Multi-state predictive temperature compensation for a thermostat

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control device comprises a network interface and a processor operably coupled to one another. The processor is configured to collect event data for a state transition within the HVAC control device, electronically calculate, based on first state conditions corresponding to the first state, a first compensation value, assign a first dynamic weighting modifier to the first compensation value, electronically calculate, based on second state conditions corresponding to the second state, a second compensation value, and assign a second dynamic weighting modifier to the second compensation value. Further, the processor is configured to electronically combine a weighted version of the first compensation value and a weighted version of the second compensation value into a sensed temperature value and trigger a demand cycle in an HVAC system to match the sensed temperature value in a space to a set point temperature.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 763,860, filed Feb. 26, 2025, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to thermostat control for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and more specifically to thermostat performing multi-state predictive temperature compensation.BACKGROUND

[0003] A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system may be utilized generally to regulate temperature within an enclosed space. Specifically, air is cooled via heat transfer with refrigerant flowing through the HVAC system and returned to the enclosed space as conditioned air. While some enclosed spaces may include multiple HVAC systems, temperatures may nevertheless vary across enclosed spaces depending on the physical dimensions and the architecture of the enclosed spaces. Further, temperatures may vary across enclosed spaces depending on a thermostat's ability to accurately set temperature set points within the enclosed spaces.SUMMARY

[0004] In one or more embodiments, a system and method described herein are configured to perform multi-state predictive temperature compensation operations. In particular, the system may be configured to account for changes in the internal temperature of a thermostat and compensate for any internal temperature changes when setting temperature set points in enclosed spaces. In some embodiments, thermostats generate heat as part of daily operations. At the moment of controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to change the temperature in a space (e.g., an enclosed space), a thermostat may be configured to compensate for any internal heat. Herein, the system is configured to accurately determine whether an actual temperature in a space matches a set point temperature without being affected by internal heat.

[0005] In some embodiments, the system provides technical solutions for technical problems. In this regard, the system is configured to accurately set a temperature in a space while the thermostat transitions between two or more states and while successfully accounting for internal heat generated by the thermostat. The states may comprise operations in which resource consumption at the thermostat is modified. The states may be any change in operations of the thermostat that produces a different amount of heat rise from a previous set of operations. For example, an “idle” state for the thermostat may be a period of time in which the thermostat is in low-power consumption as a temperature inside the space is allowed to fluctuate freely and / or within a range. In another example, an “active” state for the thermostat may be a period of time in which the thermostat is required to consume large amounts of its memory resources and processing resources to control an HVAC system to modify the temperature and / or humidity in a space.

[0006] In conventional systems, as the thermostat transitions between states, the temperature sampled from sensors in the space may not be representative of an actual temperature in the space due to improper accounting of internal heat in the thermostat. Incorrect sampling coupled with incorrect accounting of internal heat generated by the thermostat leads to incorrect temperature and / or humidity regulation in the space. The lack of reliable temperature and / or humidity regulation may cause irreparable losses to users, infrastructure, and / or operations in the space. For example, an inaccurate temperature control in a space comprising a datacenter may cause servers to overheat. Overheating servers may lead to various issues including data loss, system malfunctions, performance degradation, and potential damage to physical components of the server.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, contrary to conventional systems, the system disclosed herein is configured to use sensors deployed in one or multiple locations inside the thermostat to determine specific internal temperature generated by the thermostat. After temperature values are obtained from all the locations, the system is configured to evaluate the obtained temperatures differently for one or more states. In some embodiments, the system may be configured to determine sensed temperature values based on each of the states and assign weighting modifiers to each of the measured values based on multiple dynamic factors. The dynamic factors may include an expected time in which the thermostat is expected to transition from one state to another state, the specific states involved in the transition, and / or hardware used in the thermostat, among others.

[0008] In one or more embodiments, the system may comprise an apparatus, such as an HVAC control device. Further, the device may be a system, which comprises the apparatus. In addition, the device may be configured to perform operations as part of a process performed by the apparatus. As a non-limiting example, the apparatus may comprise a network interface configured to communicate with one or more devices, a memory, and a processor communicatively coupled to one another. The processor may be configured to collect event data for a state transition within the HVAC control device. The event data may comprise a timestamp indicating a start time of the state transition where an HVAC system is triggered to transition from a first state to a second state, a set point temperature value for the HVAC system, a first temperature value associated with a first internal temperature at a first location of the HVAC control device, and a second temperature associated with a second internal value associated with a second internal temperature at a second location of the HVAC control device.

[0009] Further, the processor may be configured to electronically calculate, based at least in part upon first state conditions corresponding to the first state, a first compensation value.

[0010] In some embodiments, the processor is configured to assign, based at least in part upon the first state, a current time, and the start time, a first dynamic weighting modifier to the first compensation value, and electronically calculate, based at least in part upon second state conditions corresponding to the second state, a second compensation value. The processor may be configured to assign, based at least in part upon the second state, the current time, and the start time, a second dynamic weighting modifier to the second compensation value, electronically combine a weighted version of the first compensation value and a weighted version of the second compensation value into a sensed temperature value, and trigger a demand cycle in which the HVAC system is configured to match the sensed temperature value in a space to the set point temperature.

