Patents Examined by Henry Crenshaw
  • Soliciting user input for thermostat control
    Patent number: 9665109
    Abstract: A device or arrangement may be configured to receive a temperature limit such as an acceptable maximum temperature as well as a tolerance measure such as a number of acceptable events, the events causing the temperature to be outside of the temperature limit. An air comfort device may be operated based on the received temperature limit and the tolerance measure. A potential cost value may be provided based on a temperature limit and tolerance measure. A temperature limit and tolerance measure may be calculated based on a target cost value such that the arrangement may modify a temperature limit and/or tolerance measure to achieve the target cost value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Chen, Ross Koningstein, James Charles Schmalzried, Kurt Adelberger
  • Method for operating an air conditioner for a motor vehicle
    Patent number: 9656535
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an air conditioner (1) for treating the air of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The air conditioner (1) exhibits a refrigerant circuit (2) configured for a combined cooling unit and heat-pump mode and for a post-heating mode. In the heat-pump mode with a first and a second heat source, two heat sources differing from each other can be used. A temperature of the first heat source, a temperature of the second heat source, and a regulation characteristic number and a maximum pressure are taken into account in the refrigerant circuit (2) for operating the air conditioner (1) in a heat-pump mode. The invention additionally relates to a method for switching between the two heat-pump modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Peter Heyl, Dirk Schroeder, Hans Hammer, Jorg Bodewig
  • Demand-response system
    Patent number: 9657979
    Abstract: A demand-response system includes first and second aggregators and a power aggregator. The first aggregator performs demand-response-related control of a first heating device group including a heat pump device, and the second aggregator performs demand-response related control of a second heating device group. The power aggregator sends a second power adjustment request to the first and second aggregators using a command being common to the first and second aggregators. In accordance with the second power adjustment request, the first aggregator performs demand-response-related control of the first heating device group using a first dedicated command, and the second aggregator performs demand-response-related control of the second heating device group using a second dedicated command that is different from the first dedicated command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Yoshimi, Takahiro Yamaguchi, Hiroei Mikami
  • Outdoor unit of air conditioner and air conditioner
    Patent number: 9651294
    Abstract: An outdoor unit of an air conditioner includes: an outdoor fan; an outdoor air temperature detector; and a controller, wherein the controller performs: a fan defrost operation to circulate the refrigerant in the same order as in the case of a cooling operation and rotate the outdoor fan when the outdoor air temperature is within a predetermined temperature range, a fan defrost operation over a period of a first fan defrost operation time when the outdoor air temperature is lower than a first predetermined temperature, and a fan defrost operation over a period of a second fan defrost operation time that is longer than the first fan defrost operation time when the outdoor air temperature is equal to or higher than a second predetermined temperature that is higher than the first predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Kimura, Kuniko Hayashi
  • Alternating type heat pump
    Patent number: 9651281
    Abstract: An alternating type heat pump has first to third rows of outdoor unit coils adapted to selectively perform the functions of an evaporator and a condenser in accordance with the outdoor conditions and the load variations, thereby improving the performance of the heat pump, and is capable of allowing the first to third rows of outdoor unit coils to be operated as a condenser in an alternating manner under the conditions where frost on the outdoor unit coils may be formed especially in winter seasons, thereby basically preventing the conditions on which the frost is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Inventor: Chang Duk Jeon
  • Refrigerating cycle apparatus
    Patent number: 9651285
    Abstract: A refrigerating cycle apparatus is provided. The refrigerating cycle apparatus may include a refrigerant switching valve, which may be moved to a predetermined position through a simple circuit structure, during a blackout (power outage). Further, in a case in which input power is cut off due to a blackout, while the refrigerating cycle apparatus operates, oil may be collected. Even if input power is cut off due to a power outage, in a state in which the refrigerant switching valve is open while a refrigerating cycle apparatus having two compressors of two stages (2tage-2comp) is operating, the refrigerant switching valve may be converted to a closed state. This may reduce a pressure difference between the two compressors, and prevent damage to the compressors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sangoh Kim, Hoyoun Lee
  • Refrigerator and diagnostic system for the same
    Patent number: 9644886
