Patents Examined by Ramesh B. Patel
  • Patent number: 11313577
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes an outside air conditioning device, an air conditioning device, and a machine learning apparatus, and includes a state variable acquiring unit configured to acquire state variables, a learning unit configured to perform learning by associating the state variables with at least either an operating capacity of the outside air conditioning device or an operating capacity of the air conditioning device, and a reward calculating unit configured to calculate a reward that correlates with a total of energy consumption of the outside air conditioning device and energy consumption of the air conditioning device. The learning unit performs the learning by using the reward calculated in a period determined in accordance with a time duration until the total of the energy consumption changes after at least either the operating capacity of the outside air conditioning device or the operating capacity of the air conditioning device has changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunori Okamoto, Naotoshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 11306936
    Abstract: A new fan and an anti-cold air control method and apparatus therefor, the method comprising the following steps: during the process of a new fan switching from a heating mode to a cooling mode, acquiring in real time the set temperature and air supply temperature of the new fan and the middle-portion temperature of the indoor heat exchanger of the new fan (S1); acquiring the current output wind speed and the set wind speed of the new fan (S2); and adjusting the output wind speed of the new fan on the basis of the set temperature, the air supply temperature, the middle-portion temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, the current output wind speed, and the set wind speed (S3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Inventors: Bo Li, Yongfeng Xu, Meibing Xiong, Yongqiang Wan, Wentao Shu, Xiaolong Qian, Rufeng Chen
  • Patent number: 11300321
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a control system, a storage of the control system that stores instructions and a set of operating conditions of the HVAC system, and processor circuitry of the control system. One or more operating conditions of the set of operating conditions is associated with a respective operational sound level, and the processor circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to receive a threshold sound level and operate the HVAC system according to an operating condition of the set of operating conditions based on an operational sound level of the operating condition being less than or equal to the threshold sound level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Tyler P. McCune, Shawn A. Hern, Jeremy R. Smith, Aneek M. Noor, Cody J. Kaiser
  • Patent number: 11300938
    Abstract: An information processing device includes: a reception unit configured to receive operation information on a power supply device from the power supply device that supplies power to an electric apparatus detachably connected thereto; a ranking unit configured to rank a user of the power supply device based on the received operation information; and a setting unit configured to set an incentive to the user based on a rank of the ranked user. The operation information includes: fuel consumption information indicating a fuel consumption amount of an engine generator; and measurement information indicating measurement results of voltage and current that the power supply device is supplying to the electric apparatus. The ranking unit identifies fuel consumption based on the fuel consumption information and the measurement information, and ranks the user based on the identified fuel consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Matsunaga, Sho Takada, Mitsuhiro Ito, Nobuyuki Sasaki, Ryo Oshima, Mio Oshima
  • Patent number: 11294341
    Abstract: Controlled appliance and method for controlling interactions between the controlled appliance and a remote control device. The controlled appliance comprises a BLE interface and an actuation module. The controlled appliance sets the BLE interface in a scanning mode where the BLE interface is capable of receiving BLE signals from other devices. The controlled appliance receives, via the BLE interface, a BLE advertising signal from the remote control device. The controlled appliance establishes a connection between the controlled appliance and the remote control device through the BLE interface. The controlled appliance exchanges data with the remote control device via the BLE interface. Upon reception from the remote control device via the BLE interface of a command for controlling operations of the actuation module, the controlled appliance applies the command to the actuation module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: DISTECH CONTROLS INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Chenier, Marc-Andre Vallieres
  • Patent number: 11287155
    Abstract: A method of configuring an HVAC system uses a Specifier Library that includes specifier options for a plurality of HVAC components. An engineering tool accepts a user selection of an HVAC component that will be part of the HVAC system and displays one or more options for the selected HVAC component. The engineering tool accepts selections of one or more options by the user and creates one or more points for the selected HVAC component based on the user selections, each of the one or more points having one or more point parameter values. The engineering tool creates a configuration package to configure a controller based at least in part on the user selections and the one or more points and downloads the configuration package to at least partially configure the controller. At least part of the HVAC system is controlled using the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Nagasree Poluri, Sasikala Murali, Jithendra Narayana Lal, Sabari Nivash K M
  • Patent number: 11283264
    Abstract: A method for operating an electrical power grid, which includes an electrical power grid, a plurality of power generation participants providing electrical power to the electrical power grid, a plurality of consumers drawing electrical power from the electrical power grid, and a controller that administers the market for the power generation participants and the consumers on the electrical power grid. The method may include providing, by the controller, a short-term reserve (STR) product for the consumers. The STR may be provided by the power generation participants through online resources and offline resources. And the controller may share a ramp capability product (RCP) capacity and a resource capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.
