Autonomous hvac system realtime performance monitoring, maintenance and carbon footprint monitoring cloud platform

Abstract

A control apparatus for controlling at least one heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a microvalve, at least one intelligent controller, a local intelligent gateway in communication with the intelligent controller, a cloud platform in communication with the local intelligent gateway, and a local device configured to communicate through the cloud platform to the intelligent controller. The intelligent controller is configured to control one or more HVAC components, measure air conditioning system parameters including compressor discharge and suction pressure and compressor temperature of a compressor within the HVAC system, and air out, evaporator out, and condenser out temperatures, and superheat and subcooling, and input the measured air conditioning system parameters to the cloud platform to autonomously monitor air conditioning system health and real-time refrigerant charge levels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control apparatus for controlling at least one heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
 a microvalve;   at least one intelligent controller;   a local intelligent gateway in communication with the intelligent controller;   a cloud platform in communication with the local intelligent gateway; and   a local device configured to communicate through the cloud platform to the intelligent controller;   the intelligent controller configured to:   control one or more HVAC components;   measure air conditioning system parameters including compressor discharge and suction pressure and compressor temperature of a compressor within the HVAC system, and air out, evaporator out, and condenser out temperatures, and superheat and subcooling; and   input the measured air conditioning system parameters to the cloud platform to autonomously monitor air conditioning system health and real-time refrigerant charge levels.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the monitored air conditioning system health includes at least one of superheat control, subcooling, and coil air flow. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the intelligent controller is further configured to use the measured air conditioning system parameters to schedule air conditioning system preventative maintenance and service calls. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the intelligent controller is further configured to use the measured air conditioning system parameters to monitor carbon footprint metrics for air conditioning systems. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the carbon footprint metrics for air conditioning systems include at least one of the air conditioning system performance, a load on a connected energy grid, contractor performance measured from dispatch to resolution, and building temperature drift from an established cooling envelope. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one intelligent controller is further configured to perform one or more of:
 (1) improving and monitoring the system health of the one or more HVAC/R components,   (2) communicating wirelessly to the local intelligent gateway,   (3) responding to a variety of policies sent from service providers and adapting operating software in the one or more HVAC components, and   (4) controlling the microvalve.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the intelligent controller is further configured to use the measured air conditioning system parameters to estimate energy usage based on system run-time. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the microvalve is configured as a silicon expansion valve. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the local device is a computer. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the intelligent controller is a superheat controller. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the intelligent controller is further configured to monitor carbon credit use for a defined period of time and notify the HVAC system user of the carbon credit use amount. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a building thermostat that controls the HVAC system data, the thermostat configured to stream the HVAC system data directly to a database in the cloud platform, and to aggregate HVAC system data from the thermostat and system performance data simultaneously. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cloud platform is configured to monitor and record maintenance data including a preventative maintenance log and a parts replaced log, and wherein the cloud platform is also configured to automatically dispatch a contractor in the database when the air conditioning system requires preventative maintenance. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the contractor's movement to a job site and a completed job report are directly loaded onto the cloud platform. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the cloud platform is configured to aggregate maintenance records, build a ledger, and establish a record of changes of parts under warranty and changes of parts that are outside of warranty. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the apparatus is configured to function as a heating and cooling carbon footprint monitor, thus indicating to a stakeholder when to replace an air conditioning system. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the cloud platform includes the carbon footprint monitor, and wherein the carbon footprint monitor aggregates monitoring data and maintenance data from the cloud platform. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the carbon footprint monitor within the cloud platform is configured to use the aggregated monitoring and maintenance data to present to stakeholders the cost of owning an older HVAC or air conditioning system, and an indicator of the proper time to purchase a new HVAC or air conditioning system. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the carbon footprint monitor within the cloud platform is configured to monitor data for multiple buildings in one or more cities, wherein the data from the multiple buildings is aggregated in a ranking database to create a carbon footprint score for each building in the cloud platform, wherein entities that receive the data from the multiple buildings assign a maximum cooling carbon footprint score per building. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein when the assigned maximum cooling carbon footprint score is exceeded, the cloud platform is configured to support real time carbon credit trading between users to meet a city's cooling carbon footprint standards. 
     
     
         21 . A method for controlling at least one heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising the steps of:
 providing a system comprised of
 a microvalve; 
 at least one intelligent controller; 
 a local intelligent gateway in communication with the intelligent controller; 
 a cloud platform in communication with the local intelligent gateway; and 
 a local device in communication with the cloud platform; and 
   entering an instruction for operation of the at least one HVAC system into the local device;   the intelligent controller configured to:
 control one or more HVAC components; 
 measure air conditioning system parameters including compressor discharge and suction pressure and compressor temperature of a compressor within the HVAC system, and air out, evaporator out, and condenser out temperatures, and superheat and subcooling; and 
 input the measured air conditioning system parameters to the cloud platform to autonomously monitor air conditioning system health and real-time refrigerant charge levels. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the monitored air conditioning system health includes at least one of superheat control, subcooling, and coil air flow; and
 wherein the intelligent controller is further configured to use the measured air conditioning system parameters to schedule air conditioning system preventative maintenance and service calls.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the intelligent controller is further configured to use the measured air conditioning system parameters to monitor carbon footprint metrics for air conditioning systems; and
 wherein the carbon footprint metrics for air conditioning systems include at least one of the air conditioning system performance, a load on a connected energy grid, contractor performance measured from dispatch to resolution, and building temperature drift from an established cooling envelope.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one intelligent controller is further configured to perform one or more of:
 (1) improving and monitoring the system health of the one or more HVAC/R components,   (2) communicating wirelessly to the local intelligent gateway,   (3) responding to a variety of policies sent from service providers and adapting operating software in the one or more HVAC components,   (4) controlling the microvalve, and   (5) use the measured air conditioning system parameters to estimate energy usage based on system run-time.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the microvalve is configured as a silicon expansion valve, wherein the local device is a computer, and wherein the intelligent controller is a superheat controller. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 , further including a building thermostat that controls the HVAC system data, the thermostat configured to stream the HVAC system data directly to a database in the cloud platform, and to aggregate HVAC system data from the thermostat and system performance data simultaneously, wherein the intelligent controller is further configured to monitor carbon credit use for a defined period of time and notify the HVAC system user of the carbon credit use amount, wherein the cloud platform is configured to monitor and record maintenance data including a preventative maintenance log and a parts replaced log, and wherein the cloud platform is also configured to automatically dispatch a contractor in the database when the air conditioning system requires preventative maintenance. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the contractor's movement to a job site and a completed job report are directly loaded onto the cloud platform, and wherein the cloud platform is configured to aggregate maintenance records, build a ledger, and establish a record of changes of parts under warranty and changes of parts that are outside of warranty. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the cloud platform includes a heating and cooling carbon footprint monitor, wherein the carbon footprint monitor aggregates monitoring data and maintenance data from the cloud platform, and indicates to a stakeholder when to replace an air conditioning system. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the carbon footprint monitor within the cloud platform is configured to use the aggregated monitoring and maintenance data to present to stakeholders the cost of owning an older HVAC or air conditioning system, and an indicator of the proper time to purchase a new HVAC or air conditioning system. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the carbon footprint monitor within the cloud platform is configured to monitor data for multiple buildings in one or more cities, wherein the data from the multiple buildings is aggregated in a ranking database to create a carbon footprint score for each building in the cloud platform, wherein entities that receive the data from the multiple buildings assign a maximum cooling carbon footprint score per building. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein when the assigned maximum cooling carbon footprint score is exceeded, the cloud platform is configured to support real time carbon credit trading between users to meet a city's cooling carbon footprint standards.