Air handling vent control

Abstract

Techniques for use with vent covers of furnace ductworks are described herein. A vent cover may include a fan to actively pull air from the ductwork and into a room at least in part in response to a number of open or closed vents in ductwork to which the vent cover is connected. Active air movement through the vent cover may lower air pressure and/or temperature within the ductwork and increase airflow through heat exchangers of the furnace, thereby compensating for zones created by closed vent covers. A system may monitor factors consistent with a furnace over-temperature event, such as furnace operation, closed vent covers, high air pressure or temperature in ductwork, etc. A fan of a vent cover may be turned on to actively draw air through a vent covered by the vent cover. The fan may turn off after conclusion of at least one of the monitored factors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a first vent cover, comprising a fan to increase air flow from a ductwork and through the first vent cover;   a second vent cover comprising a door to switch between states allowing and restricting flow of air; and   a controller in communication with the first vent cover and the second vent cover, the controller configured to turn on the fan in the first vent cover based at least in part on detecting that the door of the second vent cover is closed.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to turn off the fan of the first vent cover based at least in part on detecting opening of the door of the second vent cover. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fan of the first vent cover and the door of the second vent cover to maintain air pressure within the ductwork below a threshold pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fan of the first vent cover and the door of the second vent cover to maintain air temperature within the ductwork below a threshold temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fan of the first vent cover and the door of the second vent cover to maintain airflow through the ductwork above a threshold airflow. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the fan of the first vent cover or the door of the second vent cover, based at least in part on receipt of a signal indicative of an airflow rate measured at at least one of the first vent cover or the second vent cover. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first vent cover further comprises a door, and the second vent cover further comprises a fan. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein controller is configured to control at least one of:
 the fan of the first vent cover;   the door of the first vent cover;   the fan of the second vent cover; or   the door of the second vent cover;   whereby the controller maintains at least one of:
 air pressure within the ductwork below a threshold pressure; 
 air temperature within the ductwork below a threshold temperature; or 
 airflow through the ductwork above a threshold airflow. 
   
     
     
         9 . A vent cover, comprising:
 a fan;   a door; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the fan and the door, the controller configured to:
 detect at least one of an air pressure in a ductwork to which the vent cover is coupled, an air temperature of air in the ductwork, or an airflow rate of air in the ductwork; and 
 control operation of at least one of the fan or the door based at least in part on the detected at least one of the air pressure in the ductwork, the air temperature of air in the ductwork, or the airflow rate of air in the ductwork. 
   
     
     
         10 . The vent cover as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the vent cover is reconfigurable between three states, the three states comprising:
 a passive air exhaust state in which the door is open and the fan is off,   a active air exhaust state in which the door is open and the fan is on; and   a air blocked state in which the vent door is closed.   
     
     
         11 . The vent cover as recited in  claim 9 , additionally comprising a radio to receive radio frequency signals to control at least one of the fan or the door. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising the vent cover as recited in  claim 9 , the system additionally comprising an application operable on a computing device to provide a user interface to control operation of the vent cover and at least one other vent cover. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising the vent cover as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the vent cover comprises a first vent cover and the system additionally comprises a second vent cover, the second vent cover comprising:
 at least one of a fan or a door,   a controller communicatively coupled with the at least one of the fan or the door; and   a radio in communication with the radio of the first vent cover.   
     
     
         14 . A system comprising the vent cover as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising a computing device comprising one or more processors and memory, the memory storing an application operable on the computing device to provide a user interface to control operation of the first vent cover and the second vent cover. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 a first vent cover, comprising a fan to increase air flow from a ductwork and through the first vent cover;   a second vent cover comprising a door to switch between states allowing and restricting flow of air; and   a control system to turn on the fan in the first vent cover at least when the door of the second vent cover is closed.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control system turns the fan off responsive to opening of the door of the second vent cover. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control system balances vent covers with closed doors, vent covers with open doors and vent covers with operating fans to maintain air pressure within the ductwork below a threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control system balances vent covers with closed doors, vent covers with open doors and vent covers with operating fans to maintain air temperature within the ductwork below a threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control system balances vent covers with closed doors, vent covers with open doors and vent covers with operating fans to maintain airflow through the ductwork above a threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control system considers as input an airflow rate measured at least one of the first vent cover or the second vent cover.