Patents by Inventor Brett M. Lenhardt

Brett M. Lenhardt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11789415
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes HVAC equipment configured to provide heating or cooling to one or more building spaces and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers include one or more processing circuits configured to generate energy targets for the one or more building spaces using a thermal capacitance of the one or more building spaces to which the heating or cooling is provided by the HVAC equipment, generate setpoints for the HVAC equipment using the energy targets for the one or more building spaces to which the heating or cooling is provided by the HVAC equipment, and operate the HVAC equipment using the setpoints to provide the heating or cooling to the one or more building spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Nishith R. Patel, Matthew J. Ellis, Michael J. Wenzel, Robert D. Turney, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Publication number: 20230088808
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes HVAC equipment configured to provide heating or cooling to one or more building spaces and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers include one or more processing circuits configured to generate energy targets for the one or more building spaces using a thermal capacitance of the one or more building spaces to which the heating or cooling is provided by the HVAC equipment, generate setpoints for the HVAC equipment using the energy targets for the one or more building spaces to which the heating or cooling is provided by the HVAC equipment, and operate the HVAC equipment using the setpoints to provide the heating or cooling to the one or more building spaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Nishith R. Patel, Matthew J. Ellis, Michael J. Wenzel, Robert D. Turney, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 11415335
    Abstract: A system for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a valve is provided. The system includes a valve and an actuator. The actuator includes a motor and a drive device that is coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions. The system further includes a flow rate sensor and a controller that is communicably coupled with the flow rate sensor and the motor. The controller is configured to receive a first flow rate setpoint, determine a first actuator position setpoint using a proportional variable deadband control technique based on the first flow rate setpoint and a flow rate measurement, and receive a second flow rate setpoint. In response to a determination that certain low flow criteria are satisfied, the controller is configured to determine a second actuator position setpoint using the proportional variable deadband control technique based on a low flow compensation setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Jack A. Peterson, Kirk H. Drees, Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Homero L. Noboa, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 11296511
    Abstract: An electrical energy storage system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power to an energy grid, a power inverter configured to use battery power setpoints to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, the battery power setpoints comprising at least one of frequency regulation power setpoints and ramp rate control power setpoints, and a controller. The controller is configured to use a battery life model to generate the battery power setpoints for the power inverter. The battery life model includes one or more variables that depend on the battery power setpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Con Edison Battery Storage, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt, Kirk H. Drees
  • Patent number: 11258287
    Abstract: A predictive power control system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power, a battery power inverter configured to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, and a controller. The controller is configured to predict a power output of a photovoltaic field and use the predicted power output of the photovoltaic field to determine a setpoint for the battery power inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Con Edison Battery Storage, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 11068000
    Abstract: A system for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a valve is provided. The system includes a valve and an actuator. An actuator drive device is driven by an actuator motor and is coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions. The system further includes a flow rate sensor configured to measure the flow rate of the fluid through the valve and a controller that is communicably coupled with the flow rate sensor. The controller is configured to receive a flow rate measurement from the flow rate sensor, adjust a control deadband based on an actuator command history, and determine a compensated position setpoint using the flow rate measurement, the adjusted control deadband, and a proportional variable deadband control technique. The controller is further configured to operate the motor to drive the drive device to the compensated actuator position setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jack A. Peterson, Brett M. Lenhardt, Homero L. Noboa, Brennan H. Fentzlaff
  • Publication number: 20210175713
    Abstract: An electrical energy storage system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power to an energy grid, a power inverter configured to use battery power setpoints to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, the battery power setpoints comprising at least one of frequency regulation power setpoints and ramp rate control power setpoints, and a controller. The controller is configured to use a battery life model to generate the battery power setpoints for the power inverter. The battery life model includes one or more variables that depend on the battery power setpoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt, Kirk H. Drees
  • Publication number: 20210034024
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes HVAC equipment configured to provide heating or cooling to one or more building spaces and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers include one or more processing circuits configured to generate energy targets for the one or more building spaces using a thermal capacitance of the one or more building spaces to which the heating or cooling is provided by the HVAC equipment, generate setpoints for the HVAC equipment using the energy targets for the one or more building spaces to which the heating or cooling is provided by the HVAC equipment, and operate the HVAC equipment using the setpoints to provide the heating or cooling to the one or more building spaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Nishith R. Patel, Matthew J. Ellis, Michael J. Wenzel, Robert D. Turney, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Publication number: 20210021135
    Abstract: A predictive power control system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power, a battery power inverter configured to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, and a controller. The controller is configured to predict a power output of a photovoltaic field and use the predicted power output of the photovoltaic field to determine a setpoint for the battery power inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Publication number: 20210018214
    Abstract: A system for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a valve is provided. The system includes a valve and an actuator. The actuator includes a motor and a drive device that is coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions. The system further includes a flow rate sensor and a controller that is communicably coupled with the flow rate sensor and the motor. The controller is configured to receive a first flow rate setpoint, determine a first actuator position setpoint using a proportional variable deadband control technique based on the first flow rate setpoint and a flow rate measurement, and receive a second flow rate setpoint. In response to a determination that certain low flow criteria are satisfied, the controller is configured to determine a second actuator position setpoint using the proportional variable deadband control technique based on a low flow compensation setpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jack A. Peterson, Kirk H. Drees, Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Homero L. Noboa, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Publication number: 20210011497
