초록 ▼

The present invention is directed to a multiple zone climate control system which includes a HVAC unit that supplies conditioned air to more than one zone, a zone controller in each zone, a central controller, one or more air flow rate regulating devices in each zone, and a digital wireless network

The present invention is directed to a multiple zone climate control system which includes a HVAC unit that supplies conditioned air to more than one zone, a zone controller in each zone, a central controller, one or more air flow rate regulating devices in each zone, and a digital wireless network connecting the air flow rate regulating devices, zone controllers and the central controller. The multiple zone climate control system is capable of energy efficiently regulating temperature in each zone independently as well as providing other air conditioning functions such as humidifying, cleaning and filtering air in each zone independently. The multiple zone climate control system can be installed in a single zone climate control system to convert it into a multiple zone climate control system.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A multiple zone climate control system, comprising a. a HVAC unit that supplies conditioned air to more than one zone; b. a zone controller in each zone; c. a central controller, said central controller controls said HVAC unit to be in a state which is selected from heating,

What is claimed is: 1. A multiple zone climate control system, comprising a. a HVAC unit that supplies conditioned air to more than one zone; b. a zone controller in each zone; c. a central controller, said central controller controls said HVAC unit to be in a state which is selected from heating, cooling, ventilating, and off; wherein the central controller shuts down the HVAC unit after all zones reach their preset conditions respectively; d. one or more air flow rate regulating devices in each zone, wherein each said air flow rate regulating devices is powered and is built into a register, each said air flow rate regulating device comprises one or more dampers or boosters or combination thereof and an air flow rate regulating device controller, wherein said air flow rate regulating device controller can communicate with said zone controller and adjust the degree of openness of said damper accordingly or adjust the performance of said booster accordingly to reach a desired climate control which is set at the zone controller in each zone; and e. a digital wireless network that connects said central controller, said zone controllers and said air flow rate regulating devices, wherein said zone controllers communicate with the central controller and the air flow rate regulating devices through said digital wireless network. 2. The multiple zone climate system in claim 1, wherein said central controller and/or zone controller control the zone air flow rate regulating devices in a concerted fashion to reach optimal system performance according to an algorithm which are preset or later installed. 3. The multiple zone climate control system in claim 1, wherein said central controller has a zone controller component and functions as a zone controller as well. 4. The multiple zone climate control system in claim 1, wherein said one or more dampers are powered by one or more batteries if the air flow rate regulating device comprises one or more dampers. 5. The multiple zone climate control system in claim 4, wherein said zone controller can obtain information regarding a power level of the batteries and display an alert message when the power level is below a predefined level. 6. The multiple zone climate control system in claim 1, wherein said zone controller is embedded with a manual override mode, wherein when said manual override mode is activated, said zone controllers stop sending instructions to their zone air flow rate regulating devices so the zone air flow rate regulating devices' status remain unchanged until the manual override is revoked. 7. The multiple zone climate control system in claim 1, wherein temperature is used as the climate control criterion in said zone. 8. The multiple zone climate control system in claim 1, which uses a control algorithm/method comprising one or more of the following elements: a. keeping certain percentage of said dampers open at all time, if the air flow rate regulating device comprises one or more dampers b. using said boosters in certain zones to boost airflow rate, if the air flow rate regulating device comprises one or more boosters, c. allowing certain amount of airflow into a zone even after the desired climate control are met, d. not allowing the HVAC unit work for longer than a predefined period of time when the percentage of the opened dampers is lower than a predefined value, and e. setting a zone's dead band width according to the speed of the zone's temperature fluctuation. 9. A method of converting a single zone HVAC system to a multiple zone HVAC system, comprising the following steps not necessarily in the following order: a. installing a zone controller in each zone; b. replacing some or all registers in a zone with air flow rate regulating devices, wherein each of said air flow rate regulating devices is powered and is built into a register, and each of said air flow rate regulating devices comprises one or more dampers or boosters or combination thereof, an air flow rate regulating device controller that can communicate with said zone controller and adjust the degree of openness of said damper accordingly or adjust the performance of said booster accordingly; c. replacing the thermostat that is connected to said single zone HVAC unit with a central controller, said central controller controls said HVAC unit to be in a state selected from heating, cooling, ventilating, and off; and d. connecting said central controller, said zone controllers and said air flow rate regulating devices with a digital wireless network, wherein said zone controllers communicate with the central controller and said air flow rate regulating devices through said digital wireless network.