HVAC controller with integrated wireless network processor chip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11770453-B2
Application number	US-202017003557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2020
Priority date	May 4, 2015
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A controller in a building management system (BMS) includes an integrated wireless network processor. The integrated wireless network processor includes a wireless radio, a processor, and memory. The wireless radio is configured to exchange data communications with one or more BMS devices controlled by the controller. Both the processor and memory are in communication with the wireless radio. The memory includes communication stacks configured to facilitate communications using a building automation and control network communications protocol and a Wi-Fi communications protocol. The integrated wireless network processor is configured to provide a web page for rendering on the user device using the WiFi communications protocol.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller, comprising:
a wired connection for a temperature sensor;
a processor being part of an integrated wireless network device configured to control a roof top unit or air handling unit at least partially in response to a temperature signal from the temperature sensor, the processor comprising:
a wireless radio configured to communicate data with the roof top unit or air handling unit; and
a memory in communication with the wireless radio, the memory comprising communication stacks configured to facilitate communication using a building automation and control network communications protocol and a Wi-Fi communications protocol, wherein the processor provides the communication via the wireless radio to and from a user device using the Wi-Fi communications protocol and to and from the roof top unit or air handling unit using the building automation and control network communications protocol, wherein the processor is configured to provide a web page for rendering on the user device using the Wi-Fi communications protocol.

2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the wireless radio is an 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi radio and the controller comprises an interface for providing a temperature setpoint and receives a temperature parameter from the temperature sensor, wherein the controller further comprises a wired connection for a humidity sensor.

3. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the communication stacks are configured to facilitate communications using a JavaScript Object Notation communications protocol.

4. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises a web server configured to generate the web page and serve the web page to the user device via the wireless radio.

5. The controller of claim 4 , wherein the web page comprises at least one of the data from the roof top unit or air handling unit, configuration information for the controller, and commissioning information for the controller.

6. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises control logic configured to use the data from the roof top unit or air handling unit to generate a control output that is communicated to the roof top unit or air handling unit via the wireless radio.

7. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises a cryptography engine configured to encrypt or decrypt the data communicated via the wireless radio.

8. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive data from another integrated wireless network processor chip in another controller and relay the data to a router out of range of the other controller.

9. In building management system comprising one or more heating, ventilating or air conditioning (HVAC) devices and an HVAC controller, the HVAC controller comprising:
an integrated wireless network processor circuit comprising:
a wireless radio configured to communicate with the one or more HVAC devices;
a data processor in communication with the wireless radio; and
a memory;

wherein the integrated wireless network processor circuit provides communication with the one or more HVAC devices using a first communication protocol associated with a first communication stack contained in the memory, and provides communication using a second communication protocol associated with a second communication stack contained in the memory, wherein the communication with the one or more HVAC devices uses a router coupled to the one or more HVAC devices communicating via the first communication protocol.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first communication protocol is a building automation and control network protocol and the second communication protocol is a Wi-Fi protocol.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second communication stack facilities communication using a JavaScript Object Notation communications protocol.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the memory further includes a third communication stack.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the integrated wireless network processor circuit further comprises control logic.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control logic controls the one or more HVAC devices.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the integrated wireless network processor circuit is configured to provide a user interface on a user device, the user interface comprising at least one of data from the one or more HVAC devices, configuration information for the HVAC controller, and commissioning information for the HVAC controller.

16. A controller for a heating, ventilating or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the controller comprising:
a wired input for receiving a temperature signal from a temperature sensor;
an integrated wireless network processor, comprising:
a wireless radio;
a processor in communication with the wireless radio and configured to control an HVAC device in response to the temperature signal; and
a memory comprising communication stacks configured to facilitate communication using a building automation and control network communications protocol and a Wi-Fi communications protocol, wherein the integrated wireless network processor provides communication with a BMS device using the building automation and control network communications protocol and provides communication with a user device using an application installed on the user device configured to provide a user interface for communicating via the wireless radio using the Wi-Fi communications protocol, wherein the user interface is configured to receive an IP address from a user for use by the controller.

17. The controller of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to display a humidity parameter.

18. The controller of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to broadcast a unique device identification for the controller.

19. The controller of claim 16 , wherein the memory comprises a web server configured to generate a web page and serve the web page to the user device via the wireless radio.

20. The controller of claim 16 , wherein the wireless radio is an 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi radio and the building automation and control network communications protocol is a BACnet protocol.

21. A controller for a heating, ventilating or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the controller comprising:
an input for receiving a temperature signal from a temperature sensor;
an integrated wireless network processor, comprising:
a wireless radio;
a processor in communication with the wireless radio and configured to control an HVAC device in response to the temperature signal; and

a memory comprising software configured to facilitate communication using a building automation and control network communications protocol and a Wi-Fi communications protocol, wherein the integrated wireless network processor is configured to communicate with a BMS device using the building automation and control network communications protocol and to communicate with a user device, the user device being configured to provide a user interface for communicating via the wireless radio using the Wi-Fi communications protocol to the controller.

22. The controller of claim 21 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive an IP address from a user for use by the controller.

23. The controller of claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to display a humidity parameter.

24. The controller of claim 21 , wherein the processor is configured to broadcast a unique device identification for the controller.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Brophy Christopher
• Weller Kim K
• Gottschalk Daniel R
• Bykowski Ryan J
• Zhuang Tom Z

Classifications

• H04L67/125 Primary

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title

• F24F11/30

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

• F24F11/57

  using telephone networks · CPC title

• F24F11/58

  using Internet communication · CPC title

• F24F11/62

  characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values · CPC title