[0011] Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may include some, all, or none of these advantages. These advantages and other features will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system in accordance with one or more embodiments;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an operational flow comprising multi-state predictive temperature compensation performed by the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more embodiments;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a thermostat in accordance with one or more embodiments;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a thermostat multi-state predictive temperature compensation method performed by the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more embodiments;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a device configured to control an HVAC system in accordance with one or more embodiments; and

[0018] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an HVAC system in accordance with one or more embodiments.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] As described above, this disclosure provides various systems and methods to perform multi-state predictive temperature compensation.Information System Overview

[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system 100 that is configured to perform multi-state predictive temperature compensation operations. In one embodiment, the HVAC control system 100 comprises a controller 102, an HVAC system 104, a thermostat 106, and devices 108 that are in signal communication with each other in a network 124.

[0021] The network 124 may be any suitable type of wireless and / or wired network including, but not limited to, all or a portion of the Internet, an Intranet, a private network, a public network, a peer-to-peer network, the public switched telephone network, a cellular network, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), and a satellite network. The network 124 may be configured to support any suitable type of communication protocol as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0022] The HVAC system 104 is generally configured to control the temperature of a space 122. Examples of a space 122 include, but are not limited to, a room, a home, an office, or a building. The HVAC system 104 may comprise a thermostat 106, compressors, blowers, evaporators, condensers, and / or any other suitable type of hardware for controlling the temperature of the space 122 as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. An example of an HVAC system 104 configuration and its components is described below in FIG. 6. The HVAC system 104 comprises one or more thermostats 106 located within the space 122. A thermostat 106 may be a single-stage thermostat, a multi-stage thermostat, or any suitable type of thermostat as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. The thermostat 106 is configured to allow a user to select a desired temperature or set point temperature for the space 122. An example of the thermostat 106 configuration and its components is described below in FIG. 4. The controller 102 may use information from the thermostat 106 such as the set point temperature for controlling a compressor and / or a blower. In one embodiment, the thermostat 106 and the controller 102 are integrated into a single device. In another embodiment, the thermostat 106 may be a device that is external from the controller 102. In this example, the thermostat 106 is in signal communication with the controller 102 using any suitable type of wired or wireless communications.

[0023] The controller 102 is further configured to perform multi-state predictive temperature compensation. In some embodiments, contrary to conventional systems, the controller 102 is configured to accurately compensate for internal heat rise in the thermostat 106, where a single compensation value is not sufficient to cover multiple states. For example, the controller 102 may be configured to evaluate multiple collected temperature values from inside the thermostat 106 in accordance with specific state conditions to obtain one or more compensation values. The controller 102 is configured to provide a sensed temperature value in a space using an overall compensation value. The overall compensation value is electronically calculated by dynamically weighting different compensation values at different rates. The controller 102 may use the sensed temperature to trigger operations in an HVAC system to adjust a temperature more precisely in the space.

[0024] The controller 102 may be configured to control the operation of the HVAC system 104 using artificial intelligence (AI). In one embodiment, the controller 102 is configured to collect event data 114 from within the thermostat 106 to generate an artificial intelligence model 112 for predicting an occupancy schedule and / or a set point temperature schedule for the space 122. Examples of devices 108 include, but are not limited to, computers, mobile devices (e.g., smart phones or tablets), user devices, Internet-of-things (IoT) devices, home automation devices, AI devices, motion sensors, proximity sensors, or any other suitable type of device. An event is an action that is taken by a user that provides information to the controller 102 about a user's behavior or preferences. The event data 114 may comprise a timestamp 116 indicating a time when an event occurred, an occupancy status 118 (e.g., a present status or an away status) for a user, a set point temperature 120, a source identifier that identifies a data source (e.g., a device identifier), a user identifier, a space identifier, or any other suitable type of information.Operational Flow

[0025] FIG. 2 shows an operational flow 200 in which the system 100 of FIG. 1 is configured to perform multi-state predictive temperature compensation, in accordance with one or more embodiments. The operational flow 200 may be performed by the thermostat 106. In FIG. 2, the operational flow 200 comprises at least two states (e.g., state 202 and state 204) communicatively coupled to a blender 206 configured to generate an output 210. The state 202 is shown configured to receive inputs 212-216 and at least one output 220. The state 202 may comprise operations 222-226. The state 204 is shown configured to receive inputs 212-216 and at least one output 230. The state 202 may comprise operations 242-246. In the blender 206, operations 228 and operations 248 may be performed using the output 220, the output 230, and the input 250. The blender 206 may be configured to generate the output 210.

