User type access HVAC control system

Abstract

systems and methods are described for synchronizing an HVAC control system. A method, includes: a synchronization sequence including: reading a base time from an internal clock at a first time and saving the base time; measuring an elapsed time interval, from the first time to a second time, by counting an external clock using a frequency counter; and then resetting the internal clock to the base time plus the elapsed time regulating user access to an interactive user interface of a programmable thermostat, each user identified by a personal identification number associated with a user type, wherein each personal identification number is recognized by the programmable thermostat as belonging to an access level and users identified as building owners or maintenance personnel are granted further system access.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

A method, comprising regulating user access to at least one menu of an interactive user interface of a programmable digital thermostat, including: reversibly defining at least one minimum user level required to access the at least one menu including: reading and storing a hierarchical personal identification number associated with a hierarchical user level; permitting hierarchical user access to a user level menu when the hierarchical personal identification number is both valid and associated with a hierarchical user level greater than or equal to a minimum hierarchical user level predefined to be required for access to the user level menu; and reading and storing the at least one minimum user level required to access the at least one menu; and then permitting user access to the at least one menu when a personal identification number entered by another user is both valid and associated with a user level greater than or equal to the minimum user level reversibly defined by the hierarchical user to be required for access to the at least one menu; and synchronizing a clock of the programmable digital thermostat using a power line frequency.

A method, comprising defining a multi-stage cooling/heating program of a programmable digital thermostat having an interactive user interface, including: reversibly defining a number of events per day including: reading and storing a hierarchical personal identification number associated with a hierarchical user level; permitting hierarchical user access to a system menu when the hierarchical personal identification number is both valid and associated with a hierarchical user level greater than or equal to a minimum hierarchical user level predefined to be required for access to the system menu; and reading and storing the number of events per day; and then permitting user access to another menu when a personal identification number entered by another user is valid to further define the multi-stage cooling/heating program; and synchronizing a clock of the programmable digital thermostat using a power line frequency.

I A method, comprising: providing a usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system, the usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system including a programmable digital thermostat with an on board memory; issuing personal identification numbers to each of a plurality of system users; associating each of the plurality of system users with at least one of a plurality of user types; storing the personal identification numbers in a first data structure in the on board memory; and linking each one of a plurality of entries in the first data structure by reference to at least one of a plurality of entries in a second data structure in the on board memory, the second data structure including a list of user types.

II The method of claim I, wherein each of the plurality of user types is associated with at least one of a plurality of function sets.

III The method of claim I, wherein the on board memory can include a member selected from the group consisting of electrically erasable programmable read only memory, flash memory, random access memory, and network storage devices.

IV The method of claim I, further comprising: dynamically updating the first data structure; and dynamically updating the second data structure.

V A method, comprising regulating user access to an interactive user interface of a programmable thermostat, each user identified by a personal identification number associated with a user type selected from the group consisting of building owners, maintenance personnel, building tenants, and manufacturers.

VI The method of claim V, wherein each user's personal identification number belongs to exactly one user type.

VII The method of claim V, wherein access to the interactive user interface is regulated using at least one of a plurality of software filters.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE INVENTION

A practical application of the invention that has value within the technological arts is in office building environments. The invention can readily replace existing HVAC control systems with little or no modification. There are virtually innumerable uses for the invention, all of which need not be detailed here.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

A usage monitoring HVAC control system, representing an embodiment of the invention, can be cost effective and advantageous for at least the following reasons. The invention greatly reduces overhead energy costs by regulating room air temperature settings according to building occupancy. The invention also allows users to be billed individually for HVAC system services, according to their PIN, thereby preventing users from paying more for more HVAC system services than they require. The invention can be used to display accrued HVAC services ordered by each user. The invention also improves quality and/or reduces costs compared to previous approaches.

All the disclosed embodiments of the invention disclosed herein can be made and used without undue experimentation in light of the disclosure. Although the best mode of carrying out the invention contemplated by the inventor is disclosed, practice of the invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

Further, the individual components need not be formed in the disclosed shapes, or combined in the disclosed configurations, but could be provided in virtually any shapes, and/or combined in virtually any configuration. Further, the individual components need not be fabricated from the disclosed materials, but could be fabricated from virtually any suitable materials.

Further, variation may be made in the steps or in the sequence of steps composing methods described herein.

