Abstract: A control system for cost optimal operation of an energy facility including equipment includes a controller configured to provide a cost function comprising a cost term defining a cost as a function of a rate variable and an equipment usage variable, simulate the cost of operating the energy facility over an optimization period at each of a plurality of different values of the rate variable which define a plurality of different costs per unit of the equipment usage variable, select a value of the rate variable that results in a lowest cost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period, perform an online optimization of the cost function with the rate variable set to the selected value to generate one or more setpoints for the equipment, and operate the equipment during the optimization period in accordance with the generated setpoints.

Abstract: An environmental control system for a building is shown. The system includes a control device operable affect a static pressure in a conduit, a building device operable to affect a flow rate of a fluid through the conduit, and a controller including a processing circuit configured to perform a volumetric control process to generate a control signal for the drive device. The processing circuit is further configured to receive an operating position signal of the control device. The processing circuit is further configured to determine an estimated static pressure level within the duct using the operating position signal of the control device and update the control signal based on the estimated static pressure level determined using the operating position. The processing circuit is further configured to operate the drive device based on the updated control signal to affect the flow rate of the fluid.

Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a first air conditioning device installed in a predetermined space, and a second air conditioning device installed in the predetermined space. The first air conditioning device is configured to change an air state in the predetermined space in accordance with a direction inputted by voice to an input-output device that is voice operable. The second air conditioning device is configured to change the air state in the predetermined space in accordance with the direction inputted by voice to the input-output device. Upon acquisition of direction information indicating the direction not specifying a device, the air conditioning system performs processing in response to the direction with use of an air conditioning device selected from the first air conditioning device and the second air conditioning device in accordance with a predetermined condition set in advance.

Abstract: The invention is an airborne infection control monitoring, condition data collection, testing and reporting system. The system includes new sensors and other equipment needed to collect HVAC data, the placement of the sensors in the HVAC system, software needed to retrieve the data, and the algorithms used in analyzing the data to the required building design specifications. The proposed method and system would collect current room condition data and apply it to a virtual ventilation, room and equipment structure to efficiently determine if the building's rooms meet the air balance and infection control requirements.

Abstract: Systems and methods for harmonic analysis of soil are provided herein. Some methods include converting a first frequency of an operating signal into a second, higher frequency relative to the first frequency to create a stimulating signal, transmitting the stimulating signal into soil, and determining attenuation based on a comparison of a responsive signal and the operating signal.

Abstract: Method for calibrating an irradiation device for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam, which irradiation device comprises a first and a second irradiation unit adapted to guide a first and a second energy beam, wherein at least two first and two second calibration patterns are generated, wherein the at least two first calibration patterns are generated in at least two different first positions via the first energy beam and the at least two second calibration patterns are generated in at least two different second positions via the second energy beam and position information are determined relating to the positions of the at least two first and second calibration patterns and calibration information are generated relating to a calibration status of the irradiation device based on the determined position information.

Abstract: Appropriate ventilation for a building space while maintaining building comfort includes tracking one or more interior environmental conditions within the building space and one or more exterior environmental conditions outside of the building space during operation of the HVAC system. An environmental model for the building space is learned over time based at least in part on these tracked environmental conditions, where the environmental model predicts an environmental state of the building space in response to operation of the HVAC system under various interior and exterior environmental conditions. A maximum allowed ventilation rate that can be achieved without causing the HVAC system to compromise on any of one or more comfort conditions of the building space is predicted using the environmental model. The outdoor air ventilation damper of the HVAC system is then controlled to provide an appropriate ventilation up to or at the predicted maximum allowed ventilation rate.

Abstract: A system for assessing relative performance among a plurality of heating, ventilation, or air condition (HVAC) assets, the system comprising a processing circuit configured to identify a peer group comprising two or more of the plurality of HVAC assets having a common characteristic, generate values of a peer metric for the HVAC assets in the peer group based on corresponding operation data associated with the HVAC assets, perform a weighted outlier detection process using the values of the peer metric, and initiate an automated action in response to detecting an outlier HVAC asset.

Abstract: Systems and methods for intelligent operation and control of primitive infrared (IR) controlled devices and appliances that requires little or no modification of existing devices and appliances or their controllers. Systems and methods for converting conventional infrared (IR) remote controls of primitive infrared (IR) controlled devices and appliances to networked and smart remote controls are described which enable the upgraded smart remote control to act as a smart controller for ductless HVAC appliances, flat-screen televisions, media players such as DVD and Blu-ray disc players, and other primitive infrared (IR) controlled devices. The technology presented enables one or multiple users to control, monitor, and manage their primitive infrared (IR) controlled devices and appliances smartly using a custom smartphone application linked to the upgraded smart thermostat remote.

Abstract: A system reduces risk of pathogen exposure within a space that is located within a facility having a plurality of spaces that periodically have one or more people within the space. The system includes one or more occupancy sensors that are configured to provide an indication of when the space is occupied and when the space is not occupied. A sanitizer is configured to sanitize surfaces within the space when activated. A controller is operably coupled with the one or more occupancy sensors and the sanitizer. The controller is configured to determine a designated time to sanitize the space based at least in part upon information received from the one or more occupancy sensors and to automatically instruct the sanitizer to sanitize surfaces within the space at the designated time.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided of controlling operation of an indoor fan in an air conditioning system, the method including: setting a fan speed of the indoor fan to a maximum value; storing a first low temperature as a low temperature threshold; measuring the indoor temperature in an indoor space as a current indoor temperature; subtracting a set point temperature from the current indoor temperature to determine a temperature difference; determining that the temperature difference is less than the low temperature threshold; and reducing the fan speed by a first adjustment interval, storing a second low temperature difference as the low temperature threshold, and storing a second high temperature as a high temperature threshold, all in response to the determining that the current temperature difference is less than the low temperature threshold.

