Patent Publication Number: US-2023151994-A1

Title: Methods and apparatuses for controlling hvac for user comfort using heat signals

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Aspects of the present disclosure relates to controlling an internal temperature of a building via one or more HVAC systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In some environments, a building may have one or more heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that controls the internal temperature of the building. The one or more HVAC systems may be manually turned on or off, or set to reach a specific desired temperature. The operations of the one or more HVAC systems may impact the comforts of the occupants of the building and/or the operational costs of the building. Therefore, it may be desirable to control the internal temperature. 
     SUMMARY 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the DETAILED DESCRIPTION. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     Aspects of the present disclosure include methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media for receiving at least one calibration heat signal from a calibration device, wherein the at least one calibration heat signal corresponds to a calibration temperature known to the controller, receiving a plurality of heat signals from a plurality of sources in the building, determining a plurality of temperatures associated with the plurality of heat signals based on the at least one calibration heat signal and the calibration temperature, determining an internal target temperature of the building based on the plurality of temperatures, and transmitting, to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a control signal indicating the internal target temperature. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features believed to be characteristic of aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. In the description that follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and certain figures may be shown in exaggerated or generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative aspects of the disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    illustrates an example of an environment for controlling a HVAC in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    illustrates an example method for controlling a HVAC in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG.  3    illustrates an example of a computer system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following includes definitions of selected terms employed herein. The definitions include various examples and/or forms of components that fall within the scope of a term and that may be used for implementation. The examples are not intended to be limiting. 
     Aspects of the present disclosure may include a controller that control a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in a building. The controller may receive, via a sensing device, a calibration heat signal from a calibration device. The calibration heat signal may correspond to a calibration temperature known to the controller. The controller may calibrate the sensing device using the calibration heat signal and/or the calibration temperature. After the calibration process, the controller may receive, via the sensing device, heat signals from multiple sources in the building. Based on the heat signals, the controller may determine temperatures associated with the heat signals. The controller may determine an internal target temperature for the building based on the temperatures associated with the heat signals. The controller may transmit a control signal to the HVAC system indicating the internal target temperature. The HVAC system may raise and/or lower the temperatures in the building to be closer to the internal target temperature. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , in an aspect of the present disclosure, an example of an environment  100  for controlling a HVAC system  120  is shown according to aspects of the present disclosure. The environment  100  may be include a building  101  having optional occupants  108   a ,  108   b . The environment  100  may include a controller  102  configured to control the HVAC system  120 . The environment  100  may include a sensing device  104  configured to detect heat signals from sources within the building  101 . The sensing device  104  may be a thermal sensor, a thermal imaging device such as a thermal camera, or other types of thermal imaging devices. The environment  100  may include a calibration device  106  configured to provide a calibration heat signal to the sensing device  104  for calibrating the controller  102  and/or the sensing device  104 . The environment  100  may include the HVAC system  120  that regulates one or more of the temperature, humidity, air flow, or other environmental parameters of the environment  100 . The controller  102  may include a processor  140  that executes instructions stored in a memory  150  for performing the functions described herein. 
     The term “processor,” as used herein, can refer to a device that processes signals and performs general computing and arithmetic functions. Signals processed by the processor can include digital signals, data signals, computer instructions, processor instructions, messages, a bit, a bit stream, or other computing that can be received, transmitted and/or detected. A processor, for example, can include microprocessors, controllers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionality described herein. 
     In some aspects, the controller  102  may include memory  150 . The memory  150  may include software instructions and/or hardware instructions. The processor  140  may execute the instructions to implement aspects of the present disclosure. 
     The term “memory,” as used herein, can include volatile memory and/or nonvolatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include, for example, ROM (read only memory), PROM (programmable read only memory), EPROM (erasable PROM) and EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM). Volatile memory can include, for example, RAM (random access memory), synchronous RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), and direct RAM bus RAM (DRRAM). 
     In certain aspects, the processor  140  may include a communication component  142  configured to communicate with external devices via one or more wired and/or wireless connections (not shown). The processor  140  may include a temperature component  144  configured to convert received heat signals to temperatures and/or determine an internal target temperature. 
