Patent ID: 6983889

Claim:
A zone climate control system, for installation in an existing forced air HVAC system in a building, comprising: 1) a plurality of airflow control devices adapted for installation inside air vents in rooms of said building; 2) first means for independently controlling each said airflow control device by selectively providing one of pressurized air and vacuum, said first means mounted on a discharge plenum of said HVAC system such that said first means is accessible from an inside of said plenum; 3) second means for connecting each said airflow control device to said first means such that said second means is entirely inside said plenum and said air ducts, and such that said first means controls each said airflow control device through said second means; 4) an air pump that provides pressurized air and vacuum; and 5) a plurality of independently operable air valves, each air valve including, a) an alpha means for connecting to said pressurized air, b) a beta means for connecting to said vacuum, and c) a valve slide having a pressure position adapted to provide a path from said alpha means to said second means, and a vacuum position adapted to provide a path from said beta means to said second means; 6) a delta means for moving one at a time any one of the valve slides to either said pressure position or said vacuum position, the delta means responsive to valve control signals generated by a controlling processor; and 7) an epsilon means for positioning said delta means such that each of the valve slides can be independently set to said pressure position or said vacuum position, said epsilon means responsive to position control signals generated by said controlling processor; whereby said first means, said second means, and each said airflow control device of said control system are installed by accessing only said plenum and said air vents; and whereby said air ducts are unmodified in any other way; and whereby said air ducts remain assembled throughout said installation; and whereby said installation is simplified; and whereby various combinations of said valve control signals and said position control signals independently cause either said pressurized air or said vacuum to be connected to each of the plurality of said second means for connecting.