[0026] In some embodiments, the state 202 and the state 204 may comprise less or more inputs than those shown in FIG. 2. Further, while FIG. 2 shows the state 202 and the state 204, the blender 206 may be configured to weight and balance one or more additional states than those shown in FIG. 2.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, the inputs 212-216 may be the same inputs 232-236. The input 212 and the input 232 may be a first temperature value TO. The input 214 and the input 234 may be a second temperature value T1. The input 216 and the input 236 may be a third temperature value T2. In some embodiments, the first temperature value TO may be representative of a temperature collected from a first location in the thermostat 106, the second temperature value T1 may be representative of a temperature collected from a second location in the thermostat 106, and the third temperature value T2 may be representative of a temperature collected from a third location in the thermostat 106.

[0028] The state 202 and the state 204 may be different from one another. The state 202 and the state 204 may be one or more states indicating operations at the thermostat 106, for which the internal heat generation in the thermostat have different characteristics. For example, the states may comprise a “low power” state representing a state where the thermostat 106 has a reduced power consumption (e.g., with a display turned off), and / or an “active” state representing a state where power consumption is higher than the “low power” state (e.g., showing information on the display and receiving interactions and / or commands from another device and / or a user). The set point temperature 120 may be the same for the space 122.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the state 202 may be configured to filter the inputs 212-216 in one or more operations 222. At operations 222, the inputs 212-216 are processed to remove noise from the collected signals. At operations 224, the state 202 may be configured to electronically assign multiple modifiers (e.g., a0-a2) to the filtered inputs 212-216. The multiple modifiers a0-a2 may be assigned based on a location of precedence of the temperature value. Herein, the state 202 may be configured to electronically add the constant temperature value (e.g., b0) to the modified versions of the inputs 212-216. The constant value b0 may be an intercept value configured to represent an event in which all filtered inputs 212-216 (e.g., T0, T1, and T2) are zero. The multiple modifiers a0-a2 and the constant temperature value b0 may be predefined using testing of the controller 102, the HVAC system 104, and / or the thermostat 106. The multiple modifiers a0-a2 and the constant temperature value b0 may be electronically calculated and / or determined based on one or more conditions associated with the state 202. The state 202 may be configured to generate an output 220 comprising a temperature compensation value Tsense0. The temperature compensation value Tsense0 may be obtained by combining the multiple modifiers a0-a2 and the constant temperature value b0. An embodiment of the combination shown in FIG. 2 may be to generate the temperature compensation value Tsense0 following the embodiment shown below.Tsense⁢0=a⁢0*T⁢0+a⁢1*T⁢1+a⁢2*T⁢2+b⁢0

[0030] In some embodiments, the temperature compensation value Tsense0 may be configured to receive additional temperature inputs and additional modifiers. To this end, the temperature compensation value Tsense0 may be obtained using the embodiment shown below.Tsense⁢0=a⁢0*T⁢0+a⁢1*T⁢1+…+an*Tn+b⁢0

[0031] In one or more embodiments, the state 204 may be configured to filter the inputs 232-236 in one or more operations 242. At operations 242, the inputs 232-236 are processed to remove noise from the collected signals. At operations 244, the state 204 may be configured to electronically assign multiple modifiers (e.g., a0-a2) to the filtered inputs 232-236. The multiple modifiers a0-a2 may be assigned based on a location of precedence of the temperature value. At operations 246, the state 204 may be configured to electronically add a constant temperature value (e.g., b1) to the modified versions of the inputs 232-236. The constant value b1 may be an intercept value configured to represent an event in which all filtered inputs 212-216 (e.g., T0, T1, and T2) are zero. The multiple modifiers a0-a2 and the constant temperature value b1 may be predefined using testing of the controller 102, the HVAC system 104, and / or the thermostat 106. The multiple modifiers c0-c2 and the constant temperature value b1 may be electronically calculated and / or determined based on one or more conditions associated with the state 204. The state 204 may be configured to generate an output 230 comprising a temperature compensation value Tsense1. The temperature compensation value Tsense1 may be obtained by combining the multiple modifiers a0-a2 and the constant temperature value b1. An embodiment of the combination shown in FIG. 2 may be to generate the temperature compensation value Tsense1 following the embodiment shown below.Tsense⁢1=a⁢0*T⁢0+a⁢1*T⁢1+a⁢2*T⁢2+b⁢1

[0032] In some embodiments, the temperature compensation value Tsense1 may be configured to receive additional temperature inputs and additional modifiers. To this end, the temperature compensation value Tsense1 may be obtained using the embodiment shown below.Tsense⁢1=a⁢0*T⁢0+a⁢1*T⁢1+…+an*Tn+b⁢1

[0033] In one or more embodiments, the blender 206 may be configured to receive Tsense0, Tsense1, and the input 250 and assign weighting modifiers to Tsense0 and Tsense1 based on one or more values of the input 250. At operations 248, the blender 206 may be configured to assign the weighting modifier W0 to the Tsense0 based on a current time, a timestamp for entering or leaving the state, and assign the weighting modifier W1 to the Tsense1 based on a current time, a timestamp for entering or leaving the state. The first state may be a previous state and the second state may be a current state, such that one state is a currently active state.

