Remotely testing whether a climate control system controller is correctly installed
Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of apparatus and methods for remote testing of controllers such as thermostats, to detect incorrect climate control system configuration parameters. In an exemplary embodiment, a mobile device wirelessly connects with a remote thermostat and sends signal(s) to the thermostat instructing the thermostat to perform climate control function(s) in predefined sequence(s). The mobile device receives signal(s) from the thermostat indicating whether the thermostat is performing the climate control function(s) in accordance with the sent signal(s). Based on the signal(s) received from the thermostat, the mobile device determines whether the thermostat is configured with accurate climate control system configuration parameters.
1. An apparatus for remotely testing whether a climate control system controller is correctly installed, the apparatus comprising:
a mobile device wirelessly connected with a climate control system controller installed in a climate control system for a structure, the climate control system controller including a thermostat, the mobile device having a processor and memory configured to:
wirelessly activate the climate control system controller to perform, in one or more predefined sequences, one or more predefined climate control functions to change climate in the structure, wherein the processor is configured to, in connection with wirelessly activating the climate control system, send heating and/or cooling signals to the climate control system controller, each heating and/or cooling signal specific to a potential wiring connection of the climate control system controller;
receive wirelessly one or more signals indicative of temperature change in the structure in response to the sent heating and/or cooling signals, and indicating whether, and if so, how, climate in the structure is changed after wirelessly activating the climate control system controller; and
based on the one or more received signals, determine, at the mobile device, whether the climate control system controller as configured at installation is accurately configured with system configuration parameters relative to the climate control system, the system configuration parameters specifying a type of equipment controlled by the climate control system controller, wherein the at least one processor is configured to, in connection with determining, at the mobile device, whether the climate control system controller as configured at the installation is accurately configured:
based on the one or more received signals, determine an actual system configuration of the climate control system, wherein the processor is configured to, in connection with determining the actual system configuration of the climate control system, determine whether the received one or more signals are indicative of an expected response of the equipment controlled by the climate control system controller to the sent heating and/or cooling signals;
compare the determined system actual system configuration of the climate control system with a user-specified system configuration obtained from the climate control system controller as configured at the installation of the climate control system controller; and
when the determined actual system configuration of the climate control system does not match with the user-specified system configuration of the climate control system, determine that the climate control system controller is not accurately configured with the system configuration parameters relative to the climate control system.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is configured to, in response to the determination that the climate control system controller is not accurately configured with the system configuration parameters relative to the climate control system, do one or more of the following:
send revised system configuration parameters to the climate control system controller,
automatically configure the climate control system controller with revised system configuration parameters,
notify a user to change system configuration parameters configured on the climate control system controller, and
notify a user that the climate control system controller was automatically configured with revised system configuration parameters.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is configured to, in response to the determination that the climate control system controller is not accurately configured with the system configuration parameters relative to the climate control system, do one or more of the following:
send revised system configuration parameters to the climate control system controller,
notify a user to change system configuration parameters configured on the climate control system controller, and
notify a user that the climate control system controller was automatically configured with revised system configuration parameters.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is wirelessly connected with the climate control system controller via a direct short-range wireless connection and the climate control system controller comprises a thermostat.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is configured to determine, based on the one or more received signals, an outdoor equipment configuration of the climate control system and an indoor equipment configuration of the climate control system.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more predefined sequences are configured so as to provide for determining one or more of the following: an outdoor equipment configuration of the climate control system, and an indoor equipment configuration of the climate control system.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more predefined sequences are configured so as to provide for determining the presence or absence in the climate control system of one or more climate control system components.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is wirelessly connected with one or more cloud-based devices to transmit an information request or to receive a periodic software update.
