# US 10,119,713 B2 · Distributed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system with concurrent network connections and multi-zone control

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- Number: US 10,119,713 B2
- Document ID: US10119713B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/711,981
- Filed: 2015-05-14
- Published: 2016-07-21
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-19
- Assignees: Lennox Industries Inc.
- Applicants: Lennox Industries Inc.
- Inventors: Daniel A. Castillo; Jayprakash Charavda; Nguyen T. Ho; Sunil K. Khiani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119713B2

## CPC

- F24F 11/58: using Internet communication
- F24F 11/38: Failure diagnosis
- F24F 11/523: for displaying temperature data
- F24F 11/62: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
- F24F 11/64: using pre-stored data
- G05B 15/02: electric
- G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence)
- G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
- H04L 12/2823: {Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network (device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00)}
- H04L 12/2825: {Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002)}
- H04L 12/283: {Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network}
- H04L 12/2836: {Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network (controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24)}
- H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46)
- H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
- H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
- F24F 11/52: Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
- F24F 11/56: Remote control
- F24F 11/63: Electronic processing
- F24F 2110/10: Temperature
- F24F 2140/00: Control inputs relating to system states
- G05B 2219/21157: Broken, open line, cable, circuit, faulty connection
- G05B 2219/25168: Domotique, access through internet protocols
- H04L 1/0004: {applied to control information}
- H04L 2012/2841: {Wireless}
- H04L 2012/285: {Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators}
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

In one embodiment, a system for managing control units in HVAC network includes a first control unit communicatively coupled to a first plurality of HVAC units and a first interactive display, and the first control unit controls HVAC services for a first zone. A second control unit communicatively coupled to a second plurality of HVAC units and a second interactive display, and the second control unit controls HVAC services for a second zone. The first control unit may detect and connect to the second control unit using a Wi-Fi direct protocol to create an HVAC control network. The first control unit may also determine that the second control unit controls HVAC services for the second zone in response to connecting to the second control unit. The first control unit may also update the first interactive display to show the first and second zones and receive a command from the first interactive display over the HVAC control network to adjust a temperature of the second zone.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for managing control units in a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) network, comprising:
a first control unit communicatively coupled to a first plurality of HVAC units and a first interactive display, wherein the first control unit controls HVAC services for a first zone;
a second control unit communicatively coupled to a second plurality of HVAC units and a second interactive display, wherein the second control unit controls HVAC services for a second zone;
wherein, the first control unit is configured to:
connect to the second control unit using a Wi-Fi direct protocol to create an HVAC control network;
connect to the second control unit using a Wi-Fi network generated by a wireless access point;
receive an installation report that indicates the second control unit controls HVAC services for the second zone in response to connecting to the second control unit;
update the first interactive display to show the first and second zones in response to receiving the installation report;
receive a command from the first interactive display over the HVAC control network to adjust a temperature of an identified zone;
determine the identified zone is the second zone in response to receiving the command;
receive an alert indicating the second control unit is disconnecting from the Wi-Fi network; and
communicate the command to the second control unit using the HVAC control network in response to receiving the alert indicating the second control unit is disconnecting from the Wi-Fi network.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second control unit is configured to:
receive the command from the first control units; and
transmit the command to the second plurality of HVAC units to adjust the temperature of the second zone.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein
the first control unit is further configured to:
detect a user device connected to the Wi-Fi network;
connect to the user device over the Wi-Fi network;
receive a command from the user device to adjust a temperature of the second zone; and
transmit the command to the second control unit and
the second control unit is further configured to:
receive the command from the first control unit; and
transmit the command to the second plurality HVAC units to adjust the temperature of the second zone.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the second control unit disconnects from the Wi-Fi network and the HVAC control network; and
the first device is configured to:
detect that the second control unit has disconnected from the Wi-Fi network and the HVAC control network; and
update the first interactive display to show that the second control unit is disconnected from the Wi-Fi network.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the second control unit alerts the first control unit before disconnecting from the Wi-Fi network and the HVAC control network.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the first control unit is configured to alert the user device that the second control unit is disconnected from the Wi-Fi network and the HVAC control network.

### Claim 7

A system for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) network, comprising:
a first control unit communicatively coupled to a first plurality of HVAC units and a first interactive display, wherein the first control unit controls HVAC services for a first zone; and
a second control unit communicatively coupled to a second plurality of HVAC units and a second interactive display, wherein the second control unit controls HVAC services for a second zone;
wherein, the first control unit is configured to:
connect to the second control unit over a Wi-Fi network;
connect to the second control unit using a Wi-Fi direct protocol to create an HVAC control network;
receive an installation report that indicates the second control unit controls HVAC services for the second zone in response to connecting to the second control unit;
update the first interactive display to show the first and second zones in response to receiving the installation report;
receive a command to adjust a temperature of an identified zone from the first interactive display;
determine the identified zone is the second zone in response to receiving the command;
receive an alert indicating the second control unit is disconnecting from the HVAC control network; and
communicate the command to the second control unit using the Wi-Fi network in response to receiving the alert indicating the second control unit is disconnecting from the HVAC control network.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein
the second control unit is configured to:
receive the command from the first control unit over the Wi-Fi network; and
transmit the command to the second plurality of HVAC units to adjust the temperature of the second zone.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:
connect to a user device over the Wi-Fi network,
receive a command from the user device to adjust a temperature of the second zone, and
transmit the command to the second control unit over the Wi-Fi network; and
the second control unit configured to:
receive the command from the first control unit using the Wi-Fi network, and
transmit the command to the second plurality of HVAC units to adjust the temperature of the second zone.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:
connect to a user device using the Wi-Fi direct protocol,
receive a command from the user device to adjust a temperature of the second zone using the Wi-Fi direct protocol, and
transmit the command to the second control unit over the Wi-Fi network; and
the second control unit configured to:
receive the command from the first control unit using the Wi-Fi network, and
transmit the command to the second plurality of HVAC units to adjust the temperature of the second zone.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the second control unit disconnects from the Wi-Fi network; and
the first control unit is configured to:
detect that the second control unit has disconnected from the Wi-Fi networks; and
update the first interactive display to show that the second control unit is disconnected.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the second control unit alerts the first control unit that the second control unit is about to disconnect from the Wi-Fi network.