Abstract: A ceiling fan airflow diffuser apparatus and system that creates elevated air speeds indoors for cooling occupants, improving room air circulation, and reducing energy use by the cooling system of the building. The apparatus has a diffuser support structure and diffuser body oriented below the blades of a ceiling fan. The diffuser body has an outer rim with an annular opening and a top surface forming a shroud for the fan blades. A smaller concentric inner ring positioned coaxially in relation to the outer rim is joined to the outer rim with struts. The inner ring has a frustoconical shape with a central opening. The outer rim and inner ring may also have directional visible light sources to provide flicker-free lighting, or an integrated UV-C light source oriented in an upward direction to inhibit airborne pathogens exposed to the light source.

Abstract: Systems and devices for airflow measurements in rooms and air delivery ducts with low-cost, low-power, accurate, calibration-free, and compact wireless airflow sensors are provided. The system uses room and duct flow sonic anemometers and processing to measure air velocities and temperatures as well as allow control over the environmental conditioning systems. The anemometers use arrays of transmitter/receivers to simultaneously measure multiple sound paths and determine velocity vectors and volumetric flow paths. By transmitting in both directions along the paths between transceivers, differential times of flight (TOF) are measured. These determine both the velocity and temperature of the air along each path.

Abstract: A ceiling fan airflow diffuser apparatus and system that creates elevated air speeds indoors for cooling occupants, improving room air circulation, and reducing energy use by the cooling system of the building. The apparatus has a diffuser support structure and diffuser body oriented below the blades of a ceiling fan. The diffuser body has an outer rim with an annular opening and a top surface forming a shroud for the fan blades. A smaller concentric inner ring positioned coaxially in relation to the outer rim is joined to the outer rim with struts. The inner ring has a frustoconical shape with a central opening. The outer rim and inner ring may also have directional visible light sources to provide flicker-free lighting, or an integrated UV-C light source oriented in an upward direction to inhibit airborne pathogens exposed to the light source.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing thermal comfort using two point or multipoint heating or cooling that is applied to portion of a human body part to produce a warm or cool sensation over a larger area than that where the heating or cooling is directly applied. The body is induced to heat or cool itself by adjusting its neutral temperature setpoints. Increased warming perception from two-point, multipoint, and switching point stimulation causes downward adaptation in the neutral skin temperature of the user. Because spot heating and cooling sources operate at higher temperature differences from the skin than do area sources, they create a stronger perceived thermal sensation for the same power consumption. Point heating or cooling, rather than whole-area heating, can result in power savings and cost savings while improving occupant comfort.

Abstract: Systems and devices for airflow measurements in rooms and air delivery ducts with low-cost, low-power, accurate, calibration-free, and compact wireless airflow sensors are provided. The system uses room and duct flow sonic anemometers and processing to measure air velocities and temperatures as well as allow control over the environmental conditioning systems. The anemometers use arrays of transmitter/receivers to simultaneously measure multiple sound paths and determine velocity vectors and volumetric flow paths. By transmitting in both directions along the paths between transceivers, differential times of flight (TOF) are measured. These determine both the velocity and temperature of the air along each path.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing thermal comfort using two point or multipoint heating or cooling that is applied to portion of a human body part to produce a warm or cool sensation over a larger area than that where the heating or cooling is directly applied. The body is induced to heat or cool itself by adjusting its neutral temperature setpoints. Increased warming perception from two-point, multipoint, and switching point stimulation causes downward adaptation in the neutral skin temperature of the user. Because spot heating and cooling sources operate at higher temperature differences from the skin than do area sources, they create a stronger perceived thermal sensation for the same power consumption. Point heating or cooling, rather than whole-area heating, can result in power savings and cost savings while improving occupant comfort.

Abstract: An occupant-tracking fan apparatus is provided with a source of forced air such as a fan nozzle in a movable support with multi-axis positioning and a controller with sensors controlling the moveable support directing forced air toward a target detected by the sensors. Targeting in real-time can be through camera imaging or with an array of ultrasonic transmitters/receivers that can identify occupant shape, range and thermal profile, even when the occupant is moving. The targeting fan cools by aiming a stream of air at the occupant increasing skin convection. The apparatus can also target thermal extremes and de-stratify air temperature gradients. Settings can be individualized by remote control, RFID tag or even prescribed gestures interpreted by the camera and controller. The apparatus may be part of a building wide system with a central controller that monitors sensors, controls each fan and the building HVAC systems.

