SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING AND CONTROLLING MANAGEMENT OF HVAC FEATURES

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/497,545 filed on Apr. 21, 2023, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure generally relates to the field of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, and more particularly relates to systems and methods for enabling and controlling management of HVAC features.

BACKGROUND

HVAC systems are an essential part of modern residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. The HVAC systems provide indoor climate control by regulating temperature, humidity, and air quality, creating a comfortable and healthy living environment. An HVAC system includes heating and cooling units, such as boilers, furnaces, chillers, and air conditioners. The heating units of the system are responsible for generating and distributing warm air, while the cooling units cool the air. The HVAC system may also include a ventilation unit that ensures that air is exchanged between the inside and outside of the building, which helps to remove stale air and maintain indoor air quality.

The HVAC system can vary in size and complexity, from small standalone units to large, integrated systems that serve entire buildings or complexes.

Currently, an HVAC system provides a defined set of features and levels of performance when installed. Generally, the capabilities of the HVAC system are fixed over the lifetime of the HVAC system. Also, there is a large upfront cost associated with the purchasing and installation of the necessary HVAC system and components associated with the HVAC system.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned limitations, there lies a need for an improved HVAC system and method for providing flexibility to users in terms of usage of the HVAC system's features, and optimization of system performance.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the disclosure. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the disclosure and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the disclosure.

Disclosed herein is a Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. The system comprises at least one HVAC equipment and at least one remote control device communicatively connected with the at least one HVAC equipment. Further, the at least one remote control device includes at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to receive, from a user equipment associated with a user, a request including an indication to enable and configure one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment, and at least one of user identification information or HVAC equipment identification information. The at least one processor is further configured to determine a validity of the received request to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment. The at least one processor is configured to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment upon determining that the received request to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment is valid.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to identify a profile information associated with the at least one HVAC equipment based on the request, and wherein determining validity is based on the profile information.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to monitor, based on the profile information, the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment. The at least one processor is also be configured to determine, based on the monitoring, a time period that is lapsed from a time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to compare the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics with at least one of a predefined threshold time period and the profile information. Further, the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the lapsed time period is at least one of equal to a profile time period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time. Furthermore, the at least one processor is configured to generate an alert for the user upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is at least one of equal to the profile time period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to disable the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the profile time period.

In one or more embodiments, the profile information comprises subscription information associated with the at least one HVAC equipment based on the request, and the subscription information comprises at least a subscription type and wherein the profile time period comprises a subscription period associated with the requested one or more operational characteristics, and wherein the subscription type corresponds to at least one of a permanent subscription, a periodic subscription, or a duration-based subscription.

In one or more embodiments, the system further comprises a thermostat communicatively connected with the at least one HVAC equipment and the at least one remote control device. The thermostat is configured to receive the request including the indication to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment. The thermostat is also be configured to transmit the received request to the at least one remote control device.

In one or more embodiments, the thermostat is further configured to receive, from the at least one remote control device, a control signal to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment communicably coupled with the thermostat. The thermostat may also be configured to enable and configure, based on the received control signal, the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment that is communicably coupled with the thermostat.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to determine a subscription status of the at least one HVAC equipment based on the identified subscription information. The at least one processor is further configured to control one of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the user equipment or a GUI of the thermostat to notify the user about the determined subscription status of the at least one HVAC equipment.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor may be further configured to periodically notify the generated alert to the user via at least one of the thermostat, a GUI of the user equipment, an email, a text message, or a user portal.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to reconfigure at least one of the one or more operational characteristics or system configuration of the at least one HVAC equipment to a default state upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the subscription period.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to determine a current operational state of the system configuration of the at least one HVAC equipment prior to the enablement and the configuration of the requested one or more operational characteristics.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to receive, from the user equipment, authentication data and associated metadata for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment. The at least one processor is further configured to validate, using one of an asymmetric cryptography method, an encryption method, or a tamper detection method, the received authentication data and the associated metadata. Moreover, the at least one processor is further configured to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment based on the validation.

In one or more embodiments, the at least one processor is further configured to control, using a control signal, one or more applications installed on at least one of the thermostat or the at least one HVAC equipment to enable and configure the one or more requested operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment.

In one or more embodiments, the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment may include features corresponding to at least one of air conditioning, heating, cold climate performance, high ambient performance, low ambient performance, system tonnage, quiet mode, comfort mode, or filter monitoring.

In one or more embodiments, the identified subscription information includes at least a feature ID, a feature name, a current status of enabled or disabled features, and a duration of subscription corresponding to each of the enabled or disabled features.

Also, disclosed herein is a method for controlling a Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that is performed by at least one remote control device of the HVAC system. The method comprises receiving, from a user equipment associated with a user, a request including an indication for enabling and configuring one or more operational characteristics of at least one HVAC equipment of the HVAC system, and at least one of user identification information or HVAC equipment identification information. The method further comprises determining a validity of the received request for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment. The method comprises enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment upon determining that the received request for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment is valid.

In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises identifying a profile information associated with the at least one HVAC equipment based on the request, and wherein determining validity is based on the profile information.

In one or more embodiments, the method may further comprise monitoring the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment based on the subscription type associated with the requested one or more operational characteristics. The method may further comprise determining, based on the monitoring a time period that is lapsed from a time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics.

In one or more embodiments, the method may also comprise comparing the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics with at least one of a predefined threshold time period and a profile information. The method may further comprise determining whether the lapsed time period is at least one of equal to a profile time period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time. In addition, the method may comprise generating an alert for the user upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is at least one of equal to the profile time period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time.