     During operation, in certain aspects, the calibration device  106  may emit one or more calibration heat signals  110 . The one or more calibration heat signals  110  may be associated with one or more one or more calibration temperatures known to the controller  102  and/or the sensing device  104 . The calibration device  106  may transmit a signal indicating the one or more calibration temperatures, or the controller  102  and/or the sensing device  104  may be pre-configured with the one or more calibration temperatures. The calibration device  106  may be a black body radiator. For example, the calibration device  106  may emit the one or more calibration heat signals  110  associated with 0° C., 10° C., 20° C., 30° C., and 40° C. Alternative or additionally, the calibration device  106  may emit the one or more calibration heat signals  110  associated with 30° F., 50° F., 70° F., 90° F., and 110° F. Other temperatures and/or temperature ranges are possible. 
     In certain aspects, the sensing device  104  may receive the one or more calibration heat signals  110 . The sensing device  104  may utilize the one or more calibration heat signals  110  for calibration (e.g., tuning electronics within the sensing device  104  and/or adjusting offsets for a lookup table associating heat signals and temperatures). In some aspects, the controller  102  may perform the calibration described above. 
     In some aspects of the present disclosure, the sensing device  104  may receive heat signals  112  from sources  114 . The sources  114  may include the occupants  108   a ,  108   b , clothes and/or accessories of the occupants  108   a ,  108   b , fixtures in the building  101 , or other items. The sensing device  104  and/or the controller  102  may determine the temperatures associated with the heat signals  112  (e.g., 37° C., 98° F., 30° C., etc.). Based on the temperatures (and after the calibration described above), the controller  102  may determine an internal target temperature for the building  101 . For example, the controller  102  may calculate a mean temperature, a median temperature, and/or a mode temperature based on the temperatures associated with the heat signals  112 . The controller  102  may determine the internal target temperature using one or more of the mean temperature, the median temperature, and/or the mode temperature. In one example, if the controller  102  calculates a mean temperature of 100° F. (indicating hot weather outside the building  101 ), the controller  102  may determine an internal target temperature of 75° F. 
     In an aspect, the controller  102  may transmit a control signal  122  indicating the internal target temperature to the HVAC system  120 . The HVAC system  120  may activate the heating, ventilation, or air conditioning to adjust the temperature in the building toward the internal target temperature. In alternative aspects, the building  101  may include multiple controllers, sensing devices, calibration devices, and/or HVAC systems. 
     Turning to  FIG.  2   , an example of a method  200  for controlling one or more HVAC systems may be implemented by the controller  102 , the sensing device  104 , the processor  140 , the communication component  142 , the temperature component  144 , and/or the memory  150 . One or more of the controller  102 , the sensing device  104 , the processor  140 , the communication component  142 , the temperature component  144 , and/or the memory  150  may be configured to or provide means for implementing aspects of the method  200 . 
     At block  202 , the method  200  may receive at least one calibration heat signal from a calibration device, wherein the at least one calibration heat signal corresponds to a calibration temperature known to the controller. The controller  102 , the sensing device  104 , the processor  140 , the communication component  142 , the temperature component  144 , and/or the memory  150  may be configured to or provide means for receiving at least one calibration heat signal from a calibration device, wherein the at least one calibration heat signal corresponds to a calibration temperature known to the controller. 
     At block  204 , the method  200  may receive a plurality of heat signals from a plurality of sources in the building. The controller  102 , the sensing device  104 , the processor  140 , the communication component  142 , the temperature component  144 , and/or the memory  150  may be configured to or provide means for receiving a plurality of heat signals from a plurality of sources in the building. Examples of the sources may include occupants, accessories and/or clothing of the occupants, fixtures, furniture, and/or other items in the building  101 . 
     At block  206 , the method  200  may determine a plurality of temperatures associated with the plurality of heat signals based on the at least one calibration heat signal and/or the calibration temperature. The controller  102 , the sensing device  104 , the processor  140 , the temperature component  144 , and/or the memory  150  may be configured to or provide means for determining a plurality of temperatures associated with the plurality of heat signals based on the at least one calibration heat signal and the calibration temperature. 
     At block  208 , the method  200  may determine an internal target temperature of the building based on the plurality of temperatures. The controller  102 , the sensing device  104 , the processor  140 , the temperature component  144 , and/or the memory  150  may be configured to or provide means for determining an internal target temperature of the building based on the plurality of temperatures. 
     At block  210 , the method  200  may transmit, to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a control signal indicating the internal target temperature. The controller  102 , the processor  140 , the communication component  142 , and/or the memory  150  may be configured to or provide means for transmitting, to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a control signal indicating the internal target temperature. 
     Aspects of the present disclosure includes the method above, wherein determining the internal target temperature comprises calculating a mean temperature, a median temperature, or a mode temperature of the plurality of temperatures and determining the internal target temperature based on one or more of the mean temperature, the median temperature, or the mode temperature. 
