Granted Patent B2

US 12,345,431 · App. 18/209,270 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Inventors: John Bloemer (Sun Prarie, WI); Wade Ferkey (Oregon, WI); Prabahara Sundar Baladhandapani (Middleton, WI)

Assignee: Research Products Corporation

F24F11/52F24F3/044F24F11/58F24F11/59F24F11/88

Abstract

Claims (54)

1. A system comprising:

a control module configured to control a controlled device that controls an environmental condition;

a primary user interface in communication with the control module and associated with a first zone, the primary user interface configured to:

receive an input from a user regarding control of the first zone; and

transmit a signal to the control module to control the controlled device; and

a secondary user interface associated with a second zone, the secondary user interface configured to:

receive an input from the user regarding control of the second zone;

wherein the secondary user interface is in communication with the primary user interface such that the primary user interface transmits a first signal to the control module for controlling the controlled device and a second signal to the control module for controlling another controlled device associated with the second zone, the second signal being based on a predicted condition within the second zone, and wherein the control module comprises a zone control panel separate from the primary user interface and the secondary user interface;

wherein the predicted condition within the second zone is based on a comparison by the primary user interface of the environmental condition in the first zone to an environmental setpoint corresponding to the first zone.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary user interface is configured to receive information from a sensor configured to sense the environmental condition in the first zone;

wherein the secondary user interface is configured to receive information from a sensor configured to sense the environmental condition in the second zone;

wherein the environmental condition in the second zone is communicated to the primary user interface;

wherein the primary user interface is configured to make a first determination of whether the environmental condition in the first zone is at or near a first setpoint and to make a second determination of whether the environmental condition in the second zone is at or near a second setpoint; and

wherein the primary user interface transmits the first determination and the second determination to the control module.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein, when the primary user interface determines that the environmental condition in the first zone is not at or near the first setpoint, the control module controls the controlled device to activate, and wherein, when the primary user interface determines that the environmental condition in the second zone is not at or near the second setpoint, the control module controls the second controlled device to activate.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein, when the primary user interface determines that the environmental condition in the first zone satisfies the first setpoint, the control module controls the controlled device to deactivate, and wherein, when the primary user interface determines that the environmental condition in the second zone satisfies the second setpoint, the control module controls the second controlled device to deactivate.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary user interface is configured to communicate with an external server.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the primary user interface comprises a wi-fi module, wherein the wi-fi module is configured to communicate with the external server, and the external server is configured to communicate with a mobile application.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary user interface is connected to an open application programming interface (API).

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary user interface transmits the signals to the control module based on a priority associated with a signal type.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary user interface transmits the signals to the control module based on a priority associated with a zone.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises:

a central portion;

a first set of connection terminals disposed to a first side of the central portion;

a second set of connection terminals disposed to a second side of the central portion; and

an information display.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the secondary user interface comprises:

a display, configured to display information to the user; and

an input disposed adjacent to the display.

12. A system comprising:

a control module configured to control a controlled device that controls an environmental condition;

a first user interface in communication with the control module and associated with a first zone, the first user interface configured to:

receive an input from a user regarding control of the first zone;

transmit a first signal to the control module to control the controlled device; and

transmit a second signal to the control module to control a second controlled device associated with a second zone, the second signal being based on a predicted temperature within the second zone, and wherein the control module comprises a zone control panel separate from the first user interface;

wherein the predicted temperature within the second zone is based on a comparison by the first user interface of a sensed temperature within the first zone to a temperature setpoint corresponding to the first zone;

a second user interface, wherein the second user interface is associated with the second zone, and wherein the second user interface is configured to receive an input from the user regarding control of the second zone;

wherein the zone control panel is separate from the second user interface.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first user interface is configured to receive information from a sensor configured to sense the environmental condition;

wherein the first user interface is configured to make a determination of whether the environmental condition is at or near a setpoint; and

wherein the first user interface transmits the determination to the control module.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein, when the first user interface determines that the environmental condition is not at or near the setpoint, the control module controls at least one of the controlled device or the second controlled device to activate.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein, when the first user interface determines that the environmental condition satisfies the setpoint, the control module controls at least one of the controlled device or the second controlled device to deactivate.

16. A method comprising:

controlling, by a computing device, a controlled device that is configured to control an environmental condition;

receiving, by a first user interface, a first input from a user, wherein the input is associated with environmental control of a first zone;

transmitting, by the first user interface, a first signal to the computing device, wherein the signal is associated with the controlled device; and

receiving, by a second user interface, a second input from the user, wherein the input is associated with environmental control of a second zone;

wherein the second user interface is in communication with the first user interface such that the first user interface transmits a second signal to the computing device for controlling a second controlled device responsive to predicting a condition in the second zone, and wherein the computing device comprises a zone control panel separate from the first user interface and the second user interface;

wherein predicting the condition in the second zone is based on comparing, by the first user interface, the environmental condition in the first zone to an environmental setpoint corresponding to the first zone.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving, by the first user interface, information about the environmental condition from a sensor;

making a determination of whether the environmental condition is at or near a setpoint; and

transmitting, by the first user interface, the determination to the computing device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the setpoint is based on input from the user.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (176)