In one or more embodiments, the method may further comprise disabling the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the profile time period.

In one or more embodiments, the profile information comprises subscription information associated with the at least one HVAC equipment based on the request, and wherein the subscription information comprises at least a subscription type and wherein the profile time period comprises a subscription period associated with the requested one or more operational characteristics, and wherein the subscription type corresponds to at least one of a permanent subscription, a periodic subscription, or a duration-based subscription.

In one or more embodiments, the HVAC system comprises a thermostat and wherein the method may further comprise receiving, by the thermostat, the request including the indication for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment. Further, the method may comprise transmitting, by the thermostat, the received request to the at least one remote control device.

In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises receiving, by the thermostat, from the at least one remote control device, a control signal for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment communicably coupled with the thermostat. Further, the method may comprise enabling and configuring, by the thermostat based on the received control signal, the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment that is communicably coupled with the thermostat.

In one or more embodiments, the method may further comprise determining a subscription status of the at least one HVAC equipment based on the identified subscription information. Moreover, the method may comprise controlling one of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the user equipment or a GUI of the thermostat for notifying the user about the determined subscription status of the at least HVAC equipment.

In one or more embodiments, the method may also comprise periodically notifying the generated alert to the user via at least one of the thermostat, a GUI of the user equipment, an email, a text message, or a user portal.

In one or more embodiments, the method may further comprise reconfiguring at least one of the one or more operational characteristics or system configuration of the at least one HVAC equipment to a default state upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the subscription period.

In one or more embodiments, the method may further comprise determining a current operational state of the system configuration of the at least one HVAC equipment prior to the enablement and the configuration of the requested one or more operational characteristics.

In one or more embodiments, the method may further comprise receiving, from the user equipment, authentication data and associated metadata for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment. The method may also comprise validating the received authentication data and the associated metadata using one of an asymmetric cryptography method, an encryption method, or a tamper detection method. Moreover, the method may comprise enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment based on the validation.

In one or more embodiments, the method may also comprise controlling, using a control signal, one or more applications installed on at least one of the thermostat or the at least one HVAC equipment for enabling and configuring the one or more requested operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment.

In one or more embodiments, the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one of HVAC equipment may include features corresponding to at least one of air conditioning, heating, cold climate performance, high ambient performance, low ambient performance, system tonnage, quiet mode, comfort mode, or filter monitoring.

In one or more embodiments, the identified subscription information includes at least a feature ID, a feature name, a current status of enabled or disabled features, and a duration of subscription corresponding to each of the enabled or disabled features.

To further clarify the advantages and features of the methods, systems, and apparatuses, a more particular description of the methods, systems, and apparatuses will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a system environment for controlling a Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a remote control device for controlling the HVAC system.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a thermostat for controlling the HVAC system.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow chart depicting a method for enabling and configuring one or more operational characteristics of at least one HVAC equipment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method flow chart depicting a method for monitoring the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method flow chart depicting an authentication-based method for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment validating the HVAC system.

Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the disclosure. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the disclosure so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the various embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory of the disclosure and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.

Reference throughout this specification to “an aspect,” “another aspect” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment”, “in another embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, and similar language throughout this specification may but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.

The terminology and structure employed herein are for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and do not limit, restrict, or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.

The term “unit(s)” or “module(s)” used herein may imply a unit including, for example, one of hardware, software, and firmware or a combination of two or more of them. The “unit” may be interchangeably used with a term such as logic, a logical block, a component, a circuit, and the like. The “unit” may be a minimum system component for performing one or more functions or may be a part thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art.

Embodiments of the disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The terms “user device” and “user equipment” may be used interchangeably throughout the description.

The terms “operational characteristics” and “features” may be used interchangeably throughout the description.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system environment 100 for controlling a Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. The system environment 100 may include various components such as, but not limited to, a remote control device 102, a network 104, a user device 106, and an HVAC system 114. The HVAC system 114 may include, but not limited to, a thermostat 108, an indoor unit 110, and an outdoor unit 112. In an embodiment, the indoor unit 110 or the outdoor unit 112 may also be referred to as HVAC equipment. Further, each of the components (102 to 112) may be communicably coupled with each other via the network 104, as discussed below herein throughout the disclosure.

In an exemplary embodiment, the remote control device 102 may be configured to control, monitor, and/or configure the HVAC system 114 based on profile information associated with HVAC system 114. In some embodiments, the profile information may include subscription information. The subscription information may define a set of features and associated parameters which may be enabled/disabled at the HVAC system 114 based on a user selection and/or a purchase operation performed by a user of the HVAC system 114. In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the subscription information may include information such as, but not limited to, a feature ID, a feature name, a status of the feature, a duration of subscription corresponding to each of the features, and so forth. For instance, the subscription information may indicate that a user has opted for the feature of air conditioning, which is currently disabled, for a duration of 3 months. In some embodiments, the user may also pay a requisite amount to enable or configure the desired features of the HVAC system 114.

Examples of features of the HVAC system 114 which may be configured and/or enabled based on subscription information may include, but not limited to, air conditioning, heating, cold climate performance, high ambient performance, system tonnage, cooling level, sound level, defrost interval, humidity control, and so forth. Further, the associated parameters of the features of the HVAC system 114 may include information such as, but not limited to, time duration, feature type, configuration interval, payment status, authentication data, and so forth. The remote control device 102 may be configured to enable and/or configure the one or more features of the HVAC system 114 opted by the user based on the subscription information.

