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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023120196-A1
Application number	US-202218069012-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2022
Priority date	Jul 8, 2020
Publication date	Apr 20, 2023
Grant date	—

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

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . 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; and
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.

22 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , further comprising:
maintaining the communications between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system, wherein
the maintaining comprises
re-routing communications between the first component of the HVAC system and the second component of the HVAC system to a second signal pathway.

23 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , 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.

24 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , wherein
the first signal pathway comprises a wired connection.

25 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , 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.

26 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
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.

27 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 , further comprising:
establishing a second connection between another portable electronic device and the first component of the HVAC system, wherein
the second connection comprises another wireless connection; and
maintaining the second connection during the migrating of the first connection.

28 . The computer-implemented method of claim 27 , wherein
the another signal pathway supports communications between the portable electronic device and the first component of the HVAC system.

29 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 , wherein
maintaining the first connection during the migrating.

30 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 , wherein
the another signal pathway does not include the first connection.

31 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 , wherein the another signal pathway comprises:
a second connection directly between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system.

32 . The computer-implemented method of claim 31 , wherein
the first connection is a first wireless connection, the second connection is a second wireless connection, the portable electronic device maintains communication with the first component of the HVAC system via the second wireless connection, and at least one of the first wireless connection or the second wireless connection is implemented using one of Bluetooth communications protocol or Bluetooth Low Energy communications protocol.

33 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 , wherein
the first connection is a first wireless connection, the HVAC system comprises a plurality of components, the plurality of components comprise 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.

34 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 , wherein the maintaining further comprises:
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.

35 . The computer-implemented method of claim 34 , 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.

36 . 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, and

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.

37 . The computing system of claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises:
maintaining the communications between the portable electronic device and the second component of the HVAC system, wherein
the maintaining comprises
re-routing communications between the first component of the HVAC system and the second component of the HVAC system to a second signal pathway.

38 . The computing system of claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises:
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.

39 . The computing system of claim 38 , wherein the method further comprises:
establishing a second connection between another portable electronic device and the first component of the HVAC system, wherein
the second connection comprises another wireless connection; and
maintaining the second connection during the migrating of the first connection.

40 . The computing system of claim 38 , wherein

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04W40/34 Primary

  Modification of an existing route · CPC title

• G05B19/042

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

• G05B2219/2614

  HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control · CPC title

• H04W4/80 Primary

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

• G05B2219/2642

  Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house · CPC title