Hvac shared data management systems and methods

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having a control system suitable to control operation of a device in the HVAC system. The control system may include a zone control panel that may maintain an instance of each schedule used by one or more devices in the HVAC system to operate. Further, the zone control panel may include a set of one or more status flags, which may each indicate whether data associated with a respective flag is available to be retrieved. Accordingly, the zone control panel may communicate information, such as an update to a schedule, rapidly between devices in the HVAC system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a first zone thermostat configured to store a first instance of a first set of data; and   a zone control panel communicatively coupled to the first zone thermostat and configured to store a second instance of the first set of data, wherein the zone control panel comprises:
 a first flag configured to, in a first state, indicate first information related to the first instance of the first set of data and to, in a second state, indicate second information related to the first instance of the first set of data; and 
 a microcontroller programmed to:
 determine a state of the first flag; and 
 when the first flag is in the second state:
 instruct the zone control panel to retrieve the first instance of the first set of data from the first zone thermostat; 
 update the second instance of the first set of data stored at the zone control panel based in part on the first instance of the first set of data retrieved from the first zone thermostat; 
 instruct the zone control panel to operate based in part on the second instance of the first set of data after the second instance of the first set of data is updated; and 
 update the state of the first flag from the second state to the first state. 
 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is programmed to:
 instruct the zone control panel to retrieve the first instance of the first set of data along with a second set of data from the first zone thermostat when the first flag is in the second state; and   instruct the zone control panel to retrieve only the second set of data from the first zone thermostat when the first flag is in the first state.   
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system of  claim 2 , zone control panel is configured to retrieve the second set of data from the first zone thermostat at regular intervals. 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the first zone thermostat is configured to:
 set the first flag to the second state when a user input requesting to modify the first set of data is received at the first zone thermostat; and   update the first instance of the first set of data stored at the first zone thermostat based at least in part on the user input.   
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising a second zone thermostat configured to store a first instance of a second set of data, wherein:
 the zone control panel comprises a second flag configured to, in the first state, indicate third information related to a first instance of the second set of data and to, in the second state, indicate fourth information related to the first instance of the second set of data; and   the microcontroller is programmed to:
 determine a state of the second flag; and 
 when the second flag is in the second state:
 instruct the zone control panel to retrieve the first instance of the second set of data from the second zone thermostat; 
 update the second instance of the second set of data stored at the zone control panel based in part on the first instance of the second set of data retrieved from the second zone thermostat; 
 instruct the zone control panel to operate based in part on the second instance of the second set of data after the second instance of the second set of data is updated; and 
 update the state of the second flag from the second state to the first state. 
 
   
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising a second zone thermostat configured to store a third instance of the first set of data, wherein:
 the zone control panel comprises a second flag configured to, in the first state, indicate third information related to the third instance of the first set of data and to, in the second state, indicate fourth information related to the third instance of the first set of data; and   the microcontroller is programmed to update the state of the second flag from the first state to the second state after the second instance of the first set of data stored at the zone control panel is updated based in part on the first instance of the first set of data retrieved from the first zone thermostat.   
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the second zone thermostat is configured to:
 determine a state of the second flag; and   when the second flag is in the second state:
 retrieve the second instance of the first set of data from the zone control panel; 
 update the third instance of the first set of data stored at the second zone thermostat based in part on the second instance of the first set of data retrieved from the zone control panel; and 
 update the state of the second flag from the second state to the first state after the third instance of the first set of data stored at the second zone thermostat is updated. 
   
     
     
         8 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the first flag is configured to:
 in the first state, indicate that a change to the first instance of the first set of data is made by the first zone thermostat; and   in the second state, indicate that the first instance of the first set of data is unchanged at the first zone thermostat.   
     
     
         9 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 first HVAC equipment communicatively coupled to the zone control panel, wherein the zone control panel is configured to operate based at least in part on the second instance of the first set of data by outputting first control signals to control operation of the first HVAC equipment based in part on the second instance of the first set of data stored at the zone control panel; and   second HVAC equipment communicatively coupled to the first zone thermostat, wherein the first zone thermostat is configured to output second control signals to control operation of the second HVAC equipment based in part on the first instance of the first set of data stored at the first zone thermostat.   
     
     
         10 . The HVAC system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first HVAC equipment comprises one or more HVAC units configured to produce temperature-controlled air; and   the second HVAC equipment comprises one or more air dampers configured to control airflow provided to internal spaces within a building serviced by the HVAC system.   
     
     
         11 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the zone control panel comprises a plurality of registers; and   the first flag comprises one or more of the plurality of registers.   
     
     
         12 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of data comprises a schedule that indicates target air conditions associated with a building zone serviced by the HVAC system. 
     
