Patents Assigned to Johnson Controls Technology
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Patent number: 10890904Abstract: A model predictive maintenance (MPM) system for building equipment includes an operational cost predictor configured to predict a cost of operating the building equipment over a duration of an optimization period, a maintenance cost predictor configured to predict a cost of performing maintenance on the building equipment over the duration of the optimization period, and an objective function optimizer configured to optimize an objective function to predict a total cost associated with the building equipment over the duration of the optimization period. The objective function includes the predicted cost of operating the building equipment and the predicted cost of performing maintenance on the building equipment. The MPM system includes an equipment controller configured to operate the building equipment to affect a variable state or condition in a building in accordance with values of one or more decision variables obtained by optimizing the objective function.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Robert D. Turney, Sudhi R. Sinha
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Patent number: 10890346Abstract: An on/off system operates to affect a variable state or condition of a building by switching between an on state and an off state. An extremum-seeking controller operates the on/off system by providing a pulse width modulated (PWM) control signal having a duty cycle to the on/off system. The extremum-seeking controller is configured to generate the PWM control signal by receiving a performance variable as feedback from the on/off system, extracting a gradient of the performance variable with respect to the duty cycle, modulating the duty cycle using an extremum-seeking control technique to determine an optimal value of the duty cycle that drives the gradient toward zero, and generating the PWM control signal such that each period of the PWM control signal has a pulse width proportional to the duty cycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventor: Timothy I. Salsbury
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Patent number: 10883666Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling flow with a 270 degree rotatable valve are provided. A described system includes a valve body having a valve chamber and a plurality of ports into the valve chamber. The plurality of ports include a first port, a second port, and a third port. The first port and the second port are aligned with a common axis and located on opposite sides of the valve chamber. The system further includes a valve member located within the valve chamber. The valve member is controllably rotatable by approximately 270 degrees to modulate fluid flow between the first port and the third port while maintaining the second port completely closed and to modulate fluid flow between the second port and the third port while maintaining the first port completely closed.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2017Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventor: Russell T. Jenks
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Patent number: 10884398Abstract: A building system includes building equipment operable to consume one or more resources and a control system configured to generate, based on a prediction model, predictions of a load on the building equipment or a price of the one or more resources for a plurality of time steps in an optimization period, solve, based on the predictions, an optimization problem to generate control inputs for the equipment that minimize a predicted cost of consuming the resources over the optimization period, control the building equipment to operate in accordance with the control inputs, monitor an error metric that characterizes an error between the predictions and actual values of the at least one of the load on the building equipment or the price of the one or more resources during the optimization period, detect an occurrence of a trigger condition, and in response to detecting the trigger condition, update the prediction model.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel
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Patent number: 10883749Abstract: A method of operating a chiller having a closed refrigerant loop including a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator. The refrigerant used in the loop defining a pressure-enthalpy curve representative of different phases (vapor, liquid and vapor, and liquid) of the refrigerant at different combinations of pressure and enthalpy. The loop defining a process cycle (compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation) of the refrigerant during operation of the loop relative to the pressure-enthalpy curve of the refrigerant. The method including continuously operating the compressor when a segment of the process cycle corresponds to the refrigerant being in the liquid phase.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventor: Jeb W. Schreiber
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Patent number: 10886715Abstract: A conduit adaptor for an HVAC component includes a body having a substantially cylindrical shape, a first end configured to fit at least partially within the HVAC component, and a second end configured to couple to a conduit. The body is rotatable relative to the HVAC component between an unlocked position and a locked position when the first end is inserted into the HVAC component. The body further includes a bore extending axially through the body from the first end to the second end, and a first tab and a second tab extending radially outward from the first end. The first tab and the second tab are configured to prevent the body from being removed from the HVAC component when the body is in the locked position. The first tab includes a retention feature configured to retain the body in the locked position.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2016Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventor: Russell T. Jenks
