Mobile communication device and method for managing operation of a plurality of actuators

Abstract

A Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Cooling (HVAC) system is provided. The system includes an actuator and a sensor system. The actuator includes an electric motor, a controller connected to the electric motor and a first close range radio communication interface. The sensor system includes one or more sensors, and a second close range radio communication interface. The second close range radio communication interface is connected to the one or more sensors and establishes a local wireless communication link to the actuator via the first close range radio communication interface, and transmits operational values measured by the one or more sensors via the local wireless communication link to the actuator. The controller is connected to the first close range radio communication interface and receives the operational values via the local wireless communication link and controls operation of the actuator's electric motor in accordance with the operational values.

1 . A Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Cooling (HVAC) system comprising an actuator and a sensor system, the actuator comprising an electric motor, a controller connected to the electric motor and a close range radio communication interface, and the sensor system comprising at least one sensor, wherein
 the sensor system further comprises a close range radio communication interface;   the close range radio communication interface of the sensor system is connected to the at least one sensor and configured to establish a local wireless communication link to the actuator via the close range radio communication interface of the actuator, and to transmit operational values measured by the at least one sensor via the local wireless communication link to the actuator; and   the controller of the actuator is connected to the close range radio communication interface of the actuator and configured to receive the operational values from the at least one sensor via the local wireless communication link and to control operation of the actuator's electric motor in accordance with the operational values received from the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller of the actuator is configured to control operation of the actuator's electric motor in accordance with the operational values, received from the at least one sensor, to move an actuated part for adjusting an opening size of an orifice to regulate flow of a fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises a controller connected to the at least one sensor and configured to generate actuator control signals in accordance with the operational values measured by the at least one sensor, and to transmit the control signals via the local wireless communication link to the actuator; and the actuator is configured to receive the actuator control signals via the local wireless communication link and to control operation of the electric motor in accordance with the received actuator control signals. 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller of the actuator is configured to control operation of the electric motor in accordance with the received actuator control signals to move an actuated part for adjusting an opening size of an orifice to regulate flow of a fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises at least one of: a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor for measuring a differential pressure of a fluid, a flow sensor for measuring a flow of a fluid, a carbon dioxide sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, and a smoke detection sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a data store accessible to the controller of the actuator and to the close range radio communication interface of the actuator for reading and/or writing data values. 
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is connected to a communication bus, and the actuator comprises a data store accessible to the controller of the actuator and to the communication bus for reading and/or writing data values. 
     
     
         8 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a communication bus interface configured for interconnection of the actuator via a communication bus to another actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the actuator comprises a processor configured to control read and/or write access to the data store. 
     
     
         10 . The HVAC system  claim 7 , wherein the actuator comprises a processor configured to control read and/or write access to the data store, and, upon having checked a user's access credentials, to pass on a user's access credentials to another actuator connected to the communication bus, such as to enable the user to access the other actuator connected to the communication bus, without having to reenter the user's access credentials. 
     
     
         11 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator and the sensor system are arranged in separate housings. 
     
     
         12 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the close range radio communication interface of the sensor system and the close range radio communication interface of the actuator comprise at least one of: a Near Field Communication (NFC) module and a Bluetooth communication module, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is arranged in a thermostat. 
     
     
         14 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is arranged as part of a display terminal. 
     
     
         15 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor system and the actuator are both  20  arranged on a particular site and in close range radio communication, the particular site being one of: a building, a floor in the building, a room in the building, and a plurality of rooms in the building. 
     
     
         16 . An antenna extension system for an actuator of a Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Cooling (HVAC) system, the antenna extension system comprising:
 a first radio communication module, configured for near field communication (NFC) with the actuator over a direct wireless communication link;   a second radio communication module, having a greater communication range than the first radio communication module; and   a gateway module comprising an electronic circuit configured to interconnect the first radio communication module and the second radio communication module, to receive data from the actuator over the direct wireless communication link via the first radio communication module and transmit the data received from the actuator via the second radio communication module to a mobile communication device, and to receive data from the mobile communication device via the second radio communication module and transmit the data received from the mobile communication device via the first radio communication module over the direct wireless communication link to the actuator.   
     
     
         17 . The antenna extension system of  claim 16 , wherein the second radio communication module comprises at least one of: a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) radio communication module and Bluetooth radio communication module.