Distributed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system

A method for operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:

• using a Wi-Fi direct protocol to communicatively couple a first control unit to a first plurality of HVAC units, a first interactive display, and a first plurality of wireless sensors;
• using a Wi-Fi network to communicatively couple a second control unit to a second plurality of HVAC units, a second interactive display, and a second plurality of wireless sensors;
• using the Wi-Fi direct protocol to connect the first control unit to the second control unit;
• upon connecting the first control unit to the second control unit, switching communications between the first control unit and the first plurality of HVAC units, the first interactive display, and the first plurality of wireless sensors from the Wi-Fi direct protocol to the Wi-Fi network;
• and
• upon connecting to the first control unit using the Wi-Fi direct protocol, transmitting, by the second control unit, Wi-Fi credentials for the Wi-Fi network to the first control unit.

A first control unit of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, the first control unit comprising:

• a network interface;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface and configured to:
• connect the network interface to a first plurality of HVAC units, a first interactive display, and a first plurality of wireless sensors using a Wi-Fi direct protocol;
• connect the network interface to a second control unit using a Wi-Fi direct protocol, wherein the second control unit is communicatively coupled to a second plurality of HVAC units, a second interactive display, and a second plurality of wireless sensors over a Wi-Fi network;
• and
• wherein upon connecting to the second control unit;
• switch communications between the network interface and the first plurality of HVAC units, the first interactive display, and the first plurality of wireless sensors from the Wi-Fi direct protocol to the Wi-Fi network;
• and
• receive Wi-Fi credentials for the Wi-Fi network from the second control unit.