Integrated zone control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11092346-B2
Application number	US-201916253070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2019
Priority date	Jan 8, 2019
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

A zoning system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a temperature control device configured to monitor a temperature in a zone of a structure for conditioning by the HVAC system and configured to send a wireless control signal including data based on the temperature, and a damper actuator configured to be associated with the zone and configured to adjust a position of a damper to control an airflow into the zone, where the damper actuator is configured to receive the wireless control signal from the temperature control device and configured to adjust the position of the damper based on the data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A zoning system for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a temperature control device configured to monitor a temperature in a zone of a structure for conditioning by the HVAC system and configured to send a wireless control signal including data based on the temperature; and
a damper actuator configured to adjust a position of a damper of the zone to control an airflow into the zone, wherein the damper actuator is configured to receive the wireless control signal from the temperature control device and configured to adjust the position of the damper based on the data.

2. The zoning system of claim 1 , comprising a master temperature control device configured to be disposed in an additional zone of the structure, wherein the damper actuator is configured to be in wireless communication with the master temperature control device, and wherein the master temperature control device is configured to send an additional wireless signal with additional data to the damper actuator to adjust the position of the damper.

3. The zoning system of claim 2 , wherein the damper actuator is communicatively coupled to only the temperature control device and the master temperature control device.

4. The zoning system of claim 2 , comprising an additional damper actuator configured to be in wireless communication with the master temperature control device, wherein the master temperature control device is configured to send a first actuation signal to the damper actuator and a second actuation signal to the additional damper actuator, and wherein the first actuation signal and the second actuation signal have a first identifier and a second identifier, respectively.

5. The zoning system of claim 4 , wherein the first identifier and the second identifier each include a respective setting of a respective DIP switch to enable the master temperature control device to distinguish between the damper actuator and the additional damper actuator.

6. The zoning system of claim 2 , comprising a power source configured to supply power to the temperature control device and the master temperature control device.

7. The zoning system of claim 1 , wherein the zoning system does not include a separate zone panel wired to the temperature control device and the damper actuator.

8. The zoning system of claim 1 , wherein the damper actuator comprises a separate power source configured to selectively supply power to the damper actuator.

9. The zoning system of claim 8 , wherein the wireless control signal is configured to activate the power source and supply power to the damper actuator.

10. The zoning system of claim 8 , wherein the damper actuator is electrically coupled to the power source via a DIP switch, and wherein the wireless control signal is configured to actuate a switch of the DIP switch to enable the power source to supply power to the damper actuator.

11. The zoning system of claim 8 , wherein the power source includes a battery.

12. The zoning system of claim 1 , wherein the damper actuator includes a visual indicator configured to indicate an established wireless connection between the temperature control device and the damper actuator.

13. The zoning system of claim 12 , wherein the visual indicator includes a light emitting diode (LED) configured to illuminate to indicate the established wireless connection between the temperature control device and the damper actuator.

14. The zoning system of claim 1 , wherein the damper actuator includes a wireless communication device configured to establish the wireless communication with the temperature control device via a network.

15. A zoning system for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a temperature control device configured to monitor a temperature in a zone of a structure for conditioning by the HVAC system and configured to send a wireless signal including data based on the temperature;
a master temperature control device configured to receive the wireless signal and, based on the wireless signal, generate an additional wireless signal including instructions for adjusting a damper of the zone; and
a damper actuator configured to adjust a position of the damper to control an airflow into the zone, wherein the damper actuator is configured to receive the additional wireless signal from the master temperature control device and to adjust the position of the damper based on the instructions.

16. The zoning system of claim 15 , wherein the data comprises feedback generated by a sensor and indicative of a current temperature within the zone.

17. The zoning system of claim 16 , wherein the data comprises a target temperature set point associated with the zone.

18. The zoning system of claim 17 , wherein the master temperature control device is configured to generate the additional wireless signal based on comparison of the current temperature within the zone to the target temperate set point associated with the zone.

19. The zoning system of claim 17 , wherein the temperature control device comprises a user interface configured to receive a user input indicative of the target temperature set point.

20. The zoning system of claim 19 , wherein the master temperature control device comprises an additional user interface configured to receive an additional user input to adjust operation of the HVAC system.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Atchison Shaun B

Classifications

• F24F2120/12

  Position of occupants · CPC title

• F24F3/044 Primary

  Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems · CPC title

• F24F13/10

  movable, e.g. dampers · CPC title

• F24F2110/10

  Temperature · CPC title

• F24F11/30

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