HVAC control with utility time of day pricing support

US8185245B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. · US

Inventors

• John B. Amundson · Plymouth, US
• Jeffrey Boll · Brooklyn Park, US
• Peter Joseph Erickson · Crystal, US
• Michael Lunacek · Rogers, US
• Patrick Tessier · Oakdale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 22, 2010
• Grant date: May 22, 2012
• Expiry date: Oct 24, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/00
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for operating a utility-powered HVAC system for conditioning inside air of a building. In an illustrative but non-limiting example, a nominal schedule is maintained by a local HVAC controller, where the nominal schedule has a number of days and one or more time periods for each of at least some of the days. The nominal schedule also has at least one setpoint associated with each of the time periods. The local HVAC controller is configured to accept manual input from a user via a user interface. The manual input may include accepting entry of a utility pricing schedule that corresponds to scheduled price changes of a utility. The utility pricing schedule may include at least one enhanced pricing time period. Entry of at least one utility price level setpoint offset may also be accepted to correspond to each of the enhanced pricing time periods. The nominal schedule may then be modified or overridden to include the utility pricing schedule, resulting in a utility pricing operating schedule. One or more HVAC units may then be controlled by the local HVAC controller in accordance with the utility pricing operating schedule.