Hvac systems with climate control devices for improved efficiency

Abstract

A climate control device for zonal preheating or precooling and controlling at a set temperature in an HVAC system includes at least one processor, configured by executing code stored on non-transitory processor readable media to perform steps including receiving, via a user making a selection in at least one user interface, information representing i) one or more zones in the HVAC system, ii) a respective temperature set point representing a temperature for each respective selected zone, and iii) a respective time set point representing a respective time associated with each selected zone. The processor determines a target time to transmit an HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, such that a future ambient temperature of the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system at the respective time set point will equal the temperature set point. An HVAC system is disclosed that can utilize a current control system modified to have features disclosed herein or an advanced control system as disclosed herein.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A climate control device for zonal preheating or precooling in a heating, ventilation, and cooling (“HVAC”) system, the climate control device comprising:
 at least one processor, configured by executing code stored on non-transitory processor readable media to perform steps including:
 receiving, via a user making a selection in at least one user interface, information representing i) one or more zones in the HVAC system, ii) a respective temperature set point representing a temperature for each respective one of the one or more zones, and iii) a respective time set point representing a respective time associated with each respective one of the one or more zones; 
 for each one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system:
 detecting, via a temperature sensor associated with the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, a current ambient temperature; 
 calculating a temperature difference between the current ambient temperature and the temperature set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 detecting, via a clock, a current time; 
 calculating a time difference between the current time and the time set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 determining, by processing at least the current time, the time difference, and the temperature difference, a target time to transmit a HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, such that a future ambient temperature of the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system at the respective time set point will equal the temperature set point; 
 
 
 where i) the target time is within a predetermined range of the current time and ii) the temperature difference is greater than 0, transmitting the HVAC system operations control signal to the HVAC system, wherein the HVAC system uses the HVAC system operations control signal to:
 always operate initially at a lowest operating stage or speed (ECO MODE) of a plurality of operating stages or speeds of the HVAC system and, thereafter in accordance with the current time, the time difference, and the temperature difference, to operate at an elevated stage or speed (QUICK MODE) or at a highest operating stage or speed (TURBO MODE); and 
 cause a temperature change in the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; and 
 where i) the target time is not within the predetermined range of the current time or ii) the temperature difference is not greater than 0, not transmitting the HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured by executing code stored on non-transitory processor readable media to perform steps including:
 determining that the temperature difference is not greater than 0 and the current time is later than the target time; and   end processing for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system.   
     
     
         3 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured by executing code stored on non-transitory processor readable media to perform steps including:
 determining, that the temperature difference is greater than 0 and the current time is earlier than the target time; and   repeating the steps of:
 detecting, via a temperature sensor associated with the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, a current ambient temperature; 
 calculating a temperature difference between the current ambient temperature and the temperature set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 detecting, via a clock, a current time; 
 calculating a time difference between the current time and the time set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 determining, by processing at least the current time, the time difference, and the temperature difference, a target time to transmit a HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, such that a future ambient temperature of the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system at the respective time set point will equal the temperature set point; 
 where i) the target time is within a predetermined range of the current time and ii) the temperature difference is greater than 0, transmitting the HVAC system operations control signal to the HVAC system, wherein the HVAC system uses the HVAC system operations control signal to cause a temperature change in the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; and 
 where i) the target time is not within the predetermined range of the current time or ii) the temperature difference is not greater than 0, not transmitting the HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system. 
   
     
     
         4 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a touchscreen user interface. 
     
     
         5 . The climate control device of  claim 4 , wherein the touchscreen user interface includes an option for selection of an operating mode. 
     
     
         6 . The climate control device of  claim 5 , wherein the user interface further includes an option for selection of a type of HVAC system. 
     
     
         7 . The climate control device of  claim 6 , wherein the user interface further includes at least one display region for a user to input the respective time set point and the respective temperature set point. 
     
     
         8 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein determining the target time utilizes tabular formulations or computer models. 
     
     
         9 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system is a multi-stage HVAC system, a variable speed HVAC system, or a heat pump HVAC system. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system operations control signal, when used by the HVAC system, causes the HVAC system to operate in a different respective one of the plurality of operating stages or speeds. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured by executing code stored on non-transitory processor readable media to perform steps including:
 sending a different HVAC systems control signal to cause the HVAC system to operate at a different one of the plurality of operating stages or speeds.   
     
     
         14 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is provided on at least one of a tablet and a smartphone. 
     