The remote control device 102 may include any suitable network device, either wireless or wireline, including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a network server, a desktop computer, and any other device associated with network communication. In an embodiment, the remote control device 102 may correspond to a dealer portal configured to allow a dealer/technician to configure, monitor, and control the HVAC system 114. For instance, a user/homeowner wishes to opt for a feature and has requested the dealer to enable and/or configure a specific feature of the HVAC system 114. The dealer may enable and configure the requested HVAC system's feature based on the subscription information (or profile information) associated with the user/homeowner and the HVAC system 114 using the remote control device 102. In another embodiment, the remote control device 102 may correspond to a consumer portal configured to allow the user/homeowner of the HVAC system 114 to configure, monitor, and/or control the HVAC system 114. For example, the user may enable and configure the specific feature of the HVAC system 114 by conforming to the requirements such as, but not limited to, authentication requirement, payment requirement, and so forth, using the remote control device 102. The remote control device 102 may be configured to include any suitable hardware and/or software components that may be required to perform the desired functionality of the remote control device 102. Further, the remote control device 102 may be communicably coupled to the user device 106, the thermostat 108, the indoor unit 110, or the outdoor unit 112 via the network 104.

In a non-limited example, the network 104 may correspond to, but not limited to, a telephony network, a wireless network, a data network, a service provider data network, and the like. Further, the telephony network may include a circuit-switched network, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), a Private Branch Exchange (PBX), or other like networks. The service provider network may include circuit-switched and/or packet-switched networks that may include facilities to provide for transport of circuit-switched and/or packet-based communications. The network 116 may include components and facilities to provide signalling and/or bearer communications between the various components or facilities of the system environment 100. Moreover, the data network may be any Local Area Network (LAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), the Internet, or any other suitable packet-switched network, such as a commercially owned, proprietary packet-switched network, such as a proprietary cable or fiber-optic network. Further, the wireless network may employ various technologies including, for example, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Enhanced Data Rates For Global Evolution (EDGE), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET), Global System For Mobile Communications (GSM), 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), etc., as well as any other suitable wireless medium, for example, microwave access (WiMAX), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), satellites, and the like. Specifically, the network 104 may act as a communication gateway between the remote control device 102 and other components such as the user device 106, the thermostat 108, the indoor unit 110, and the outdoor unit 112, for controlling, monitoring, configuring, and performing data transmission.

The thermostat 108 may act as a main control unit of the HVAC system 114. In some embodiments, the thermostat 108 may be configured to determine a requirement for cooling, heating, and/or air circulation in an environment and operate the HVAC system 114 based on the determined requirements. In an embodiment, the thermostat 108 may be configured to coordinate and control the components of the HVAC system 114 such as the indoor unit 110 and the outdoor unit 112. In some embodiments, the thermostat 108 may act as a main interface for the user of the HVAC system 114 to operate the HVAC system 114 based on desired parameters. In some embodiments, the thermostat 108 may also enable a dealer/service technician to configure and set one or more operational parameters of the HVAC system 114 during installation and/or service of the HVAC system 114 based on desired parameters. The thermostat 108 may also be configured to provide technical data to a user to analyze or observe fault codes and sensor data. In an embodiment, the thermostat 108 may be connected to the network 104 for transmission and reception of system data and allows the remote control device 102 and/or the user device 106 to interact with the HVAC system 114.

In an exemplary embodiment, the thermostat 108 may be configured to control, monitor, and/or configure the HVAC system 114 based on the profile information (e.g., subscription information). Particularly, the thermostat 108 may be configured to update a configuration file of the HVAC system 114 based on the subscription information. The configuration file may be stored in either of the memory components of the HVAC system 114 and/or the remote control device 102. In some embodiments, the thermostat 108 may be configured to receive the configuration file from the remote control device 102. In alternate embodiments, the thermostat 108 may provide a direct Input/Output (I/O) interface to receive the configuration file from the user via any suitable storage media. Examples of the storage media may include, but not limited to, a flash drive, a hard disk, a memory stick/cards, a Secure Digital card (SD card), and so forth.

In some embodiments, the thermostat 108 may also include a wireless interface to allow a service technician to configure, monitor, control, and/or install a specific component or a complete system in the HVAC system 114 using a set of software instructions communicated via a communication device associated with the service technician. Specifically, the communication device associated with the service technician may include a mobile application to enable the service technician to interact with the thermostat 108 and configure, monitor, control, and/or install one or more hardware and/or software components of the HVAC system 114.

Moreover, the thermostat 108 may be configured to communicate with the indoor unit 110 and/or the outdoor unit 112 via a suitable communication bus to control, monitor, and configure the HVAC system 114 based on the profile information (e.g., subscription information). The thermostat 108 may be configured to include any suitable hardware and/or software components that may be required to perform the desired functionality of the thermostat 108.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the indoor unit 110 may correspond to, but not limited to, gas furnaces, fan coils, and/or furnace coils. In the case of the fan coils, the indoor unit 110 may also include an electric heating element. Further, in the case of fan coils and/or furnace coils, the indoor unit 110 may include a refrigerant line that runs between the indoor unit 110 and the outdoor unit 112. The refrigerant line may facilitate heat exchange between the indoor unit 110 and outdoor environments. In some embodiments, the indoor unit 110 may also include at least a processing unit, a communication unit, and a memory unit to enable the indoor unit 110 to communicate with other components of the HVAC system 114. Further, the indoor unit 110 may be configured to store one or more configuration files configured to control, monitor, and/or configure the indoor unit 110 based on the subscription information (or other profile information). In another embodiment, the indoor unit 110 may be configured to receive the one or more configuration files from any of the other components of the HVAC system 114 such as, but not limited to, the remote control device 102, the user device 106, the thermostat 108, and/or the outdoor unit 112, to control, monitor, and/or configure the indoor unit 110 based on the subscription information (or other profile information).

