Patent US7156316B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7156316B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Zone thermostat for zone heating and cooling
Assignee: Google LLC
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Filing: 2004-10-06
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Granted: 2007-01-02
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Expires: 2024-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A zone thermostat for use in connection with 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, the 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.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence Kates
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 13:43
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/1927; G05D23/193; G05D23/1932; G05D23/1934; F; F24; F24F; F24F11/00; F24F11/30; F24F11/32; F24F11/38; F24F11/46; F24F11/50; F24F11/52; F24F11/523; F24F11/56; F24F11/62; F24F11/63; F24F11/65; F24F11/70; F24F11/72; F24F11/74; F24F11/79; F24F11/54; F24F2110/00; F24F2110/10; F24F2110/20; F24F2110/40; F24F2120/00; F24F2120/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 56
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A zone thermostat, comprising: a controller; a temperature sensor provided to said controller, said temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of air in a first zone; a display; at least one user input device; and a communication system provided to said controller; said controller configured to communicate temperature readings to a central system in response to a first query from said central system, said at least one user input device configured to allow a user to specify a zone setpoint temperature and a zone priority, said controller configured to communicate said zone setpoint temperature and said zone priority to said central system in response to a second query from said central system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
A zone thermostat, comprising: a controller; a temperature sensor provided to said controller, said temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of air in a first zone; a display; at least one user input device; and a communication system provided to said controller; said controller configured to communicate temperature readings to a central system in response to a first query from said central system, said at least one user input device configured to allow a user to specify a zone setpoint temperature and a zone priority, said controller configured to communicate said zone setpoint temperature and said zone priority to said central system in response to a second query from said central system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The zone Thermostat of claim 1 , said controller further configured to relay communications between said central system and one or more electronically-controlled register vents configured to provide air to said first zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to transmit sensor data according to a threshold test.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 3 , wherein said threshold test comprises a high threshold level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 3 , wherein said threshold test comprises a low threshold level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 3 , wherein said threshold test comprises an inner threshold range.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 3 , wherein said threshold test comprises an outer threshold range.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein controller is configured to receive an instruction to change a status reporting interval.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein controller is configured to receive an instruction to change a sensor data reporting interval.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said zone thermostat is configured to monitor a status of one or more electronically-controlled register vents.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said communication system comprises a wireless communication system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The zone thermostat of claim 11 , wherein said wireless communication system comprises an infrared communication system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The zone thermostat of claim 11 , wherein said wireless communication system comprises an ultrasonic communication system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 11 , wherein said wireless communication comprises a radio-frequency communication system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said communication system comprises a frequency-hopping system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said communication system communicates using a 900 megahertz band.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , further comprising a visual indicator to indicate a low-power condition.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said controller configured to use a predictive model to compute a control program for an electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The zone thermostat of claim 18 , said control program configured to reduce power consumption by said electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The zone thermostat of claim 18 , said control program configured to reduce movement of at least one actuator in said electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The zone thermostat of claim 18 , said zone thermostat configured to use a predictive model to compute a control program for said electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The zone Thermostat of claim 1 , said controller configured to send data to an electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat configured to send setpoint data to said controller.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat configured to send humidity data to said controller.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat configured to send zone temperature slope data to said controller.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , further comprising a remote control interface.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat further comprising an occupant sensor.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The zone thermostat of claim 1 , said zone thermostat further comprising a light switch, said zone thermostat and said light switch configured to be installed in a standard electrical wall switch enclosure.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
117 words
A zone thermostat, comprising: a controller; a temperature sensor provided to said controller, said temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of air in a first zone; a display; at least one user input device; and a communication system provided to said controller; said controller configured to communicate temperature readings to a zone control system in response to a first query from said zone control system, said at least one user input device configured to allow a user to specify a zone setpoint temperature and a zone priority, said controller configured to communicate said zone setpoint temperature and said zone priority to said zone control system in response to a second query from said zone control system.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
117 words
A zone thermostat, comprising: a controller; a temperature sensor provided to said controller, said temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of air in a first zone; a display; at least one user input device; and a communication system provided to said controller; said controller configured to communicate temperature readings to a zone control system in response to a first query from said zone control system, said at least one user input device configured to allow a user to specify a zone setpoint temperature and a zone priority, said controller configured to communicate said zone setpoint temperature and said zone priority to said zone control system in response to a second query from said zone control system.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said zone control system comprises a central system.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said wherein said zone control system comprises a distributed system.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said wherein said zone control system comprises a distributed system of zone thermostats.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said wherein said zone control system comprises a distributed system of zone thermostats and electronically-controlled register vents.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein controller is configured to receive an instruction to change a status reporting interval.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein controller is configured to receive an instruction to change a sensor data reporting interval.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said zone thermostat is configured to monitor a status of one or more electronically-controlled register vents.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication system comprises a wireless communication system.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication system communicates comprises an infrared communication system.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication system comprises an ultrasonic communication system.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
15 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication comprises a radio-frequency communication system.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , wherein said communication system comprises a frequency-hopping system.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 wherein said communication system communicates using a 900 megahertz band.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
17 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , further comprising a visual indicator to indicate a low-power condition.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
25 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said controller configured to use a predictive model to compute a control program for an electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
20 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said control program configured to reduce power consumption by said electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
24 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said control program configured to reduce movement of at least one actuator in said electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat configured to use a predictive model to compute a control program for said electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
18 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said controller configured to send data to an electronically-controlled register vent.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
18 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat configured to send setpoint data to said controller.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
18 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat configured to send humidity data to said controller.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
20 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat configured to send zone temperature slope data to said controller.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
13 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , further comprising a remote control interface.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
15 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat further comprising an occupant sensor.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
33 words
The zone thermostat of claim 29 , said zone thermostat further comprising a light switch, said zone thermostat and said light switch configured to be installed in a standard electrical wall switch enclosure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-01-01 | 2010-07-03 | 2011-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-01-01 | 2014-07-03 | 2015-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-01-01 | 2018-07-03 | 2019-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |