HVAC control system and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional HVAC systems lack granular control, leading to inefficient energy usage and increased carbon footprint due to their inability to divide buildings into multiple zones, resulting in unnecessary heating or cooling of unoccupied areas.
Innovation Solution
A smart HVAC system utilizing external and internal sensors, Smart Metering Units, and a cloud-based AI management platform to create virtual HVAC zones, allowing for granular control and optimization of heating and cooling through wireless communication and self-healing networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional HVAC systems heat or cool entire floors without zone division, then system simplicity is maintained, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides each floor into multiple virtual HVAC zones based on occupancy detection. Each zone can be independently controlled for heating and cooling, allowing unoccupied areas to be bypassed while maintaining comfort in occupied areas. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling energy savings through zone-specific control without requiring physical infrastructure changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual zoning dimension overlaying the physical building structure. By creating software-defined zones rather than physical divisions, the system achieves granular control across multiple spatial dimensions (floors, wings, rooms) without adding physical complexity. This dimensional approach allows independent temperature control in different areas simultaneously.
2Device complexity
If conventional HVAC systems use few large zones, then system complexity is reduced, but occupant comfort and control precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the building into numerous small virtual zones (e.g., per floor or per wing) that can be individually controlled. This segmentation enables precise temperature control in each zone based on local occupancy and environmental conditions, resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by allowing each virtual zone to have its own temperature setpoint and control parameters tailored to local conditions. Occupied zones receive heating/cooling according to occupancy patterns, while unoccupied zones maintain different settings, achieving location-specific optimization without complex centralized control.
3Extent of automation
If conventional HVAC systems operate without occupancy detection, then system operation is simplified, but unnecessary heating/cooling of empty areas occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback loops using sensors (motion detectors, occupancy sensors, temperature sensors) that continuously monitor zone conditions and automatically adjust HVAC operation. When occupancy is detected, the system activates heating/cooling for that zone; when unoccupied, it reduces or stops service. This automated feedback-based control eliminates energy waste without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The HVAC system performs self-service by automatically detecting occupancy and adjusting its operation accordingly. The system monitors its own performance through sensors and makes autonomous decisions about which zones to serve, eliminating the need for manual control while preventing energy waste in unoccupied areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A Heating, Ventilation, And Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system comprising: a plurality of external sensors; a plurality of internal sensors; a plurality of valve control boxes; a Smart Metering Unit (SMU) connected to the external sensors, the internal sensors, and the valve control boxes, configured to: receive the sensed data form the external sensors, and the internal sensors; transmit, wirelessly, the received sensed data to a cloud server through a Lobby Control Unit (LCU) over a communication network; receive rules generated by a management platform of the cloud server, wherein the rules are generated by the management platform by using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm; and transmit the received rules to the plurality of valve control boxes to control the operation of the actuator valves installed at the radiators to turn on and/or turn off a heating and/or a cooling of one or more virtual HVAC zones of the building.