Patents Assigned to Control Technology
  • Patent number: 10916081
    Abstract: A building management system includes an entity database that stores a plurality of interconnected smart entities. The smart entities include object entities representing a plurality of people or physical devices and data entities representing data associated with the people or physical devices. The smart entities are interconnected by relational objects indicating relationships between the object entities and the data entities. Each of the object entities includes a plurality of stored identity attributes. An identity management service is configured to receive a first identity attribute from a first device within a building, receive a second identity attribute from a second device within the building, compare the first and second identity attributes to the stored identity attributes of an object entity of the plurality of interconnected smart entities, and allow access to at least one of a building space, a device of building equipment, or a computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Youngchoon Park, Sudhi R. Sinha, Erik S. Paulson, Peter A. Ainsworth, Anne Gallagher
  • Patent number: 10915094
    Abstract: A controller for equipment obtains utility rate data indicating a price of one or more resources consumed by the equipment to serve energy loads. The controller generates an objective function that expresses a total monetary cost of operating the equipment over an optimization period as a function of the utility rate data and an amount of the one or more resources consumed by the equipment at each of a plurality of time steps. The controller optimizes the objective function to determine a distribution of predicted energy loads across the equipment at each of the plurality of time steps. Load equality constraints on the objective function ensure that the distribution satisfies the predicted energy loads at each of the plurality of time steps. The controller operates the equipment to achieve the distribution of the predicted energy loads at each of the plurality of time steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Wenzel, Robert D. Turney, Kirk H. Drees, Matthew J. Asmus
  • Patent number: 10914487
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system that includes a first control configured to control a supply of power to a plurality of compressors based on an air flow through the HVAC system exceeding a first threshold, and a second control configured to supply power to a subset of compressors of the plurality of compressors based on the air flow through the HVAC system exceeding a second threshold while being below the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: David P. Gillmen, Harold J. Dubensky, Sandeep K. Chodapaneedi
  • Patent number: 10914218
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an exhaust aftertreatment system for use with an automotive internal combustion engine. The system includes a reagent mixer configured to deliver a reagent for mixing with exhaust gases produced by the engine. The reagent mixer includes a flow-redirection housing defining an mixing chamber and a manifold coupled downstream of the flow-redirection housing. A doser is mounted to the flow-redirection housing and is configured to inject the reagent toward the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher S. Chapman, John G. Rohde
  • Publication number: 20210037338
    Abstract: A method includes defining a plurality of monitored spaces. For each of at least a subset of the plurality of monitored spaces, the method includes associating a set of laboratory equipment with the monitored space, calculating an equipment utilization score for the monitored space based on resource consumption data for the set of laboratory equipment, calculating an occupancy utilization score for the monitored space based on occupant tracking data for the monitored space, and calculating a combined utilization score based on the equipment utilization score and the occupancy utilization score. The method also includes providing a graphical user interface comprising the combined utilization scores for the subset of the plurality of monitored spaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Matthew Breed Myung-Sun Scott, Joseph McEvoy, Edward Gerard Mc Namara, Kyle Shamrock
  • Publication number: 20210034022
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes airside HVAC equipment configured to provide heating or cooling to one or more building spaces and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are configured to generate airside energy targets for the one or more building spaces using a heat transfer model that defines a relationship between the airside energy targets, a temperature of the one or more building spaces, and a thermal capacitance of the one or more building spaces. The one or more controllers are configured to control the airside HVAC equipment in accordance with the airside energy targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Nishith R. Patel, Robert D. Turney, Matthew J. Ellis
  • Patent number: 10907520
    Abstract: An exhaust system includes an exhaust duct having an internal surface defining an exhaust gas passage extending along an axis. At least one sensor opening is in the exhaust duct and is configured to receive an exhaust gas sensor. A wall is positioned within the exhaust gas passage to extend at least partially around the at least one sensor opening. The wall has an inner wall surface defining an internal volume. A plurality of inlet pipes are in fluid communication with the internal volume, and each inlet pipe extends from a first end open to the internal volume to a second end that is distal from the first end. Each inlet pipe includes a plurality of inlet apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Ker, Philip Dimpelfeld
  • Patent number: 10909642