In an embodiment, the outdoor unit 112 may correspond to, but not limited to, air conditioners and heat pumps. In a non-limiting example, an example of the heat pump may be a geothermal heat pump. The air conditioners may be configured to cool the environment, and the heat pumps may be configured to both cool and heat the environment. In some embodiments, the outdoor unit 112 may also include at least a processing unit, a communication unit, and a memory unit to enable the outdoor unit 112 to communicate with other components of the HVAC system 114. Further, the outdoor unit 112 may be configured to store one or more configuration files configured to control, monitor, and/or configure the outdoor unit 112 based on the subscription information (or other profile information). In another embodiment, the indoor unit 110 may be configured to receive the one or more configuration files from any of the other components of the HVAC system 114 such as, but not limited to, the remote control device 102, the user device 106, the thermostat 108, and/or the indoor unit 110, to control, monitor, and/or configure the outdoor unit 112 based on the subscription information.

In an embodiment, any of the HVAC equipment such as the indoor unit 110 or the outdoor unit 112 may include a configuration file 116. The configuration file 116 may correspond to, but not limited to, a set of instructions that may be configured to control, monitor, and/or configure the HVAC system 114. In an exemplary embodiment, any of the components illustrated above which may be configured to control, monitor, and/or configure the HVAC system 114 based on the subscription information, may replace and/or update the configuration file 116 with an updated and/or new configuration file 118 that may enable/disable and/or configure/reconfigure one or more features of the HVAC system 114 based on the subscription information.

In some embodiments, the user/homeowner may use the user device 106 to control, monitor, and/or configure the HVAC system 114 based on desired parameters. The user device 106 may act as an interface between the user and the HVAC system 114. The user device 106 may provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to allow a user to select and/or opt for one or more features of the HVAC system 114 based on the determined requirements. The user device 106 may provide one or more input options via the GUI to perform the purchase operation of a required subscription plan to enable and/or configure the selected and/or opted features. The user device 106 may also act as a communication interface to keep the user updated of the subscription information such as, activation of the subscription, a duration of the remaining subscription period, an expiration of the subscription, and so forth. In some embodiments, the user device 106 may periodically generate, based on a predefined criteria, one or more alerts to notify the user about the current status of a current subscription plan. For instance, the user device 106 may generate an alert for the user when a duration of the current subscription plan is remaining out of the total duration of the current subscription plan. Examples of the user device 106 may include, but are not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, a desktop computer, a PDA, a smart watch, a smart glass, and so forth. The user device 106 may also be referred to as the user equipment interchangeably throughout the disclosure without any deviation from the scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of the remote control device 102 for controlling the HVAC system 114 (as shown in FIG. 1). The remote control device 102 may include one or more processors 202 (may interchangeably refer to as “the processor 202”), a memory 206, a database 208, an Input/Output (I/O) interface, an operating system 212, a communication interface 214, and one or more modules 216.

The processor 202 may be configured to communicate with the memory 206 to control, monitor and/or configure the HVAC system 114 based on the subscription information (or other profile information). The processor 202 may include one or a plurality of processors, may be a general-purpose processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or the like, and/or an artificial intelligence (AI) dedicated processor such as a neural processing unit (NPU).

In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 202 may be configured to receive a request including an indication to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the one or more HVAC equipment 110 and 112, at least one of user identification information, or HVAC equipment identification information. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may receive the request from the user device 106 associated with the user of the HVAC system 114. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may receive the request via any of the components of the HVAC system 114, for example, the thermostat 108, the indoor unit 110, and the outdoor unit 112. For instance, the user may generate the request via the thermostat 108, which may be then transmitted to the processor 202. In yet other embodiments, the processor 202 may directly receive the request from a user who has access to the remote control device 102. Such user may correspond to, but not limited to, a dealer, a technician, and/or a homeowner. In an embodiment, the processor 202 may also be configured to provide one or more input options via the GUI to allow the user to generate requests via the remote control device 102. Such input options may be provided by using one or more GUI interfaces such as, but not limited to, a web portal, an application interface, and so forth.

In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 may include features such as, but not limited to, air conditioning, heating, cold climate performance, high ambient performance, low ambient performance, system tonnage, quiet mode, comfort mode, filter monitoring, tonnage selection, sub cooling, sound level, defrost interval, enable heating, enable cooling, and so forth. For example, the request may correspond to user preferences for enabling the air conditioning of the HVAC system 114 or for activating a specific feature of the heat pump of the HVAC system 114. Therefore, the processor 202 may enable the user to effectively select the feature(s) preferred by the user based on his/her requirements. In some embodiments, the dealer of the HVAC system 114 may only charge the user based on the enabled and/or configured features of the HVAC system 114 associated with the subscription plan opted by the user (or other profile information), thus reducing the overall cost to the user.

In an embodiment, the request may also include the user identification information such as, but not limited to, a user ID, a user password, a username, a user address, or any other demographic details of the user, which may allow the processor 202 to identify the user and the associated HVAC system 114. In some embodiments, the user may feed the user identification information as an input during the generation of the request to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112. In other embodiments, the processor 202 may directly fetch the user identification information during the user input operation for the generation of the request. In a non-limiting example, the processor 202 may fetch the user identification based on the origin of the request. For example, the processor 202 may identify the device/component used for generating the request and determine the user identification information of the user associated with said device/components. For example, in case the user generates the request from the user device 106, the processor 202 may fetch the user identification information associated with the user of the user device 106.

