US 11,808,471 B2
Provisioning wireless mesh networks for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems
Elena Smirnova, Plano, TX (US); and Mansoor Ahmed, Parker, TX (US)
Assigned to Lennox Industries Inc., Richardson, TX (US)
Filed by Lennox Industries Inc., Richardson, TX (US)
Filed on Aug. 28, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/005,655.
Prior Publication US 2022/0065482 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. H04L 41/08 (2022.01); F24F 11/56 (2018.01); F24F 11/30 (2018.01); H04W 12/06 (2021.01); H04W 84/12 (2009.01); H04W 84/18 (2009.01)
CPC F24F 11/56 (2018.01) [F24F 11/30 (2018.01); H04L 41/08 (2013.01); H04W 12/068 (2021.01); H04W 84/12 (2013.01); H04W 84/18 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) network provisioning system, comprising:
a plurality of controllers, wherein:
each controller is configured for wireless communications;
each controller is configured to operate at least a portion of an HVAC system; and
the plurality of controllers are members of an unprovisioned mesh network, wherein the unprovisioned mesh network is a network that is not associated with a local area network; and
a network provisioning device, comprising:
a network interface configured to:
communicate with one or more wireless networks; and
communicate with controllers using a peer-to-peer connection; and
a processor operably coupled to the network interface, configured to:
establish a peer-to-peer connection with a controller that is a member of the unprovisioned mesh network;
send a request to the controller to identify a wireless network that is in range of one or more controllers of the plurality of controllers that are members of the unprovisioned mesh network, wherein the wireless network is associated with the local area network;
obtain network credentials for the identified wireless network; and
send the network credentials to the controller to join a provisioned mesh network, wherein:
the provisioned mesh network is associated with a local area network; and
sending the network credentials to the controller triggers the controller to send the network credentials to other controllers using the unprovisioned mesh network before leaving the unprovisioned mesh network.