Systems and methods to operate an HVAC system based on sound level

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11300321-B2
Application number	US-202016836701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2020
Priority date	Mar 31, 2020
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a control system, a storage of the control system that stores instructions and a set of operating conditions of the HVAC system, and processor circuitry of the control system. One or more operating conditions of the set of operating conditions is associated with a respective operational sound level, and the processor circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to receive a threshold sound level and operate the HVAC system according to an operating condition of the set of operating conditions based on an operational sound level of the operating condition being less than or equal to the threshold sound level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a control system;
a storage of the control system that stores instructions and a set of operating conditions of the HVAC system, wherein one or more operating conditions of the set of operating conditions is associated with a respective operational sound level; and
processor circuitry of the control system, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to receive an input indicative of a threshold sound level and operate the HVAC system according to an operating condition of the set of operating conditions based on an operational sound level of the operating condition being less than or equal to the threshold sound level, the operating condition comprises a plurality of operating parameter values of a component of the HVAC system, the plurality of operating parameter values comprises a first operating parameter value at which operation of the component is enabled, the plurality of operating parameter values comprises a second operating parameter value at which operation of the component is blocked, and the first operating parameter value is greater than the second operating parameter value.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the component is a compressor, an outdoor fan, or both.

3. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the operational sound level associated with the operating condition is a cumulative operational sound level associated with the operation of the HVAC system.

4. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the storage is configured to store a plurality of sound profiles, the operating condition is associated with a first sound profile of the plurality of sound profiles, an additional operating condition is associated with a second sound profile of the plurality of sound profiles, and an additional operational sound level of the additional operating condition is different from the operational sound level of the operating condition.

5. The HVAC system of claim 4 , wherein the processor circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to operate the HVAC system according to the first sound profile during a first scheduled time period and operate the HVAC system according to the second sound profile during a second scheduled time period different from the first scheduled time period.

6. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the control system comprises a user interface configured to display a plurality of sound profiles stored by the storage, and the input comprises a user selection of one of the plurality of sound profiles as the threshold sound level.

7. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the storage comprises a first memory of the control system and a second memory of the HVAC system.

8. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the second operating parameter value comprises an excluded compressor operating frequency that is associated with operation at a sound level above the threshold sound level.

9. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the second operating parameter value comprises an excluded compressor operating speed that is associated with operation at a sound level above the threshold sound level.

10. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the second operating parameter value comprises an excluded outdoor fan speed that is associated with operation at a sound level above the threshold sound level.

11. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of operating parameter values comprises a third operating parameter value at which operation of the component is enabled, the second operating parameter value is between the first operating parameter value and the third operating parameter value, and the processor circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to operate the component at the first operating parameter value and at the third operating parameter value and to skip operation of the component at the second operating parameter value according to the operating condition.

12. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to:
store a set of operating conditions of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, wherein one or more operating conditions of the set of operating conditions is associated with a respective operational sound level, a particular operating condition of the set of operating conditions defines an available operating parameter value of a component of the HVAC system and an excluded operating parameter value of the component, and the excluded operating parameter value is less than the available operating parameter value;
receive an indication of a threshold sound level; and
select an operating condition of the set of operating conditions of the HVAC system, wherein an operational sound level of the operating condition is less than or equal to the threshold sound level.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the operating condition comprises the particular operating condition, and the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate the component of the HVAC system at the available operating parameter value and block operation of the component at the excluded operating parameter value.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the particular operating condition is a first operating condition defining the excluded operating parameter value of the component of the HVAC system, and the set of operating conditions comprises a second operating condition defining the same excluded operating parameter value of the component of the HVAC system.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the particular operating condition is a first operating condition, the excluded operating parameter value is a first excluded operating parameter value of the component of the HVAC system, the set of operating conditions comprises a second operating condition defining a second excluded operating parameter value of the component of the HVAC system, and the first excluded operating parameter value is different than the second excluded operating parameter value.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the second operating condition defines the first excluded operating parameter value of the component of the HVAC system.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the operating condition defines a combination of available operating parameter values associated with components of the HVAC system, the combination of available operating parameter values is associated with a cumulative operational sound level, and the cumulative operational sound level is equal to or less than the threshold sound level.

18. A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
processor circuitry; and
a memory comprising instructions executable by the processor circuitry to cause the processor circuitry to:
access a set of operating conditions of the HVAC system, wherein one or more operating conditions of the set of operating conditions is associated with a respective operational sound level;
receive an indication of a threshold sound level;
select an operating condition of the set of operating conditions based on the operational sound level of the operating condition being less than or equal to the threshold sound level, wherein the operating condition defines a first operating parameter value at which to enable operation of a co

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Mccune Tyler P
• Hern Shawn A
• Smith Jeremy R
• Noor Aneek M
• Kaiser Cody J

Classifications

• F24F11/64 Primary

  using pre-stored data · CPC title

• F24F11/30

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

• G05B2219/2614

  HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control · CPC title

• F24F11/56

  Remote control · CPC title

• F24F13/24 Primary

  Means for preventing or suppressing noise · CPC title