[0034] In some embodiments, the operational flow 200 may be configured to generate a sensed temperature value Tsense by combining Tsense0 and Tsense1. An embodiment of the combination shown in FIG. 2 may be to generate the sensed temperature Tsense following the embodiment shown below.Tsense=W⁢0*Tsense⁢0+W⁢1*Tsense⁢1

[0035] In some embodiments, the sensed temperature value Tsense may be configured to receive temperature compensation values and additional weighting modifiers. To this end, the sensed temperature value Tsense may be obtained using the embodiment shown below.Tsense=W⁢0*Tsense⁢0+W⁢1*Tsense⁢1+…+Wn*Tsensen

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the weighting modifiers W may be normalized weights for each prediction (e.g., temperature compensation value) for each state, and Tsense is the final compensated temperature (e.g., the sensed temperature). Further, as an example, the weighting modifiers W may be obtained following the embodiments shown below.Wcurrent-state=1-decay⁢ parameterWother-state=decay⁢ parameter

[0037] Herein, the decay parameter may be any time-based function that outputs a value starting at 1, dropping to 0 over time based on a difference between a current time and a time when a state change occurred. Further, the decay parameter may be obtained following the embodiments shown below.decay⁢ parameter=(1-α)tn⁢o⁢w-ts⁢t⁢a⁢t⁢e⁢c⁢h⁢a⁢n⁢g⁢e

[0038] The decay parameter may be described in any shape appropriate for a transition as determined for the application. In the example embodiment of the decay parameter, the value of alpha (α) is a decay coefficient, tnow is a current time, and tstatechange is time of change of state.

[0039] In some embodiments, the decay parameter may be equal to a mathematical function configured to provide a value between 0 and 1.

[0040] As described above, in the thermostat 106, internal heat-rise is often a problem. The purpose of a thermostat 106 may be to measure temperature and humidity, and control HVAC equipment to keep the temperature of an enclosed space at a user determined setpoint. In some embodiments, heat generated by electronics inside the thermostat 106 may force measured temperature values away from a true representation of ambient temperature where the thermostat 106 is placed. To account for this heat-rise, a temperature compensation algorithm may be employed.

[0041] In one or more embodiments, a temperature compensation algorithm may be based on measurements of temperature from multiple sensors at different locations in the thermostat 106, one as close to ambient as possible in a physical design of the thermostat 106, others measuring temperature throughout an enclosure of the thermostat 106, including close to a main source of the heat generated. Using these measurements, as well as an independent true measurement of temperature, a multiple-linear regression may yield a function for compensated values.

[0042] In some embodiments, multiple states may represent current activity of the thermostat 106 (e.g., “starting up,”“idle,”“low power mode,” and / or “displaying screen saver” among others). Further, the multiple states may represent different states requiring predictions based on different linear regressions due to changes in relative heat rise.

[0043] In one or more embodiments, when changing states, the operational flow 200 may comprise a gradual reduction of an accuracy of a prediction for the regression associated with a prior state, and a gradual improvement of the accuracy of the regression associated with a new state. The blender 206 may be configured to calculate a prediction for each state and blends weighted versions of the temperature compensation values using a time-based decay function to assign a weighting modifier to each prediction between 0 and 1. In some embodiments, when a prediction is associated with a current state, a weight may move from 0 to 1 over time, and when a prediction is not associated with the current state, the weight may move from 1 to 0 over time. When initialized, the weighting modifier associated with an initial state may be set to 1, with the weighting modifiers for any other states set to 0. In total, a sum of the weighting modifiers may be normalized to 1.

[0044] In one or more embodiments, the inputs 212-216 and the inputs 232-236 may be collected as part of event data 114 dynamically and / or periodically over time. Further, the output 210, the output 220, and / or the output 230 may be generated dynamically and / or periodically over time.Thermostat Hardware Configuration

[0045] FIG. 3 is an embodiment of a device (e.g., thermostat 106) configured to allow a user to input a desired temperature or temperature set point for a designated space 122 or zone such as the room. The thermostat 106 comprises multiple locations 302 (shown as a location 302a, a location 302b, and a location 302c) comprising one or more sensors 304 (shown as a sensor 304a, a sensor 304b, a sensor 304c, and a sensor 304d). In FIG. 3, the thermostat may comprise a chassis 310 (e.g., an enclosure) communicatively coupling a location 302a and a location 302b via a connection 312. Further, the thermostat 106 may comprise a communication bus 330 comprising a connection 332 to the sensors 304 and the controller 102 in the location 302a and the location 302b. The communication bus 330 may comprise a connection 334 to the sensors 304 in the location 302c. The thermostat 106 may be configured as shown or in any other suitable configuration.

[0046] The chassis 310 may be an enclosure configured to host electronics and / or multiple areas of the thermostat 106. In FIG. 3, the chassis 310 is shown comprising the location 302a comprising the sensor 304a and the controller 102 and the location 302b comprising the sensor 304b. The location 302c may be located outside the chassis 310 in the thermostat 106. Further, the location 302c may comprise the sensor 304c and the sensor 304d.