In an embodiment, the request may also include the HVAC equipment identification information. The HVAC equipment identification information may include, but not limited to, an equipment ID, an equipment type, an equipment location, and so forth. In some embodiments, the user may feed the HVAC equipment identification information as the input during the generation of the request. The HVAC equipment identification information may be provided to the user during the purchase operation and/or installation of the HVAC system 114. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may directly fetch the HVAC equipment identification information from said HVAC equipment during the generation of the request.

Further, the processor 202 may be configured to identify the profile information (e.g., subscription information) associated with the at least one HVAC equipment based 110 or 112 based on an indication corresponding to the one or more operational characteristics and at least one of the user identification information or the HVAC equipment identification information included in the request. In some embodiments, the identified subscription information may include information such as, but not limited to, the feature ID, the feature name, a current status of enabled or disabled features, and a duration of subscription corresponding to each of the enabled or disabled features. In some embodiments, the subscription information may include a subscription type and a subscription period associated with the requested one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112. The subscription type may correspond to, but is not limited to, a permanent subscription, a periodic subscription, or a duration-based subscription. The permanent subscription may indicate that the user has opted for the corresponding feature for a lifetime of the HVAC system 114. The periodic subscription feature may indicate that the user has opted for periodic enablement/disablement of the feature of the HVAC system 114. For example, a user has opted for an air conditioning feature every summer starting for the month of June to the month of September. The duration-based subscription may represent one-time subscription of a feature for a specific time period. For instance, the user may opt for filter monitoring for a period of two months. The time period for the periodic subscription and/or the duration-based subscription may be defined in any of the time formats, such as, but not limited to, hours, days, months, and years.

The below shown exemplary Table 1 illustrates some of the exemplary values that may be included in the subscription information:

TABLE 1
Feature ID	Feature Name	Subscription Type	Enable/Disable	Start	End	Value

1	Air conditioning	Permanent	Y	Jun. 1, 2020	Null	Null
2	Heating	Operating Hours	Y	1000	0	900
3	Cold climate performance	Periodic	Y	Jun. 1, 2020	Jun. 1, 2021	Null
4	High ambient performance	Duration	Y	30	0	27
5	Low ambient performance	Null	N	Null	Null	Null
6	System tonnage	Permanent	Y	Jun. 1, 2020	Null	4
7	Quite mode	Null	N	Null	Null	Null
8	Comfort mode	Null	N	Null	Null	Null
9	Filter monitoring	Duration	Y	365	0	200
10	etc

In a non-limiting example, Table 1 illustrates that the feature “air conditioning” has a feature ID 1, subscription type as “permanent”, enable/disable status as “Y”, start date as “Jun. 1, 2020”, end date as “null”, and additional value as “null”, that indicates that the user has permanently opted for the air conditioning feature which is still enabled in the HVAC system 114. Similarly, for the feature IDs 2 to 9, the subscription information table may indicate a current status of the one or more features of the HVAC system 114.

Further, the feature ID may be unique to each feature of the one or more features of the HVAC system 114. The processor 202 may identify the one or more features based on a value associated with the feature ID.

The feature name may be a textual description of the feature to be configured or enabled. The processor 202 may be configured to display feature names to the user on the GUI to allow the user to effectively select the desired feature during the generation of the request to enable and/or configure the preferred feature.

The enable/disable status may indicate whether a specific feature is enabled or disabled at a specific time instance during the subscription period. The start field may indicate a start date or time of a period or starting data value for tracking the validity of a feature subscription. In an embodiment, the start field may include an initial data value for determining a validity of the subscription. The end field may indicate the end date or time of a period or a final data value for tracking the validity of the subscription of the feature preferred by the user. The processor 202 may determine the subscription as an expired subscription once the time lapsed after the enablement/configuration of the feature is equal to or greater than the value in the corresponding end field. In some embodiments, the end field may indicate a threshold for the time period of the subscription of the feature.

Moreover, the value field may represent real time value of the parameter for tracking the validity of each of the feature subscriptions. The parameter may be updated periodically and may be compared to the end parameter. In some embodiments, the value field may indicate a time that has lapsed since the enablement and/or configuration of the requested feature. Further, the processor 202 may use a difference between the value field parameter and the end field parameter to determine when to provide the alert to the user regarding the status of the current subscription.

Therefore, when the processor 202 receives the request, the processor 202 may identify the subscription information associated with the HVAC system 114 to effectively and efficiently enable and/or configure the one or more operational characteristics of the HVAC system 114 as requested by the user.

Moreover, the processor 202 may be configured to determine a validity of the received request to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the identified subscription information. For instance, the processor 202 may identify that the request corresponds to an operational characteristic/feature “cold climate performance”. The processor 202 may then identify a parameter value associated with the said feature from the identified subscription information. For instance, in a non-limiting example, the processor 202 may identify that the user has opted for periodic activation of said feature which starts from “Jun. 1, 2020” and ends to “Jun. 1, 2021”. Thus, the processor 202 may identify that the user has a yearly subscription of the requested feature. Based on said identification, the processor 202 may determine the received request as a valid request. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may also verify other information, such as authentication data, payment status, and other related information for determining the validity of the received request. For instance, in case the parameters of the subscription information as illustrated in Table 1 indicate that the received request is valid, but the payment status indicates that the payment for the current year is pending, the processor 202 may determine such request as an invalid request.

