Zone thermostat for zone heating and cooling
View Patent ↗A zone thermostat for use in connection with an Electronically-Controlled Register vent (ECRV) that can be easily installed by a homeowner or general handyman is disclosed. The ECRV can be used to convert a non-zoned HVAC system into a zoned system. The ECRV can also be used in connection with a conventional zoned HVAC system to provide additional control and additional zones not provided by the conventional zoned HVAC system. In one embodiment, the ECRV is configured have a size and form-factor that conforms to a standard manually-controlled register vent. In one embodiment, the zone thermostat is configured to provide thermostat information to the ECRV. In one embodiment, the zone thermostat communicates with a central monitoring system that coordinates operation of the heating and cooling zones.
1. A zone thermostat, comprising:
a controller;
a temperature sensor provided to said controller, said temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of air in a first zone;
a display;
at least one user input device; and
a communication system provided to said controller; said controller configured to communicate temperature readings to a central system in response to a first query from said central system, said at least one user input device configured to allow a user to specify a zone setpoint temperature and a zone priority, said controller configured to communicate said zone setpoint temperature and said zone priority to said central system in response to a second query from said central system.
2. The zone Thermostat of claim 1 , said controller further configured to relay communications between said central system and one or more electronically-controlled register vents configured to provide air to said first zone.
3. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to transmit sensor data according to a threshold test.
4. The zone thermostat of claim 3 , wherein said threshold test comprises a high threshold level.
5. The zone thermostat of claim 3 , wherein said threshold test comprises a low threshold level.
6. The zone thermostat of claim 3 , wherein said threshold test comprises an inner threshold range.
7. The zone thermostat of claim 3 , wherein said threshold test comprises an outer threshold range.
8. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein controller is configured to receive an instruction to change a status reporting interval.
9. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein controller is configured to receive an instruction to change a sensor data reporting interval.
10. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said zone thermostat is configured to monitor a status of one or more electronically-controlled register vents.
11. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said communication system comprises a wireless communication system.
12. The zone thermostat of claim 11 , wherein said wireless communication system comprises an infrared communication system.
13. The zone thermostat of claim 11 , wherein said wireless communication system comprises an ultrasonic communication system.
14. The zone thermostat of claim 11 , wherein said wireless communication comprises a radio-frequency communication system.
15. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said communication system comprises a frequency-hopping system.
16. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said communication system communicates using a 900 megahertz band.
17. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , further comprising a visual indicator to indicate a low-power condition.
18. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said controller configured to use a predictive model to compute a control program for an electronically-controlled register vent.
19. The zone thermostat of claim 18 , said control program configured to reduce power consumption by said electronically-controlled register vent.
20. The zone thermostat of claim 18 , said control program configured to reduce movement of at least one actuator in said electronically-controlled register vent.
21. The zone thermostat of claim 18 , said zone thermostat configured to use a predictive model to compute a control program for said electronically-controlled register vent.
22. The zone Thermostat of claim 1 , said controller configured to send data to an electronically-controlled register vent.
23. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat configured to send setpoint data to said controller.
24. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat configured to send humidity data to said controller.
25. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat configured to send zone temperature slope data to said controller.
26. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , further comprising a remote control interface.
27. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat further comprising an occupant sensor.
28. The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat further comprising a light switch, said zone thermostat and said light switch configured to be installed in a standard electrical wall switch enclosure.
29. A zone thermostat, comprising:
a controller;
a temperature sensor provided to said controller, said temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of air in a first zone;
a display;
at least one user input device; and
a communication system provided to said controller; said controller configured to communicate temperature readings to a zone control system in response to a first query from said zone control system, said at least one user input device configured to allow a user to specify a zone setpoint temperature and a zone priority, said controller configured to communicate said zone setpoint temperature and said zone priority to said zone control system in response to a second query from said zone control system.
30. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said zone control system comprises a central system.
31. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said wherein said zone control system comprises a distributed system.
32. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said wherein said zone control system comprises a distributed system of zone thermostats.
33. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said wherein said zone control system comprises a distributed system of zone thermostats and electronically-controlled register vents.
34. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein controller is configured to receive an instruction to change a status reporting interval.
35. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein controller is configured to receive an instruction to change a sensor data reporting interval.
36. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said zone thermostat is configured to monitor a status of one or more electronically-controlled register vents.
37. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication system comprises a wireless communication system.
38. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication system communicates comprises an infrared communication system.
39. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication system comprises an ultrasonic communication system.
40. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication comprises a radio-frequency communication system.
41. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication system comprises a frequency-hopping system.
42. The zone thermostat of claim 29 wherein said communication system communicates using a 900 megahertz band.
43. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , further comprising a visual indicator to indicate a low-power condition.
44. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said controller configured to use a predictive model to compute a control program for an electronically-controlled register vent.
45. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said control program configured to reduce power consumption by said electronically-controlled register vent.
46. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said control program configured to reduce movement of at least one actuator in said electronically-controlled register vent.
47. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat configured to use a predictive model to compute a control program for said electronically-controlled register vent.
48. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said controller configured to send data to an electronically-controlled register vent.
49. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat configured to send setpoint data to said controller.
50. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat configured to send humidity data to said controller.
51. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat configured to send zone temperature slope data to said controller.
52. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , further comprising a remote control interface.
53. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat further comprising an occupant sensor.
54. The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat further comprising a light switch, said zone thermostat and said light switch configured to be installed in a standard electrical wall switch enclosure.