[0047] In some embodiments, the connection 312, the connection 332, and the connection 334 may be one or more connections made between hardware devices and / or elements between the locations 302. While shown in FIG. 3 to be collocated, the location 302a may be at a first distal end of the chassis 310 and the location 302b may be at a second distal end of the chassis 310. The communication bus 330 may be a routing system in which data and / or commands are exchanged between the multiple locations 302. The thermostat 106 may include less or more locations 302 and / or sensors 304 than those shown in FIG. 3.Example Process

[0048] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a multi-state predictive temperature compensation process 400 for an HVAC system 104, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the process 400. The process 400 may comprise more, fewer, or other operations than those shown in FIG. 4. For example, operations may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order. While at times discussed as the controller 102, the HVAC system 104, the thermostat 106, one or more devices 108, and / or components of any of thereof performing operations described in operations 402-436 in the process 400, any suitable system or components of the system 100 may perform one or more operations of the process 400. For example, one or more operations of the process 400 may be implemented, at least in part, in the form of instructions, stored on non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable media (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as memory 504 of FIG. 5) that when run by one or more processors (e.g., the processor 502 of FIG. 5) may cause the one or more processors to perform operations described in operations 402-436.

[0049] The process 400 starts at operation 402, where an HVAC control device is configured to monitor an HVAC system 104 for state transition triggers. At operation 410, the HVAC control device is configured to determine whether a trigger for determining a sensed temperature is detected. The trigger may be a transition trigger representing a transition in the HVAC system and / or the thermostat 106 from a first state to a second state. If the HVAC control device does not detect the transition trigger (e.g., NO), the process 400 proceeds to operation 412. At operation 412, the HVAC control device is configured to determine that a state transition is not triggered. The process 400 continues at operation 402. If the HVAC control device detects the transition trigger (e.g., YES), the process 400 proceeds to operation 422. At operation 422, the HVAC control device is configured to determine that a state transition is triggered. The process 400 continues at operations 424-436.

[0050] At operation 424, the HVAC control device is configured to collect event data 114 for a state transition within the thermostat 106. The event data 114 may comprise a timestamp 116 indicating a start time of the state transition where an HVAC system 104 is triggered to transition from a first state (e.g., state 202) to a second state (e.g., state 204), a set point temperature value for the HVAC system 104, a first temperature value associated with a first internal temperature at a first location of the HVAC control device, and a second temperature associated with a second internal value associated with a second internal temperature at a second location of the HVAC control device. In one or more embodiments, the event data 114 may be collected even if a transition is not detected from the first state to the second state. In this regard, the event data 114 may be used to determine a point in time from which the transition occurred. For example, the event data 114 may be collected after a transition occurred and not be triggered by the transition and / or a change in state. The event data 114 may be collected dynamically (as shown in FIG. 4), continuously (e.g., with shorter periodic interludes of microseconds or milliseconds), and / or periodically (e.g., with longer interludes of multiple milliseconds or seconds). At operation 426, the HVAC control device is configured to electronically calculate, based at least in part upon state conditions corresponding to the first state, a first compensation value.

[0051] At operation 428, the HVAC control device is configured to assign, based at least in part upon the first state, current time, and start time, a first dynamic weighting modifier W to the first compensation value. At operation 430, the HVAC control device is configured to electronically calculate, based at least in part upon state conditions corresponding to the second state, a second compensation value.

[0052] At operation 432, the HVAC control device is configured to assign, based at least in part upon the second state, current time, and start time, a second dynamic weighting modifier W to the second compensation value. At operation 434, the HVAC control device is configured to blend (e.g., electronically combine) a weighted version of the first compensation value and a weighted version of the second compensation value into a sensed temperature value.

[0053] The process 400 may end at operation 436, where the HVAC control device is configured to trigger a demand cycle in which the HVAC system 104 is configured to match the sensed temperature value in a space to the set point temperature.

[0054] In one or more embodiments, the HVAC control device may be configured to operate the HVAC system 104 to reach a set point using properly compensated sensed temperature.

[0055] In some embodiments, a first temperature sensor 304a may be configured to collect a first temperature at the first location 302a, which may be inside a chassis 310 comprising the controller 102. Further, a second temperature sensor 304b may be configured to collect a second temperature at the second location 302b, which may be outside the chassis 310 comprising the controller 102.

[0056] In some embodiments, a first dynamic weighting modifier W0 is greater than a second dynamic weighting modifier W1. In other embodiments, the first dynamic weighting modifier W0 is less than the second dynamic weighting modifier W1.Controller Hardware Configuration

[0057] FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a device (e.g., controller 102) configured to control an HVAC system 104. The controller 102 comprises a processor 502, a memory 504, and a network interface 506. The controller 102 may be configured as shown or in any other suitable configuration.

