# US 11,906,175 B2 · Orientation-based HVAC control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,175 B2 - Document ID: US11906175B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/069,762 - Filed: 2022-12-21 - Published: 2023-04-27 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-30 - Assignees: Trane International Inc. - Applicants: Trane International Inc. - Inventors: Neal Harrington; Thomas Gort; James R. M. Neal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906175B2 ## CPC - F24D 19/1084: {for air heating systems} - F24F 11/80: for controlling the temperature of the supplied air - F24F 11/89: Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices - F24F 2110/10: Temperature - F24F 2140/00: Control inputs relating to system states - F24F 2221/34: Heater, e.g. gas burner, electric air heater - F24D: DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR (using steam or condensate extracted or exhausted from steam engine plants for heating purposes F01K17/02) - 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) ## Abstract Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a control system for controlling an HVAC device where the control system includes a temperature sensor that provides a signal indicative of a temperature associated with the HVAC device, an orientation sensor that provides a signal indicative of an operating orientation of the HVAC device, and control circuitry that receives the temperature signal and the orientation signal from the orientation sensor. The control circuitry selects an operating thermal control set point from a plurality of stored thermal control set points based at least in part on an orientation signal, determines a temperature sensor input based on the temperature signal and compares the temperature sensor input to the operating thermal control set point, and operates the HVAC device based at least in part on that comparison. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control system for an HVAC device comprising: a memory configured to store computer-readable program code including a control-related software application; and control circuitry configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause the control circuitry to at least: determine an operating orientation of the HVAC device using an orientation sensor, determine an operating control setting associated with the HVAC device, wherein the operating control setting is dependent, at least in part, on the operating orientation of the HVAC device, monitor a parameter associated with the HVAC device during operation using a sensor, determine a sensor input related to the parameter associated with the HVAC device, and operate the HVAC device based, at least in part, on a comparison between the sensor input and the determined operating control setting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the orientation sensor is one of a gyroscope or an accelerometer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the operating control setting is a thermal operating control set point, wherein the parameter is a temperature associated with the HVAC device, and wherein the sensor input is a temperature sensor input related to the temperature of the HVAC device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The control system of claim 3, wherein the temperature associated with the HVAC device is a supply air temperature. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The control system of claim 3, wherein the temperature associated with the HVAC device is a temperature rise of a conditioned air fluid flowing through the HVAC device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause the control circuitry to operate the device is further configured to shut off the operation of the HVAC device when the sensor input exceeds the operating control setting. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause the control circuitry to operate the HVAC device is further configured to lower the capacity of the device output when the sensor input exceeds the operating control set point. ### Claim 8 A control system for an HVAC device comprising: a memory configured to store computer-readable program code including a control-related software application; and a remote device including control circuitry, the control circuitry configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause the control circuitry to at least: determine an operating orientation of the HVAC device using an orientation sensor, determine an operating control setting associated with the HVAC device, wherein the operating control setting is dependent, at least in part, on the operating orientation of the HVAC device, and set the HVAC device to operate based on, at least in part, on the selected operating control setting. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The control system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause to the control circuitry to receive signals from the orientation sensor via a wireless signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The control system of claim 8, wherein the HVAC device is a furnace and includes a furnace control board, wherein the operating control setting is a thermal operating control set point, and wherein the furnace control board is coupled to the orientation sensor and a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor configured to provide a signal indicative of a temperature associated with the furnace, and the furnace control board is further wirelessly coupled to the control circuitry and configured to: transmit signals from the orientation sensor to the remote device; receive the selected operating control set point from remote device; receive the signal from the temperature sensor; determine a temperature sensor input based on the signal from the temperature sensor; and operate the HVAC device based, at least in part, on the comparison between the temperature sensor input and the thermal operating control set point. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the temperature sensor is one of a thermistor or a thermocouple. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the temperature associated with the HVAC device is a supply air temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the temperature associated with the HVAC device is a temperature rise of a conditioned air fluid flowing through the HVAC device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the furnace control board configured to operate the HVAC device is further configured to shut off the operation of the HVAC device when the temperature sensor input exceeds the operating thermal control set point. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the furnace control board configured to operate the HVAC device is further configured to lower the capacity of the device output when the temperature sensor input exceeds the operating thermal control set point. ### Claim 16 A method of controlling an HVAC device comprising: determining an operating orientation of the HVAC device using an orientation sensor; determining an operating control setting associated with the HVAC device, wherein the operating control setting is dependent at least in part on the operating orientation of the HVAC device; monitoring a parameter associated with the HVAC device during operation; determining a sensor input related to the parameter associated with the HVAC device; and operating the HVAC device based, at least in part, on a comparison between the sensor input and the determined operating control setting. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the operating control setting is a thermal operating control set point, wherein the parameter is a temperature associated with the HVAC device, and wherein the sensor input is a temperature sensor input related to the temperature of the HVAC device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the temperature associated with the HVAC device is a supply air temperature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the temperature associated with the HVAC device is a temperature rise conditioned air fluid flowing through the HVAC device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein operating the HVAC device further includes shutting off the operation of the HVAC device when the sensor input exceeds the operating control set point.