Patents Assigned to Control Technology
  • Patent number: 10830479
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having a control system suitable to control operation of a device in the HVAC system. The control system may include a zone control panel that may maintain an instance of each schedule used by one or more devices in the HVAC system to operate. Further, the zone control panel may include a set of one or more status flags, which may each indicate whether data associated with a respective flag is available to be retrieved. Accordingly, the zone control panel may communicate information, such as an update to a schedule, rapidly between devices in the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Shaun B. Atchison, Theresa N. Gillette
  • Patent number: 10830473
    Abstract: The techniques described herein provide systems and methods for guiding a user to accurately measure the volume of each room in a zoned HVAC system using a mobile device. An application on the mobile device guides the user in taking photographs of each room from various positions, various angles, or both. After the mobile device has acquired the photographs, stereophotogrammetry may be used with the acquired photographs to determine the volume of each room. A control system may then calculate an appropriate airflow to be provided to each room based on the volume of each room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Andrew M. Boyd
  • Patent number: 10830476
    Abstract: The present disclosure presents techniques for improving operational efficiency of climate control systems. A climate control system may include climate control equipment, a sensor that measures temperature in a building, and a control system that controls operation of the equipment using a first temperature schedule, which associates each time step with a temperature setpoint, when the building is occupied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Brian D. Rigg, Shawn A. Hern, Cody J. Kaiser, Noel A. Grajeda-Trevizo, Tom R. Tasker, Andrew M. Boyd
  • Patent number: 10832564
    Abstract: A system for generating a false alarm rule for preventing a false alarm that occurs at a building includes a processing circuit configured to receive, via a communications interface, building data including events for the building devices. The building events include a first non-alarm event, a second non-alarm event different than the first non-alarm event, and a false alarm event. The processing circuit is configured to generate an event sequence based on the events, where the event sequence includes the first non-alarm event and the second non-alarm event and indicates a relationship between the first non-alarm event and the second non-alarm event that is indicative of a situation at the building that causes the false alarm event to occur. The processing circuit is configured to generate the false alarm rule based on the event sequence. The false alarm rule includes a recommendation for preventing the false alarm event from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Gopi Subramanian, Christine Trainor, Jason Kapuschat, Michael C. Stewart
  • Patent number: 10830538
    Abstract: A heat exchanger that includes a plurality of conduits that transmit a refrigerant therethrough. A valve that actuates to fluidly couple a first set of conduits of the plurality of conduits in a first setting and fluidly couple a second set of conduits of the plurality of conduits in a second setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Ryan L. Snider, Nicholas P. Mislak, Kristen Velez-Diaz, Kevin R. Stockton, Stacy S. Lemkelde, Douglas A. Kester
  • Patent number: 10830490
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a liquid drainage system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, where the liquid drainage system includes a drain pan configured to collect and drain condensate within a housing. The drain pan is configured to be mounted within the housing separate from an evaporator assembly and is removable from the housing independent of the evaporator assembly. The liquid drainage system also includes a drain pan extension plate configured to collect and drain condensate to the drain pan, where the drain pan extension plate is configured be removably mounted within the housing. The drain pan extension plate and the drain pan are configured to overlap with one another, in an assembled configuration, along a direction of airflow across the evaporator assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Dnyaneshwar G. Rokade, Sriram Ramanujam, Karan Garg
  • Patent number: 10830488
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an HVAC system that includes a plurality of dampers each corresponding to one building zone of a plurality of building zones, a plurality of sensors each corresponding to the one of the plurality of building zones, and a control board communicatively coupled with the plurality of dampers and sensors. The control board includes a plurality of status light sources, each corresponding to one damper the plurality of dampers, a plurality of communication light sources each corresponding to one sensor of the plurality of sensors, and a microcontroller programmed to control operation of equipment in the HVAC system. The microcontroller is configured to perform “a hardware test mode” to facilitate diagnosis of the plurality of dampers by causing the plurality of status light sources to sequentially execute a first light scheme or a second light scheme in response to instructions to the plurality of dampers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Shaun B. Atchison
  • Patent number: 10833625
    Abstract: A fan assembly is provided. The fan assembly includes a fan, a motor that is coupled to the fan, and a variable frequency drive (VFD) that is coupled to the motor. The motor includes a maximum rated speed that is greater than a maximum structural speed limit of the fan, and the VFD includes a current output limit configured to limit an operational speed of the motor to be less than or equal to the maximum structural speed limit of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Harold J. Dubensky, James K. Spitzer, Roderick Ray Sentz, Kevin R. Stockton
