Single-Zone Duct Damper Control Using Smartphone and Room Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HVAC systems lack granular control over airflow and temperature in individual rooms or zones, relying on centralized thermostats and limited sensors, which restricts occupant control and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system with a controllable damper in a duct connected to a room, controlled by a controller and sensors, including temperature and motion sensors, and a portable computing device like a smartphone, allowing for independent control of airflow based on real-time measurements and user input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a centralized thermostat system is used to control HVAC, then system simplicity is maintained, but granular control over individual rooms is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the HVAC control system into segmented zones, with each zone having its own controllable damper and sensor. This allows individual room control while maintaining system manageability through modular architecture. Each zone operates semi-independently, enabling granular control without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of control by enabling smartphone-based interfaces alongside traditional thermostats. This adds a mobile/distributed control layer to the traditional centralized system, allowing occupants to control their zones remotely without complicating the core HVAC infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple zones with independent thermostats are implemented, then individual room control is enabled, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing thermostat infrastructure multi-functional by allowing it to serve both traditional centralized control and new zone-level control functions. The thermostat can operate in multiple modes (centralized, zone-level, smartphone-controlled), reducing the need for entirely separate control systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces smartphone devices as intermediary control interfaces between occupants and the HVAC system. This intermediary layer provides intuitive mobile control without requiring complex wiring or additional physical controls in each room, simplifying the user interface while maintaining zone-level adaptability.
3Measurement precision
If airflow to multiple rooms is controlled by a single sensor, then system simplicity is maintained, but responsiveness to individual room conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by placing sensors within individual zones to measure local temperature conditions specific to each room. This ensures that control decisions are based on accurate local measurements rather than averaged or distant readings, improving measurement precision for zone-specific control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sensor network into zone-specific sensors that report to their respective zone controllers. This segmentation allows each sensor to focus on its local zone's conditions, improving measurement accuracy without requiring a single complex sensor to monitor all zones simultaneously.
4Ease of operation
If traditional thermostats are used for control, then system simplicity is maintained, but occupant convenience and accessibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a mobile dimension to thermostat control by enabling smartphone interfaces. Occupants can control their zones from anywhere in the building using familiar mobile devices, dramatically improving convenience without adding physical controls to each room. This creates a parallel control channel that complements traditional thermostats.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables occupants to self-service their own zone control through smartphone interfaces and local sensors. Each occupant can independently monitor and adjust their zone's temperature without requiring central system intervention or complex manual controls, improving accessibility and convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling airflow into a single room includes a duct having a controllable damper, fluidly connected to the room, a controller connected to the damper, configured to open and close the damper, at least one sensor communicatively connected to the controller, positioned in the room and configured to measure a parameter in the room, at least one portable computing device communicatively connected to the sensor and the controller, and control logic stored as instructions on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the instructions configured to open and close the damper in response to a measurement received from the at least one sensor. A method for controlling a damper in a duct fluidly connected to a room is also described.