System for personalized indoor microclimates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11708993-B2
Application number	US-202117645397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2021
Priority date	Oct 24, 2018
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

A network of wireless remote climate sensors in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system permits the creation of personalized microclimates within an enclosed space. In addition to collecting temperature and humidity data, the wireless remote climate sensors can detect whether the enclosed space is occupied by a human. Human detection is made possible by optional cameras, microphones, and gas sensors on the wireless remote climate sensors. As the human moves throughout the enclosed space, the HVAC system is able to track the human's movement using the wireless remote climate sensors. The HVAC system may adjust airflow to different portions of the enclosed space based on the human's location. The result is an efficient use of system resources to keep users at their ideal temperature.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system for establishing a personalized microclimate in an enclosed space, comprising:
a first zone comprising:
a first variable damper, wherein the first variable damper controls flow of air through a first air duct outlet into the first zone;
a first wireless remote sensor, the first wireless remote sensor comprising a first thermometer, a first hygrometer, and a first human recognition sensor;
a second wireless remote, the second wireless remote sensor comprising a second thermometer, a second hygrometer, and a second human recognition sensor;

a control unit wirelessly coupled to the first wireless remote sensor, the second wireless remote sensor, and the first variable damper, the control unit comprising:
a memory configured to store a plurality of climate profiles, wherein each climate profile comprises a desired temperature, a desired humidity, and at least one user identifier; and
a processor configured to:
receive, from the first wireless remote sensor, a first identification of a first human in the first zone;
receive, from the first and second wireless remote sensors, measurements of a temperature and a humidity in the first zone;
search for a match between the first identification of the first human in the first zone with a first user identifier in a first climate profile;
if the match is found:
compare the desired temperature and the desired humidity in the first climate profile with the measurements of the temperature and the humidity received from the first and second wireless remote sensors; and
instruct the first variable damper to alter the flow of air through the first air duct outlet into the first zone if the measurements of the temperature and the humidity differ from the desired temperature and the desired humidity settings in the first climate profile;

and
a second zone comprising:
a second variable damper, wherein the second variable damper controls the flow of air through a second air duct outlet into the second zone;
a third wireless remote sensor configured to measure temperature and humidity, and identify the first human occupying the second zone; and
a fourth wireless remote sensor configured to measure temperature and humidity, and identify the first human occupying the second zone; and
wherein, in conjunction with receiving the first identification of the first human in the first zone from the first wireless remote sensor, the processor is further configured to instruct the second variable damper to decrease the flow of air into the second zone if the processor instructs the first variable damper to increase the flow of air into the first zone.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive, from the first wireless remote sensor, an identification of a second human in the first zone;
match the identification of the second human in the first zone with a second user identifier in the second climate profile;
apply an arbitration logic to determine that the control unit must ignore the desired temperature and the desired humidity in the second climate profile.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory is further configured to store a default climate profile comprising the desired temperature and the desired humidity, and wherein the processor is further configured to, if the match is not found:
compare the desired temperature and the desired humidity in the default climate profile with the temperature and the humidity measured by the first wireless remote sensor and the second wireless remote sensor; and
instruct the first variable damper to alter the flow of air into the first zone if the temperature and the humidity measurements from the first zone differ from the desired temperature and the desired humidity in the default climate profile.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the human recognition sensor comprises a camera, and wherein the first user identifier is an image of the human.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the human recognition sensor comprises a microphone, and wherein the first user identifier is a voice sample of the human.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the human recognition sensor comprises a wireless scanner configured to detect a smart device associated with the human, and wherein the first user identifier is an identification number associated with the smart device.

Assignees

• Lennox Ind Inc

Inventors

• Mowery Keith R
• Ho Nguyen T

Classifications

• F24F11/80 Primary

  for controlling the temperature of the supplied air · CPC title

• F24F11/46 Primary

  Improving electric energy efficiency or saving · CPC title

• F24F11/49

  ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks · CPC title

• F24F11/523

  for displaying temperature data · CPC title

• F24F11/54

  using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers · CPC title