Abstract: A vehicle seatbelt mounted, individualized climate control apparatus that provides substantially instantaneous heating or cooling of the occupant of a vehicle seat is presented. The apparatus has at least one housing with an inner chamber coupled to diffusers to deliver ambient, cooled or heated air from an air source through the chamber to the body of the occupant. Regardless of the cabin temperature, local conditioning of a seat occupant efficiently cools the front of the torso and dissipates the body's thermal plume or warms the torso in the alternative. The functional and safety aspects of conventional three-point seat belts remain unchanged and the apparatus can be used with retractable belts.

Abstract: Articles of furniture with a system of heating and cooling that can be integrated into a building environmental control network are provided. The heating/cooling system of the article has surfaces of a porous or non-porous, moisture-permeable material allowing convective and evaporative heat exchange from the body surface to the environment. The material covers a plenum that has reflective surfaces to reduce radiant losses and low-wattage fans to circulate air that convectively cools the occupant. Resistance heating may be incorporated at key occupant contact areas in the seat and backrest. Temperature, occupancy and other sensors can be incorporated. A control interface controls the actions of the heating/cooling system of the article and can interact with a network server to transmit measurements of environmental temperatures and occupant selection of control settings that are useful for control of the building's indoor environment.

Abstract: An occupant-tracking fan apparatus is provided with a source of forced air such as a fan nozzle in a movable support with multi-axis positioning and a controller with sensors controlling the moveable support directing forced air toward a target detected by the sensors. Targeting in real-time can be through camera imaging or with an array of ultrasonic transmitters/receivers that can identify occupant shape, range and thermal profile, even when the occupant is moving. The targeting fan cools by aiming a stream of air at the occupant increasing skin convection. The apparatus can also target thermal extremes and de-stratify air temperature gradients. Settings can be individualized by remote control, RFID tag or even prescribed gestures interpreted by the camera and controller. The apparatus may be part of a building wide system with a central controller that monitors sensors, controls each fan and the building HVAC systems.

Abstract: A vehicle seatbelt mounted, individualized climate control apparatus that provides substantially instantaneous heating or cooling of the occupant of a vehicle seat is presented. The apparatus has at least one housing with an inner chamber coupled to diffusers to deliver ambient, cooled or heated air from an air source through the chamber to the body of the occupant. Regardless of the cabin temperature, local conditioning of a seat occupant efficiently cools the front of the torso and dissipates the body's thermal plume or warms the torso in the alternative. The functional and safety aspects of conventional three-point seat belts remain unchanged and the apparatus can be used with retractable belts.

Abstract: Articles of furniture with a system of heating and cooling that can be integrated into a building environmental control network are provided. The heating/cooling system of the article has surfaces of a porous or non-porous, moisture-permeable material allowing convective and evaporative heat exchange from the body surface to the environment. The material covers a plenum that has reflective surfaces to reduce radiant losses and low-wattage fans to circulate air that convectively cools the occupant. Resistance heating may be incorporated at key occupant contact areas in the seat and backrest. Temperature, occupancy and other sensors can be incorporated. A control interface controls the actions of the heating/cooling system of the article and can interact with a network server to transmit measurements of environmental temperatures and occupant selection of control settings that are useful for control of the building's indoor environment.

Abstract: Articles of furniture with a system of heating and cooling that can be integrated into a building environmental control network are provided. The heating/cooling system of the article has surfaces of a porous or non-porous, moisture-permeable material allowing convective and evaporative heat exchange from the body surface to the environment. The material covers a plenum that has reflective surfaces to reduce radiant losses and low-wattage fans to circulate air that convectively cools the occupant. Resistance heating may be incorporated at key occupant contact areas in the seat and backrest. Temperature, occupancy and other sensors can be incorporated. A control interface controls the actions of the heating/cooling system of the article and can interact with a network server to transmit measurements of environmental temperatures and occupant selection of control settings that are useful for control of the building's indoor environment.

Abstract: Articles of furniture with a system of heating and cooling that can be integrated into a building environmental control network are provided. The heating/cooling system of the article has surfaces of a porous or non-porous, moisture-permeable material allowing convective and evaporative heat exchange from the body surface to the environment. The material covers a plenum that has reflective surfaces to reduce radiant losses and low-wattage fans to circulate air that convectively cools the occupant. Resistance heating may be incorporated at key occupant contact areas in the seat and backrest. Temperature, occupancy and other sensors can be incorporated. A control interface controls the actions of the heating/cooling system of the article and can interact with a network server to transmit measurements of environmental temperatures and occupant selection of control settings that are useful for control of the building's indoor environment.