Integrate the Room Air-Conditioner Control into a Central HVAC Room Thermostat

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/566,935, filed on Mar. 19, 2024, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The teachings herein relate to controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system installed in a room of a home. More particularly the teachings herein relate to systems and methods for controlling both a central HVAC system of a home and at least one room HVAC system of the home using either a single thermostat or a mobile application.

It is common in homes with a central HVAC system to have one or more room air conditioners or heat pumps. A room air conditioner or heat pump allows for zone level cooling or cooling and heating, respectively, without having to add zone systems to the central HVAC system. Zone level cooling or cooling and heating improves the comfort of a home and is more energy efficient.

Installing a room air conditioner or heat pump for zone level cooling or cooling and heating is also often less costly and less time consuming than adding zone systems to a central HVAC system. This is because adding zone systems for a central HVAC system generally require the installation of electrically controlled duct dampers in the ductwork of the central HVAC system and separate (usually wired) thermostats for controlling each zone that are each connected to the HVAC system.

Room air conditioners or heat pumps can come in many different forms. There are single unit devices that are either installed in a window or have an attachment that connects to a window to have thermal contact with the outside air. There are also mini split devices. A mini-split air conditioner or heat pump has both indoor and outdoor units. Refrigerant is pumped back and forth between the indoor and outdoor unit, through a refrigerant line usually placed through a hole in a wall, to provide the cooling or both heating and cooling.

All room air conditioners or heat pumps have a control unit and thermostat separate from the central HVAC system. This control unit and thermostat is usually in the form of a wireless remote-control device. The most common form of wireless communication between the remote control of a room air conditioner or heat pump is infrared communication.

One of the biggest problems in using a room air conditioner or heat pump in conjunction with a central HVAC system is having to operate at least two different control units. They have same purpose of getting the correct heating and cooling throughout the home. Unfortunately, they do not talk to one another. As a result, they require extra effort on the part of the homeowner to coordinate the control of the two or more systems.

As a result, there is an unmet need for systems and methods that can integrate the control and thermostat functions of at least one room air conditioner or heat pump and a central HVAC system.

Before one or more embodiments of the present teachings are described in detail, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the present teachings are not limited in their application to the details of construction, the arrangements of components, and the arrangement of steps set forth in the following detailed description or illustrated in the drawings. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system, upon which embodiments of the present teachings may be implemented. Computer systemincludes a busor other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processorcoupled with busfor processing information. Computer systemalso includes a memory, which can be a random-access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to busfor storing instructions to be executed by processor. Memoryalso may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor. Computer systemfurther includes a read only memory (ROM)or other static storage device coupled to busfor storing static information and instructions for processor. A storage device, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, is provided and coupled to busfor storing information and instructions.

Computer systemmay be coupled via busto a display, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD), for displaying information to a computer user. An input device, including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to busfor communicating information and command selections to processor. Another type of user input device is cursor control, such as a mouse, a trackball or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to processorand for controlling cursor movement on display.

A computer systemcan perform the present teachings. Consistent with certain implementations of the present teachings, results are provided by computer systemin response to processorexecuting one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in memory. Such instructions may be read into memoryfrom another computer-readable medium, such as storage device. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in memorycauses processorto perform the process described herein.

Alternatively, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the present teachings. For example, the present teachings may also be implemented with programmable artificial intelligence (AI) chips with only the encoder neural network programmed—to allow for performance and decreased cost. Thus, implementations of the present teachings are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

The term “computer-readable medium” or “computer program product” as used herein refers to any media that participates in providing instructions to processorfor execution. The terms “computer-readable medium” and “computer program product” are used interchangeably throughout this written description. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as memory.

Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, digital video disc (DVD), a Blu-ray Disc, any other optical medium, a thumb drive, a memory card, a RAM, PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other tangible medium from which a computer can read.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processorfor execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on the magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to computer systemcan receive the data on the telephone line and use an infra-red transmitter to convert the data to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector coupled to buscan receive the data carried in the infra-red signal and place the data on bus. Buscarries the data to memory, from which processorretrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by memorymay optionally be stored on storage deviceeither before or after execution by processor.

In accordance with various embodiments, instructions configured to be executed by a processor to perform a method are stored on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium can be a device that stores digital information. The computer-readable medium is accessed by a processor suitable for executing instructions configured to be executed.

The following descriptions of various implementations of the present teachings have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the present teachings to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practicing of the present teachings. Additionally, the described implementation includes software but the present teachings may be implemented as a combination of hardware and software or in hardware alone. The present teachings may be implemented with both object-oriented and non-object-oriented programming systems.

As described above, it is common in homes with a central HVAC system to have one or more room air conditioners or heat pumps to improve comfort and energy efficiency. Installing a room air conditioner or heat pump for zone-level cooling or cooling and heating is often less costly and less time-consuming than adding zone systems to a central HVAC system. All room air conditioners or heat pumps have a control unit and thermostat separate from the central HVAC system.

One of the biggest problems in using a room air conditioner or heat pump in conjunction with a central HVAC system is having to operate at least two different control units. Unfortunately, they do not talk to one another. As a result, they require extra effort on the part of the homeowner to coordinate the control of the two or more systems.

As a result, there is an unmet need for systems and methods that can integrate the control and thermostat functions of at least one room air conditioner or heat pump and a central HVAC system.

In various embodiments, a thermostat of a central HVAC system includes a wireless transmitter that controls one or more room air conditioners or heat pumps. For example, the central HVAC thermostat includes an infrared signal transmitter just like the remote control of a room air conditioner or heat pump.

In various embodiments, the infrared signal transmitter is controlled wirelessly by the central HVAC thermostat. The wireless technology used to control the infrared signal transmitter can include, but is not limited to, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Zigbee in a local network or through a cloud system via an Internet connection.

