Battery Thermostat Transceiver Timing for Longer Wireless Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-powered thermostats with wireless transceivers face short internal power supply life due to continuous enabling, which is not feasible for systems without a C wire connection or power stealing circuit, necessitating effective battery power management to prolong battery life.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a controller that sets a time schedule for enabling the wireless transceiver in battery-powered thermostats, adjusting the schedule based on battery power levels to conserve energy and extend battery life, with options for user programmability and remote device display of remaining power capacity and sync intervals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wireless transceiver is continuously enabled in a battery-powered thermostat, then communication with remote devices is maintained, but battery life becomes unacceptably short
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless transceiver is enabled periodically according to a time schedule rather than continuously. The controller alternates between enabling the transceiver for communication intervals and disabling it to conserve battery power, achieving periodic action that balances communication needs with battery life extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the transceiver operation state based on time schedule conditions. The controller changes the operational mode of the transceiver from enabled to disabled and vice versa based on whether the current time falls within scheduled intervals, making the system adaptive rather than static.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the wireless transceiver is disabled to conserve battery power, then battery life is extended, but communication with remote devices is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The transceiver operates in periodic intervals where it is enabled during scheduled communication windows and disabled during intervals. This periodic operation ensures that communication capabilities are maintained at regular intervals while extending battery life through controlled power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The time schedule ensures continuous periodic availability of communication functionality. By setting appropriate intervals, the system maintains ongoing communication capability while managing power consumption, ensuring the useful action of communication continues without interruption over the battery's operational life.
Data Source
AI summary
A thermostat includes a controller configured to control the thermostat, a power supply sensor connected to the controller for sensing a thermostat power source, a wireless transceiver connected to the controller for receiving control information from a remote device and for transmitting information to the remote device, and a battery level indicator for determining a remaining power capacity of the battery. The controller sets a time schedule for enabling the wireless transceiver when the power supply sensor detects that the thermostat power source is a battery. The time schedule is changed to increase a time period between when the wireless transceiver is enabled as the remaining power capacity of the battery decreases.