    Abstract: A system for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a valve is provided. The system includes a valve and an actuator. An actuator drive device is driven by an actuator motor and is coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions. The system further includes a flow rate sensor configured to measure the flow rate of the fluid through the valve and a controller that is communicably coupled with the flow rate sensor. The controller is configured to receive a flow rate measurement from the flow rate sensor, adjust a control deadband based on an actuator command history, and determine a compensated position setpoint using the flow rate measurement, the adjusted control deadband, and a proportional variable deadband control technique. The controller is further configured to operate the motor to drive the drive device to the compensated actuator position setpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jack A. Peterson, Brett M. Lenhardt, Homero L. Noboa, Brennan H. Fentzlaff
  • Patent number: 10855081
    Abstract: An electrical energy storage system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power to an energy grid, a power inverter configured to use battery power setpoints to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, the battery power setpoints comprising at least one of frequency regulation power setpoints and ramp rate control power setpoints, and a controller. The controller is configured to use a battery life model to generate the battery power setpoints for the power inverter. The battery life model includes one or more variables that depend on the battery power setpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Con Edison Battery Storage LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt, Kirk H. Drees
  • Patent number: 10809676
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes indoor subsystems, a high-level controller, and low-level controllers. Each indoor subsystem includes one or more indoor units configured to provide heating or cooling to one or more building spaces. The high-level controller generates a plurality of indoor subsystem energy targets, each indoor subsystem energy target corresponding to one of the plurality of indoor subsystems and generated based on a thermal capacitance of one or more building spaces to which heating or cooling is provided by the corresponding indoor subsystem. Each low-level indoor controller corresponds to one of the indoor subsystems and generates indoor setpoints for the one or more indoor units of the corresponding indoor subsystem using the indoor subsystem energy target for the corresponding indoor subsystem and operates the one or more indoor units of the corresponding indoor subsystem using the indoor setpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Nishith R. Patel, Matthew J. Ellis, Michael J. Wenzel, Robert D. Turney, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 10742055
    Abstract: A frequency regulation and ramp rate control system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power, a battery power inverter configured to control an amount of the electric power in the battery, a photovoltaic power inverter configured to control an electric power output of a photovoltaic field, and a controller. The controller generates a battery power setpoint for the battery power inverter and a photovoltaic power setpoint for the photovoltaic power inverter. The generated setpoints cause the battery power inverter and the photovoltaic power inverter to simultaneously perform both frequency regulation and ramp rate control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Con Edison Battery Storage, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 10700541
    Abstract: A predictive power control system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power, a battery power inverter configured to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, and a controller. The controller is configured to predict a power output of a photovoltaic field and use the predicted power output of the photovoltaic field to determine a setpoint for the battery power inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Con Edison Battery Storage, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 10564612
    Abstract: A model predictive control system is used to optimize energy cost in a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system. The VRF system includes an outdoor subsystem and a plurality of indoor subsystems. The model predictive control system includes a high-level model predictive controller (MPC) and a plurality of low-level indoor MPCs. The high-level MPC performs a high-level optimization to generate an optimal indoor subsystem load profile for each of the plurality of indoor subsystems. The optimal indoor subsystem load profiles optimize energy cost. Each of the low-level indoor MPCs performs a low-level optimization to generate optimal indoor setpoints for one or more indoor VRF units of the corresponding indoor subsystem. The indoor setpoints can include temperature setpoints and/or refrigerant flow setpoints for the indoor VRF units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Nishith R. Patel, Matthew J. Ellis, Michael J. Wenzel, Robert D. Turney, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Publication number: 20200041966
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes a plurality of indoor subsystems, a high-level controller, and a plurality of low-level controllers. Each indoor subsystem includes one or more indoor units configured to provide heating or cooling to one or more building spaces. The high-level controller is configured to generate a plurality of indoor subsystem energy targets, each indoor subsystem energy target corresponding to one of the plurality of indoor subsystems and generated based on a thermal capacitance of one or more building spaces to which heating or cooling is provided by the corresponding indoor subsystem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Nishith R. Patel, Matthew J. Ellis, Michael J. Wenzel, Robert D. Turney, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Publication number: 20190296552
    Abstract: An electrical energy storage system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power to an energy grid, a power inverter configured to use battery power setpoints to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, the battery power setpoints comprising at least one of frequency regulation power setpoints and ramp rate control power setpoints, and a controller. The controller is configured to use a battery life model to generate the battery power setpoints for the power inverter. The battery life model includes one or more variables that depend on the battery power setpoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt, Kirk H. Drees
  • Patent number: 10283968
    Abstract: A power control system includes a battery, a battery power inverter configured to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, a photovoltaic power inverter configured to control a power output of a photovoltaic field, and a controller. The power outputs of the battery power inverter and the photovoltaic power inverter combine at a point of interconnection. The controller adjusts a setpoint for the photovoltaic power inverter in response to a determination that the total power at the point of interconnection exceeds a point of interconnection power limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Con Edison Battery Storage, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 10250039
    Abstract: An electrical energy storage system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power to an energy grid, a power inverter configured to use battery power setpoints to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, the battery power setpoints comprising at least one of frequency regulation power setpoints and ramp rate control power setpoints, and a controller. The controller is configured to use a battery life model to generate the battery power setpoints for the power inverter. The battery life model includes one or more variables that depend on the battery power setpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Con Edison Battery Storage, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Wenzel, Brett M. Lenhardt, Kirk H. Drees