# US 11,441,804 B2 · Thermostat wire detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,804 B2 - Document ID: US11441804B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/719,363 - Filed: 2019-12-18 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-18 - Assignees: Ademco Inc. - Applicants: Ademco Inc. - Inventors: Hyunki Kim; Robert D. Juntunen; Jesus Omar Ponce; Liliana Reategui; Anuj Kohli; David Mulhouse - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441804B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/49: ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks - F24F 11/88: Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits - G01R 31/55: Testing for incorrect line connections - 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) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A device for detecting a wire configuration connecting a thermostat and HVAC equipment includes fan controller circuitry, AC controller circuitry, switching circuitry, and processing circuitry. The fan controller circuitry is configured to operate a fan unit of the HVAC equipment using a G pin in a first wire configuration and using a K pin in a second wire configuration. The AC controller circuitry is configured to operate an AC unit of the HVAC equipment using a Y pin in the first wire configuration and the K pin in the second wire configuration. The switching circuitry is configured to refrain from electrically coupling the Y pin and the K pin in response to a deactivation signal. The processing circuitry is configured to determine the HVAC equipment is in the first wire configuration in response to determining the AC controller circuitry receives power while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for detecting a wire configuration connecting a thermostat and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment, the device comprising: fan controller circuitry configured to operate a fan unit of the HVAC equipment, wherein the fan controller circuitry operates the fan unit using a G pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in a first wire configuration and wherein the fan controller circuitry operates the fan unit using a K pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in a second wire configuration; Air Conditioning (AC) controller circuitry configured to operate an AC unit of the HVAC equipment, wherein the AC controller circuitry operates the AC unit using a Y pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in the first wire configuration and wherein the AC controller circuitry operates the AC unit using the K pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in the second wire configuration; switching circuitry configured to electrically couple the Y pin and the K pin in response to an activation signal and to refrain from electrically coupling the Y pin and the K pin in response to a deactivation signal; and processing circuitry configured to determine the HVAC equipment is arranged in the first wire configuration in response to determining the AC controller circuitry receives power from a power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: determine the HVAC equipment is arranged in the second wire configuration in response to determining the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry and determining the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: determine whether the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry in response to determining that the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry; and refrain from determining whether the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry in response to determining that the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: determine the AC controller circuitry is missing a wire connection to the K pin or the Y pin in response to determining the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry and determining the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: determine the fan controller circuitry is missing a wire connection to the K pin or the G pin in response to determining the fan controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, comprising wire saver circuitry configured to: in response to receiving current in at a first polarity from the K pin: electrically couple the fan unit to the power supply; and electrically couple the AC unit to the power supply; and in response to receiving current at a second polarity from the K pin: electrically couple the fan unit to the power supply; and refrain from electrically coupling the AC unit to the power supply. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the wire saver circuitry comprises: a first relay configured to electrically couple the AC unit in response to receiving current at the first polarity from the K pin and to refrain from electrically coupling the AC unit in response to receiving current at the second polarity from the K pin; and a second relay configured to electrically couple the fan unit in response to receiving current at the first polarity from the K pin and to electrically couple the fan unit in response to receiving current at the second polarity from the K pin. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the switching module includes a system-on-chip comprising a relay and an oscillation circuit for activating the relay in response to the activation signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the switching module comprises an isolation transformer, and one or more switching elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the switching module comprises a system-on-chip comprising a timer configured to provide an output to the isolation transformer to selectively switch-in the one or more switching elements in response to the activation signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein processing circuitry is configured to provide the activation signal to the isolation transformer to cause the one or more switching elements to switch-in. ### Claim 12 A method for detecting a wire configuration connecting a thermostat and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment, the method comprising: outputting, by processing circuitry, a deactivation signal to switching circuitry, wherein the switching circuitry is configured to refrain from electrically coupling a Y pin and a K pin in response to the deactivation signal, wherein fan controller circuitry operates a fan unit of the HVAC equipment using a G pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in a first wire configuration and wherein the fan controller circuitry operates the fan unit using the K pin when arranged in a second wire configuration; wherein Air Conditioning (AC) controller circuitry operates the AC unit using the Y pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in the first wire configuration and wherein the AC controller circuitry operates the AC unit using the K pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in the second wire configuration; and determining, by processing circuitry, the HVAC equipment is arranged in the first wire configuration in response to determining the AC controller circuitry receives power from a power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: outputting, by the processing circuitry, an activation signal to the switching circuitry, wherein the switching circuitry is configured to electrically couple the Y pin and the K pin in response to the activation signal; and determining, by the processing circuitry, the HVAC equipment is arranged in the second wire configuration in response to determining the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry and determining the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, comprising: determining, by the processing circuitry, whether the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry in response to determining that the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry; and refraining from determining, by the processing circuitry, whether the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry in response to determining that the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: determining, by the processing circuitry, the AC controller circuitry is missing a wire connection to the K pin or the Y pin in response to determining the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry and determining the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: determining, by the processing circuitry, the fan controller circuitry is missing a wire connection to the K pin or the G pin in response to determining the fan controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein wire saver circuitry is configured to: in response to receiving current in at a first polarity from the K pin: electrically couple the fan unit to the power supply; and electrically couple the AC unit to the power supply; and in response to receiving current at a second polarity from the K pin: electrically couple the fan unit to the power supply; and refrain from electrically coupling the AC unit to the power supply. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the wire saver circuitry comprises: a first relay configured to electrically couple the AC unit in response to receiving current at the first policy from the K pin and to refrain from electrically coupling the AC unit in response to receiving current at the second policy from the K pin; and a second relay configured to electrically couple the fan unit in response to receiving current at the first policy from the K pin and to electrically couple the fan unit in response to receiving current at the second policy from the K pin. ### Claim 19 A system for detecting a wire configuration connecting a thermostat and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment, the system comprising: a power supply; fan controller circuitry configured to operate a fan unit of the HVAC equipment, wherein the fan controller circuitry operates the fan unit using a G pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in a first wire configuration and wherein the fan controller circuitry operates the fan unit using a K pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in a second wire configuration; Air Conditioning (AC) controller circuitry configured to operate an AC unit of the HVAC equipment, wherein the AC controller circuitry operates the AC unit using a Y pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in the first wire configuration and wherein the AC controller circuitry operates the AC unit using the K pin when the HVAC equipment is arranged in the second wire configuration; switching circuitry configured to electrically couple the Y pin and the K pin in response to an activation signal and to refrain from electrically coupling the Y pin and the K pin in response to a deactivation signal; and processing circuitry configured to determine the HVAC equipment is arranged in the first wire configuration in response to determining the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: determine the HVAC equipment is operating in the second wire configuration in response to determining the AC controller circuitry does not receive power from the power supply while outputting the deactivation signal to the switching circuitry and determining the AC controller circuitry receives power from the power supply while outputting the activation signal to the switching circuitry.