In an embodiment, the processor 202 may also be configured to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics/features of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 upon determining that the received request to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 is valid. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may be configured to determine a current operational state of a system configuration of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 prior to the enablement and the configuration of the requested one or more operational characteristics.

In some embodiments, the processor 202 may be configured to replace and/or update the configuration file 116 stored in any one of the HVAC equipment 110 or 112, with the updated configuration file 118 to enable and/or configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112. The configuration files 116 or 118 may include a set of instructions defining the operational characteristics of the HVAC system 114. The configuration files 116 or 118 may be executed by the processing components of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 of the HVAC system 114 based on the defined set of operational characteristics.

In some embodiments, the processor 202 may remotely replace and/or update the configuration file 116 using the updated configuration file 118. In some other embodiments, the processor 202 may be configured to transmit the updated configuration file 118 to the thermostat 108. The thermostat 108 may be configured to replace and/or update the configuration file 116. The processor 202 may be configured to transmit the updated configuration file 118 using a communication method described herein in view of the network 104.

Thus, the processor 202 may provide the user of the HVAC system 114 a flexibility to acquire additional features or enhance the performance of the HVAC system 114 system over the life of installation as per the user requirements. Moreover, the processor 202 may enable the user to try/use new and/or additional features of the HVAC system 114 without the need to pay for such features during the initial purchase and/or installation.

In some embodiments, the processor 202 may also be configured to monitor the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the subscription type associated with the requested one or more operational characteristics. For instance, in case an operational characteristic/feature having a periodic subscription type with a period of every six months may be opted by the user. The processor 202 may monitor the opted operational characteristics for the said duration of six months. In particular, the processor 202 may determine a time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics based on the monitored one or more enabled and configured operational characteristics. Further, the processor 202 may be configured to compare the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics with at least one of a predefined threshold time period and the subscription period, for example, end field parameter as shown in Table 1. In some embodiments, the predefined threshold time period may correspond to half of the total subscription period, one-third of total subscription, one-fourth of total subscription, and so forth. Thus, in case an operational characteristic has been opted by the user for a period of ten months, the processor 202 may consider the predefined threshold as 5 months and may compare the time period that has been elapsed since the enablement and/or configuration of the said operational characteristic with the predefined threshold time period i.e., 5 months or the subscription period i.e., 10 months. In further embodiments, the processor 202 may be configured to determine whether the lapsed time period is at least one of equal to the subscription period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time period.

The processor 202 may be further configured to generate the alert for the user upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is at least one of equal to the subscription period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time period. For instance, upon determining that the time period which has been lapsed since the enablement and/or configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is less than or equal to predefined threshold period, the processor 202 may notify that the user that half of the total subscription duration is lapsed. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may notify the user that the subscription has been expired upon determining that the time period that has been lapsed since the enablement and/or configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the subscription period. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may be configured to periodically notify the generated alert to the user via one of the communication device such as, but not limited to, the remote control device 102, the thermostat 108, the user device 106, or any other communication device associated with the HVAC system 114. The processor 202 may notify the user via one of, but not limited to, the GUI of the user device 106 and/or the thermostat 108, an email, a text message, or a user portal. In some embodiments, upon determination that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the subscription period, the processor 202 may be configured to reconfigure the one or more operational characteristics or system configuration of the at least one HVAC equipment to a default state.

In some embodiments, upon the determination that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the subscription period, the processor 202 may be configured to disable the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112.

In particular, the processor 202 may be configured to replace the updated configuration file 118 with the previous configuration file 116 upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the subscription period.

In some embodiments, the processor 202 may be communicably coupled to the thermostat 108. Further, the processor 202 may be configured to determine the subscription status of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the identified subscription information. Then, the processor 202 may be configured to control one of the GUI of the user equipment or a GUI of the thermostat 108 to notify the user about the determined subscription status of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112. For instance, the processor 202 may notify the user that the HVAC system 114 associated with the user may or may not have subscription of a specific feature such as “air conditioning”. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may monitor the historical operational characteristics of the HVAC system 114 to effectively notify the user about the subscription status of a feature opted by the user. As a non-limiting example, the processor 202 may monitor the enablement and/or configuration of the “air conditioning” feature based on a timestamp associated with activation of the “air conditioning” feature. In such a case, the processor 202 may notify the periodic status of feature “air conditioning” to the user with reference to the timestamp associated with activation of the “air conditioning” feature. Thus, the processor 202 may allow the user to timely enable and/or configure the required operational characteristics of the HVAC system 114.

In some embodiments, the processor 202 may be configured to receive authentication data and associated metadata for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 from the user device 106. In an embodiment, the authentication data and the associated metadata may include information such as, but not limited to, a user ID, a user password, a user biometric, and/or any other user identification information, which may enable the processor 202 to verify the user and/or validate the received request. Specifically, the processor 202 may determine whether the request for the enablement and/or configuration of the one or more operational characteristics of the HVAC system 114 is received from a valid user and/or an authorized user or not.

The processor 202 may be configured to validate the received authentication data and the associated metadata using any suitable authentication method such as, but not limited to, an asymmetric cryptography method, an encryption method, or a tamper detection method. Moreover, the processor 202 may be configured to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment based on a successful validation.

In an embodiment, the processor 202 may be configured to control one or more applications installed on at least one of the HVAC equipment 110 or 112 to enable and configure the one or more requested operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 using a control signal. The control signal may include the updated configuration file 118 which may be required to enable and/or configure the request one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112.