In various embodiments, when the infrared signal transmitter and the central HVAC thermostat are connected to the Internet, a single user interface is provided by a mobile application running on a mobile device, such as a smartphone. As a result, the mobile application can be used to control both the room air conditioner or heat pump and the central HVAC system.

In various embodiments, the central HVAC thermostat can accept a room temperature offset setting. The setting is a measurement of the difference between the ambient temperature measured by the central HVAC thermostat and the ambient temperature measured by the room air conditioner or heat pump due to the different locations of their different temperature sensors. The central HVAC thermostat can then use this setting to adjust the temperature set point that is sent to the room air conditioner heat pump.

In various embodiments, the central HVAC thermostat determines if the command should be sent to the central HVAC system or the room air conditioner or heat pump automatically based on the installation configuration. For example, if the central HVAC system is configured for heating only while the room air conditioner or heat pump is designed for cooling only, then for cooling demand a cooling set point is sent only to the room air conditioner or heat pump via the infrared signal transmitter and for heating demand that heating setpoint is sent only to the central HVAC system.

In various embodiments, the central HVAC thermostat further includes an algorithm for optimizing both comfort and energy efficiency by operating both the room air conditioner pump and the central HVAC system at the same time.

is an exemplary diagramshowing a system for controlling both the central HVAC system of a home and at least one room HVAC system of the home, in accordance with various embodiments. In, the system includes central HVAC thermostat. Central HVAC thermostatcontrols central HVAC systemof home.

Central HVAC thermostatincludes control unitand remote-control devicefor controlling at least one room HVAC systemin roomof home. Control unitgenerates control data for at least one room HVAC system.

Control unitcan be any type of electrical circuitry capable of sending and receiving control signals or data and analyzing data. In various embodiments, control unitincludes one or more processors. The one or more processors can be, but are not limited to, controllers, computers, microprocessors, computer systems such as the computer system of, the controller of central HVAC thermostat, or any devices capable of sending and receiving control signals, or data and analyzing data.

Remote-control devicereceives the control data from control unit. Remote-control deviceconverts the control data to wireless control signals. Finally, remote-control devicesends the wireless control signals to at least one room HVAC systemusing first wireless communication technology.

Remote-control devicecan be any type of electrical circuitry capable of sending and receiving control signals or data and analyzing data. In various embodiments, remote-control deviceincludes one or more processors. The one or more processors can be, but are not limited to, controllers, computers, microprocessors, computer systems such as the computer system of, or any devices capable of sending and receiving control signals or data and analyzing data.

In various embodiments, at least one room HVAC systemincludes at least one air conditioner or at least one heat pump.

In various embodiments, the first wireless communication technology includes infrared technology.

In various embodiments, remote-control deviceis part of central HVAC thermostat.

In various embodiments, remote-control deviceis separate from the central HVAC thermostatas shown in.

In various embodiments, control unitfurther transmits the control data to remote-control deviceusing a second wireless communication technology.

In various embodiments, second wireless communication technologycomprises one of WiFi, Bluetooth, or Zigbee.

is an exemplary diagramshowing the system ofwith an alternative method of communicating between the control unit and the remote-control device, in accordance with various embodiments. In, remote-control devicefurther includes first wireless transceiverand control unitfurther includes second wireless transceiver. Second wireless communication technologythen includes first Internet channelthat includes WiFi communication between first wireless transceiverand Internetand second Internet channelthat includes Wi-Fi communication between second wireless transceiverand Internet.

In various embodiments, control unitsends the control data to Internetusing second Internet channel, and remote-control devicereceives the control data from Internetusing first Internet channel.

In various embodiments, control unitaccepts a room temperature offset setting. This setting takes into account deviation of the ambient temperature measured by central HVAC thermostatand room HVAC systemdue to the different locations of their temperature sensors and is used to adjust the temperature setpoint sent to at least one room HVAC system.

In various embodiments, control unitdetermines if a command should be sent to central HVAC systemor at least one room HVAC systemautomatically based on the installation configuration. For example, in a system configurated as a central heating system with a room air-conditioning for cooling, the cooling setpoint is sent to at least one room HVAC systemvia the infrared transmitter of remote-control devicewhile a heating demand is sent to central HVAC system.

In various embodiments, control unituses a smart algorithm for the optimization of comfort and energy efficiency by operating central HVAC systemand at least one room HVAC systemat the same time.

is an energy exemplary diagramshowing a system for controlling both the central HVAC system about home in at least one room HVAC system of the home using an Internet-connected device, in accordance with various embodiments. In, the system includes central HVAC thermostatand remote-control device.

Central HVAC thermostatcontrols central HVAC systemof home. Central HVAC thermostatreceives central HVAC control data from applicationrunning on Internet-connected deviceusing second wireless Internet channelestablished between central HVAC thermostatand Internet-connected device.

Remote-control devicecontrols at least one room HVAC systemin roomof home. Remote-control devicereceives room HVAC control data for at least one room HVAC systemfrom applicationusing first wireless Internet channelestablished between remote-control deviceand Internet-connected device, converts the room HVAC control data to wireless control signals, and sends the wireless control signals to at least one room HVAC systemusing first wireless communication technology.

In various embodiments, remote-control devicefurther includes first wireless transreceiverand central HVAC thermostatfurther includes a second wireless transceiver. First Internet channelincludes WiFi communication between first wireless transceiverand Internetand second Internet channelincludes Wi-Fi communication between second wireless transceiverand Internet.

In various embodiments, Internet-connected deviceincludes one of a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop computer, or a desktop computer.

In various embodiments, applicationincludes a user interface integrating the controls of both central HVAC systemand at least one HVAC system.

In various embodiments, the at least one room HVAC system includes at least one air conditioner or at least one heat pump.