[0058] The processor 502 may comprises one or more processors operably coupled to the memory 504. The processor 502 may be any electronic circuitry including, but not limited to, state machines, one or more central processing unit (CPU) chips, logic units, cores (e.g., a multi-core processor), field-programmable gate array (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or digital signal processors (DSPs). The processor 502 may be a programmable logic device, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, or any suitable combination of the preceding. The processor 502 may be communicatively coupled to and in signal communication with the memory 504. The one or more processors may be configured to process data and may be implemented in hardware or software. For example, the processor 502 may be 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, 64-bit or of any other suitable architecture. The processor 502 may include an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) for performing arithmetic and logic operations, processor registers that supply operands to the ALU and store the results of ALU operations, and a control unit that fetches instructions from memory and executes them by directing the coordinated operations of the ALU, registers and other components.

[0059] The one or more processors may be configured to implement various instructions. For example, the one or more processors may be configured to execute instructions to implement an HVAC control engine 508. In this way, processor 502 may be a special purpose computer designed to implement the functions disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the HVAC control engine 508 may be implemented using logic units, FPGAs, ASICs, DSPs, or any other suitable hardware. The HVAC control engine 508 may be configured to operate as described in FIGS. 1-4. For example, the HVAC control engine 508 may be configured to perform the operations of process 400 as described in FIG. 4.

[0060] The memory 504 may comprise one or more disks, tape drives, or solid-state drives, and may be used as an over-flow data storage device, to store programs when such programs are selected for execution, and to store instructions and data that are read during program execution. The memory 504 may be volatile or non-volatile and may comprise read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM), dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), and static random-access memory (SRAM).

[0061] The memory 504 may be operable to store HVAC control instructions 510, event data 114, occupancy history logs 512, predicted occupancy schedules 110, historical set point temperature information 514, and / or any other data or instructions. The HVAC control instructions 510 may comprise any suitable set of instructions, logic, rules, or code operable to execute the HVAC control engine 508. The event data 114, occupancy history logs 512, predicted occupancy schedules 110, historical set point temperature information 514 may be configured similar to the event data 114, occupancy history logs 512, predicted occupancy schedules 110, historical set point temperature information 514 described in FIGS. 1-4.

[0062] The network interface 506 may be configured to enable wired and / or wireless communications. The network interface 506 may be configured to communicate data between the controller 102 and other devices (e.g., HVAC system 104, thermostat 106, and devices 108), systems, or domain. For example, the network interface 506 may comprise a WIFI interface, a LAN interface, a WAN interface, a modem, a switch, or a router. The processor 502 may be configured to send and receive data using the network interface 506. The network interface 506 may be configured to use any suitable type of communication protocol as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.HVAC System Configuration

[0063] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an HVAC system 104. The HVAC system 104 may condition air for delivery to an interior space of a building. In some embodiments, the HVAC system 104 is a rooftop unit (RTU) that is positioned on the roof of a building and the conditioned air is delivered to the interior of the building. In other embodiments, portions of the system may be located within the building and a portion outside the building. The HVAC system 104 may also include heating elements that are not shown here for convenience and clarity. The HVAC system 104 may be configured as shown in FIG. 6 or in any other suitable configuration. For example, the HVAC system 104 may include additional components or may omit one or more components shown in FIG. 6.

[0064] The HVAC system 104 may comprise a working-fluid conduit subsystem 602 for moving a working fluid, or refrigerant, through a cooling cycle. The working fluid may be any acceptable working fluid, or refrigerant, including, but not limited to, fluorocarbons (e.g., chlorofluorocarbons), ammonia, non-halogenated hydrocarbons (e.g., propane), hydrofluorocarbons (e.g., R-410A), or any other suitable type of refrigerant.

[0065] The HVAC system 104 comprises one or more condensing units 603. In one embodiment, the condensing unit 603 comprises a compressor 604, a condenser 606, and a fan 608. The compressor 604 is coupled to the working-fluid conduit subsystem 602 that compresses the working fluid. The condensing unit 603 may be configured with a single-stage or multi-stage compressor 604. A single-stage compressor 604 is configured to operate at a constant speed to increase the pressure of the working fluid to keep the working fluid moving along the working-fluid conduit subsystem 602. A multi-stage compressor 604 comprises multiple compressors configured to operate at a constant speed to increase the pressure of the working fluid to keep the working fluid moving along the working-fluid conduit subsystem 602. In this configuration, one or more compressors may be turned on or off to adjust the cooling capacity of the HVAC system 104. In some embodiments, a compressor 604 may be configured to operate at multiple speeds or as a variable speed compressor. For example, the compressor 604 may be configured to operate at multiple predetermined speeds.

[0066] In one embodiment, the condensing unit 603 (e.g., the compressor 604) is in signal communication with a controller 102 using a wired or wireless connection. The controller 102 is configured to provide commands or signals to control the operation of the compressor 604. For example, the controller 102 is configured to send signals to turn on or off one or more compressors 604 when the condensing unit 603 comprises a multi-stage compressor 604. In this configuration, the controller 102 may operate the multi-stage compressors 604 in a first mode where all the compressors 604 are on and a second mode where at least one of the compressors 604 is off. In some examples, the controller 102 may be configured to control the speed of the compressor 604.

