IP Library Granted Patent US 11,326,796
Granted Patent B2
US 11,326,796 · App. 16/736,605 · Granted May 10, 2022

HVAC ventilation air flow powered smart vent

Inventors: Rongbin Lanny Lin (Draper, UT); Brandon Bunker (Highland, UT); Shiwei Liu (Lehi, UT)
Assignee: VIVINT, INC.
F24F11/30F24F11/62G05B19/042F24F11/58F24F11/63F24F2110/10F24F2110/20F24F2110/40F24F2110/50F24F2120/10F24F2130/30G05B2219/2614
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,326,796
App. No.
16/736,605
Granted
May 10, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques are described for generating power from airflow powered smart vents associated with security and automation systems. One method includes monitoring a rate of airflow through an air vent in a centralized heating and cooling system, generating, at a sensor at the air vent, power based at least in part on the rate of airflow through the air vent, storing the generated power in the sensor at the air vent, providing the stored power to one or more motors associated with the sensor at the air vent, and utilizing the stored power to perform communication between the sensor at the air vent and a control panel of the home automation system, wherein the control panel is located at a location different from a location of the sensor.

Claims (61)

1. A method for a home automation system, comprising:

monitoring a rate of airflow through an air vent in a centralized heating and cooling system;

storing, at one or more batteries associated with a first type of sensor, power generated using the airflow through the air vent;

comparing a portion of the stored power to a threshold;

determining that the portion of the stored power is greater than the threshold based at least in part on the comparison;

determining that a second type of sensor is within a threshold distance of the first type of sensor;

analyzing an occupancy pattern of a home for a duration;

adjusting the first type of sensor to a conservation state based at least in part on the occupancy pattern; and

performing one or more operations associated with the centralized heating and cooling system based at least in part on determining that the portion of the stored power is greater than the threshold and analyzing the occupancy pattern of the home, the one or more operations comprising sharing the portion of the stored power with the second type of sensor in response to the portion of the stored power being greater than the threshold and the second type of sensor being within the threshold distance, wherein sharing the portion of the stored power with the second type of sensor is based at least in part on the second type of sensor operating under an active state and the first type of sensor operating under the conservation state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the one or more operations comprises transmitting the portion of the stored power to the second type of sensor, powering one or more motors associated with the centralized heating and cooling system, adjusting a thermostat level, adjusting one or more parameters of the centralized heating and cooling system, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the one or more operations comprises:

providing the stored power to one or more motors associated with the first type of sensor at the air vent; and

utilizing the stored power to perform communications between the first type of sensor at the air vent and a control panel of the home automation system, wherein the control panel is located at a location different from a location of the first type of sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing a portion of the stored power to a threshold comprises:

monitoring a level associated with the stored power, wherein determining that the portion of the stored power is greater than the threshold is based at least in part on the monitoring.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

in response to the portion of the stored power being greater than the threshold, performing communications with a second type of sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first type of sensor at the air vent includes at least one of a motion sensor, a camera sensor, a shock sensor, a proximity sensor, an appliance sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a light beam sensor, a smoke sensor, a glass break sensor, and a carbon monoxide sensor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the occupancy pattern comprises:

using one or more sensors at the air vent to determine whether the home is occupied; and wherein performing the one or more operations comprises:

adjusting the one or more sensors at the air vent to a conservation level in response to determining that the home has no occupancy.

8. The method of claim 7 , comprising:

generating a schedule reflecting occupancy of the home based at least in part on analyzing the occupancy pattern; and

adjusting the one or more sensors at the air vent to a conservation level based at least in part on the schedule.