    Abstract: An energy storage system includes a battery and an energy storage controller. The battery is configured to store electrical energy purchased from a utility and to discharge the stored electrical energy for use in satisfying a building energy load. The energy storage controller is configured to generate a cost function including multiple demand charges. Each of the demand charges corresponds to a demand charge period and defines a cost based on a maximum amount of the electrical energy purchased from the utility during any time step within the corresponding demand charge period. The controller is configured to modify the cost function by applying a demand charge mask to each of the multiple demand charges. The demand charge masks cause the controller to disregard the electrical energy purchased from the utility during any time steps that occur outside the corresponding demand charge period when calculating a value for the demand charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel, Robert D. Turney
  • Patent number: 10909240
    Abstract: A building management system (BMS) includes a user access point configured to receive a user input corresponding to the BMS. The system includes at least one building subsystem in communication with the user access point and configured to control subsystem equipment in response to the user input. Additionally, the system includes a controller configured to: receive the user input, and receive access point data. The controller is further configured to compare the user input and access point data to a user profile and/or an equipment profile. Additionally, the controller is configured to determine a safety value using the comparison, and determine if the safety value is outside of a predetermined safety range. If the safety value is outside of the predetermined safety range, the controller is configured to initiate a verification process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Justin D. Eltoft
  • Patent number: 10908570
    Abstract: A power over Ethernet (PoE) device system for a building including building devices connected together and to a PoE source via a network. The PoE source is configured to provide each of the building devices with PoE. A first building device of the building devices includes a communication subsystem circuit configured to receive the PoE from the PoE source via one of the building devices, power the communication subsystem circuit using the PoE received from the PoE source via the one of the building devices, and communicate with the PoE source and the building devices via the network. The first building device includes a functional subsystem circuit configured to power the functional subsystem circuit using power received from a permanent power source of the building and control an environmental condition of the building using the power received from the permanent power source of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Yingchun Xu
  • Patent number: 10907844
    Abstract: A home control system includes a thermostat configured to measure environmental conditions in a first room of a building and control heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) equipment within the building. The thermostat includes a central control hub configured to communicate with a plurality of remote sensor units via a data communications interface. The thermostat further includes a processing circuit configured to monitor and control non-HVAC equipment within the building. The system further includes a first remote sensor unit of the plurality of remote sensor units. The first remote sensor unit is configured to measure environmental conditions in a second room of the building and wirelessly communicate information associated with the measured environmental conditions to the central control hub. The thermostat is further configured to control both the HVAC equipment and the non-HVAC equipment within the building based on the information received from the remote sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Joseph R. Ribbich, John Peter Cipolla, Sudhi Sinha, Youngchoon Park, Michael L. Ribbich, Charles J. Gaidish, Donald R. Albinger
  • Patent number: 10907853
    Abstract: A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is provided. The HVAC system includes a non-transitory computer readable medium that includes instructions that are configured to cause a processor to generate a custom application for an HVAC unit in response to an inquiry regarding the HVAC unit. The custom application comprises a custom sequence of equipment operation of the HVAC unit, and the custom application is configured to regulate operation of components of the HVAC unit. Moreover, the custom application comprises operating parameters and control parameters associated with the HVAC unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Aron M. Seiler
  • Patent number: 10907846
    Abstract: A cooperative extremum-seeking control system includes a first controller and a second controller. The first controller is configured to provide a first control input to a first plant and receive a first performance variable as feedback from the first plant. The second controller is configured to provide a second control input to a second plant that interacts with the first plant, receive a second performance variable as feedback from the second plant, and provide the second performance variable to the first controller. The first controller is further configured to aggregate the first performance variable and the second performance variable to determine a total performance variable, calculate a gradient of the total performance variable with respect to the first control input, generate a third control input using the gradient of the total performance variable, and provide the third control input to the first plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House
  • Publication number: 20210025608
