System for controlling target air temperature in a target time in a building
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HVAC systems face challenges in providing advanced control capabilities while maintaining interoperability with both communicating and non-communicating legacy equipment, which limits consumer choice and flexibility in system upgrades or retrofits.
Innovation Solution
A controller-based HVAC system that operates independently of a thermostat, using temperature sensors and a control plan based on target time to adjust HVAC equipment operation, allowing for integration with a wide range of thermostats and HVAC equipment, including both communicating and non-communicating devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If communicating thermostats and HVAC equipment are used to provide advanced control capabilities, then control flexibility and automation are improved, but system cost increases and interoperability with legacy equipment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a controller as an intermediary device that bridges communicating HVAC equipment and non-communicating legacy thermostats. The controller receives simple on/off signals from legacy thermostats and translates them into sophisticated control sequences for communicating HVAC equipment, enabling advanced automation while maintaining compatibility with legacy devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is designed to universally interface with both communicating and non-communicating equipment. It can accept various input signal types (on/off, modulating, communicating protocols) and output appropriate control signals to different HVAC equipment types, making the system adaptable to mixed legacy and modern equipment configurations.
2Extent of automation
If communicating systems are implemented to provide advanced features, then control capabilities are improved, but equipment compatibility and consumer choice are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves as a universal mediator that decouples the thermostat selection from HVAC equipment compatibility constraints. It accepts standard on/off signals from any legacy thermostat while providing sophisticated control to communicating HVAC equipment, thereby expanding consumer choice without sacrificing control capabilities.
3Extent of automation
If communicating equipment is used to enable automatic identification and control, then system intelligence is improved, but installation cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the intelligence and complexity of communicating control from the thermostat and concentrates it in the controller. The thermostat remains a simple on/off device, while the controller handles all sophisticated functions including equipment identification, control sequence generation, and optimization algorithms, thereby reducing thermostat complexity while maintaining system intelligence.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling the air temperature of a building using a control plan based on a target time. The system includes one or more temperature sensors, an indoor HVAC unit, an outdoor HVAC unit, and a controller. The controller is incorporated into one of the indoor HVAC unit or the outdoor HVAC unit. Further, the controller is communicatively coupled to the indoor HVAC unit, the outdoor HVAC unit, and the one or more temperature sensors. Furthermore, the controller is configured to selectively operate the indoor HVAC unit in accordance with a temperature control plan to reach a target air temperature at the one or more temperature sensors in a target time.