     
         13 . A method for controlling operation of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 determining, using a controller in the HVAC system, a state of a first flag of a zone control panel in the HVAC system, wherein the first flag is configured to in a first state, indicate first information related to a first instance of a first set of data stored at a first zone thermostat in the HVAC system and to, in a second state, indicate second information related to the first instance of the first set of data; and   when the first flag is in the second state:
 instructing, using the controller, the zone control panel to retrieve the first instance of the first set of data from the first zone thermostat; 
 updating, using the controller, a second instance of the first set of data stored at the zone control panel based in part on the first instance of the first set of data retrieved from the first zone thermostat; 
 instructing, using the controller, the zone control panel to operate based in part on the second instance of the first set of data after the second instance of the first set of data is updated; and 
 updating, using the controller, the state of the first flag from the second state to the first state. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising:
 receiving, at the first zone thermostat, a user input requesting to modify the first set of data;   modifying, using the first zone thermostat, the first instance of the first set of data based in part on the user input; and   setting, using the first zone thermostat, the state of the first flag to the second state.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising:
 determining, using the controller, a state of a second flag of the zone control panel, wherein the second flag is configured to in a first state, indicate third information related to a first instance of a second set of data stored at a second zone thermostat in the HVAC system and to, in a second state, indicate fourth information related to the first instance of the second set of data; and   when the second flag is in the second state:
 instructing, using the controller, the zone control panel to retrieve the first instance of the second set of data from the second zone thermostat; 
 updating, using the controller, a second instance of the second set of data stored at the zone control panel based in part on the first instance of the second set of data retrieved from the second zone thermostat; 
 instructing, using the controller, the zone control panel to operate based in part on the second instance of the second set of data after the second instance of the second set of data is updated; and 
 updating, using the controller, the state of the second flag from the second state to the first state. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising:
 determining, using the controller, a state of a second flag of the zone control panel, wherein the second flag is configured to in a first state, indicate third information related to a third instance of the first set of data stored at a second zone thermostat in the HVAC system and to, in a second state, indicate fourth information related to the third instance of the first set of data; and   when the second flag is in the second state:
 instructing, using the controller, the zone control panel to retrieve the third instance of the first set of data from the second zone thermostat; 
 updating, using the controller, the second instance of the first set of data stored at the zone control panel based in part on the third instance of the first set of data retrieved from the second zone thermostat; 
 instructing, using the controller, the zone control panel to operate based in part on the second instance of the first set of data after the second instance of the first set of data is updated; and 
 setting, using the controller, the state of the first flag to a third state, wherein the first flag is configured to, in the third state, indicate fifth information related to the first instance of the first set of data. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 determining, using the first zone thermostat, the first flag is in the third state; and   when the third flag is in the third state:
 retrieving, using the first zone thermostat, the second instance of the first set of data from the zone control panel; 
 updating, using the first zone thermostat, the first instance of the first set of data based in part on the second instance of the first set of data retrieved from the zone control panel; and 
 updating, using the first zone thermostat, the first flag from the third state to the first state. 
   
     
     
         18 . A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising instructions executable by at least one processor of a zone control panel in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 determine a state of a first flag at a first zone thermostat of the HVAC system, wherein the first flag is configured to in a first state, indicate first information related to a first instance of a first set of data stored at the first zone thermostat and to, in a second state, indicate second information related to the first instance of the first set of data; and   when the first flag is in the second state:
 instruct the zone control panel to retrieve the first instance of the first set of data from the first zone thermostat; 
 update a second instance of the first set of data stored at the zone control panel based in part on the first instance of the first set of data retrieved from the first zone thermostat; 
 instruct the zone control panel to operate based in part on the second instance of the first set of data after the second instance of the first set of data is updated; and 
 update the state of the first flag from the second state to the first state. 
   
     
     
         19 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
 determine a second flag at a second zone thermostat in the HVAC system, wherein the second flag is configured to in a first state, indicate third information related to a first instance of a second set of data stored at the second zone thermostat and to, in a second state, indicate fourth information related to the first instance of the second set of data; and   when the second flag is in the second state:
 instruct the zone control panel to retrieve the first instance of the second set of data from the second zone thermostat; 
 update a second instance of the second set of data stored at the zone control panel based in part on the first instance of the second set of data retrieved from the second zone thermostat; 
 instruct the zone control panel to operate based in part on the second instance of the second set of data after the second instance of the second set of data is updated; and 
 update the state of the second flag from the second state to the first state. 
   
     
     
         20 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
 determine a second flag at a second zone thermostat in the HVAC system, wherein the second flag is configured to in a first state, indicate third information related to a third instance of the first set of data stored at the second zone thermostat and to, in a second state, indicate fourth information related to the third instance of the first set of data; and   in response to determining the second flag is in the second state:
 instruct the zone control panel to retrieve the third instance of the first set of data from the second zone thermostat; 
 update the second instance of the first set of data stored at the zone control panel based in part on the third instance of the first set of data retrieved from the second zone thermostat; 
 instruct the zone control panel to operate based in part on the second instance of the first set of data after the second instance of the first set of data is updated; 
 update the state of the second flag from the second state to the first state; and 
 set a third flag at the first zone thermostat to a first state, wherein the third flag is configured to, in the first state, indicate that a change to the second instance of the first set of data is made by the second zone thermostat and to, in a second state, indicate that the second instance of the first set of data is unchanged by the second zone thermostat.