    Abstract: Provided are a refrigerator and a diagnostic system for the same. The refrigerator includes a selection unit, a control unit, a modulator, and a sound output unit. The selection unit receives a diagnosis performance command. The control unit generates a control signal including product information when the selection unit receives the diagnosis performance command. The modulator generates a frequency signal according to the control signal generated by the control unit. The sound output unit outputs a sound including the product information according to the frequency signal generated by the modulating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jai Hwan Shim
  • Display for refrigerator
    Patent number: 9639190
    Abstract: A display for a refrigerator, which can uniformly form a diffusing area, is provided. The display includes a process unit receiving a variety of operation signals for operating the refrigerator, a front cover provided in front of the process unit and including a pushing portion displaying an input location of a user and a light transmission portion transmitting light, and a diffusion sheet provided in rear of the front cover and uniformly diffusing the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Seung-Min Ok
  • Air-conditioning apparatus
    Patent number: 9638447
    Abstract: In an air-conditioning apparatus, a controller controls an amount of refrigerant injection into a compressor by controlling an opening area of an expansion device such that the electric power consumption of the compressor becomes smaller, or such that a heating capacity or a cooling capacity of an intermediate heat exchanger becomes larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka, Kosuke Tanaka
  • Sharp-phase change shape memory alloy thermal actuator
    Patent number: 9638343
    Abstract: A valve actuator, valve, and method of actuation of a valve are disclosed. The valve actuator includes a shape memory alloy element attachable to a valve body, capable of use with a valve to cause movement of the valve between first and second positions responsive to at least a threshold amount of temperature change of the shape memory alloy element. The valve actuator further includes a negative-differential spring applied to the shape memory alloy element, thereby reducing the threshold amount of temperature change needed to cause movement of the valve between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Eric Wright Gilbertson, Franz Hover, Donald Bryan Freeman, Jose Arellano
  • System to provide a backchannel to an HVAC thermostat
    Patent number: 9625179
    Abstract: In an HVAC system Polarity Splitting is used to provide for one or more backchannels from the furnace to the thermostat. Polarity Splitting is also used to allow a four-wire house cable to provide for three thermostat functions as well as furnace power to the thermostat while also providing for one or more backchannels. A serial datalink can be used to provide for a number of thermostat functions and a number of backchannels as well as to provide furnace power to the thermostat while using only three wires between the furnace and the thermostat. A Wi-Fi enabled furnace adapter can allow the use of a Wi-Fi thermostat while supplying only furnace power (two wires) to the thermostat. A Wi-Fi enabled furnace can use only a remote temperature sensor instead of a remote thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventor: Jed Margolin
  • Temperature dependent variable flow orifice
    Patent number: 9618132
    Abstract: A variable flow orifice for a hydraulic control system in a transmission includes a shape memory alloy that selectively increases and decreases the size of an orifice. The deformation of the shape memory alloy, and therefore the size of the orifice, is a function of the temperature of the transmission. During cold conditions the orifice size is increased and during normal operating conditions the size of the orifice is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Zhe Xie, Vijay A. Neelakantan, Robert L. Moses, John E. Marano
  • Refrigerant circuit
    Patent number: 9618234
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus (50) includes: a main refrigerant circuit (21) having a compressor (1), a radiator (2), a first expansion mechanism (5), a second expansion mechanism (6), and an evaporator (4); an injection passage (22) for supplying an intermediate-pressure refrigerant to an injection port 1c of the compressor 1; and a water circuit (30) through which water to be heated in the radiator (2) flows. The refrigeration cycle apparatus (50) includes a sub heat exchanger (3) for cooling the water in the water circuit (30) by exchanging heat between the refrigerant in the injection passage (22) and the water to be heated in the radiator (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kou Komori, Yuichi Yakumaru, Tomoichiro Tamura, Masaya Honma, Hiroki Hayashi
  • Heat source device
    Patent number: 9605893
    Abstract: A heat source device is provided with a differential pressure sensor that measures the differential pressure between an inlet pressure and an outlet pressure for the chilled water in an evaporator and with a control device. The control device possesses the coefficient of loss for the evaporator and is provided with a chilled-water flow-rate computing portion that calculates a chilled-water flow rate at the evaporator on the basis of the coefficient of loss and the differential pressure output from the differential pressure sensor; a control-command computing portion that generates a control command by using a specification heating-medium flow rate that is set in advance; and a control-command correcting portion that corrects the control command generated by the control-command computing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki Wajima, Kenji Ueda, Masaharu Nitta