9. A climate control system controller for installation in a climate control system for a structure, the controller being operable to:
when installed in a climate control system, receive one or more instructions from a mobile device activating the controller to call for operation of one or more components of the climate control system in one or more predefined sequences to change climate in the structure, the one or more instructions comprising heating and/or cooling signals, each heating and/or cooling signal specific to a potential wire connection of the climate control system controller;
upon receiving the one or more instructions, control the climate control system in accordance with one or more user-specified system configuration parameters stored in the controller, the user-specified system configuration parameters specifying a type of equipment controlled by the climate control system controller;
send to the mobile device one or more signals descriptive of the climate in the structure and indicative of temperature change in the structure in response to the received heating and/or cooling signals; and
after sending the one or more signals descriptive of the climate and indicative of temperature change in the structure, wirelessly receive, from the mobile device, one or more revised system configuration parameters for automatic reconfiguration of the climate control system controller, as configured at installation of the climate controller system controller, wherein the one or more revised system configuration parameters are based on the sent one or more signals.
10. The controller of claim 9 , operable to wirelessly send signals descriptive of ambient temperature to the mobile device.
11. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the revised system configuration parameters are based on the ambient temperature signals sent to the mobile device.
12. The controller of claim 9 , comprising a thermostat.
13. A computer-performed method for remotely testing whether a climate control system controller is correctly installed, the method comprising:
wirelessly connecting, by a mobile device, with a remote climate control system controller installed in a climate control system for a structure;
wirelessly sending, from the mobile device, one or more heating and/or cooling signals to activate the remote climate control system controller to perform one or more predefined climate control functions to change climate in the structure in one or more predefined sequences, each heating and/or cooling signal specific to a potential wiring connection of the climate control system controller;
wirelessly receiving, at the mobile device, one or more signals from the climate control system controller indicative of temperature change in the structure in response to the sent one or more heating and/or cooling signals and indicating whether the climate control system controller is activating and/or deactivating one or more components of the climate control system in accordance with the one or more sent heating and/or cooling signals; and
based on the one or more signals received from the climate control system controller, determining, by the mobile device remote from the climate control system controller whether the climate control system controller as configured at installation is configured with accurate system configuration parameters for the climate control system, the system configuration parameters specifying a type of equipment controlled by the climate control system controller, wherein the determining comprises:
determining an actual system configuration of the climate control system based on the one or more signals indicative of the temperature change received from the climate control system, wherein determining the actual system configuration of the climate control system includes determining whether the received one or more signals are indicative of an expected response of the equipment controlled by the climate control system controller to the sent one or more heating and/or cooling signals;
obtaining a user-specified system configuration of the climate control system from the climate control system controller as configured at the installation of the climate control system controller;
comparing the determined actual system configuration of the climate control system with the obtained user-specified system configuration of the climate control system; and
when the determined actual system configuration of the climate control system does not match with the obtained user-specified system configuration of the climate control system, determining that the climate control system controller is not accurately configured with the system configuration parameters.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, in response to the determination that the climate control system controller is not accurately configured with the system configuration parameters, sending one or more revised system configuration parameters to the climate control system controller.
15. The method of claim 13 , performed in response to user input of system configuration parameters to the climate control system controller.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the climate control system controller is a thermostat.
17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising one or more of the following:
determining a system type of the climate control system and sending a notification that the climate control system controller has been reconfigured with system configuration parameters revised in accordance with the climate control system type;
sending a notification that the climate control system controller needs to be reconfigured with revised system configuration parameters for the climate control system;
sending a notification that one or more user-input system configuration parameters are incorrect; and
sending a notification that one or more user-input system configuration parameters are correct.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining whether the climate control system controller is configured with accurate system configuration parameters is based on ambient temperature change, if any, in the structure.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein wirelessly sending comprises sending directly from the mobile device to the climate control system controller via a short-range wireless communication protocol.
20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining whether the climate control system controller is configured to call for operation of a specific stage of heating or cooling.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is wirelessly connected with the climate control system controller via a direct short-range wireless connection or the climate control system controller comprises a thermostat.
22. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is configured to determine, based on the one or more received signals, an outdoor equipment configuration of the climate control system or an indoor equipment configuration of the climate control system.