Method to control a communication rate between a thermostat and a cloud based server
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsPatrick R. Lemire, Robert D. Juntunen, Kurt Robideau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A communication rate between a cloud-based server and an HVAC controller located within a building may be controlled based on the amount of power available at the HVAC controller. The cloud-based server may notify a user if the amount of power available at the HVAC controller is determined to be low.
Claims22
A building controller, comprising:
- an input/output block configured to send one or more control signals to control one or more building components;
- a communications port configured to send and/or receive messages via a communications network;
- an energy storage device for powering at least part of the building controller;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the input/output block, the communications port, and the energy storage device, the controller is configured to determine an available amount of power stored in the energy storage device and is further configured to communicate, via the communications port, a message that is indicative of a delay until a subsequent communication time, wherein the delay is dependent upon the determined available amount of power stored in the energy storage device.
A method of communicating with a building controller, wherein the building controller includes an energy storage device for powering at least part of the building controller, and a communications port for sending and/or receiving messages to an external server via a network at successive communication times separated by a delay, the method comprising:
- determining an available amount of power stored in the energy storage device;
- setting the delay between successive communication times, wherein the delay is set based, at least in part, on the determined amount of available power stored by the energy storage device.
A system comprising a building controller in communication with a server over a network, the system comprising:
- a building controller located within a building comprising:
- a command module for sending one or more control signals to one or more building components;
- a communications module for sending and/or receiving messages to and/or from a web server via a network;
- a power module for powering at least part of the building controller;
- a controller operatively coupled to the command module, the communications module, and the power module, the controller is configured to determine an available amount of power stored in the power module and is further configured to communicate, via the communications module, one or more messages that is related to the determined available amount of power stored in the power module;
- and
- a server in communication with the building controller over the network, the server configured to receive the one or more messages that is related to the determined available amount of power stored in the power module of the building controller, the server further configured to transmit a message to a user device via the network, wherein the message notifies the user as to the power state of the building controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.