Method to control a communication rate between a thermostat and a cloud based server

Abstract

A communication rate between a cloud-based server and an HVAC controller located within a building may be controlled based on the amount of power available at the HVAC controller. The cloud-based server may notify a user if the amount of power available at the HVAC controller is determined to be low.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A building controller, comprising:
 an input/output block configured to send one or more control signals to control one or more building components;   a communications port configured to send and/or receive messages via a communications network;   an energy storage device for powering at least part of the building controller; and   a controller operatively coupled to the input/output block, the communications port, and the energy storage device, the controller is configured to determine an available amount of power stored in the energy storage device and is further configured to communicate, via the communications port, a message that is indicative of a delay until a subsequent communication time, wherein the delay is dependent upon the determined available amount of power stored in the energy storage device.   
     
     
         2 . The building controller of  claim 1 , wherein:
 for a first available amount of power stored in the energy storage device, the controller communicates a first message that is indicative of a first delay until a subsequent communication time; and   for a second available amount of power stored in the energy storage device, the controller communicates a second message that is indicative of a second delay until a subsequent communication time;   wherein the first available amount of power is greater than the second available amount of power, and the first delay is shorter than the second delay.   
     
     
         3 . The building controller of  claim 2 , wherein the first delay is less than 10 seconds, and the second delay is greater than 30 seconds. 
     
     
         4 . The building controller of  claim 2 , wherein the first delay is less than 10 seconds, and the second delay is greater than 10 minutes. 
     
     
         5 . The building controller of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine if the available amount of power is below a predetermined threshold and is indicative of a reduced power state of the energy storage device, and if so, the controller is configured to increase the delay relative to when the available amount of power is above the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The building controller of  claim 5 , wherein if the controller determines that the available amount of power is below the predetermined threshold, at least one function of the building controller are prohibited. 
     
     
         7 . The building controller of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one function that is prohibited comprises performing a firmware upgrade for the building controller. 
     
     
         8 . The building controller of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one function that is prohibited comprises changing one or more schedule parameters. 
     
     
         9 . The building controller of  claim 1 , wherein the communications port comprises a wireless transceiver for wirelessly sending and/or receiving messages over a wireless network. 
     
     
         10 . The building controller of  claim 1 , wherein the building controller is a thermostat. 
     
     
         11 . The building controller of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to enter the building controller into a sleep mode during the delay. 
     
     
         12 . The building controller of  claim 11 , wherein, in the sleep mode, the communications port is in a lower power state. 
     
     
         13 . A method of communicating with a building controller, wherein the building controller includes an energy storage device for powering at least part of the building controller, and a communications port for sending and/or receiving messages to an external server via a network at successive communication times separated by a delay, the method comprising:
 determining an available amount of power stored in the energy storage device;   setting the delay between successive communication times, wherein the delay is set based, at least in part, on the determined amount of available power stored by the energy storage device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining if the available amount of power is below a predetermined threshold and is indicative of a reduced power state of the energy storage device, and if so, increasing the delay relative to when the available amount of power is above the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein if the available amount of power is determined to be below the predetermined threshold, prohibiting at least one function of the building controller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one function that is prohibited comprises performing a firmware upgrade for the building controller. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one function that is prohibited comprises changing one or more schedule parameters. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising entering the building controller into a sleep mode during the delay. 
     
     
         19 . A system comprising a building controller in communication with a server over a network, the system comprising:
 a building controller located within a building comprising:
 a command module for sending one or more control signals to one or more building components; 
 a communications module for sending and/or receiving messages to and/or from a web server via a network; 
 a power module for powering at least part of the building controller; 
 a controller operatively coupled to the command module, the communications module, and the power module, the controller is configured to determine an available amount of power stored in the power module and is further configured to communicate, via the communications module, one or more messages that is related to the determined available amount of power stored in the power module; and 
   a server in communication with the building controller over the network, the server configured to receive the one or more messages that is related to the determined available amount of power stored in the power module of the building controller, the server further configured to transmit a message to a user device via the network, wherein the message notifies the user as to the power state of the building controller.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the server does not report a communication failure. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the server is configured to report a message indicative of the expected delay from a last message received from the building controller. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the building controller and the server communicate at successive communication times separated by a delay, and wherein the delay is set based, at least in part, on the determined amount of available power stored by the power module.