[0067] The condenser 606 is configured to assist with moving the working fluid through the working-fluid conduit subsystem 602. The condenser 606 is located downstream of the compressor 604 for rejecting heat. The fan 608 is configured to move air 609 across the condenser 606. For example, the fan 608 may be configured to blow outside air through the heat exchanger to help cool the working fluid. The compressed, cooled working fluid flows downstream from the condenser 606 to an expansion device 610, or metering device.

[0068] The expansion device 610 is configured to remove pressure from the working fluid. The expansion device 610 is coupled to the working-fluid conduit subsystem 602 downstream of the condenser 606. The expansion device 610 is associated with a cooling unit 612 (e.g., an evaporator coil). The expansion device 610 is coupled to the working-fluid conduit subsystem 602 downstream of the condenser 606 for removing pressure from the working fluid. In this way, the working fluid is delivered to the cooling unit 612 and receives heat from airflow 614 to produce a treated airflow 616 that is delivered by a duct subsystem 618 to the desired space, for example a room in the building.

[0069] A portion of the HVAC system 104 is configured to move air across the cooling unit 612 and out of the duct subsystem 618. Return air 620, which may be air returning from the building, fresh air from outside, or some combination, is pulled into a return duct 622. A suction side of a variable-speed blower 624 pulls the return air 620. The variable-speed blower 624 discharges airflow 614 into a duct 626 from where the airflow 614 crosses the cooling unit 612 or heating elements (not shown) to produce the treated airflow 616.

[0070] Examples of a variable-speed blower 624 include, but are not limited to, belt-drive blowers controlled by inverters, direct-drive blowers with electronically commutated motors (ECM), or any other suitable types of blowers. Conventional variable-speed blower 624 are typically configured to operate at multiple predetermined fan speeds. In contrast, the controller 102 is configured to operate the variable-speed blower 624 to operate at a fan speed that linearly correlates with temperature. In this configuration, the fan speed of the variable-speed blower 624 may vary dynamically based on a corresponding temperature value instead of relying on using predetermined fan speeds. In other words, the variable-speed blower 624 may be configured to dynamically adjust its fan speed over a range of fan speeds rather than using a set of predetermined fan speeds. This feature also allows the controller 102 to gradually transition the speed of the variable-speed blower 624 between different operating speeds. This contrasts with conventional configurations where a variable-speed blower 624 is abruptly switched between different predetermined fan speeds. The variable-speed blower 624 is in signal communication with the controller 102 using any suitable type of wired or wireless connection 627. The controller 102 is configured to provide commands or signals to the variable-speed blower 624 to control the operation of the variable-speed blower 624. For example, the controller 102 is configured to send signals to the variable-speed blower 624 to control the fan speed of the variable-speed blower 624. In some embodiments, the controller 102 may be configured to send other commands or signals to the variable-speed blower 624 to control any other functionality of the variable-speed blower 624.

[0071] The HVAC system 104 comprises one or more sensors 640 in signal communication with the controller 102. The sensors 640 may comprise any suitable type of sensor for measuring air temperature. The sensors 640 may be positioned anywhere within a conditioned space (e.g., a room or building) and / or the HVAC system 104. For example, the HVAC system 104 may comprise a sensor 640 positioned and configured to measure an outdoor air temperature. As another example, the HVAC system 104 may comprise a sensor 640 positioned and configured to measure a supply or treated air temperature and / or a return air temperature. In other examples, the HVAC system 104 may comprise sensors 640 positioned and configured to measure any other suitable type of air temperature.

[0072] The HVAC system 104 comprises one or more thermostats 106, for example located within a conditioned space (e.g., a room or building). A thermostat 106 may be a single-stage thermostat, a multi-stage thermostat, or any suitable type of thermostat as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. The thermostat 106 is configured to allow a user to input a desired temperature or temperature set point for a designated space 122 or zone such as the room. The controller 102 may use information from the thermostat 106 such as the temperature set point for controlling the compressor 604 and the variable-speed blower 624. The thermostat 106 is in signal communication with the controller 102 using any suitable type of wired or wireless communications.SCOPE OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0073] While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods might be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is not to be limited to the details given herein. For example, the various elements or components may be combined or integrated in another system or certain features may be omitted, or not implemented.

[0074] In addition, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described and illustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Other items shown or discussed as coupled or directly coupled or communicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through some interface, device, or intermediate component whether electrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.

[0075] To aid the Patent Office, and any readers of any patent issued on this application in interpreting the claims appended hereto, applicants note that they do not intend any of the appended claims to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) as it exists on the date of filing hereof unless the words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim.