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Publication number: 20200409756Abstract: A controller for a central plant having subplants operating to produce resources consumed by a building. The controller includes a processing circuit including a processor and memory storing instructions executed by the processor. The memory includes an offline rank generator that receives historical subplant allocation data and generates subplant ranks based on the historical subplant allocation data, each of the subplant ranks is associated with one of the subplants and defines a priority of each subplant with respect to production of a resource relative to other subplants that produce the resource. The memory also includes a high level optimizer that uses the subplant ranks associated with each of the subplants to determine resource allocation of the subplants according to the subplant ranks. The processing circuit is operates the subplants according to the resource allocation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2019Publication date: December 31, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Ryan C. Beaty, Graeme Willmott, Jared W. Fread, Shawn A. Schlagenhaft
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Publication number: 20200409883Abstract: A device for use in a building management system (BMS) includes a base hardware component that provides communication between the equipment and a first network associated with the BMS. The base hardware component includes a processor and a memory. The device further includes a modular hardware component connected to the base hardware component and a modular software component stored in the memory that recognizes the modular hardware component connected to the base hardware component and provides communication between the equipment and a second network using the modular hardware component. The processor executes a control application to control operation of the equipment based in part on data received from the equipment and data received from at least one of the first network and the second network.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2019Publication date: December 31, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Sudhanshu Dixit, Hunter R. Hobgood, Dinesh Trikha, Ezra M. Imes
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Publication number: 20200408435Abstract: An actuator includes an actuator housing having a first engagement feature and a motor located within the actuator housing and configured to rotate a driver. The actuator also includes a stroke limiting component coupled to the driver and has a second engagement feature. One of the first and second engagement features is a channel and another of the first and second engagement features is a protrusion. The protrusion is configured to fit within the channel to define a stroke of the actuator based at least in part on a length of the channel or a length of the protrusion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2019Publication date: December 31, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventor: Russell T. Jenks
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Patent number: 10880107Abstract: A temporary building network system for forming a temporary network for a building includes a first network device and a second network device. The first network devices includes an energy storage device configured to power the first network device using stored energy, a wireless radio configured to communicate with the second network device, and an indicator device configured to indicate a wireless radio connection strength to a user. The first network device includes a processing circuit configured to cause the wireless radio to communicate with the second network device via the temporary network, determine the wireless radio connection strength for the wireless connection between the first network device and the second network device based on a communication with the second network device via the temporary network, and cause the indicator device to indicate the determined wireless radio connection strength to the user.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2018Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Timothy C. Gamroth, Nicholas J. Schaf, Joseph Piccolo, III
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Patent number: 10880213Abstract: One implementation of the present disclosure is a system including a data network, a source device, and a target device. The data network is configured to wirelessly communicate data, the source device is configured to wirelessly communicate data, and the target device is configured to wirelessly communicate data. The target device and the source device utilize a first medium access control (MAC) protocol during a first time interval of a duty cycle and a second MAC protocol during a second time interval of the duty cycle.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Shrey Ostwal, Anushka Gupta, Zafar Alam Siddiqui, Kranthi Kiran Reddy Gurijala, Ankur Thareja
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Patent number: 10876754Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Michael J. Wenzel, Mohammad N. Elbsat
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Publication number: 20200400338Abstract: A method for controlling flow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that imposes an upper limit on the flow of fluid through a heating or cooling coil. Imposing this limit on the flow rate ensures that a temperature change across the coil remains above a minimum threshold and can significantly reduce energy waste. The method includes receiving a first temperature measurement associated with an inlet of the coil, receiving a second temperature measurement associated with an outlet of the coil, and receiving a flow measurement associated with the valve, applying the first temperature measurement, the second temperature measurement, and the flow measurement as input to a model, determining a maximum flow rate that ensures that a difference between the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement is above a threshold using the model, and operating the valve in accordance with the maximum flow rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2019Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Rachel A. Glanzer, Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Kirk H. Drees, John M. House, Timothy I. Salsbury