    Abstract: A controller for HVAC equipment of a plant includes a processing circuit configured to predict an impact of a time delay of the plant on a performance variable received as feedback from the plant. The processing circuit is configured to artificially increase or decrease a value of the performance variable using an adjustable time delay parameter to at least partially negate the impact of the time delay on the performance variable. The processing circuit is configured to use the artificially increased or decreased value of the performance variable in on-off feedback control to operate the HVAC equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Publication number: 20210028648
    Abstract: A power outlet control device includes at least one electrical outlet and a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include monitoring external power supplied to the power outlet control device, detecting one or more powerline events based on the external power supplied to the power outlet control device, and automatically controlling an amount of power supplied to the at least one electrical outlet based on the one or more powerline events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: TIMOTHY C. GAMROTH, JOSEPH PICCOLO, III
  • Publication number: 20210025609
    Abstract: A building automation system (BAS) platform includes one or more processors configured to provide an operating environment for developing and executing a plurality of building automation and control microservices. At least one of the plurality of building automation and control microservices is configured to receive live data from remote building equipment and provide control signals to the remote building equipment. The BAS platform further includes one or more application programming interfaces configured to interact with third-party building automation and control applications that run within the operating environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Youngchoon Park, Vaidhyanathan Venkiteswaran, Sudhi R. Sinha, Karl F. Reichenberger
  • Publication number: 20210025612
    Abstract: A flow control device is configured to control fluid flow in an HVAC system. The flow control device includes a valve, an actuator configured to open and close the valve, and one or more sensors. The flow control device further includes a fault detection and correction agent configured to receive data from the one or more sensors, analyze the data according to a set of rules, and detect whether one or more faults have occurred. In response to detecting a fault, the fault detection and correction agent is configured to either operate the actuator to open or close the valve or initiate a corrective action to be taken by another device in the HVAC system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Sudhi R. Sinha, Donald R. Albinger, Youngchoon Park, Karl F. Reichenberger, John T. Pierson, Vineet Sinha
  • Patent number: 10904030
    Abstract: A building automation system includes a plurality of subnets, an active broadcast management device configured on at least one of the subnets, a pool of virtual devices communicably connected to the active broadcast management device, each of the virtual devices in the pool of virtual devices configured to store a broadcast distribution table (BDT), one or more processors, and memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions. When executed by the one or more processors, the instructions cause the one or more processors to transmit a health status message to each available virtual device in the pool of virtual devices, receive a health status response from each of the available virtual devices, and select, according to the health status responses, at least one of the virtual devices from among the available virtual devices as a backup virtual broadcast management device to the active broadcast management device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Japneet Singh, Ishmeet Bhatia, Manu Garg, Vikas Sharma
  • Patent number: 10900202
    Abstract: A material moving machine includes a chassis, a dual-sensor position sensor system including a master and a slave, and a controller. The master and the slave are each configured to generate independent position signals representing a machine position. The controller is programmed to determine whether the machine is tramming, determine whether the master and the slave are operational, determine a center of rotation (COR) of the chassis when the machine is not tramming, and determine heading(s) based on a pair selected from the COR, an operational master, and an operational slave. The controller is further programmed to determine a prioritized heading based on at least one of the operational master and the operational slave and based on an order of priority that ranks the heading(s), use the prioritized heading to generate the machine heading when the machine is not tramming, and operate the machine based on the machine heading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Hansby, Benjamin Jamie Vickery, Liam Hennessy
  • Patent number: 10901373
    Abstract: A building management system with artificial intelligence based control of a building includes data collectors are configured to receive data and generate data streams for subsystems of the building. The system includes a learning engine configured to identify a building state of the building by correlating data of the data streams for the subsystems and provide the identified building state to cognitive agents. The system includes the cognitive agents, each of the cognitive agents configured to receive the identified building state from the learning engine, generate a control decision based on the received building state, and operate at least one of the plurality of subsystems of the building to control a physical condition of the building based on the control decision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Robert Locke, Sudhi R. Sinha