Systems and methods for adjusting detected temperature for a climate control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11333384-B1
Application number	US-202016810365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 5, 2020
Priority date	Mar 5, 2020
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

Methods and related systems are disclosed for determining a temperature of an indoor space with a plurality of onboard sensors of a device of a climate control system. In an embodiment, the method includes detecting raw temperatures with the plurality of sensors. In addition, the method includes determining a combined temperature offset for a first sensor of the plurality of sensors based on outputs of a plurality of models. The plurality of models are to determine a plurality of temperature offsets for the first sensor based on different airflow directions relative to the device. Further, the method includes adjusting the raw temperature detected by the first sensor with the combined temperature offset.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a climate control system that includes HVAC equipment configured to provide conditioned air to a conditioned space, the HVAC equipment including a fan, a thermostat, and a processor, the processor being coupled to the fan and the thermostat, and the thermostat including a plurality of onboard sensors for determining a temperature of an indoor space of the climate control system, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is arranged and mounted at a different location within the thermostat, each of the different locations being selected while considering one or more of: a distance of each of the sensors relative to one or more heat generating components within the thermostat, a distance of each of the sensors relative to one or more air vents and a direction and magnitude of airflow within the thermostat through the air vents, and a desired amount of exposed surface area of each of the sensors, the method comprising:
(a) detecting raw temperatures with the plurality of sensors coupled to the processor, the plurality of sensors being arranged and mounted at the different locations within the thermostat so that, in response to the airflow within the thermostat, varied temperature responses are detected among the plurality of sensors;
(b) determining, via the processor, a combined temperature offset for a sensor of the plurality of sensors based on outputs of a plurality of models, wherein the plurality of models are configured to determine a plurality of temperature offsets for the sensor based on the different airflow directions relative to the device and accounting for heat generated by the heat generating components in the thermostat;
(c) adjusting, via the processor, the raw temperature detected by the sensor with the combined temperature offset;
(d) repeating (a) and (b), after (c) to determine a second combined temperature offset for the sensor;
(e) filtering, via the processor, the second combined temperature offset with an adaptive filter that is based on a difference in the raw temperature detected by the sensor at steps (a) and (d); and
(f) providing conditioned air based on the adjusted temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
(g) comparing the outputs of the plurality of models to a predicted temperature of the indoor space before (b).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein (b) comprises determining the combined temperature offset as a weighted average of the outputs of the plurality of models based on the comparing in (g).

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein (g) comprises determining a score for the output of each of the plurality of models that is indicative of the difference between the outputs and the predicted temperature.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein (b) comprises applying a weight to each of the plurality of models based on the score applied to each of the plurality of models to determine the weighted average.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein (a)-(d), and (g) are performed during a first operational cycle of the climate control system, and wherein the method comprises:
(h) during a second operational cycle of the climate control system that occurs after the first operational cycle:
(h1) detecting raw temperatures with the plurality of sensors; and
(h2) comparing outputs from the plurality of models to a predicted temperature of the indoor space;
(h3) calculating an updated temperature offset based on a second weighted average of the outputs from the plurality of models based on the comparing in (h2); and
(h4) adjusting the raw temperature detected by the sensor in (h1) with the updated temperature offset from (h3).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adaptive filter comprises a rate saturation filter, comprising a saturation limit that is based on the difference in the raw temperature detected by the first sensor (a) and (d).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of models are configured to provide a temperature offset for the first temperature sensor based on differences between temperatures detected by the plurality onboard sensors, as a result of the arrangement and mount of the plurality of sensors at the different locations within the thermostat, and the temperature detected by the sensor, and a derivative of the differences.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable medium for controlling a climate control system that includes HVAC equipment configured to provide conditioned air to a conditioned space, the HVAC equipment including a fan, a thermostat, and a processor, the processor being coupled to the fan and the thermostat, and the thermostat including a plurality of onboard sensors for determining a temperature of an indoor space, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is arranged and mounted at a different location within the thermostat, each of the different locations being selected while considering one or more of: a distance of each of the sensors relative to one or more heat generating components within the thermostat, a distance of each of the sensors relative to one or more air vents and a direction and magnitude of airflow within the thermostat through the air vents, and a desired amount of exposed surface area of each of the sensors, the non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
(a) receive signals from a plurality of sensors coupled to the processor, wherein the signals are indicative of temperatures of an indoor space detected by the plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors being arranged and mounted at the different locations within the thermostat so that, in response to the airflow within the thermostat, varied temperature responses are detected among the plurality of sensors;
(b) determine a combined temperature offset for a sensor of the plurality of sensors based on outputs of a plurality of models, wherein the plurality of models are configured to determine a plurality of temperature offsets for the sensor based on the different airflow directions relative to the thermostat and accounting for heat generated by the heat generating components in the thermostat;
(c) adjust the raw temperature detected by the first sensor by the combined temperature offset;
(d) repeat (a) and (b), after (c) to determine a second combined temperature offset for the sensor; and
(e) filter the second combined temperature offset with an adaptive filter based on a difference in the raw temperature detected by the sensor at steps (a) and (d); and
(f) operate the HVAC equipment to provide the conditioned air based on the adjusted temperature.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
(g) compare the outputs of the plurality of models to a predicted temperature of the indoor space before (b).

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to determine the temperature offset at (b) based on a weighted average of the outputs of the plurality of models based on the comparison in (g).

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to determine a score for the output of each of the plurality of models that is indicative of the difference between the outputs and the predicted temperature during (g).

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the adaptive filter comprises a rate saturation filter, comprising a saturation limit that is based on a diffe

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Karimi Behrooz
• Jaber Youssef A

Classifications

• F24F11/63 Primary

  Electronic processing · CPC title

• F24F2110/10

  Temperature · CPC title

• F24F11/64

  using pre-stored data · CPC title

• G05B13/048

  using a predictor · CPC title

• G06F17/18

  for evaluating statistical data {, e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis (forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)} · CPC title