Systems and methods for seamlessly transferring a radio connection between components of a climate control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12028792-B2
Application number	US-202218069012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2022
Priority date	Jul 8, 2020
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

Methods and related systems for operating a climate control system for an indoor space are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes establishing a connection between a device and a hub of the climate control system along a first signal pathway, wherein at least a portion of the first signal pathway comprises a short-range radio connection between the device and a first component of the system. In addition, the method includes monitoring one or more parameters of the first signal pathway and one or more parameters of a second signal pathway extending between the device and the hub, wherein at least a portion of the second signal pathway comprises a short-range radio connection between the device and a second component of the system. Further, the method includes re-routing the connection between the portable device and the system hub from the first signal pathway to the second signal pathway.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
establishing a first connection between a portable electronic device and a first component of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, wherein
the first connection comprises a first wireless connection, and
the first component of the HVAC system is configured to communicate with a second component of the HVAC system via a first signal pathway;

providing communications between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system via a signal pathway, wherein the signal pathway comprises the first connection and the first signal pathway; and
maintaining the communications between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system, wherein the maintaining comprises:
migrating the communications between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system to another signal pathway;
establishing a second connection between the portable electronic device and a third component of the HVAC system, wherein the second connection comprises a second wireless connection, and the third component of the HVAC system is configured to communicate with the second component of the HVAC system via a second signal pathway; and
providing communication between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system via the another signal pathway, wherein the another signal pathway comprises the second connection and the second signal pathway.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,
wherein the maintaining further comprises;
re-routing communications between the first component of the HVAC system and the second component of the HVAC system to a third signal pathway.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein
the HVAC system comprises a plurality of components,
ones of the plurality of components are in communication with one another via ones of a plurality of signal pathways, and
the first signal pathway comprises one or more other components of the plurality of components and one or more signal pathways of the plurality of signal pathways.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal pathway comprises a wired connection.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein
the first component of the HVAC system is one of a system hub, a furnace, an air conditioner, an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, or a thermostat, and
the second component of the HVAC system is another of the system hub, the furnace, the air conditioner, the indoor unit, the outdoor unit, or the thermostat.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing a third connection between another portable electronic device and the first component of the HVAC system, wherein the third connection comprises another wireless connection; and
maintaining the third connection during the migrating of the first connection.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein
the another signal pathway supports communications between the portable electronic device and the first component of the HVAC system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first connection is maintained during the migrating.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the another signal pathway does not include the first connection.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the another signal pathway comprises:
a third connection directly between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein
the first connection is the first wireless connection,
the third connection is a third wireless connection,
the portable electronic device maintains communication with the first component of the HVAC system via the third wireless connection, and
at least one of the first wireless connection or the third wireless connection is implemented using one of Bluetooth communications protocol or Bluetooth Low Energy communications protocol.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein
the first connection is the first wireless connection,
the HVAC system comprises a plurality of components, the plurality of components comprises the first component of the HVAC system and the second component of the HVAC system, and
the HVAC system is configured to support communications between the portable electronic device and each component of the plurality of components via the first connection.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein
the HVAC system comprises a plurality of components,
ones of the plurality of components are in communication with one another via ones of a plurality of signal pathways,
the first signal pathway comprises one or more other components of the plurality of components and one or more signal pathways of the plurality of signal pathways, and
the second signal pathway comprises at least one other component of the plurality of components and at least one other signal pathway of the plurality of signal pathways.

14. A computing system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors, comprising program instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method comprising:
establishing a first connection between a portable electronic device and a first component of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, wherein
the first connection comprises a first wireless connection, and
the first component of the HVAC system is configured to communicate with a second component of the HVAC system via a first signal pathway;

providing communications between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system via a signal pathway, wherein
the signal pathway comprises the first connection and the first signal pathway; and

maintaining the communications between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system, wherein the maintaining comprises:
migrating the communications between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system to another signal pathway; and
establishing a second connection between the portable electronic device and a third component of the HVAC system, wherein the second connection comprises a second wireless connection, and the third component of the HVAC system is configured to communicate with the second component of the HVAC system via a second signal pathway; and
providing communication between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system via the another signal pathway, wherein the another signal pathway comprises the second connection and the second signal pathway.

15. The computing system of claim 14 , wherein
the maintaining further comprises:
re-routing communications between the first component of the HVAC system and the second component of the HVAC system to a third signal pathway.

16. The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
establishing a third connection between another portable electronic device and the first component of the HVAC system, wherein the third connection comprises another wireless connection; and
maintaining the third connection during the migrating of the first connection.

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Garrett Carl L
• Smith Nathan
• Blair Daniel J
• Whitehurst Drew
• Davis Caleb

Classifications

• H04W4/80 Primary

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G05B19/042

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B2219/2614

  HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control · CPC title

• H04W76/10

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04L12/66

  Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways · CPC title