     
         15 . A method for zonal preheating or precooling in a heating, ventilation, and cooling (“HVAC”) system, the method comprising:
 receiving, by at least one processor configured by executing code stored on non-transitory processor readable media, via a user making a selection in at least one user interface, information representing i) one or more zones in the HVAC system, ii) a respective temperature set point representing a temperature for each respective one of the one or more zones, and iii) a respective time set point representing a respective time associated with each respective one of the one or more zones; 
 for each one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system:
 detecting, by the at least one processor via a temperature sensor associated with the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, a current ambient temperature; 
 calculating, by the at least one processor, a temperature difference between the current ambient temperature and the temperature set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 detecting, by the at least one processor via a clock, a current time; 
 calculating, by the at least one processor, a time difference between the current time and the time set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 determining, by the at least one processor processing at least the current time, the time difference, and the temperature difference, a target time to transmit a HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, such that a future ambient temperature of the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system at the respective time set point will equal the temperature set point; 
 where i) the target time is within a predetermined range of the current time and ii) the temperature difference is greater than 0, transmitting, by the at least one processor, the HVAC system operations control signal to the HVAC system, wherein the HVAC system uses the HVAC system operations control signal to:
 always operate initially at a lowest operating stage or speed (ECO MODE) of a plurality of operating stages or speeds of the HVAC system and, thereafter in accordance with the current time, the time difference, and the temperature difference, to operate at an elevated stage or speed (QUICK MODE) or at a highest operating stage or speed (TURBO MODE); and 
 cause a temperature change in the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; and 
 
 where i) the target time is not within the predetermined range of the current time or ii) the temperature difference is not greater than 0, not transmitting, by the at least one processor, the HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system. 
 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining, by the at least one processor, that the temperature difference is not greater than 0 and the current time is later than the target time; and   end processing, by the at least one processor, for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining, by the at least one processor, that the temperature difference is greater than 0 and the current time is earlier than the target time; and   repeating, by the at least one processor, the steps of:
 detecting, via a temperature sensor associated with the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, a current ambient temperature; 
 calculating a temperature difference between the current ambient temperature and the temperature set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 detecting, via a clock, a current time; 
 calculating a time difference between the current time and the time set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 determining, by processing at least the current time, the time difference, and the temperature difference, a target time to transmit a HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, such that a future ambient temperature of the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system at the respective time set point will equal the temperature set point; 
 where i) the target time is within a predetermined range of the current time and ii) the temperature difference is greater than 0, transmitting the HVAC system operations control signal to the HVAC system, wherein the HVAC system uses the HVAC system operations control signal to cause a temperature change in the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; and 
 where i) the target time is not within the predetermined range of the current time or ii) the temperature difference is not greater than 0, not transmitting the HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system. 
   
     
     
         18 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to calculate after a predetermined period of time, a rate of temperature change as a function of an initial ambient temperature, a current ambient temperature, and the predetermined period of time; and where the rate of temperature change is not within a predetermined threshold and the ambient temperature is not within a predetermined range of the respective temperature set point, the at least one processor determines a temperature difference between the current ambient temperature and the temperature set point for the respective one or more zones in the HVAC system and where the temperature difference exceeds a predetermined value, the at least one processor transmits to the HVAC system, an operating speed control signal that causes the HVAC system to operate at an operating speed higher than the lowest operating speed and in the event that the temperature difference does not exceed the predetermined value, the at least processor does not transmit to the HVAC system, the operating speed control signal that causes the HVAC system to operate at the higher operating speed. 
     
     
         26 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system is a multi-stage HVAC system, a variable speed HVAC system or a heat pump. 
     
     
         27 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A climate control device for zonal preheating or precooling in a heating, ventilation, and cooling (“HVAC”) system, the climate control device comprising:
 at least one processor, configured by executing code stored on non-transitory processor readable media to perform steps including:
 receiving, via a user making a selection in at least one user interface, information representing i) one or more zones in the HVAC system, ii) a respective temperature set point representing a temperature for each respective one of the one or more zones, and iii) a respective time set point representing a respective time associated with each respective one of the one or more zones; 
 for each one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system:
 detecting, via a temperature sensor associated with the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, a current ambient temperature; 
 calculating a temperature difference between the current ambient temperature and the temperature set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 detecting, via a clock, a current time; 
 calculating a time difference between the current time and the time set point for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system; 
 determining, by processing at least the current time, the time difference, and the temperature difference, a target time to transmit a HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system, such that a future ambient temperature of the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system at the respective time set point will equal the temperature set point; 
 where i) the target time is within a predetermined range of the current time and ii) the temperature difference is greater than 0, transmitting the HVAC system operations control signal to the HVAC system, wherein the HVAC system uses the HVAC system operations control signal to:
 always operate initially, during a first period of time, at a lowest operating stage or speed of the HVAC system; 
 cause a temperature change in the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system at a first rate in accordance with the lowest operating stage or speed of the HVAC system; 
 operate in accordance with the current time, the time difference, and the temperature difference, at an elevated stage or speed (QUICK MODE) or at a highest operating stage or speed (TURBO MODE), during a second period of time; 
 cause a temperature change in the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system at a second rate in accordance with the second operating stage or speed; and 
 
 
 where i) the target time is not within the predetermined range of the current time or ii) the temperature difference is not greater than 0, not transmitting the HVAC system operations control signal for the respective one of the one or more zones in the HVAC system. 
 
 
     
     
         31 . The climate control device of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system is an air conditioner. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the HVAC system is an air conditioner. 
     
     
         33 . The climate control device of  claim 30 , wherein the HVAC system is an air conditioner.