Multiple environmental zone control with integrated battery status communications
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorLawrence Kates
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An Electronically-Controlled Register vent (ECRV) that can be easily installed by a homeowner or general handyman is disclosed. The ECRV can be used to convert a non-zoned HVAC system into a zoned system. The ECRV can also be used in connection with a conventional zoned HVAC system to provide additional control and additional zones not provided by the conventional zoned HVAC system. In one embodiment, the ECRV is configured have a size and form-factor that conforms to a standard manually-controlled register vent. In one embodiment, a zone thermostat is configured to provide thermostat information to the ECRV. In one embodiment, the zone thermostat communicates with a central monitoring system that coordinates operation of the heating and cooling zones.
Claims16
A system for controlling multiple environmental zones, comprising:
- a first zone specific device configured to alter an environmental condition of a first environmental zone of the multiple environmental zones, each environmental zone delineating a volume within a structure, the first zone specific device including:
- a battery-based power source for at least partially powering the operation of the first zone specific device;
- a communication interface for communicating with a central controller, the communication interface comprising a first wireless transceiver;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the battery-based power source and configured to:
- operate the first zone specific device in a sleep mode whereby the first wireless transceiver is inoperable to transmit or receive information and consumption of power from the battery based power source is lower than when the first zone specific device operates in an awake mode;
- periodically and temporarily switch the operation of the first zone specific device from the sleep mode to the awake mode whereby, while in the awake mode, the first zone specific device is configured to transmit one or more messages indicative of a charge status of the battery-based power source.
A method for controlling multiple environmental zones, comprising:
- altering an environmental condition of a first environmental zone of the multiple environmental zones by a first zone specific device, each environmental zone delineating a volume within a structure, the first zone specific device including:
- a first battery-based power source for at least partially powering the operation of the first zone specific device;
- and
- a communication interface for communicating with a central controller, the communication interface comprising a first wireless transceiver;
- operating the first zone specific device in a sleep mode whereby the first wireless transceiver is inoperable to transmit or receive information and consumption of power from the first battery-based power source is lower than when the first zone specific device operates in an awake mode;
- periodically and temporarily switch the operation of the first zone specific device from the sleep mode to the awake mode whereby, while in the awake mode, the first zone specific device is configured to transmit, via the first wireless transceiver, one or more messages indicative of a charge status of the first battery-based power source;
- communicating, while in the awake mode, from the first zone specific device to the central controller via the communication interface of the first zone specific device, the charge status of the first battery-based power source of the first zone specific device;
- operating the second zone specific device in the sleep mode whereby a second wireless transceiver of the second zone specific device is inoperable to transmit or receive information and consumption of power from a second battery-based power source of the second zone specific device is lower than when the second zone specific device operates in the awake mode;
- periodically and temporarily switch the operation of the second zone specific device from the sleep mode to the awake mode whereby, while in the awake mode, the second zone specific device is configured to transmit one or more messages indicative of a second charge status of the second battery-based power source;
- communicating, while in the awake mode, from the second zone specific device to the central controller via a second wireless transceiver of the second zone specific device, the second charge status of the second battery-based power source of the second zone specific device;
- and
- determining, by the central controller, the power status of the first battery-based power source of the first zone specific device and the second power status of the second battery-based power source of the second zone specific device based on the communicating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.