HVAC controller with indoor air quality scheduling
An HVAC controller, such as a thermostat, may be configured to allow a user to set and/or select schedule time period in which one or more indoor quality units (e.g. humidification, dehumidification, ventilation, etc.) will or will not operate, and/or will operated but using different settings. In some cases, the schedule time periods available for selection may correspond to the time periods of a programmable temperature schedule of the HVAC controller, but this is not required. In some instances, the HVAC controller may allow a user to select which indoor air quality units will or will not operate, and/or what settings the indoor air quality units will operate, during a user's vacation.
1. A Heating, Ventilation, and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC) controller configured to control an HVAC system, wherein the HVAC system includes a plurality of HVAC components including a temperature control component for use in controlling a temperature of air in a building and an indoor air quality component for use in controlling a quality of the air in the building, the HVAC controller comprising:
a memory configured to store a schedule, the schedule defining one or more time periods during which the controller is to enable operation of the indoor air quality component;
a user interface including a display, the user interface configured to receive input specifying at least one time period of the one or more time periods, the indoor air quality component configured to operate according to an operational setting during the at least one time period of the schedule; and
a controller operatively coupled to the user interface, the controller configured to provide the temperature control component with one or more control signals based at least in part on a temperature control algorithm, the controller further configured to control the quality of the air in the building via the indoor air quality component,
the controller configured to operate in a plurality of indoor air quality modes, the plurality of modes comprising:
an OFF air quality mode where the controller is configured to (i) control the temperature control component in accordance with the temperature control algorithm, but (ii) not control the HVAC system in a way that causes the indoor air quality component to increase the quality of the air in the building;
an ON air quality mode where the controller is configured to (i) control the temperature control component in accordance with the temperature control algorithm, and (ii) control the HVAC system in a way that the indoor air quality component operates continuously;
a third air quality mode where the controller is configured to (i) control the temperature control component in accordance with the temperature control algorithm, and (ii) control the HVAC system in a way that the indoor air quality component operates for only a predetermined temporary period of time; and
a fourth air quality mode where the controller is configured to (i) control the temperature control component in accordance with the temperature control algorithm, and (ii) control the HVAC system in accordance with the operational setting in a way that the indoor air quality component operates for a predetermined amount of time for each of a plurality of time windows, the plurality of time windows including at least a first time window and a second time window,
wherein, during the first time window, the controller is configured to control the HVAC system in a way that the indoor air quality component operates for the predetermined amount of time while the controller separately maintains a temperature set point, wherein the first time window has a shorter duration relative to the at least one time period, and wherein the predetermined amount of time has a shorter duration relative to the first time window, and
wherein, during the second time window, the controller is configured to control the HVAC system in a way that the indoor air quality component operates for the predetermined amount of time while the controller separately maintains the temperature set point.
2. The HVAC controller of claim 1 , wherein the HVAC controller further comprises:
a wall mountable module that includes the user interface; and
an Equipment Interface Module (EIM) configured to be in wireless communication with the wall mountable module and further configured to provide one or more control signals to the HVAC system including one or more of the control signals for the temperature control component of the HVAC system.
3. The HVAC controller of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components include an air cleaner.
4. The HVAC controller of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components include a fan upstream of an air filter.
5. The HVAC controller of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components include a ventilator component.
6. The HVAC controller of claim 1 , wherein the indoor air quality component includes a ventilator component.
7. The HVAC controller of claim 1 , wherein the indoor air quality component includes a humidifier or a dehumidifier.
8. A Heating, Ventilation, and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC) controller configured to control an HVAC system, wherein the HVAC system includes a plurality of HVAC components including a temperature control component for use in controlling a temperature of air in a building and an indoor air quality component for use in controlling a quality of the air in the building, the HVAC controller comprising:
a memory configured to store a schedule, the schedule defining one or more time periods during which the controller is to enable operation of the indoor air quality component;
a user interface, the user interface configured to receive input specifying at least one time period of the one or more time periods, the indoor air quality component configured to operate according to an operational setting during the at least one time period of the schedule; and
a controller operatively coupled to the user interface, the controller configured to provide the temperature control component with one or more control signals, the controller further configured to control the quality of the air in the building via the indoor air quality component,
the controller configured to operate in a plurality of indoor air quality modes, the plurality of modes comprising:
a temporary ON mode where the controller is configured to (i) control the temperature control component in accordance with a temperature control algorithm, and (ii) control the HVAC system in a way that the indoor air quality component operates for only a predetermined temporary period of time, and
an automatic mode where the controller is configured to control the HVAC system in a way that the indoor air quality component:
(a) operates, according to the operational setting, for at least a first predetermined amount of time during a first time window, and
(b) operates, according to the operational setting, for at least a second predetermined amount of time during a second time window while the controller separately operates the temperature control component, wherein the at least one time period includes the first time window and the second time window, and wherein the predetermined amount of time has a shorter duration relative to the second time window.
9. The HVAC controller of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of modes further comprises:
an OFF air quality mode where the controller controls the temperature control component of the HVAC system in accordance with the temperature control algorithm, but does not separately control the HVAC system in a way that causes the indoor air quality component of the HVAC system to further increase the quality of the air in the building.
10. The HVAC controller of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of modes further comprises:
an ON air quality mode where the controller controls the temperature control component of the HVAC system in accordance with the temperature control algorithm, and separately controls the HVAC system in a way that the indoor air quality component of the HVAC system increases the quality of the air in the building continuously.
11. The HVAC controller of claim 8 , wherein the HVAC controller further comprises:
a wall mountable module that includes the user interface; and
an Equipment Interface Module (EIM), separate from the wall mountable module, the EIM configured to be in wireless communication with the wall mountable module.
12. The HVAC controller of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components include an air cleaner component.
13. The HVAC controller of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components include an air filter.
14. The HVAC controller of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of HVAC components include a ventilator component.
15. The HVAC controller of claim 8 , wherein the indoor air quality component includes a ventilator component.
16. The HVAC controller of claim 8 , wherein the first predetermined amount of time and the second predetermined amount of time are defined to include a same predetermined amount of time, and wherein the first time period is the same as the second time period.
17. The HVAC controller of claim 8 ,
wherein the first time window corresponds to a first hour and wherein the second time window corresponds to a consecutive hour, and
wherein the operational setting comprises a ventilation setting specifying intermittent ventilation during the first hour of the at least one time period and intermittent ventilation during the consecutive hour of the at least one time period.