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Publication number: 20200400324Abstract: An outdoor unit for a building HVAC system includes one or more sensors configured to measure temperature and pressure values. The unit also includes a user interface coupled to the outdoor unit. The user interface is configured to display information to a user. The unit includes a controller including a processing circuit. The processing circuit configured to record the temperature values and the pressure values via the sensors and cause the user interface to display temperature values and pressure values.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: SHAUN B. ATCHISON, THERESA N. GILLETTE, JOHN W. UERKVITZ, ANEEK M. NOOR, BRIAN D. RIGG, JEDIDIAH O. BENTZ, TYLER MCCUNE, TOM R. TASKER, SHAWN A. HERN
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Publication number: 20200400339Abstract: A method for controlling flow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes adjusting a setpoint associated with a valve based on a temperature change across a heating or cooling coil to reduce energy waste. The method includes receiving a first temperature measurement associated with an inlet of the coil, receiving a second temperature measurement associated with an outlet of the coil, calculating a difference between the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement, determining that the difference between the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement is below a threshold, and adjusting a setpoint associated with the valve. Additional control features may be provided to improve system behavior such as a pulse generation feature, a change-limiting feature, and a reevaluation feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2019Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Rachel A. Glanzer, Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Kirk H. Drees
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Publication number: 20200401591Abstract: A dissimilar query engine is configured to translate a query including a first query language to a second query language. One dissimilar query engine includes a configuration script handler configured to retrieve at least one pair of query language configuration scripts, a uniform query language compiler configured to translate the first query language to a uniform query language using the at least one pair of query language configuration scripts, and a uniform query language interpreter configured to translate the uniform query language to the second query language using the at least one pair of query language configuration scripts.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Vinod Ashok Bhoite, Gourab Ghosh, Maiyank Pal, Hemlata Tiwari
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Publication number: 20200400330Abstract: A building management system for generating a building model for a building and operating building equipment of the building based on the building model. The system includes a processing circuit configured to receive a context, wherein the context includes metadata defining the building model for the building and generate a building model editor interface for viewing and editing the received context, wherein the building model interface includes building elements for the building model, wherein the building elements are based on the received context and represent the building equipment. The processing circuit is configured to receive user edits of the context via the building model interface, wherein the user edits include edits to the building elements, generate an updated context based on the user edits of the context, and deploy the updated context to control environmental conditions of the building with the building equipment based on the updated context.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Andrew J. Przybylski, Todd Schluechtermann, John H. Burroughs, Jon T. Mueller, Michael J. Wenzel, Matthew J. Ellis
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Patent number: 10871298Abstract: A control system includes equipment and a controller. The equipment produces a resource by executing a first process when in a first state, and produces the resource by executing a second process when in a second state. The controller calculates a minimum second state operating time based on estimated cost savings resulting from operating in the second state relative to the first state. The minimum second state operating time is a minimum time amount that the equipment must operate in the second state for the estimated cost savings to offset cost of transitioning into the second state. The controller predicts whether the second process will be available for the minimum second state operating time during future time steps. The controller transitions the equipment from the first state to the second state in response to predicting that the second process will be available for the minimum second operating state time.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2019Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Bradley J. Ridder, Graeme Willmott, Matthew J. Asmus
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Patent number: 10871306Abstract: A drain pan for a HVAC system includes a middle section defining a cavity extending from a first end of the middle section to a second end of the middle section, a first end section configured to partially extend into the cavity via the first end of the middle section, and a second end section configured to partially extend into the cavity via the second end of the middle section. The second end section includes a drain port. In some embodiments, the drain pan is modular, enabling different middle sections of various lengths to be coupled between the end sections. The cavity of some embodiments is formed by double walls, which insulate the middle section to reduce condensate formation on a bottom surface of the middle section. By forming one or multiple sections from plastic with an anti-microbial additive, the drain pan further reduces corrosion, microbial growth, and/or condensate generation.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2019Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Michael S. Lanning, Christian C. Herbeck, Jeremy S. Morris, Joshua J. Yagy
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Patent number: D907675Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Lakhan Shivaji Doke, Marcello Passoni, Amol Ramdas Vetal, Atul Ramdas Patil, Parag Jivanrao Bhongade, Bhausaheb Uttam Pawar, Yogesh Subhash Chorghe, Shivchandra Venkatrao Nagime, Aditya Dhavale