  • Publication number: 20200347571
    Abstract: A grade control indicator assembly is disclosed. The grade control indicator assembly may include a keypad to control one or more functionalities of a machine, where the keypad includes a set of grade control light indicators integrated into the keypad, and where the set of grade control light indicators includes a first subset of grade control light indicators for indicating a grade of the machine with respect to a first side of the machine and a second subset of grade control light indicators for indicating the grade of the machine with respect to a second side of the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicants: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Lee HOGAN, Mathew HEDRINGTON, Toby FRELICH, Andrew KOPCA, Mark TARVIN, Ryan THIESSE
  • Publication number: 20200348038
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning system (HVAC) design and operational tool includes one or more processors and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including obtaining a dynamic temperature model and a dynamic infectious quanta model for one or more building zones, determining an infection probability, and performing a plurality of simulations for a plurality of different equipment configurations using the dynamic temperature model, the dynamic infectious quanta model, and the infection probability to generate results. The operations include generating, using the results of the plurality of simulations, at least one of design including one or more recommended design parameters data or operational data including one or more recommended operational parameters for the HVAC system and initiating an automated action using at least one of the design data or the operational data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Michael J. RISBECK, Kirk H. Drees, Jonathan D. Douglas
  • Publication number: 20200349661
    Abstract: Systems and methods described herein related to a method for a building analytics system of a building conducted by a processing circuit. The method includes receiving an input comprising a plurality of building values from a building network, wherein each value of the plurality of building values is associated with a one of a plurality of building characteristics. The method includes identifying a plurality of rules based on the plurality of building values, wherein each of the plurality of rules is associated with one of the plurality of building characteristics and determining a plurality of scores based on the plurality of rules and the plurality of building values, wherein each score of the plurality of scores is associated with one of the plurality of building characteristics. The method includes generating a building score based on the plurality of scores, wherein the building score identifies a performance level of the building.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Pranjal Dutta, Diptiranjan Swain, Mangesh A. Dhawale, Anish P. Krishnamurthy, Tulshiram Waghmare
  • Publication number: 20200348635
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling a plant using extremum-seeking control. The method includes perturbing a setpoint for a controller by applying a dither signal to the setpoint. The controller uses a perturbed setpoint to generate one or more control inputs for the building equipment. Receiving, from the building equipment, an output signal and obtaining values of a performance variable based on the output signal, the values of the performance variable resulting from operating the building equipment based on the perturbed setpoint. The method includes determining a gradient of the performance variable with respect to the perturbed setpoint and a Hessian of the performance variable affected by the building equipment with respect to the setpoint. The method includes determining an adjustment to the setpoint predicted to drive the performance variable to an extremum based on the gradient and the Hessian of the performance variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, Kirk H. Drees, John M. House, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Patent number: 10823720
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a deep soil water percolation monitor and a monitoring method therefor. The monitor includes a soil water balance portion, a flow collection portion, a measurement portion, a water collection portion, a rainfall collecting portion and a control device, wherein the control device includes a central controller, a water inlet pipe, a plugging trough, a drive mechanism, a water level sensor and a humidity sensor. The monitor and monitoring method provided by the present invention can increase the measurement sensitivity of the percolation monitor and increase the measurement accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignees: Inner Mongolia Low coverage Sand Control Technology Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yiben Cheng, Wenbin Yang
  • Patent number: 10823036
    Abstract: An exhaust component assembly includes a component housing defined by an outer dimension and having at least one sensor opening. A sensor boss surrounds the at least one sensor opening and at least one exhaust component is positioned radially outwardly of the component housing and includes an opening that surrounds the at least one sensor opening. A first flange extends about an outer periphery of the sensor boss and a second flange is associated with the opening of the at least one exhaust component to accommodate variations in the outer dimension such that the first and the second flanges can be attached to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventors: James Egan, Jithender Bhog, Matt Green