In some embodiments, the memory 206 may store data and instructions executable by the processor(s) 202 to perform the method steps for enabling and configuring one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112, as discussed herein throughout the disclosure. In an embodiment, the memory 206 may be configured to store subscription information associated with one or more HVAC systems 114. Although, one HVAC system 114 is described herein for the ease of explanation. Those skill in the art may appreciate that the system environment 100 may include more than one HVAC systems without any deviation from the scope of the disclosure. In some embodiments, the memory 206 may be configured to store predefined threshold period corresponding to the one or more operational characteristics. The memory 206 may also be configured to store user identification information or the HVAC equipment identification information. In some embodiments, the memory 206 may store authentication data and associated metadata corresponding to one or more users to enable the processor 202 to valid the receive request. The memory 206 may further include, but not limited to, a non-transitory computer-readable storage media such as various types of volatile and non-volatile storage media, including but not limited to, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), programmable ROM, electrically programmable ROM, electrically erasable ROM, flash memory, magnetic tape or disk, optical media, and the like. Further, the non-transitory computer-readable storage media of the memory 206 may include executable instructions in a form of the modules 216 and a database 208 to store system data of the HVAC system 114. The modules 216 may include a set of instructions that may be executed to cause the processor 202 to perform any one or more of the methods as disclosed herein throughout the disclosure. Specifically, the one or more modules 216 may be configured to perform the method steps disclosed herein using the data stored in the database 208. The modules 216 may be one or more hardware units that may be outside the memory 206. The memory 206 may communicate via a bus within the processor(s) 202. In an exemplary embodiment, the memory 206 may include two components, namely RAM 206A and ROM 206B. In some embodiments, the database 208 may be located outside the memory 206 and may be communicably coupled to the processor 202 and/or the memory 206 via a communication bus 204.

In one or more embodiments, the Input/Output (I/O) interface 210 may include input devices such as, but not limited to, a keyboard containing alphanumeric keys, a microphone, an Infrared (IR) remote control, a joystick, a game pad, a stylus pen, a touch screen, or any other suitable input device via which an user input may be provide to the at least one remote control device 110 or 112. Further, the I/O interface 210 may include output devices such as, but not limited to, a display screen, an audio device, a printer for presenting text or images, or any other output device capable of providing notification alert in audio or visual form to the user of the HVAC system 114. The display screen may correspond to, but not limited to, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, an organic LED (OLED) display, active matrix display, Electrophoretic Display (EPD), a plasma screen, a super-Amoled display, and the like. The I/O interface 210 may be configured to enable the user to interact with the remote control device 102 to control, monitor, and configure the HVAC system 114.

In one or more embodiments, the remote control device 102 may include an operating system (OS) 212 installed therein. The OS 212 may be a set of instructions which may be configured to manage one or more hardware and/or software components of the remote control device 102. The OS 212 may act as an intermediary between the hardware and the software components of the remote control device 102. In some embodiments, the OS 212 may perform various functions, such as, but not limited to, booting, information processing, managing memory, controlling input/output devices, managing system hardware and software components, handling system interrupts, providing the GUI, etc.

In one or more embodiments, the communication interface 214 may include a transmitter and a receiver and may be configured to communicate with one or more components of the HVAC system 114, such as the thermostat 108, the indoor unit 110, and the outdoor unit 112. The communication interface 214 may also be configured to communicate with the user device 106. The communication interface 214 may include an electronic circuitry of a specific standard that may enable wired or wireless communication with the system components of the HVAC system 114 or any external device outside the HVAC system 114.

In one or more embodiments, the module 216 may include a request module 218, an identification module 220, a validation module 222, a configuration module 224, a monitoring module 226, and an alert generating module 228. The module 216 may be configured to perform one or more operations of the processor 202. For example, the request module 218 may be configured to receive the request including the indication to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112, the user identification information, or the HVAC equipment identification information. The identification module 220 may be configured to identify the subscription information associated with the least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the indication corresponding to the one or more operational characteristics, and at least one of the user identification information or the HVAC equipment identification information included in the request. The validation module 222 may be configured to determine the validity of the received user request to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the identified subscription information. Further, the configuration module 224 may be configured to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 upon determining that the received user request to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment is valid. Also, the monitoring module 226 may be configured to monitor the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112, based on the subscription type associated with the requested one or more operational characteristics. Further, the monitoring module 226 may be configured to determine the time period that is lapsed from a time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics based on the monitored one or more enabled and configured operational characteristics.

Further, the alert generation module 228 may be configured to generate the alert for the user upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is at least one of equal to the subscription period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time. It is to be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are exemplary in nature and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the remote control device 102 may include any number of modules 216 as required to implement the operational functionality of the remote control device 102. In some embodiments, the modules 216 may be implemented as a set of instructions stored in the memory 206. In another embodiment, the modules 216 may be one or more hardware units outside the memory 206 or a combination of one or more hardware units and software units.

In some embodiments, the one or more modules 216 explained above in reference to the remote control device 102 may be included and/or implemented in any suitable component/device of the system environment 100. For instance, the modules 216 may be implemented at, but not limited to, the thermostat 108, the indoor unit 110, and/or the outdoor unit 112 of the HVAC system 114.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of the thermostat 108 for controlling the HVAC system 114. In an exemplary embodiment, the thermostat 108 may include a processing unit 302, the memory unit 304, the communication unit 306, a display unit 308, and the I/O interface unit 310. The physical configuration of the units 302-310 may be same as the similar components explained herein above in view of the remote control device 102 and are generic in nature. Therefore, a detailed description of same is omitted herein for the sake of brevity of the disclosure.

