Faceless system control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11300308-B2
Application number	US-202016837775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2020
Priority date	Nov 9, 2018
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a headless thermostat device and an adapter unit. The headless thermostat device includes one or more circuits configured to receive a control input from a user device via a local wireless network and generate a control signal for HVAC equipment based on the control input. The adapter unit includes one or more circuit configured to receive the control signal from the headless thermostat device via the local wireless network and provide the control signal to the HVAC equipment for operation of the HVAC equipment in accordance with the control input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, comprising:
one or more components configured to control an ambient condition of an area of a building;
a memory configured to store a set of instructions;
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
receive sensor information from a wireless sensor located in the area, wherein the sensor information is indicative of the ambient condition of the area;
receive setpoint information from a mobile device, wherein the setpoint information is indicative of a desired condition of the area;
store the setpoint information in response to receiving the setpoint information from the mobile device;
determine that second setpoint information was not received from the mobile device, wherein the second setpoint information is indicative of a second desired condition of the area;
determine a difference between the ambient condition and the desired condition; and
control the one or more components to adjust the ambient condition of the area based on the difference and the stored setpoint information in response to determining that the second setpoint information was not received.

2. The HVAC unit of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine whether the difference is within a threshold range; and
control the one or more components further based on whether the difference is within the threshold range.

3. The HVAC unit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more components comprises an air conditioning unit, a furnace, a blower, a humidifier, or a dehumidifier.

4. The HVAC unit of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine an operational state, including one or more of an initiation time, a stop time, a run time, a power state, a speed level, a heating level, and a cooling level, of the one or more components; and
control the one or more components further based on the operational state.

5. The HVAC unit of claim 1 , wherein the HVAC unit is located external to the area.

6. The HVAC unit of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive second sensor information from the mobile device, wherein the second sensor information is indicative of a second ambient condition of the area;
determine a second difference between the second sensor information and the stored setpoint information; and
control the one or more components of the HVAC unit to adjust the ambient condition of the area further based on the second difference.

7. The HVAC unit of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the sensor information or the setpoint information wirelessly.

8. The HVAC unit of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is a voice-controlled device.

9. The HVAC unit of claim 1 , wherein the setpoint information and the second setpoint information from the mobile device is sent via a local wireless network, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
generate a backup control signal for the HVAC unit by executing a backup control algorithm in response to determining that a connection to the local wireless network cannot be established; and
control the one or more components of the HVAC unit using the backup control signal.

10. The HVAC unit of claim 9 , wherein the backup control algorithm uses historical data associated with the one or more components of the HVAC unit as a first backup control input and a measured outdoor air temperature as a second backup control input.

11. The HVAC unit of claim 9 , wherein the processor uses weather data specific to a location of the HVAC unit, a backup schedule associated with the one or more components of the HVAC unit, historical data associated with the HVAC unit, or a combination thereof to generate the backup control signal.

12. A method for controlling an ambient condition of an area of a building by one or more components of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, the method comprising:
receiving sensor information from a wireless sensor located in the area, wherein the sensor information is indicative of the ambient condition of the area;
receiving setpoint information from a mobile device, wherein the setpoint information is indicative of a desired condition of the area;
storing the setpoint information in response to receiving the setpoint information from the mobile device;
determining that second setpoint information was not received from the mobile device, wherein the second setpoint information is indicative of a second desired condition of the area;
determining a difference between the ambient condition and the desired condition; and
controlling the one or more components of the HVAC unit to adjust the ambient condition of the area based on the difference and the stored setpoint information in response to determining that the second setpoint information was not received.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining whether the difference is within a threshold range; and
controlling the one or more components further based on whether the difference is within the threshold range.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more components comprises an air conditioning unit, a furnace, a blower, a humidifier, or a dehumidifier.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining an operational state, including one or more of an initiation time, a stop time, a run time, a power state, a speed level, a heating level, and a cooling level, of the one or more components; and
controlling the one or more components further based on the operational state.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the HVAC unit is located external to the area.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving second sensor information from the mobile device, wherein the second sensor information is indicative of a second ambient condition of the area;
determining a second difference between the second sensor information and the stored setpoint information; and
controlling the one or more components of the HVAC unit to adjust the ambient condition of the area further based on the second difference.

18. The method of claim 12 , comprising receiving the sensor information, the setpoint information, or both wirelessly.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mobile device is a voice-controlled device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for controlling an ambient condition of an area of a building by one or more components of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, comprising code to:
receive sensor information from a wireless sensor located in the area, wherein the sensor information is indicative of the ambient condition of the area;
receive setpoint information from a mobile device, wherein the setpoint information is indicative of a desired condition of the area;
store the setpoint information in response to receiving the setpoint information from the mobile device;
determine that second setpoint information was not received from the mobile device, wherein the second setpoint information is indicative of a second desired condition of the area;
determine a difference between the ambient condition and the desired condition; and
control the one or more components to adjust the ambient condition of the area based on the difference and the stored setpoint information in response to determining that the second setpoint information was not received.

21. The non-transitory computer-reada

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co
• Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP

Inventors

• Gillette Theresa N
• Boyd Andrew Michael
• Chase Thomas D
• Jayarathne Madhuka Manuranga

Classifications

• G05B2219/2614

  HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control · CPC title

• F24F11/65

  for selecting an operating mode · CPC title

• F24F2110/12

  of the outside air · CPC title

• F24F2130/10

  Weather information or forecasts · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title