  • Patent number: 10823031
    Abstract: An exhaust system includes a first exhaust after-treatment system receiving exhaust gases generated by an engine, a second exhaust after-treatment system downstream of the first exhaust after-treatment system, and at least one bypass connecting an engine outlet to an inlet to the second exhaust after-treatment system. A turbocharger is associated with the bypass and a bypass valve is located upstream of the turbocharger. The bypass valve is moveable between an open position to bypass exhaust gas flow to the first exhaust after-treatment system, a closed position to direct all exhaust gas flow to the first exhaust after-treatment system, and a partially open position where one portion of exhaust gas flow is directed into the first exhaust after-treatment system and a remaining portion of exhaust gas flow is directed into the turbocharger. A controller controls movement of the bypass valve between the open, closed, and partially open positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventors: John G. Rohde, Edward Kinnaird, Madhuri Gandikota
  • Patent number: 10824125
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are related to a system, a method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for operating an energy plant. In one aspect, the system generates a regression model of a produced thermal energy load produced by a supply device of the plurality of devices. The system predicts the produced thermal energy load produced by the supply device for a first time period based on the regression model. The system determines a heat capacity of gas or liquid in the loop based on the predicted produced thermal energy load. The system generates a model of mass storage based on the heat capacity. The system predicts an induced thermal energy load during a second time period at a consuming device of the plurality of devices based on the model of the mass storage. The system operates the energy plant according to the predicted induced thermal energy load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Mohammad N. Elbsat, Michael J. Wenzel, Graeme Willmott, Matthew J. Asmus
  • Patent number: 10824127
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling a plant using extremum-seeking control. The method includes perturbing a setpoint for a controller by applying a dither signal to the setpoint. The controller uses a perturbed setpoint to generate one or more control inputs for the building equipment. Receiving, from the building equipment, an output signal and obtaining values of a performance variable based on the output signal, the values of the performance variable resulting from operating the building equipment based on the perturbed setpoint. The method includes determining a gradient of the performance variable with respect to the perturbed setpoint and a Hessian of the performance variable affected by the building equipment with respect to the setpoint. The method includes determining an adjustment to the setpoint predicted to drive the performance variable to an extremum based on the gradient and the Hessian of the performance variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, Kirk H. Drees, John M. House, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Patent number: 10823444
    Abstract: A pressure control device for controlling a compressor includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure of a pressure line and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the measured pressure of the pressure line from the pressure sensor and control the compressor based on a set-point and the measured pressure. The pressure control device includes a mechanical switch sensitive to the pressure of the pressure line and configured to move between an open position and a closed position responsive to the pressure of the pressure line. Movement of the mechanical switch into one of the open position or the closed position causes the compressor to turn off and overrides the control of the compressor by the processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Hendrikus C. Van Eldik, Nathan B. Emlen, John P. Patterson, Philip L. Bushong, Troy L. Wert, Roy M. Rader, Theodore J. Houck, III
  • Patent number: 10823030
    Abstract: A vehicle exhaust system includes a first exhaust after-treatment module that receives engine exhaust gases and a second exhaust after-treatment module that is downstream of the first exhaust after-treatment module. A valve is moveable between an open position that blocks flow to the first exhaust after-treatment module such that all exhaust gas flow bypasses the first exhaust after-treatment module and is directed into the second exhaust after-treatment module, a closed position that directs flow into the first exhaust after-treatment module before the flow enters the second exhaust after-treatment module, and a partially open position where one portion of flow is directed into the first exhaust after-treatment module and a remaining portion of flow is directed into the second exhaust after-treatment module. A controller controls movement of the valve between the open, closed, and partially open positions based on at least one of engine flow rate and NOx output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventor: Neil Burge
  • Patent number: 10823034
    Abstract: A mixer for a vehicle exhaust system includes an outer housing that defines an internal cavity, an inlet pipe that directs exhaust gas into the internal cavity, and an outlet baffle. The outer housing includes a doser opening configured to receive a doser. The outlet baffle directs a mixture of the exhaust gas and a reducing agent injected by the doser into a downstream exhaust component. A deflector deflects exhaust gas exiting the inlet pipe to mix with the reducing agent prior to entering the downstream exhaust component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventors: Fabrice Giacomin, Fabien Sudries, Ludovic M. Geant, Vijaykumar Madegowda