In an embodiment, the processing unit 302 may be configured to receive the request including the indication to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment. The processing unit 302 may also be configured to transmit the received request to the at least one remote control device 102. Further, the processing unit 302 may be configured to receive, from the remote control device 102, a control signal to enable and configure the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 communicably coupled with the thermostat 108. Further, the processing unit 302 may be configured to enable and configure, based on the received control signal, the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 that is communicably coupled with the thermostat 108.

The memory unit 304 may be configured to store instruction and/or information which may be executed by the processing unit 302 to implement the one or more operational functionality of the thermostat 108.

The communication unit 306 may be configured to communicate with one or more components of the HVAC system 114, such as the indoor unit 110 and the outdoor unit 112. The communication unit 306 may also be configured to communicate with the user device 106 and/or the remote control device 102. The communication unit 306 may include an electronic circuitry of a specific standard that may enable wired or wireless communication.

The display unit 308 may be configured to display one or more GUIs that may enable the user to interact with the HVAC system 114. The display unit 308 may be configured to display subscription status of the user. The display unit 308 may also be configured to display the alert to user under the control of the processing unit 302.

The I/O interface unit 310 may be configured to enable the user to provide inputs to the thermostat 108. The user may provide input corresponding to desired set of operational characteristics the user wants to subscribe for the installed HVAC system 114. The I/O interface unit 310 may also enable a user to update configuration file to access the subscribed one or more operational characterises of the HVAC system 114 using an external storage media.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow chart depicting a method 400 for enabling and configuring one or more operational characteristics of at least one HVAC equipment. The method 400 may be performed by one or more components of the system environment 100 of FIG. 1.

At step 402, the method 400 comprises receiving the request including the indication for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 of the HVAC system 114, and at least one of user identification information or HVAC equipment identification information.

At step 404, the method 400 comprises identifying the subscription information associated with the least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the indication corresponding to the one or more operational characteristics and at least one of the user identification information or the HVAC equipment identification information included in the received request. The subscription information includes at least the subscription type and the subscription period associated with the requested one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112.

At step 406, the method 400 comprises determining the validity of the received request for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the identified subscription information.

At step 408, the method 400 comprises enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 upon determining that the received request for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 is valid.

While the above steps of FIG. 4 are shown and described in a particular sequence, the steps may occur in variations to the sequence in accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure. Further, the details related to various steps of FIG. 4, which are already covered in the description related to FIGS. 1-3 are not repeated herein for the sake of brevity of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method flow chart depicting a method 500 for monitoring the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112. The method 500 may be performed by the one or more components of the system environment 100 of FIG. 1.

At step 502, the method 500 comprises monitoring the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the subscription type associated with the requested one or more operational characteristics.

At step 504, the method 500 comprises determining, based on the monitored one or more enabled and configured operational characteristics, the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112.

At step 506, the method 500 comprises comparing the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 with at least one of the predefined threshold time period and the profile time period.

At step 508, the method 500 comprises determining whether the lapsed time period is at least one of equal to the subscription period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time period.

At step 510, the method 500 comprises disabling the enabled and configured one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the subscription period. Further, the method 500 may include generating the alert for the user upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is at least one of equal to the subscription period, or less than or equal to the predefined threshold time period.

In some embodiments, the method 500 may include reconfiguring at least one of the one or more operational characteristics or system configuration of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 to the default state upon determining that the time period that is lapsed from the time of the enablement and the configuration of the one or more operational characteristics is equal to the subscription period.

While the above disclosed method steps of FIG. 5 are shown and described in a particular sequence, the steps may occur in variations to the sequence in accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure. Further, the details related to various method steps of FIG. 5, which are already covered in the description related to FIGS. 1-3 are not repeated herein for the sake of brevity of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method flow chart depicting an authentication-based method 600 for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 validating the HVAC system 114. The method 600 may be performed by the one or more components of the system environment 100 of FIG. 1.

At step 602, the method 600 comprises receiving the authentication data and the associated metadata for enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112.

At step 604, the method 600 comprises validating the received authentication data and the associated metadata using one of the asymmetric cryptography method, the encryption method, or the tamper detection method.

At step 606, the method 600 comprises enabling and configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the validation.

While the above disclosed method steps of FIG. 6 are shown and described in a particular sequence, the steps may occur in variations to the sequence in accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure. Further, the details related to various method steps of FIG. 6, which are already covered in the description related to FIGS. 1-3 are not repeated herein for the sake of brevity of the disclosure.

In view of the one or more embodiments as described above, the method and system disclosed herein provides various technical effects and benefits including providing homeowners the benefit of trying out new features without the need to pay the full price up front. The method and system disclosed herein further provide the users of the HVAC system 114, an ability to purchase a preferred feature during certain seasons.

Furthermore, by enabling and/or configuring the one or more operational characteristics of the at least one HVAC equipment 110 or 112 based on the subscription information, the systems and methods may provide homeowners the flexibility to acquire additional features or enhance the performance of the HVAC system 114 over the life of installation.

It is to be understood that for conciseness and ease, the systems and methods described herein were described based using subscription information. However, this should not be construed as limiting. The profile information may include any information related to the HVAC system and or the user that may be used to enable/disable one or more features of the HVAC system. For example, the profile information may include user preference, warranty information, equipment information, installation (e.g., location) information, predetermined configuration, feature thresholds, energy consumption, energy source, and/or other profile information.

As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the methods disclosed herein in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.

Moreover, the actions of any flow diagram need not be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts necessarily need to be performed. Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other acts.

The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any component(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component of any or all the claims.

While specific language has been used to describe the subject matter, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.