Furthermore, all the disclosed elements and features of each disclosed embodiment can be combined with, or substituted for, the disclosed elements and features of every other disclosed embodiment except where such elements or features are mutually exclusive.

It will be manifest that various substitutions, modifications, additions and/or rearrangements of the features of the invention may be made without deviating from the spirit and/or scope of the underlying inventive concept. It is deemed that the spirit and/or scope of the underlying inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents cover all such substitutions, modifications, additions and/or rearrangements.

The appended claims are not to be interpreted as including means-plus-function limitations, unless such a limitation is explicitly recited in a given claim using the phrase(s) “means for” and/or “step for.” Subgeneric embodiments of the invention are delineated by the appended independent claims and their equivalents. Specific embodiments of the invention are differentiated by the appended dependent claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method, comprising a synchronization sequence including:

reading a base time from an internal clock at a first time and saving the base time;

measuring an elapsed time interval, from the first time to a second time, by counting an external clock using a frequency counter; and then

resetting the internal clock to the base time plus the elapsed time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before measuring the elapsed time interval, clearing the frequency counter.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before measuring the elapsed time interval, setting a flag to enable commencement of the synchronization sequence.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the flag is set to enable commencement of the synchronization sequence when the external clock transitions from an unavailable state to an available state.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the flag is set to enable commencement of the synchronization sequence when a user exits a clock menu.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the elapsed time interval includes setting a flag to indicate that the synchronization sequence has commenced.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein resetting occurs when the flag indicates that the synchronization sequence has commenced and the frequency counter indicates that the elapsed time interval has passed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the elapsed time interval commences at a predetermined time increment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after resetting the internal clock, repeating the synchronization sequence.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal clock is derived from a direct current powered oscillator located in an integrated-circuit real-time clock.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the external clock is derived from an alternating current power source.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein counting includes counting zero-voltage transitions of an alternating power line waveform.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

an internal clock;

an external clock; and

a microcontroller coupled to the internal clock and the external clock, the microcontroller including a frequency counter,

wherein the microcontroller reads a base time from the internal clock at a first time and saves the base time,

wherein the microcontroller measures an elapsed time interval, from the first time to a second time, using the frequency counter, and

wherein the microcontroller resets the internal clock to the base time plus the elapsed time.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the microcontroller clears the frequency counter before measuring the elapsed time interval.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the microcontroller sets a flag to enable commencement of the synchronization sequence.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the microcontroller sets the flag to enable commencement of the synchronization sequence when the external clock transitions from an unavailable state to an available state.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the microcontroller sets the flag to enable commencement of the synchronization sequence when a user exits a clock menu.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the microcontroller sets a flag to indicate that the synchronization sequence has commenced at the beginning of measuring the elapsed time interval.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the microcontroller resets the internal clock when the flag indicates that the synchronization sequence has commenced and the frequency counter indicates that the elapsed time interval has passed.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the microcontroller commences measuring the elapsed time interval at a predetermined time increment.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the microcontroller repeating a synchronization sequence after resetting the internal clock.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the internal clock includes an integrated-circuit real-time clock having a direct current powered oscillator.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the external clock includes an alternating current power line.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the frequency counter includes a zero-voltage transition counter.

25. A programmable thermostat comprising the apparatus of claim 13.

26. A method, comprising: providing a heating ventilation and air conditioning control system including a programmable digital thermostat with an on board memory; issuing personal identification numbers to each of a plurality of system users; associating each of the plurality of system users with at least one of a plurality of user types; storing the personal identification numbers in a first data structure in the on board memory; and linking each one of a plurality of entries in the first data structure by reference to at least one of a plurality of entries in a second data structure in the on board memory, the second data structure including a list of user types; and

restricting access to HVAC system controls including regulating user access to an interactive user interface display of the programmable digital thermostat,

wherein all the personal identification numbers associated with each user type are presented with access to all HVAC control system access level privileges associated with each user type and

each user is presented with all privileges associated with all of their user types, characterized by their personal identification number.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of user types is associated with at least one of a plurality of function sets.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the on board memory includes a member selected from the group consisting of electrically erasable programmable read only memory, flash memory, random access memory, and network storage devices.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising: dynamically updating the first data structure; and dynamically updating the second data structure.