  • Controlling and monitoring indoor air quality (IAQ) devices
    Patent number: 9593861
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling and monitoring Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) devices are described. In some embodiments, a system may include an IAQ component configured to alter the quality of the air entering, leaving, or circulating within a building, a sensor coupled to the IAQ component, the sensor configured to determine a status of the IAQ component, and a transmitter coupled to the sensor, the transmitter configured to transmit an indication of the status to a controller. In other embodiments, a method may include receiving, at a Heating, Ventilation, and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC) thermostat, data from a sensor coupled to an IAQ component configured to alter the quality of the air entering, leaving, or circulating within a building, and determining, by the HVAC thermostat, a status of the IAQ component based upon the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: DUST FREE, LP
    Inventor: Gregg W. Burnett
  • Vertical fluid heat exchanger installed within natural thermal energy body
    Patent number: 9587890
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vertical relay fluid storage barrel installed with fluid inlet and fluid outlet for whole or in part placement into natural thermal energy body in vertical or downward oblique manner, wherein a thermal energy exchanger is installed inside the relay fluid storage barrel temporarily storing thermal conductive fluid for external flow, the thermal energy exchanger is installed with fluid piping for the thermal conductive fluid passing through, to perform heat exchange with the fluid in the relay fluid storage barrel, and the fluid in the relay fluid storage barrel performs heat exchange with the natural thermal energy body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Thermal expansion valve
    Patent number: 9587864
    Abstract: A thermal expansion valve comprises a valve body and a valve core member. The valve body is provided with a first connecting chamber, a lower cavity with a transmission member built in, and a first sealing member for separating the first connecting chamber and the lower cavity. A fifth pressure-bearing surface and a sixth pressure-bearing surface, pressed by a cold medium in the first connecting chamber in opposite directions, are disposed on a side wall of the valve core member. The first sealing member comprises a first flexible sealing element, disposed between the transmission member and an upper end portion of the valve core member and having a first edge portion connected to the valve body in a sealing manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Zhejiang Sanhua Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Changqing Liu
  • Refrigerator with thermoelectric device control process for an icemaker
    Patent number: 9587872
    Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold with an icemaking cycle having a liquid to ice phase change. A thermoelectric device has a cold side and a warm side. A controller is in operable communication with an input to the thermoelectric device. A sensor is in operable communication with the input to the thermoelectric device and the controller. A feedback response from the input to the thermoelectric device monitors the liquid to ice phase change of the icemaking cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Gregory G. Hortin
  • Water condensate capture from datacenter power generation
    Patent number: 9585291
    Abstract: Water condensate is captured from the exhaust of a generator utilized to provide power to a data center, and the captured water is then utilized for data center purposes such as adiabatic cooling. The exhaust of electrical power generators is passed through a condenser to obtain water condensate from such exhaust. The water condensate is stored in water storage units and is utilized to provide supplemental cooling to the data center. Sporadic usage of water can enable the water storage to be refilled between uses, since water condensate can be obtained from exhaust almost continuously. The level of water is monitored and the level of processing performed by the data center is adjusted to avoid emptying such water storage units. Historical climatological data is utilized to estimate the water required. Additionally, short and long-range weather forecasts can be optionally taken into account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christian L. Belady, Sean M. James
  • Motor housing temperature control system
    Patent number: 9574805
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling temperature of a compressor motor (170) having a motor cooling circuit in a refrigeration system (1014) is provided. The motor cooling circuit includes a second expansion valve (1043) providing fluid communication between the condenser and the compressor motor. The compressor motor (170) is in fluid communication with the refrigeration circuit (1014) between downstream of the first expansion valve (1040) and a compressor inlet. Refrigerant is provided as a cooling fluid to the motor cooling circuit. A primary PID loop (402) and a secondary PID loop (414) are used to control the temperature and the flow of refrigerant to the motor (170).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Liming Yang, Curtis Christian Crane