HVAC Controller Settings Migration Using Optical Display Encoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building control systems, such as HVAC controllers, often lack efficient methods for transferring settings and data between non-connected controllers, leading to time-consuming and error-prone manual processes during upgrades or replacements.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a user interface on the HVAC controller to encode settings in a machine-readable form, allowing a remote device to capture and decode images of these settings, enabling their transfer to another controller via a network, facilitating seamless upgrades or data migration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual transfer methods are used for migrating settings between building controllers, then the process can be completed without additional hardware, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical copying technology where a camera captures an image of the display showing encoded settings data. This optical copy method allows rapid transfer of settings information without manual transcription, directly resolving the contradiction by enabling fast settings migration while eliminating manual effort and reducing errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical processes (writing down settings, typing them in) with automated optical and electronic systems. The display encodes settings visually, a camera optically captures the image, and software automatically decodes and transfers the data, substituting manual mechanical operations with automated systems to improve productivity and reduce time loss.
2Reliability
If manual data entry is used during controller replacement, then no additional devices are needed, but errors increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical copying mechanism captures the exact display output including encoded settings data, ensuring accurate replication of the source controller's configuration. This eliminates human transcription errors while maintaining operational simplicity through automated image capture and decoding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary optical display and camera system between the source and destination controllers. This intermediary encodes settings visually on the display, captures them optically with a camera, and automatically decodes them, serving as a reliable mediator that ensures accurate transfer while simplifying the overall operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If non-connected controllers are upgraded to connected controllers, then functionality and remote access improve, but settings migration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The optical copying method provides a universal solution that works regardless of whether the source or destination controller is connected or non-connected. By capturing the visual display output, the system bypasses connectivity differences and simplifies the migration process while enabling the destination controller to gain remote access capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal settings transfer mechanism that functions across different controller types and connectivity states. The optical display and camera-based copying system serves multiple purposes: it works for both connected and non-connected controllers, handles various settings formats, and provides a single standardized method for all migration scenarios, reducing overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A Heating, Ventilation, and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC) controller configured to control at least part of an HVAC system of a building. The HVAC controller may include a user interface and a controller. In response to a selection by a user at the user interface, the controller may assemble and present via the user interface an output that encodes settings in a machine readable form. The controller may display the encoded settings on the display with fixed segments of a fixed segment display. An application program code on a remote device may be utilized to capture the displayed fixed segments that encode the settings in an image. The captured image of fixed segments may be decoded at the remote device or may be sent to a remote computing device for processing and/or decoding.