Abstract: A system includes multiple HVAC systems. After receiving a demand request, a multiple-system controller determines a first anticipated power consumption associated with operating a first HVAC system at a first temperature setpoint during a future period of time of the demand response request and a second anticipated power consumption associated with operating a second HVAC system at a second temperature setpoint during the future period of time. Based at least in part on the first and the second anticipated power consumptions, a staging schedule is determined that indicates when to operate the first and second HVAC systems.

Abstract: An outdoor unit includes a heat exchanger, a fan having a motor having coils to blow air to the heat exchanger, a connection switching unit to switch a connection state of the coils between a first connection state and a second connection state in which a line voltage is lower than a line voltage in the first connection state, and a temperature sensor to detect a temperature. When the motor is not driven, the connection switching unit sets the connection state of the coils to the second connection state. When the motor rotates, the connection switching unit sets the connection state of the coils to the first connection state if a detected temperature by the temperature sensor is higher than or equal to a threshold, and the connection switching unit sets the connection state of the coils to the second connection state if the detected temperature is lower than the threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods for intelligent operation and control of primitive infrared (IR) controlled devices and appliances that requires little or no modification of existing devices and appliances or their controllers. Systems and methods for converting conventional infrared (IR) remote controls of primitive IR controlled infrared (IR) controlled devices and appliances to networked and smart remote controls are described which enable the upgraded smart remote control to act as a for ductless HVAC appliances, flat-screen televisions, media players such as DVD and Blu-ray disc players, and other primitive infrared (IR) controlled devices. The technology presented enables one or multiple users to control, monitor, and manage their primitive infrared (IR) controlled devices and appliances smartly using a custom smartphone application linked to the upgraded smart thermostat remote.

Abstract: An HVAC system includes a suction-side sensor, a liquid-side sensor, an outdoor temperature sensor, and a controller. The controller determines that initial criteria are satisfied for initiating validation of the suction-side sensor and the liquid-side sensor. After determining that the initial criteria are satisfied, a suction-side property value, liquid-side property value, and outdoor temperature value are received. The controller determines whether a first validation criteria and a second validation criteria are satisfied. If both the first validation criteria and the second validation criteria are satisfied, the suction-side sensor, the liquid-side sensor, and the outdoor temperature sensor are determined to be functioning properly. Otherwise, the controller determines which one or more of the sensors are malfunctioning.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring ventilation effects in one or more locations are described herein. In various embodiments, a server computer 120 tracks CO2 level changes measured for a plurality of locations over a plurality of intervals of time over a plurality of days. When the server computer 120 receives data indicating performance of a ventilation action at a particular location and time, the system tracks changes in CO2 levels to determine whether the device is operating optimally and, if the device is not operating optimally, sends a notification to a client computing device. Using tracked CO2 level changes, the server computer 120 may identify ventilation actions to perform at different points in time and send instructions to a ventilation system which, when executed, cause performance of the ventilation actions.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and computer-readable media for providing integrative comfort a structure are described herein. One method includes determining a comfort preference associated with a user of a mobile device, the comfort preference including a plurality of aspects of physical comfort, storing the comfort preference in a memory, and modifying a respective operation of a plurality of connected devices in a portion of a structure to provide the comfort preference in the portion of the structure responsive to a distance between the mobile device and the portion of the structure being less than a particular threshold.

Abstract: A control method for a heating system of an air conditioner, the method includes: obtaining ambient temperature and external heat exchanger evaporation temperature; obtaining external heat exchanger evaporation pressure, and obtaining, according to the external heat exchanger evaporation pressure, corresponding saturation temperature; and controlling a base plate heating device according to the ambient temperature, the external heat exchanger evaporation temperature, or the saturation temperature. The base plate heating device is controlled according to the ambient temperature, the saturation temperature corresponding to the external heat exchanger evaporation pressure, or the external heat exchanger evaporation temperature, and may avoid freezing of the base plate of an air conditioner, and may ensure normal drainage of the base plate during defrosting to improve the stability and reliability of the air conditioner.

Abstract: A humidity control system includes a humidification device configured to modify an indoor air humidity within a building and a humidity control device that is communicably coupled to the humidification device. The humidity control device is configured to receive a construction factor concerning a structure of the building, determine a plurality of indoor air humidity thresholds corresponding to a plurality of outdoor air temperatures based on the construction factor, receive a real-time outdoor air temperature, and control the humidification device to modify the indoor air humidity based on the plurality of indoor air humidity thresholds.

Abstract: An HVAC controller provides control values to or more output ports of the HVAC controller. Operation of the HVAC controller is monitored for one or more irregularities. When one or more irregularities in the operation are identified, a hold mode is entered. The hold mode includes holding the one or more current control values on the one or more output ports of the HVAC controller until the one or more irregularities in the operation of the HVAC controller are corrected or a predetermined hold time expires, whichever occurs first. When the one or more irregularities in the operation of the HVAC controller are not corrected before the predetermined hold time expires, a back off mode is entered. The back off mode includes setting each of one or more control values on one or more output ports of the HVAC controller to a corresponding configurable back off value.