HVAC Room Unit Wireless Interface for Secure Mobile Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional HVAC room units have limited functionality due to size constraints, allowing only a few settings and displaying limited parameters, and lack secure access control, as anyone can operate or alter settings.
Innovation Solution
A room unit with a short-range wireless communication module for data exchange with mobile devices, enabling extensive parameter setting and data querying, secure access control through proximity-based communication, and flexible configuration, using a controller and sensors to relay data between the HVAC system and mobile devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the room unit is made small for installation convenience, then it can be easily installed in rooms, but it can only display limited parameters and allow limited settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the functionality of the compact room unit by adding a wireless communication dimension. The room unit communicates with mobile devices via wireless interface, enabling extensive parameter display and configuration capabilities without increasing the physical size of the room unit itself. This resolves the contradiction by moving the expanded interface to a different dimensional space (wireless communication space).
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device serves as an intermediary between the user and the room unit. It provides the expanded display and configuration capabilities that the compact room unit cannot provide directly, while the room unit remains small and easy to install. The intermediary handles the complex interactions, allowing the room unit to stay compact while gaining enhanced functionality.
2Ease of operation
If the room unit has an integrated display and input interface, then parameters can be displayed and settings can be made, but anyone passing by can access and alter the HVAC system operations
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary that enables secure access control. Instead of having direct physical access to buttons and displays on the room unit, users must use their authenticated mobile devices. The system can implement user rights management and authentication mechanisms on the mobile device side, ensuring that only authorized users can access and modify HVAC operations while maintaining ease of operation through wireless interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the input interface from the room unit itself and places it on the user's mobile device. This separation allows the room unit to maintain its compact form factor while removing the security vulnerability of having direct physical access controls. The interface functionality is taken out and relocated to a more secure platform (the user's authenticated mobile device).
Data Source
AI summary
A room unit for an HVAC system includes an electric connection device that electrically connects the room unit to the HVAC system. The room unit further includes a controller and a short-range wireless communication module, which enables wireless communication with a mobile device to exchange data between the mobile device and the HVAC system or vice versa. A method for exchanging data between the mobile device and the HVAC system via the room unit includes establishing a short-range wireless communication connection between the mobile device and the room unit, relaying data to and from the HVAC system via the electric connection device and relaying data to and from the mobile device via the short range wireless communication module.