9. An apparatus for security and/or automation systems, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to perform the steps of;

monitoring a rate of airflow through an air vent in a centralized heating and cooling system;

storing, at one or more batteries associated with a first type of sensor, power generated using the airflow through the air vent;

comparing a portion of the stored power to a threshold;

determining that the portion of the stored power is greater than the threshold based at least in part on the comparison;

determining that a second type of sensor is within a threshold distance of the first type of sensor;

analyzing an occupancy pattern of a home for a duration;

adjusting the first type of sensor to a conservation state based at least in part on the occupancy pattern; and

performing one or more operations associated with the centralized heating and cooling system based at least in part on determining that the portion of the stored power is greater than the threshold and analyzing the occupancy pattern of the home, the one or more operations comprising sharing the portion of the stored power with the second type of sensor in response to the portion of the stored power being greater than the threshold and the second type of sensor being within the threshold distance, wherein sharing the portion of the stored power with the second type of sensor is based at least in part on the second type of sensor operating under an active state and the first type of sensor operating under the conservation state.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein performing the one or more operations comprises transmitting the portion of the stored power to the second type of sensor, powering one or more motors associated with the centralized heating and cooling system, adjusting a thermostat level, adjusting one or more parameters of the centralized heating and cooling system, or any combination thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , the instructions being executable by the processor to perform the steps of:

providing the stored power to one or more motors associated with the first type of sensor at the air vent; and

utilizing the stored power to perform communication between the first type of sensor at the air vent and a control panel of the home automation system, wherein the control panel is located at a location different from a location of the first type of sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , the instructions being executable by the processor to perform the steps of:

monitoring a level associated with the power stored in the first type of sensor, wherein determining that the portion of the stored power is greater than the threshold is based at least in part on the monitoring.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , the instructions being executable by the processor to perform the steps of:

in response to the portion of the stored power being greater than the threshold, performing communications with a second type of sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first type of sensor at the air vent includes at least one of a motion sensor, a camera sensor, a shock sensor, a proximity sensor, an appliance sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a light beam sensor, a smoke sensor, a glass break sensor, and a carbon monoxide sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , the instructions being executable by the processor to perform the steps of:

using one or more sensors at the air vent to determine whether a home is occupied; and

adjusting the one or more sensors at the air vent to a conservation level in response to determining that the home has no occupancy.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , the instructions being executable by the processor to perform the steps of:

generating a schedule reflecting occupancy of the home; and

adjusting the one or more sensors at the air vent to a conservation level based at least in part on the schedule.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, the code executable by a processor to perform the steps of:

monitoring a rate of airflow through an air vent in a centralized heating and cooling system;

storing, at one or more batteries associated with a first type of sensor, power generated using the airflow through the air vent;

comparing a portion of the stored power to a threshold;

determining that the portion of the stored power is greater than the threshold based at least in part on the comparison;

determining that a second type of sensor is within a threshold distance of the first type of sensor;

analyzing an occupancy pattern of a home for a duration;

adjusting the first type of sensor to a conservation state based at least in part on the occupancy pattern; and

performing one or more operations associated with the centralized heating and cooling system based at least in part on determining that the portion of the stored power is greater than the threshold and analyzing the occupancy pattern of the home, the one or more operations comprising sharing the portion of the stored power with the second type of sensor in response to the portion of the stored power being greater than the threshold and the second type of sensor being within the threshold distance, wherein sharing the portion of the stored power with the second type of sensor is based at least in part on the second type of sensor operating under an active state and the first type of sensor operating under the conservation state.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein performing the one or more operations comprises transmitting the portion of the stored power to a second type of sensor, powering one or more motors associated with the centralized heating and cooling system, adjusting a thermostat level, adjusting one or more parameters of the centralized heating and cooling system, or any combination thereof.

Assignments (6)
AFTER-ACQUIRED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 27, 2025
From: VIVINT LLC; SMART HOME PROS, INC.; VIVINT AMIGO, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS PRIORITY COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 070349/0816 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 067456, FRAME 0729 Recorded Nov 11, 2024
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 069334/0165 →
RELEASE (REEL 057434 / FRAME 0591) Recorded Nov 1, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: VIVINT LLC (F/K/A VIVINT, INC.)
Reel/Frame 069289/0529 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2024
From: LIN, RONGBIN LANNY; BUNKER, BRANDON; LIU, SHIWEI
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 068940/0701 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2024
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067456/0729 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT NO. 2 Recorded Jul 12, 2021
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 057434/0591 →