Patents by Inventor John Zhou

John Zhou 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: 11035357
    Abstract: Method and system for controlling a compressor and a supply fan in a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system are disclosed. The system includes a compressor having a startup state and a running state, a supply fan, and a controller configured to control the compressor and the supply fan in the HVAC system. The compressor and the supply fan are controlled based on a dehumidification map and/or an efficiency map. The system also includes a cooling coil configured to receive a fluid in heat exchange relationship with refrigerant from an evaporator to cool air. The supply fan is configured to deliver the cooled air from the cooling coil to a conditioned space as supply air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John Zhou, Roger J. Voorhis, Thomas J. Clanin
  • Patent number: 10775069
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system and a method for controlling the HVAC system. The HVAC system includes a compressor and a variable speed discharge fan. The method includes determining, with a controller, a low fan capacity setting based on an operation of the compressor. The method also includes maintaining a discharge fan capacity at the low fan capacity setting, and varying a coil discharge air temperature between a low discharge air temperature limit and a high discharge air temperature limit. The method further includes when the coil discharge air temperature reaches the low discharge air temperature limit, varying the discharge fan capacity between the low fan capacity setting and a high fan capacity setting so as to maintain a space temperature at a space temperature setpoint, while maintaining the coil discharge air temperature at the low discharge air temperature limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John Zhou, Thomas J. Clanin
  • Publication number: 20190242609
    Abstract: Methods to regulate a discharge fan and a coil of a HVAC system are described. The method may include regulating a discharge air temperature of the cooling/heating coil of the HVAC system while maintain the discharge fan at a low capacity setting. The method may also include maintaining the coil at a low discharge air temperature (or a high discharge air temperature) setting, while varying a fan capacity of the discharge fan. The method may include a discharge capacity boost that includes decreasing (or elevating) the discharge air temperature limit of the coil beyond the low discharge air temperature (or the high discharge air temperature) limit. The methods as described herein may be applicable to a HVAC system that has variable airflow capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: John ZHOU, Thomas J. CLANIN
  • Patent number: 10197300
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a fan with a variable fan capacity; a coil with a variable discharge air temperature; and a controller configured to control the variable fan capacity of the fan and the variable discharge air temperature of the coil. The controller is configured to vary the variable capacity of the fan to maintain a space temperature at a space temperature setpoint while maintaining the variable discharge air temperature of the coil at a low discharge air temperature limit. The controller is configured to vary the variable discharge air temperature between a high discharge air temperature limit and the low discharge air temperature limit to maintain the space temperature at the space temperature setpoint while maintaining the variable capacity of the fan at a low fan capacity setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John Zhou, Thomas J. Clanin
  • Publication number: 20180087498
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a system that includes a variable speed compressor are described. The method can provide improved accuracy in the control of a system, for example, a heating, ventilating, and air condition (HVAC) system that includes a variable speed compressor, and can reduce a compressor cycling frequency of the compressor when a required capacity is below a minimum capacity of the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: John ZHOU, Roger J. VOORHIS, Thomas J. CLANIN
  • Patent number: 9777724
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a system that includes a variable speed compressor are described. The method can provide improved accuracy in the control of a system, for example, a heating, ventilating, and air condition (HVAC) system that includes a variable speed compressor, and can reduce a compressor cycling frequency of the compressor when a required capacity is below a minimum capacity of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John Zhou, Roger J. Voorhis, Thomas J. Clanin
  • Publication number: 20170248340
    Abstract: Methods to regulate a discharge fan and a coil of a HVAC system are described. The method may include regulating a discharge air temperature of the cooling/heating coil of the HVAC system while maintain the discharge fan at a low capacity setting. The method may also include maintaining the coil at a low discharge air temperature (or a high discharge air temperature) setting, while varying a fan capacity of the discharge fan. The method may include a discharge capacity boost that includes decreasing (or elevating) the discharge air temperature limit of the coil beyond the low discharge air temperature (or the high discharge air temperature) limit. The methods as described herein may be applicable to a HVAC system that has variable airflow capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: John ZHOU, Thomas J. CLANIN
  • Patent number: 9651321