     Aspects of the present disclosure includes any of the methods above, further comprising calibrating, prior to receiving the plurality of heat signals, the controller based on the at least one calibration heat signal and the calibration temperature. 
     Aspects of the present disclosure includes any of the methods above, wherein determining the internal target temperature comprises receiving information relating to one or more of an outdoor temperature, a current indoor temperature in the building, or a time and determining the internal target temperature based on the one or more of the outdoor temperature, the current indoor temperature in the building, or the time. For example, the controller  102  may receive, via the communication component  140 , the outdoor and/or indoor temperature from an external/internal thermostat in communication with the controller  102 . The controller  102  may obtain the time from an internal clock. 
     Aspects of the present disclosure includes any of the methods above, wherein receiving the plurality of heat signals comprises receiving the plurality of heat signals from different locations in the building. 
     Aspects of the present disclosures may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof and may be implemented in one or more computer systems or other processing systems. In an aspect of the present disclosures, features are directed toward one or more computer systems capable of carrying out the functionality described herein. An example of such the computer system  2000  is shown in  FIG.  3   . In some examples, the controller  102  and/or the sensing device  104  may be implemented as the computer system  2000  shown in  FIG.  3   . The controller  102  and/or the sensing device  104  may include some or all of the components of the computer system  2000 . 
     The computer system  2000  includes one or more processors, such as processor  2004 . The processor  2004  is connected with a communication infrastructure  2006  (e.g., a communications bus, cross-over bar, or network). Various software aspects are described in terms of this example computer system. After reading this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement aspects of the disclosures using other computer systems and/or architectures. 
     The computer system  2000  may include a display interface  2002  that forwards graphics, text, and other data from the communication infrastructure  2006  (or from a frame buffer not shown) for display on a display unit  2030 . Computer system  2000  also includes a main memory  2008 , preferably random access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory  2010 . The secondary memory  2010  may include, for example, a hard disk drive  2012 , and/or a removable storage drive  2014 , representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, etc. The removable storage drive  2014  reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit  2018  in a well-known manner. Removable storage unit  2018  represents a floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, USB flash drive etc., which is read by and written to removable storage drive  2014 . As will be appreciated, the removable storage unit  2018  includes a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer software and/or data. In some examples, one or more of the main memory  2008 , the secondary memory  2010 , the removable storage unit  2018 , and/or the removable storage unit  2022  may be a non-transitory memory. 
     Alternative aspects of the present disclosures may include secondary memory  2010  and may include other similar devices for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into computer system  2000 . Such devices may include, for example, a removable storage unit  2022  and an interface  2020 . Examples of such may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), or programmable read only memory (PROM)) and associated socket, and the removable storage unit  2022  and the interface  2020 , which allow software and data to be transferred from the removable storage unit  2022  to computer system  2000 . 
     Computer system  2000  may also include a communications circuit  2024 . The communications circuit  2024  may allow software and data to be transferred between computer system  2000  and external devices. Examples of the communications circuit  2024  may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred via the communications circuit  2024  are in the form of signals  2028 , which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical or other signals capable of being received by the communications circuit  2024 . These signals  2028  are provided to the communications circuit  2024  via a communications path (e.g., channel)  2026 . This path  2026  carries signals  2028  and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a telephone line, a cellular link, an RF link and/or other communications channels. In this document, the terms “computer program medium” and “computer usable medium” are used to refer generally to media such as the removable storage unit  2018 , a hard disk installed in hard disk drive  2012 , and signals  2028 . These computer program products provide software to the computer system  2000 . Aspects of the present disclosures are directed to such computer program products. 
     Computer programs (also referred to as computer control logic) are stored in main memory  2008  and/or secondary memory  2010 . Computer programs may also be received via communications circuit  2024 . Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system  2000  to perform the features in accordance with aspects of the present disclosures, as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable the processor  2004  to perform the features in accordance with aspects of the present disclosures. Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of the computer system  2000 . 
     In an aspect of the present disclosures where the method is implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into computer system  2000  using removable storage drive  2014 , hard disk drive  2012 , or the interface  2020 . The control logic (software), when executed by the processor  2004 , causes the processor  2004  to perform the functions described herein. In another aspect of the present disclosures, the system is implemented primarily in hardware using, for example, hardware components, such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Implementation of the hardware state machine so as to perform the functions described herein will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s). 
     It will be appreciated that various implementations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives or varieties thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.