# US 2019/0376705 A1 · Retrofit damper system with optimized power management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0376705 A1 - Document ID: US20190376705A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/006,619 - Filed: 2018-06-12 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-12 - Assignees: Ademco Inc. - Applicants: Ademco Inc. - Inventors: Patrick Gonia; David J. Emmons; Nathan Carlson; Madhu T. Chandrashekar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376705A1 ## CPC - F24F 11/0001: {for ventilation (F24F11/30 takes precedence)} - F24F 13/142: {using pivoting blades with intersecting axles} - F24F 11/46: Improving electric energy efficiency or saving - F24F 11/56: Remote control - F24F 11/64: using pre-stored data - F24F 11/88: Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits - F24F 2013/1433: {with electric motors} - F24F 2140/60: Energy consumption - 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 A damper system is configured for installation in ductwork including a duct supplying conditioned air through a register boot to a register vent. A damper is movable between a closed position and an open position. A control module includes a control module housing, a controller, a power supply and a transceiver. The controller monitors a remaining energy level of the power supply and transmits a first low battery message via the transceiver when the remaining energy level drops to a first energy threshold. The controller instructs the damper assembly to move to a predetermined position and to transmit a second low battery message via the transceiver when the remaining energy level drops to a second energy threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A damper system configured for installation in ductwork including a duct supplying conditioned air through a register boot to a register vent, the damper system comprising: a damper assembly configured to be disposed within the duct, the damper assembly including a damper that is movable between a closed end position and an open end position; a control module configured to be operably coupled to the damper assembly, the control module configured to regulate operation of the damper assembly; a power supply operably coupled to the control module; a transceiver operably coupled with the controller; the controller configured to monitor a remaining energy level of the power supply, the controller further configured to transmit a first low battery message via the transceiver when the remaining energy level drops to a first energy threshold; and the controller further configured to instruct the damper assembly to move to a designated position in between and inclusive of the closed end position and the open end position and to transmit a second low battery message via the transceiver when the remaining energy level drops to a second energy threshold lower than the first energy threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The damper system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to stop transmitting a low battery message via the transceiver when the remaining energy level drops to a third energy threshold lower than the second energy threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The damper system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to stop listening for transmitted messages when the remaining energy level drops to the third energy threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The damper system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more control commands from a remote building controller via the transceiver, and to regulate operation of the damper assembly based at least in part on the one or more control commands. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The damper system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to regulate operation of the damper assembly by controlling a position of the damper, and to change the position of the damper less frequently when the remaining energy level is less than the first energy threshold than when the remaining energy level is greater than the first energy threshold in order to reduce power consumption by the damper assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The damper system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to regulate operation of the damper assembly by controlling a position of the damper, and to not change the position of the damper when the received control command instructs a position change from a current position that is less than a position change threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The damper assembly of claim 4, wherein the damper system further comprises one or more other damper assemblies designated as being in a common HVAC zone as the damper assembly and have a remaining energy level that is above the first energy threshold, wherein when the remaining energy level drops of the damper assembly below the first energy threshold, the damper system attempts to control one or more environmental conditions in the common HVAC zone by regulating the operation of one or more of the other damper assemblies that have a remaining energy level that is above the first energy threshold in order to reduce power consumption by the damper assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The damper assembly of claim 1, wherein the designated position is a calculated value that is based on a history of damper positions over a period of time ending when the energy level dropped to or below the second energy threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The damper system of claim 1, wherein the power supply is disposed within a power supply housing remote from the control module and operably coupled to the control module via a power cable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The damper system of claim 2, wherein the third energy threshold is a value above a value at which an alkaline battery begins to outgas. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The damper system of claim 1, wherein the control module includes a control module housing that is configured to be secured remote from the damper assembly at a position behind the register vent and is configured to be secured to the register boot when the damper assembly is deployed in the duct. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The damper system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to revert to a first mode of operation as existed before the first energy threshold was reached once a detected energy level indicates that the power supply includes a new battery. ### Claim 13 A zoning system configured for use in zoning an HVAC system of a building, the HVAC system including a network of ducts providing conditioned air to each of a plurality of register vents, the zoning system comprising: a plurality of damper systems, each of the plurality of damper systems including: a damper assembly configured to be disposed within a corresponding one of the network of ducts, the damper assembly including a damper that is movable between a closed end position and an open end position; a control module configured to be operably coupled to the damper assembly, the control module including a control module housing and a controller within the control module housing that regulates operation of the damper; a transceiver operably coupled with the controller; a power supply operably coupled to the controller; and wherein the controller is configured to monitor a remaining energy level of the power supply. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The zoning system of claim 13, wherein when one of the controllers of the plurality of damper systems detects a remaining energy level that has dropped to or below a first energy threshold, that controller is configured to transmit a first low battery message via the corresponding transceiver. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The zoning system of claim 14, wherein when one of the controllers of the plurality of damper systems detects a remaining energy level that has dropped to or below a second energy threshold lower than the first energy threshold, that controller is configured to instruct the corresponding damper assembly to move to a designated position and to transmit a second low battery message via the corresponding transceiver. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The zoning system of claim 15, wherein when one of the controllers of the plurality of damper systems detects a remaining energy level that has dropped to or below a third energy threshold lower than the energy power threshold, that controller is configured to stop transmitting a low battery message via the corresponding transceiver and to go into a low power state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The zoning system of claim 13, wherein when one of the controllers of the plurality of damper systems that is assigned to a first HVAC zone detects a remaining energy level that has dropped to or below a first energy threshold, the retrofit zoning system attempts to control the first HVAC zone by regulating the operation of one or more other of the plurality of damper systems that are also assigned to the first HVAC zone and that have a remaining energy level that is above the first energy threshold using more energy than the energy used in the damper system of the controller that detects a remaining energy level that has dropped to or below a first energy threshold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The zoning system of claim 13, wherein when one of the controllers of the plurality of damper systems detects a remaining energy level that has dropped to or below a first energy threshold, that controller is configured to change the position of the damper of the corresponding damper assembly less frequently than when the remaining energy level is detected to be above the first energy threshold in order to reduce power consumption by the damper assembly. ### Claim 19 A zoning system configured for use in zoning an HVAC system of a building, the HVAC system including a network of ducts providing conditioned air to each of a plurality of register vents, the retrofit zoning system comprising: a first damper system including: a first damper assembly configured to be disposed within the network of ducts, the first damper assembly including a first damper that is movable between a closed end position and an open end position; a first control module configured to be operably coupled to the first damper assembly, the first control module including a first controller that regulates operation of the first damper; a first power supply operably coupled to the first controller, the first power supply comprising a first battery, where the first controller is configured to monitor a remaining energy level within the first power supply; and a second damper system including: a second damper assembly configured to be disposed within the network of ducts, the second damper assembly including a second damper that is movable between a closed end position and an open end position; a second control module configured to be operably coupled to the second damper assembly, the second control module including a second controller that regulates operation of the second damper; and a second power supply operably coupled to the second controller; wherein when the first controller detects that the remaining energy level of the first power supply has dropped to or below a first energy threshold, the first controller transmits a first low battery message and the zoning system is configured to make positional changes to the second damper of the second damper system that reduce the need for some or all positional changes to the first damper of the first damper system in order to help preserve the remaining power in the first power supply. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The zoning system of claim 19, wherein the second power supply comprises a battery or a transformer.