    Inventors: Oluwaseyi W. Akinbode, Akshay S. Korad, Gary Waldo Rosenwald, Yonghong Chen, Kevin Vannoy, Fengyu Wang
  • Patent number: 11280508
    Abstract: Methods and related systems for detecting inaccurate airflow delivery of an indoor unit of a climate control system are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes operating a fan of the climate control system by transmitting a requested airflow value from a controller of the climate control system to a controller of the fan. Additionally, the method includes collecting estimated airflow values of the indoor fan, and identifying a steady state condition of the climate control system. Further, the method includes determining airflow error values, and issuing at least one of a first alert to a user of the climate control system in response to at least one of the airflow error values being equal to or greater than an alert value, and a second alert to the user in response to each of the airflow error values being less than the alert value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Trane International, Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne N. Kraft
  • Patent number: 11275396
    Abstract: Systems and methods dynamically assess energy efficiency by obtaining a minimum energy consumption of a system, receiving in a substantially continuous way a measurement of actual energy consumption of the system, and comparing the minimum energy consumption to the measurement of actual energy consumption to calculate a substantially continuous energy performance assessment. The system further provides at least one of a theoretical minimum energy consumption based at least in part on theoretical performance limits of system components, an achievable minimum energy consumption based at least in part on specifications for high energy efficient equivalents of the system components, and the designed minimum energy consumption based at least in part on specifications for the system components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: MELROK, LLC
    Inventors: Michel Roger Kamel, Paul W. Donahue
  • Patent number: 11274847
    Abstract: A space controller includes processors and non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining a power consumption model that defines a change in power consumption of HVAC equipment that operate to provide heating or cooling to a space as a function of a change in temperature setpoint for the space and model parameters that represent thermal properties of the space. The operations include estimating values of the model parameters based on training data including values of the power consumption of the HVAC equipment, the temperature setpoint for the space, and outdoor air temperature at multiple times within a training period. The operations include using the power consumption model and the values of the model parameters to predict a change in the power consumption of the HVAC equipment expected to result from a change in the temperature setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventor: Kirk H. Drees
  • Patent number: 11262094
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for remote control of a thermostat by a network-based server, when the thermostat is not connected to a local or wide-area network. A network-based server calculates a modified temperature profile for a thermostat based on a utility's time-of-use pricing and/or weather forecasts. After the server has calculated the modified temperature profile, it is provided to a mobile device via a wide-area network, and the mobile device provides the modified temperature profile directly to the thermostat when the mobile device is within range of the thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: RCS Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Hoffman
  • Patent number: 11255324
    Abstract: An integrated, portable, battery-powered, variable-pressure electric liquid pump and power emergency station including a remote wireless communication unit located remotely from and in wireless communication with the emergency station to improve wireless reception in the integrated, portable, battery-powered, variable-pressure electric liquid pump and power emergency station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: FFP2018, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Leonard Flaster
  • Patent number: 11255558
    Abstract: Methods and related systems for estimating input power supplied to a fan motor of a climate control system are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes selecting an input power function of a fan motor class. Additionally, the method includes operating a fan of the climate control system to produce an airflow, wherein the fan includes the fan motor of the selected fan motor class. Further, the method includes measuring a speed and a torque of the fan motor, and estimating an input power of the fan motor by entering the speed and the torque of the fan motor into the selected input power function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne N. Kraft
  • Patent number: 11249449
    Abstract: An operation terminal includes a display unit with a display screen to display an airflow input screen image indicating a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of indoor units installed in a room and a layout of the room, an input unit to receive input of a trace indicating an airflow on the display screen displaying the airflow input screen image, and a terminal-side communication unit to transmit a command for setting an air direction and air volume corresponding to the inputted trace on at least one of the plurality of indoor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Katsukura, Takuya Mukai, Taichi Ishizaka