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control device, comprising:a network interface configured to communicate with one or more devices; anda processor operably coupled to the network interface, and configured to:collect event data for a state transition within the HVAC control device, wherein the event data comprises:a timestamp indicating a start time of the state transition where an HVAC system is triggered to transition from a first state to a second state;a set point temperature value for the HVAC system;a first temperature value associated with a first internal temperature at a first location of the HVAC control device; anda second temperature associated with a second internal value associated with a second internal temperature at a second location of the HVAC control device;electronically calculate, based at least in part upon a first plurality of state conditions corresponding to the first state, a first compensation value;assign, based at least in part upon the first state, a current time, and the start time, a first dynamic weighting modifier to the first compensation value;electronically calculate, based at least in part upon a second plurality of state conditions corresponding to the second state, a second compensation value;assign, based at least in part upon the second state, the current time, and the start time, a second dynamic weighting modifier to the second compensation value;electronically combine a weighted version of the first compensation value and a weighted version of the second compensation value into a sensed temperature value; andtrigger a demand cycle in which the HVAC system is configured to match the sensed temperature value in a space to the set point temperature.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:a first temperature sensor configured to collect the first temperature at the first location, the first location being inside a chassis comprising the processor; anda second temperature sensor configured to collect the second temperature at the second location, the second location being outside the chassis comprising the processor.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:a chassis comprising the network interface and the processor;a first temperature sensor configured to collect the first temperature at the first location, the first location being; anda second temperature sensor configured to collect the second temperature at the second location, the second location being on a second distal end of the chassis.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:the first dynamic weighting modifier is greater than the second dynamic weighting modifier.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein:the first dynamic weighting modifier is less than the second dynamic weighting modifier.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:the first state is a low power state of the HVAC system; andthe second state is an active state of the HVAC system.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein:the state transition is triggered after detecting a state change inside the HVAC control device.

8. A method, comprising:collecting event data for a state transition from within a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control device, wherein the event data comprises:a timestamp indicating a start time of the state transition where an HVAC system is triggered to transition from a first state to a second state;a set point temperature value for the HVAC system;a first temperature value associated with a first internal temperature at a first location in an HVAC control device; anda second temperature associated with a second internal value associated with a second internal temperature at a second location of the HVAC control device;electronically calculating, based at least in part upon a first plurality of state conditions corresponding to the first state, a first compensation value;assigning, based at least in part upon the first state, a current time, and the start time, a first dynamic weighting modifier to the first compensation value;electronically calculating, based at least in part upon a second plurality of state conditions corresponding to the second state, a second compensation value;assigning, based at least in part upon the second state, the current time, and the start time, a second dynamic weighting modifier to the second compensation value;electronically combining a weighted version of the first compensation value and a weighted version of the second compensation value into a sensed temperature value; andtriggering a demand cycle in which the HVAC system is configured to match the sensed temperature value in a space to the set point temperature.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:the first temperature is collected at the first location;the first location is inside a chassis comprising a processor;the second temperature is collected at the second location; andthe second location is outside the chassis comprising the processor.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:the first temperature is collected at the first location;the first location is on a first distal end of a chassis;the second temperature is collected at the second location; andthe second location is on a second distal end of the chassis.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:the first dynamic weighting modifier is greater than the second dynamic weighting modifier.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein:the first dynamic weighting modifier is less than the second dynamic weighting modifier.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:the first state is a low power state of the HVAC system; andthe second state is an active state of the HVAC system.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein:the state transition is triggered after detecting a state change inside the HVAC control device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:collect event data for a state transition from one or more devices, wherein the event data comprises:a timestamp indicating a start time of the state transition where a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is triggered to transition from a first state to a second state;a set point temperature value for the HVAC system;a first temperature value associated with a first internal temperature at a first location of a HVAC control device; anda second temperature associated with a second internal value associated with a second internal temperature at a second location of the HVAC control device;electronically calculate, based at least in part upon a first plurality of state conditions corresponding to the first state, a first compensation value;assign, based at least in part upon the first state, a current time, and the start time, a first dynamic weighting modifier to the first compensation value;electronically calculate, based at least in part upon a second plurality of state conditions corresponding to the second state, a second compensation value;assign, based at least in part upon the second state, the current time, and the start time, a second dynamic weighting modifier to the second compensation value;electronically combine a weighted version of the first compensation value and a weighted version of the second compensation value into a sensed temperature value; andtrigger a demand cycle in which the HVAC system is configured to match the sensed temperature value in a space to the set point temperature.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:the first temperature is collected at the first location;the first location is inside a chassis comprising the processor;the second temperature is collected at the second location; andthe second location is outside the chassis comprising the processor.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:the first temperature is collected at the first location;the first location is on a first distal end of a chassis;the second temperature is collected at the second location; andthe second location is on a second distal end of the chassis.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:the first dynamic weighting modifier is greater than the second dynamic weighting modifier.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:the first dynamic weighting modifier is less than the second dynamic weighting modifier.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:the first state is a low power state of the HVAC system; andthe second state is an active state of the HVAC system.

Images