controller via the wireless transceiver;
a controller in operative communication with the sensor and the wireless transceiver, the controller configured to operate the wireless sensor device such that:
during the scheduled unoccupied time period of the programmable schedule, the controller operating the wireless sensor device in the lower power sleep mode for an unoccupied sleep interval followed by operating in the higher power awake mode, and then repeating; and
during the scheduled occupied time period of the programmable schedule, the controller operating the wireless sensor device in the lower power sleep mode for an occupied sleep interval followed by operating in the higher power awake mode, and then repeating;
wherein the occupied sleep interval is shorter than the unoccupied sleep interval.

2. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the programmable schedule of the remotely located HVAC controller is communicated from the remotely located HVAC controller to the battery-powered wireless sensor device via the wireless transceiver.

3. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 2 , wherein at least part of the programmable schedule of the remotely located HVAC controller is communicated from the remotely located HVAC controller to the battery-powered wireless sensor device via the wireless transceiver while the remotely located HVAC controller is on-line and actively controlling a building control system.

4. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more messages from the remotely located HVAC controller during a higher power awake mode of the wireless sensor device that specifies that the HVAC controller is entering a scheduled unoccupied time period of the programmable schedule.

5. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more messages from the remotely located HVAC controller during a higher power awake mode of the wireless sensor device that specifies that the HVAC controller is entering a scheduled occupied time period of the programmable schedule.

6. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1 , wherein:
during the scheduled unoccupied time period of the programmable schedule, the wireless sensor device remains in the higher power awake mode until communication is established with the remotely located HVAC controller before repeating and returning to the lower power sleep mode; and
during the scheduled occupied time period of the programmable schedule, the wireless sensor device remains in the higher power awake mode until communication is established with the remotely located HVAC controller before repeating and returning to the lower power sleep mode.

7. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the controller increases the occupied sleep interval and/or the unoccupied sleep interval if a remaining charge on the battery crosses a threshold value.

8. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the programmable schedule is a programmable temperature schedule.

9. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

10. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1 , wherein in the lower power sleep mode, the controller is configured to switch the sensor into a lower power mode.

11. A battery-powered wireless sensor device having a higher power awake mode and a lower power sleep mode, the battery-powered wireless sensor device for use with a remotely located HVAC controller that executes a temperature schedule that includes a more energy efficient set point during a scheduled unoccupied time period and a less energy efficient set point during a scheduled occupied time period, the battery-powered wireless sensor device comprising:
a battery for providing power to the wireless sensor device;
a sensor for sensing one or more conditions in or around the wireless sensor device;
a wireless transceiver for wirelessly sending and receiving messages to/from the remotely located HVAC controller, wherein in the lower power sleep mode, the wireless sensor device does not send or receive messages to/from the remotely located HVAC controller via the wireless transceiver;
a controller in operative communication with the sensor and the wireless transceiver, the controller configured to:
receive one or more first messages during the higher power awake mode of the wireless sensor device that specifies an unoccupied sleep interval sent by the HVAC controller in response to the HVAC controller entering an unoccupied time period of the temperature schedule, and in response, operate the wireless sensor device in the lower power sleep mode for the specified unoccupied sleep interval followed by operating in the higher power awake mode, and then repeating; and
receive one or more second messages during the higher power awake mode of the wireless sensor device that specifies an occupied sleep interval sent by the HVAC controller in response to the HVAC controller entering an occupied time period of the temperature schedule, and in response, operate the wireless sensor device in the lower power sleep mode for the specified occupied sleep interval followed by the higher power awake mode, and then repeating;
wherein the occupied sleep interval is shorter than the unoccupied sleep interval.

12. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the unoccupied sleep interval and the occupied sleep interval each correspond to a sleep time between two or more successive higher power awake modes.

13. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein:
during the scheduled unoccupied time period of the temperature schedule, the wireless sensor device remains in the higher power awake mode until communication is established with the remotely located HVAC controller before repeating and returning to the lower power sleep mode; and
during the scheduled occupied time period of the temperature schedule, the wireless sensor device remains in the higher power awake mode until communication is established with the remotely located HVAC controller before repeating and returning to the lower power sleep mode.

14. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the controller increases the occupied sleep interval and/or the unoccupied sleep interval if a remaining charge on the battery crosses a threshold value.

15. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

16. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein in the lower power sleep mode, the controller is configured to switch the sensor into a lower power mode.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Reeder Jeffrey M
• Thomas Robert
• Brisbine Patrick

Classifications

• F24F2120/12

  Position of occupants · CPC title

• F24F11/65

  for selecting an operating mode · CPC title

• F24F2120/10

  Occupancy · CPC title

• F24F11/30

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title

• F24F11/62

  characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values · CPC title