Patents by Inventor Matthew L. Costick

Matthew L. Costick 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: 6581847
    Abstract: An adaptive control device (77) and method (102-108) for control of the operation of an actuator (72), and particularly thermally-powered actuator (72) of the type used in a variable-air-volume diffuser (71). The preferred adaptive control device is an expert system circuit which controls a heater (74) provided on a thermally-powered actuator (72) to implement an adaptive process (102-108) in which a sensed variable, such as room air temperature, is driven toward a target temperature control range (±0.25° F.). Most preferably, the process steps (106) include driving the room air temperature toward a gross (broader) temperature control range (±1.0° F.) by moving a diffuser damper assembly (80) to a substantially fully open or substantially fully closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Acutherm L.P.
    Inventors: James R. Kline, Robert S. Hunka, Matthew L. Costick
  • Patent number: 6338437
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for individual adjustment of the temperature set points of a plurality of VAV devices (27, 29) in an HVAC system. The process includes the step of directly, or indirectly through a network server (61), coupling each of a plurality of computers (34) located in a plurality of offices or spaces (22) for input of a temperature set point based signal. The computers (34) are coupled to the VAV devices (27, 29) such that a selected computer can be used to adjust the temperature set point of only VAV devices (27, 29) located in the same space (22) as the selected computer (34). Such coupling can be wired or wireless, based upon the use of computer networks (36, 42) which are connected to the VAV devices (27, 29) directly or through the building HVAC control network (32) or through a network server (61), which also is accessed by the building control computer (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Acutherm L.P.
    Inventors: James R. Kline, Matthew L. Costick
  • Publication number: 20010042792
    Abstract: An adaptive control device (77) and method (102-108) for control of the operation of an actuator (72), and particularly thermally-powered actuator (72) of the type used in a variable-air-volume diffuser (71). The preferred adaptive control device is an expert system circuit which controls a heater (74) provided on a thermally-powered actuator (72) to implement an adaptive process (102-108) in which a sensed variable, such as room air temperature, is driven toward a target temperature control range (±0.25° F.). Most preferably, the process steps (106) include driving the room air temperature toward a gross (broader) temperature control range (±1.0° F.) by moving a diffuser damper assembly (80) to a substantially fully open or substantially fully closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Applicant: ACUTHERM L.P., a California Limited Partnership
    Inventors: James R. Kline, Robert S. Hunka, Matthew L. Costick
  • Patent number: 6250560
    Abstract: An adaptive control device (77) and method (102-108) for control of the operation of an actuator (72), and particularly thermally-powered actuator (72) of the type used in a variable-air-volume diffuser (71). The preferred adaptive control device is an expert system circuit which controls a heater (74) provided on a thermally-powered actuator (72) to implement an adaptive process (102-108) in which a sensed variable, such as room air temperature, is driven toward a target temperature control range (±0.25° F.). Most preferably, the process steps (106) include driving the room air temperature toward a gross (broader) temperature control range (±1.0° F.) by moving a diffuser damper assembly (80) to a substantially fully open or substantially fully closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Acutherm L.P.
    Inventors: James R. Kline, Robert S. Hunka, Matthew L. Costick
  • Patent number: 6241156
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for individual adjustment of an operating parameter of a plurality of environmental control devices, such as VAV devices (27, 29) in an HVAC system. The process includes the step of connecting at least one of computers (34) for input of a parameter control set point based signal and a unique VA device identifying signal through an Internet website (71) to the plurality of HVAC devices (27, 29). The computer (34) is, for example, connected to the VAV devices (27, 29) such that the computer (34) can be used to adjust the temperature set point of only one of the plurality of VAV devices (27, 29), most typically the device located in the same space (22) as the communicating computer (34). Such computer (34) can be wired or wireless, and use the global computer network website (71) to connect to the VAV devices (27, 29) through a building computer (24) and local area network (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Acutherm L.P.
    Inventors: James R. Kline, Matthew L. Costick
  • Patent number: 6220518
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for individual adjustment of the temperature set points of a plurality of VAV devices (27, 29) in an HVAC system. The process includes the step of coupling each of a plurality of computers (34) located in a plurality of offices or spaces (22) for input of a temperature set point signal. The computers (34) are coupled to the VAV devices (27, 29) such that a selected computer will input or adjust the temperature set point of only VAV devices (27, 29) located in the same space (22) as the computer (34). Such coupling can be accomplished through direct electrical connections (33), transmitted signals (37, 38), or the use of computer networks (36, 42) which are connected to the VAV devices (27, 29) directly or through the building HVAC control network (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Acutherm L.P.
    Inventors: James R. Kline, Matthew L. Costick