Patents by Inventor Michael D. Whitehurst

Michael D. Whitehurst 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).

  • System and method for operating an economizer cycle of an air conditioner
    Patent number: 8744632
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for cooling an enclosure includes an air conditioner and a control system for triggering an economizer cycle of the air conditioner. The control system determines an electrical load of equipment in the enclosure, calculates a maximum acceptable outdoor temperature at which the economizer cycle may be operated based at least partially on the electrical load, receives data representative of an actual outdoor temperature, and initiates the economizer cycle if the actual outdoor temperature is equal to or below the maximum acceptable outdoor temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Airxcel, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew L. Blackshaw, Michael D. Whitehurst, Paul Franklin Fay, Jeff Dewitt Brown
  • System and method for operating an economizer cycle of an air conditioner
    Patent number: 8406930
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for cooling an enclosure includes an air conditioner and a control system for triggering an economizer cycle of the air conditioner. The control system determines an electrical load of equipment in the enclosure, calculates a maximum acceptable outdoor temperature at which the economizer cycle may be operated based at least partially on the electrical load, receives data representative of an actual outdoor temperature, and initiates the economizer cycle if the actual outdoor temperature is equal to or below the maximum acceptable outdoor temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Airxcel, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew L. Blackshaw, Michael D. Whitehurst, Paul Franklin Fay, Jeff Dewitt Brown
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ECONOMIZER CYCLE OF AN AIR CONDITIONER
    Publication number: 20120065795
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for cooling an enclosure includes an air conditioner and a control system for triggering an economizer cycle of the air conditioner. The control system determines an electrical load of equipment in the enclosure, calculates a maximum outdoor temperature at which the economizer cycle may be operated based at least partially on the electrical load, receives data representative of an actual outdoor temperature, and initiates the economizer cycle if the actual outside temperature is equal to or below the maximum outside temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: Andrew L. Blackshaw, Michael D. Whitehurst, Paul Franklin Fay, Jeff Dewitt Brown
  • Control system and method for controlling multi-stage air conditioners
    Patent number: 8019478
    Abstract: A method of controlling operation of a pair of two-stage air conditioners. The method monitors a temperature of an area served by the air conditioners; activates a first stage of a first or lead air conditioner when the temperature rises above a first set point temperature; activates a first stage of a second or lag air conditioner when the temperature rises above a second set point temperature; activates a second stage of the first air conditioner only if the temperature remains above the second set point temperature beyond a first selected time period; and activates a second stage of the second air conditioner only if the temperature remains above the second set point temperature beyond a second selected time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Airxcel, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Whitehurst, Jeff D. Brown
  • CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING MULTI-STAGE AIR CONDITIONERS
    Publication number: 20100268397
    Abstract: A method of controlling operation of a pair of two-stage air conditioners. The method monitors a temperature of an area served by the air conditioners; activates a first stage of a first or lead air conditioner when the temperature rises above a first set point temperature; activates a first stage of a second or lag air conditioner when the temperature rises above a second set point temperature; activates a second stage of the first air conditioner only if the temperature remains above the second set point temperature beyond a first selected time period; and activates a second stage of the second air conditioner only if the temperature remains above the second set point temperature beyond a second selected time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Airxcel, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Whitehurst, Jeff D. Brown