Method and system for controlling a single zone HVAC supplying multiple zones

A method of monitoring and controlling the condition of air within each of a plurality of zones being supplied with heated or cooled conditioned air from a single zone HVAC unit via a single duct system having zone ducts and zone duct damper means therein wherein one zone damper means and the HVAC unit is controlled by a programmable master thermostat, said method and the other zones are controlled by programmable slave thermostats comprising the steps of:

• A. setting the setpoint of each of the zone thermostats to a level for the respective zones;
• B. monitoring the demand for heating or cooling from all zone thermostats by the programmable master thermostat which selects either of the heating or cooling mode of the HVAC unit;
• C. positioning the zone duct damper means open if the zone programmable master or slave thermostats are demanding the selected mode and closed for the other damper means;
• D. activating the HVAC unit by the programmable master thermostat in the selected mode until all zone thermostat demanding the selected mode have been satisfied;
• and
• E. deactivating the HVAC unit by the programmable master thermostat.

A method of monitoring and controlling the condition of air within each of a plurality of zones being supplied with heated or cooled conditioned air from a single zone HVAC unit via a single duct system having zone ducts and zone duct damper means therein wherein one zone damper means and the HVAC unit is controlled by a programmable master thermostat, said method and the other zones are controlled by programmable slave thermostats comprising the steps of:

• A. programming the setpoints of the zone thermostats during a plurality of distinct time periods:
• B. determining the real time;
• C. monitoring the demand for heating or cooling from all zone thermostats by the programmable master thermostat which selects either of the heating or cooling mode of the HVAC unit during a distinct time period;
• D. positioning the zone duct damper means open if the zone thermostats are demanding the selected mode and closed for the other damper means;
• E. activating the HVAC unit by the programmable master thermostat in the selected mode until all the zone thermostats demanding the selected mode have been satisfied;
• F. deactivating the HVAC unit by the programmable master thermostat.

In a system for monitoring and controlling the condition of air in each of a plurality of zones when using a single HVAC unit to supply conditioned air to each zone via a damper means in a duct communicating with each zone, said system comprising a programmable master thermostat means responsive to signals indicative of the real time and located in one zone to be controlled and interfaced with and controlling said damper means in said duct communicating with said one zone and controlling said HVAC unit, means for providing signals indicative of the real time to said programmable master thermostat means, said programmable master thermostat receiving information from a programmable slave thermostat means located in each other zone interfaced with and controlling respective said damper means in respective said duct communicating with respective said other zone, each said thermostat determining the condition of the air in its associated said zone, said programmable master thermostat means activating said HVAC unit in accordance with its programming and in accordance with the information received from each said programmable slave thermostat means and in accordance with information associated with its own zone to control said HVAC unit in the heating or cooling mode during distinct time periods established by the programming of said master programmable thermostat means and said programmable slave thermostat means.

In a system for monitoring and controlling the condition of air in a plurality of zones within predetermined operating limits using a single zone HVAC unit in which conditioned air passes into a plurality of zones via a plurality of dampers in a plurality of ducts communicating with respective zones, said system comprising

• a programmable master thermostat means for operating said HVAC unit said damper in one said zone comprising:
• master first circuit means responsive to input signals for establishing operating limits for said one zone and providing a first digital word output signal representative of said operating limits;
• master second circuit means responsive to input signals indicative of the actual condition of air in said one zone for providing a second digital word output signal representative of the actual condition of air therein;
• master third circuit means adapted to be coupled to a peripheral circuit means for receiving data from a peripheral circuit means and for providing a third digital word output signal representative of the information contained in such data;
• master fourth circuit means responsive to output signals from said first, second, and third circuit means for providing fourth digital word output signals for operating said damper associated with said one zone and said HVAC unit;
• master programmable logic means for providing digital word input signals to said fourth circuit means for selectively controlling said fourth circuit means;
• and
• master logic means for selectively operating said damper associated with said one zone and said HVAC unit in response to respective said fourth digital word input signals from said fourth circuit means;
• and
• programmable slave thermostat means for operating said damper in each said other zone comprising:
• slave first circuit means responsive to input signals for establishing operating limits for said other zone and providing a first digital word output signal representative of said operating limits;
• slave second circuit means responsive to input signals indicative of the actual condition of air in said other zone for providing a second digital word output signal representative of the actual condition of air therein;
• slave third circuit means adapted to be coupled to said programmable master thermostat means for receiving data from said programmable master thermostat means and for providing a third digital word output signal representative of the information contained in such data;
• slave fourth circuit means responsive to output signals from said first, second, and third circuit means for providing fourth digital word output signals for operating said damper associated with said other zone;
• slave programmable logic means for providing digital word input signals to said fourth circuit means for selectively controlling said fourth circuit means;
• and
• slave logic means for selectively operating said damper associated with said other zone in response to respective said fourth digital word input signals from said fourth circuit means.

A method for controlling a single HVAC and a plurality of dampers prior to activating the HVAC unit that supplies conditioned air through a duct system having a plurality of ducts to a plurality of zones and a master zone thermostat and slave zone thermostats associated with respective dampers, said method comprising the steps of:

• A. determining by the master zone thermostat the demand for heating or cooling from all zone thermostats and selecting a heating or cooling mode therefrom;
• B. activating appropriate dampers to closed positions if the zone thermostats controlling such appropriate dampers have no demand or a demand different than the mode selected in step A, and positioning open the other dampers;
• C. activating the HVAC unit by the master zone thermostat in the selected mode until all zone thermostats demanding the selected mode have been satisfied;
• D. deactivating the HVAC unit by the master zone thermostat;
• and
• E. repeating steps A-D for the other mode when demand for the other mode has been selected in accord with step A.

A method of monitoring and controlling the condition of air within each of a plurality of zones being supplied with heated or cooled conditioned air from a single zone HVAC unit via a single duct system having zone ducts and zone duct damper means therein wherein one zone damper means and the HVAC unit is controlled by a programmable master thermostat and the other zones are controlled by programmable slave thermostats, said method comprising the steps of:

• A. setting the setpoint of each of the zone thermostats to a level for the respective zones;
• B. monitoring the demand for heating or cooling from all zone thermostats by the programmable master thermostat which selects either of the heating or cooling mode of the HVAC unit;
• C. positioning the zone duct damper means open if the zone programmable master or slave thermostats are demanding the selected mode and closed for the other damper means;
• D. activating the HVAC unit by the programmable master thermostat in the selected mode until all zone thermostat demanding the selected mode have been satisfied;
• E. deactivating the HVAC unit by the programmable master thermostat;
• and
• F. repeating steps B-F for the other mode when demand for the other mode has been selected in accord with step B.