  • Patent number: 11248815
    Abstract: Disclosed is an approach for detecting that a state of an air-conditioning system in a building has changed and ultimately determining the air-conditioning system's operating pattern, which could help improve collection and/or use of crowdsourced data for an indoor positioning solution and thus lead to more accurate position estimates. According to the disclosed approach, processor(s) may receive pressure and movement data from a mobile device. The pressure data may indicate a pressure change, and the movement data may indicate a movement pattern of the mobile device that occurred substantially during the pressure change. Given this, processor(s) could make a determination that the movement pattern lacks a substantial change in altitude of the mobile device during the pressure change and could use this determination as basis to detect that the state of the air-conditioning system has changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Henri Jaakko Julius Nurminen, Lauri Aarne Johannes Wirola, Pavel Ivanov
  • Patent number: 11244410
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining how to dispatch power to a property from a generator are provided. According to certain aspects, a controller associated with the generator may retrieve or access a set of data indicating time of use rates associated with utility power, performance characteristics of the generator, and/or energy usage data. Based on the data, the controller may determine a set point corresponding to when it may be beneficial to dispatch generator power to the property instead of utility power. At the set point, the controller may facilitate supplementing power from utility power with power from the generator. Additionally, the controller may collect usage and performance data associated with dispatch of the generator power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: LEADING EDGE POWER SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: David Walters, Richard Paulsen
  • Patent number: 11236916
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a building signature operational model (BSOM) associated with a building signature intelligent electronic device (BSIED) includes processing building signature operational data (BSOD) on a cloud-connected central processing unit to identify the BSIED from which the BSOD was received, and to determine if a current BSOM associated with the BSIED, and used by the BSIED to generate the BSOD, needs to be updated. In response to determining that the current BSOM needs to be updated, a new BSOM is selected for the BSIED from a BSOM library based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics associated with the BSIED. The new BSOM is transmitted to the BSIED for installation on the BSIED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony R. Gray, Jeffrey W. Yeo, Johannes Menzel
  • Patent number: 11236917
    Abstract: A controller for operating building equipment of a building. The controller includes one or more processors. The controller includes one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include comparing one or more model parameters of predictive models describing zones of the building to determine one or more zone groups for the building. The operations include generating one or more zone group models corresponding to the one or more zone groups. The operations include operating the building equipment using the one or more zone group models to affect a variable state or condition of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Robert D. Turney, Michael J. Wenzel, Mohammad N. Elbsat, Anas W. I. Alanqar, John H. Burroughs, Andrew J. Przybylski
  • Patent number: 11231194
    Abstract: A method for controlling an air conditioner including: determining at least one first air conditioner within a first preset distance from the air conditioner; determining control information of the air conditioner based on current operating state of the at least one first air conditioner; and controlling operation of the air conditioner according to the control information of the air conditioner. An electronic device and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignees: GD Midea Air-Conditioning Equipment Co., Ltd., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD
    Inventors: Qifeng Fan, Jiwei Hei
  • Patent number: 11233405
    Abstract: A master system for collocated, grid-independent energy generation and usage outside of a typical energy grid dependent system. The system uses a short-coupled delivery system between generation, storage and usage points to prevent line and system energy losses. As a result, the system generates and promotes hyper-efficient end use of electrical and thermal energy, as well as waste products produced during energy generation. Moreover, as a closed system, all waste energy can be reused and/or repurposed within the system, thereby promoting higher energy efficiencies. The versatility of the system is such that it can be implemented across any application that requires efficient energy storage and consumption, especially those involving higher levels of security and control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Silent Partner Group of Companies, Inc.
    Inventor: Dale Hobbie