    Abstract: A method for regulating a discharge fan and a coil of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system includes maintaining a discharge fan capacity at a low fan capacity setting and varying a coil discharge air temperature between a low discharge air temperature limit and a high discharge air temperature limit. The method also includes, when the coil discharge air temperature reaches the low discharge air temperature limit, varying a fan speed of the variable speed discharge fan between a low fan speed setting and a high fan speed setting so as to maintain a space temperature at a space temperature setpoint set for a space, while maintaining the coil discharge air temperature at the low discharge air temperature limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John Zhou, Thomas J. Clanin
  • Patent number: 9495702
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for updating an auction monitor display with highlighting or emphasis in the form of graphic data change indicators. The method commences by capturing a first set of auction variables, the auction variables pertaining to an ecommerce auction involving a plurality of auction participants in the ecommerce auction. Then, for ongoing real-time display, the method introduces a delay of a variable duration of time, the variable duration of time based on the length of time before the end of the auction. At various points within each delay period, the method captures a second set of auction variables which are compared to the first set of auction variables to identify a candidate set of changed auction variables for emphasis. The determination of the manner of emphasis is based on the changed auction variable and characteristics of the type of change of the changed auction variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manish Srivastava, German Bertot, Matthew Sherman, Ramesh Kumar Reddy Jooturu Chinna, Gyanesh Hari Dwivedi, John Zhou
  • Publication number: 20150337831
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a system that includes a variable speed compressor are described. The method can provide improved accuracy in the control of a system, for example, a heating, ventilating, and air condition (HVAC) system that includes a variable speed compressor, and can reduce a compressor cycling frequency of the compressor when a required capacity is below a minimum capacity of the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: John ZHOU, Roger J. VOORHIS, Thomas J. CLANIN
  • Publication number: 20140131009
    Abstract: Methods to regulate a discharge fan and a coil of a HVAC system are described. The method may include regulating a discharge air temperature of the cooling/heating coil of the HVAC system while maintain the discharge fan at a low capacity setting. The method may also include maintaining the coil at a low discharge air temperature (or a high discharge air temperature) setting, while varying a fan capacity of the discharge fan. The method may include a discharge capacity boost that includes decreasing (or elevating) the discharge air temperature limit of the coil beyond the low discharge air temperature (or the high discharge air temperature) limit. The methods as described herein may be applicable to a HVAC system that has variable airflow capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John ZHOU, Thomas J. CLANIN
  • Publication number: 20130073409
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for updating an auction monitor display with highlighting or emphasis in the form of graphic data change indicators. The method commences by capturing a first set of auction variables, the auction variables pertaining to an ecommerce auction involving a plurality of auction participants in the ecommerce auction. Then, for ongoing real-time display, the method introduces a delay of a variable duration of time, the variable duration of time based on the length of time before the end of the auction. At various points within each delay period, the method captures a second set of auction variables which are compared to the first set of auction variables to identify a candidate set of changed auction variables for emphasis. The determination of the manner of emphasis is based on the changed auction variable and characteristics of the type of change of the changed auction variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Manish SRIVASTAVA, German BERTOT, Matthew SHERMAN, Ramesh Kumar Reddy Jooturu Chinna, Gyanesh Hari DWIVEDI, John ZHOU
  • Publication number: 20080234423
    Abstract: A method of forming a composite panel or board includes the step of adding phyllosilicate clay to a thermosetting resin and natural fibres. The natural fibres include hardwood fibre, softwood fibre, grain straw, hemp fibre, kenaf fibre, bagasse fibre, palm fibre, canola straw fibre, flax straw fibre, rapeseed straw fibre, wheat straw fibre, oat straw fibre, barley straw fibre, rice straw fibre or rye straw fibre. The thermosetting resin may include phenol formaldehyde, urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, melamine urea formaldehyde, or methylenediphenyl diisocynanate. The phyllosilicate clay may include nanoparticulate clay and may include natural, modified or synthetic forms of sodium montmorillonite, montmorillonite, nontronite, beidellite, volkonskoite, laponite, hectorite, saponite, sauconite, magadite, kenyaite, stevensite, vermiculite, halloysite, or hydrotactite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: ALBERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL INC.
    Inventors: Sunguo WANG, Hua QIU, John ZHOU, Rob WELLWOOD
  • Publication number: 20070069186
    Abstract: A conductive polymer of polyaniline (PANi), tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and a transferrin family member. The conductive polymer can be used in conductometric assays, including biosensor devices. One particular transferrin family member provided in the polymer is lactoferrin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Applicant: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Evangelyn Alocilja, John Zhou