# US 11,029,048 B2 · Systems and methods for configuring and communicating with HVAC devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,048 B2 - Document ID: US11029048B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/690,105 - Filed: 2019-11-20 - Published: 2020-03-19 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-02 - Assignees: Johnson Controls Technology Company - Applicants: Johnson Controls Technology Company - Inventors: Robert K. Alexander; Christopher Merkl; Gary A. Romanowich; Bernard Clement; Kevin Weiss - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029048B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/00: Control or safety arrangements - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/38: Failure diagnosis - F24F 11/49: ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks - F24F 11/52: Indication arrangements, e.g. displays - F24F 11/54: using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers - F24F 11/58: using Internet communication - F24F 11/59: for presetting - 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 11/72: for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure - F24F 11/84: using valves - F24F 11/88: Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits - G05B 15/02: electric - H02J 50/00: Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power - F24F 2140/00: Control inputs relating to system states - G05B 2219/15117: Radio link, wireless - G05B 2219/2231: Leader-follower - G05B 2219/2237: Selection of leader or follower - G05B 2219/23297: Remote load of program with cellular, wireless, satellite connection - G05B 2219/2614: HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control - G05B 2219/33192: Radio link, wireless - G05B 2219/33203: Wireless transmission of power and data, inductively, rotary transformer - 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) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract An actuator in a HVAC system includes a mechanical transducer, a processing circuit, a wireless transceiver, and a power circuit. The processing circuit includes a processor and memory and is configured to operate the mechanical transducer according to a control program stored in the memory. The wireless transceiver is configured to facilitate bidirectional wireless data communications between the processing circuit and an external device. The power circuit is configured to draw power from a wireless signal received via the wireless transceiver and power the processing circuit and the wireless transceiver using the drawn power. The processing circuit is configured to use the power drawn from the wireless signal to wirelessly transmit data stored in the memory of the actuator to the external device via the wireless transceiver, wirelessly receive data from the external device via the wireless transceiver, and store the data received from the external device in the memory. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An actuator comprising: a motor configured to operatively couple to a fluid control valve of an HVAC system; a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the motor according to a control program stored in the memory, wherein the memory is configured to store a plurality of configuration parameters usable by the control program to operate the actuator; and a wireless transceiver configured to facilitate near field communication (NFC) between the actuator and an external device; wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use power drawn from an NFC signal to wirelessly transmit data regarding operation of the actuator to the external device via NFC; wherein the data wirelessly transmitted from the actuator to the external device using the power drawn from the NFC signal includes at least one of the plurality of configuration parameters. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to a plurality of operational parameters of the actuator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to at least one of a timing and a speed of the actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to a failure mode of the actuator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to perform a diagnostic test and communicate the results of the diagnostic test to the external device via NFC. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the data via NFC without any wired power or data connections to the actuator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to receive an update to the at least one of the plurality of configuration parameters from the external device via NFC, and the processing circuit is configured to update the control program based on the at least one of the configuration parameters. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The actuator of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the plurality of configuration parameters includes data regarding at least one of an actuation span and an actuation timing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use the power drawn from the NFC signal to: Transmit the plurality of configuration parameters to the external device via NFC; and receive an update to the at least one of the plurality of configuration parameters from the external device via NFC. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the actuator as a plurality of different actuator implementations based on data wirelessly received from the external device via NFC using power drawn from the NFC signal; wherein the data wirelessly received from the external device identifies a particular actuator implementation of the plurality of different actuator implementations, and wherein the processing circuit operates the actuator as the particular actuator implementation using the data wirelessly received from the external device. ### Claim 11 A building device comprising: a motor configured to control operation of an HVAC device in an HVAC system; a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the motor according to a control program stored in the memory; and a wireless transceiver configured to facilitate near field communication (NFC) between the building device and an external device; wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use power generated from an NFC signal to wirelessly transmit (1) data generated as a result of operating the motor and (2) an operational parameter usable by the control program to operate the motor, to the external device via NFC. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The building device of claim 11, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to a plurality of operational parameters of the building device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The building device of claim 11, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to at least one of a timing and a speed of the building device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The building device of claim 11, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to a failure mode of the building device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The building device of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is configured to perform a diagnostic test and communicate the results of the diagnostic test to the external device via NFC. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The building device of claim 11, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the data via NFC without any wired power or data connections to the building device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The building device of claim 11, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to receive an update to the operational parameter from the external device via NFC, and the processing circuit is configured to update the control program based on the update to the operational parameter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The building device of claim 17, wherein the operational parameter includes data regarding at least one of an actuation span and an actuation timing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The building device of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the building device as a plurality of different building device implementations based on data wirelessly received from the external device via NFC using power drawn from the NFC signal; wherein the data wirelessly received from the external device identifies a particular building device implementation of the plurality of different building device implementations, and wherein the processing circuit operates the building device as the particular building device implementation using the data wirelessly received from the external device. ### Claim 20 A method of operating an actuator, comprising: operating a motor according to a control program stored in a memory of the actuator, the motor configured to control a fluid control valve of an HVAC system, the memory configured to store a plurality of configuration parameters usable by the control program to operate the actuator as a plurality of different actuator implementations; storing data regarding operation of the motor in the memory of the actuator; and transmitting the data from the actuator to an external device via near field communication (NFC) using power drawn from an NFC signal, wherein the data further includes at least one of the plurality of configuration parameters. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: drawing power from the NFC signal to power a wireless transceiver of the actuator. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: using the power drawn from the wireless signal to receive the plurality of configuration parameters from the external device via NFC. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to a plurality of operational parameters of the actuator. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to at least one of a timing and a speed of the actuator. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to a failure mode of the actuator. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: performing a diagnostic test including operating the actuator; and communicating the results of the diagnostic test to the external device via NFC. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the actuator comprises a processing circuit configured to operate the actuator as the plurality of different actuator implementations based on data wirelessly received from the external device via NFC using power drawn from the NFC signal; wherein the data wirelessly received from the external device identifies a particular actuator implementation of the plurality of different actuator implementations, and wherein the processing circuit operates the actuator as the particular actuator implementation using the data wirelessly received from the external device.