Building device with near field communication circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12034497-B2
Application number	US-202117387710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2021
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A sensor in a building HVAC system includes a transducer configured to measure a variable in the building HVAC system and to generate a sensor reading indicating a value of the measured variable. The sensor includes a communications interface configured to provide the sensor reading to a control device in the building HVAC system and a near field communication (NFC) circuit separate from the communications interface. The NFC circuit is configured to facilitate bidirectional NFC data communications between the sensor and a mobile device. The sensor includes a processing circuit having a processor and memory. The processing circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit data stored in the memory of the sensor to the mobile device via the NFC circuit, wirelessly receive data from the mobile device via the NFC circuit, and store the data received from the mobile device in the memory of the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A building device comprising:
a flow sensor configured to sense a change in a characteristic of a flow of fluid;
a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the flow sensor according to a control program stored in the memory; and
a wireless transceiver configured to facilitate near field communication (NFC) between the building device and an external device;
wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use power generated from NFC signals to:
wirelessly transmit a configuration parameter comprising a setpoint usable by the control program to operate the flow sensor to the external device via direct NFC between the building device and the external device; and
receive an update to the setpoint from the external device via NFC.

2. The building device of claim 1 , wherein the control program includes logic for operating the flow sensor based on a plurality of configuration parameters comprising the configuration parameter.

3. The building device of claim 2 , wherein the control program includes logic for utilizing electric signals provided by the flow sensor based on the plurality of configuration parameters.

4. The building device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to update the control program based on the update to the configuration parameter.

5. The building device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to perform a diagnostic test of the building device.

6. The building device of claim 5 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to communicate diagnostic results from the diagnostic test to the external device.

7. The building device of claim 6 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to communicate the diagnostic results to the external device via NFC using power drawn from NFC signals.

8. The building device of claim 1 , wherein the external device is a portable user device.

9. The building device of claim 1 , wherein the external device is a handheld user device.

10. A sensor device comprising:
a flow sensor configured to sense a change in a characteristic of a flow of fluid;
a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processing circuit is configured to utilize signals provided by the flow sensor according to a control program stored in the memory; and
a wireless transceiver configured to facilitate near field communication (NFC) between the sensor device and an external device;
wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use power generated from NFC signals to transmit diagnostic data generated as a result of operating the flow sensor and the processing circuit over a past time period to the external device via direct NFC between the sensor device and the external device.

11. The sensor device of claim 10 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use the power generated from the NFC signals to:
transmit a configuration parameter usable by the control program to utilize the signals provide by the flow sensor to the external device via NFC; and
receive an update to the configuration parameter from the external device via NFC.

12. The sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to update the control program based on the update to the configuration parameter.

13. The sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the configuration parameter comprises a user selectable operational parameter.

14. The sensor device of claim 10 , wherein the diagnostic data comprises failure mode data.

15. A method of configuring a flow sensor, the method comprising:
wirelessly providing a configuration parameter comprising a setpoint from the flow sensor to an external device via direct NFC between the flow sensor and the external device using power generated from NFC signals, the flow sensor configured to sense a change in a characteristic of a fluid flow;
receiving an update to the setpoint from the external device via NFC;
updating a control program of the flow sensor with the update to the setpoint; and
controlling operation of the flow sensor using the control program and the update to the setpoint.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising performing a diagnostic test of the flow sensor.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising communicating diagnostic results from the diagnostic test to the external device via NFC.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising communicating the diagnostic results to the external device via NFC using power drawn from NFC signals.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising utilizing signals provided by the flow sensor using the control program and the update to the configuration parameter.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the setpoint configuration parameter comprises a user selectable setpoint.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Rumler Daniel R
• Whitsitt Steven L
• Alexander Robert K
• Merkl Christopher
• Romanowich Gary A
• Clement Bernard
• Weiss Kevin A

Classifications

• H04B5/72 Primary

  for local intradevice communication · CPC title

• H04B5/26

  using coils · CPC title

• H04B5/79 Primary

  for data transfer in combination with power transfer · CPC title

• F24F11/00 Primary

  Control or safety arrangements · CPC title

• G05B2219/33203

  Wireless transmission of power and data, inductively, rotary transformer · CPC title