Patents by Inventor Timothy I. Salsbury

Timothy I. Salsbury 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).

  • Publication number: 20230235904
    Abstract: A method of controlling signal transmission in a building control system including measuring a number of signal values associated with an environmental variable using a sensor of a wireless device, dynamically determining, by the wireless device, a noise threshold based on the number of signal values, combining a first signal value and a second signal value of the number of signal values using a mathematical relationship to determine a result associated with the first signal value and the second signal value, and periodically transmitting the first signal value from the wireless measurement device to a controller in response to the result exceeding the noise threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Patent number: 11686480
    Abstract: A method for performing extremum-seeking control of a plant includes determining multiple values of a correlation coefficient that relates a control input provided as an input to the plant to a performance variable that characterizes a performance of the plant in response to the control input. The performance variable includes a noise-free portion and an amount of noise. The method includes determining an adjusted correlation coefficient by scaling a first value of the correlation coefficient selected from the multiple values relative to a second value of the correlation coefficient selected from the multiple values. The adjusted correlation coefficient relates the noise-free portion of the performance variable to the control input. The method includes using the adjusted correlation coefficient to modulate the control input provided as an input to the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11649981
    Abstract: A temperature control system. The control system includes a flow sensor configured to monitor water flow through a valve, an actuator coupled to the valve, and a first controller configured to establish a setpoint for a second controller. The second controller monitors fluid flow through the valve and combines a weighted first command from the first controller and a weighted second command from the second controller to generate a control signal, wherein combining the weighted first command and the weighted second command is based on the reliability of the flow sensor. The second controller further controls the actuator based on the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, Timothy I. Salsbury
  • Patent number: 11614247
    Abstract: A method of controlling signal transmission in a building control system including measuring a number of signal values associated with an environmental variable using a sensor of a wireless device, dynamically determining, by the wireless device, a noise threshold based on the number of signal values, combining a first signal value and a second signal value of the number of signal values using a mathematical relationship to determine a result associated with the first signal value and the second signal value, and periodically transmitting the first signal value from the wireless measurement device to a controller in response to the result exceeding the noise threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Patent number: 11604002
    Abstract: A thermostat is disclosed. The thermostat can include one or more temperature sensors configured to measure one or more temperature values. The thermostat can include a processing circuit. The processing circuit can receive the one or more temperature values from the one or more temperature sensors. The processing circuit can receive one or more central processing unit (CPU) usage values, wherein the one or more CPU usage values indicate computing usage of the processing circuit. The processing circuit can determine, based on an empirical model comprising one or more gain values and one or more filters and based on one or more signals, a temperature of the building. The one or more signals comprise the one or more temperature values and the one or more CPU usage values. The empirical model accounts for dynamics of heat generated by the processing circuit and airflow acting on the thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Nathan M. Zimmerman, Michael J. Ajax, Nicholas S. Van Derven, John M. House, Timothy I. Salsbury
  • Patent number: 11519631
    Abstract: An adaptive flow limit controller for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a heat exchanger includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to use an adaptive model to determine a threshold flow rate of the fluid through the heat exchanger at which a gradient of a temperature difference of the fluid across the heat exchanger with respect to the flow rate of the fluid through the heat exchanger has a threshold gradient value. The processing circuit is configured to operate a flow control device to maintain the flow rate of the fluid of through the heat exchanger at less than or equal to the threshold flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Kirk H. Drees, Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11460822
    Abstract: A self-perturbing extremum-seeking controller for a plant that includes at least a static portion includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to obtain a value of a performance variable characterizing a performance of the plant. The processing circuit is configured to determine a sign of a gradient of the performance variable with respect to an input to the static portion of the plant. The processing circuit is configured to adjust a control input for the plant using the sign of the gradient, and provide the control input to the plant to affect the performance variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11408631
    Abstract: An extremum seeking controller includes a processing circuit configured to modulate a manipulated variable provided as an input to a plant using an extremum-seeking control technique to drive a gradient of an objective function with respect to the manipulated variable toward an extremum. The objective function includes a performance variable characterizing a performance of the plant responsive to the manipulated variable. The objective function also includes a saturation adjustment term that becomes active as the plant approaches a saturation point and remains active as the plant operates within a saturated region past the saturation point. The saturation adjustment term causes the processing circuit to adjust the manipulated variable toward a value of the manipulated variable that returns the plant from the saturated region to a non-saturated region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11199336
    Abstract: A controller for HVAC equipment of a plant includes a processing circuit configured to predict an impact of a time delay of the plant on a performance variable received as feedback from the plant. The processing circuit is configured to artificially increase or decrease a value of the performance variable using an adjustable time delay parameter to at least partially negate the impact of the time delay on the performance variable. The processing circuit is configured to use the artificially increased or decreased value of the performance variable in on-off feedback control to operate the HVAC equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Patent number: 11163278
    Abstract: An on-off control system includes on-off equipment configured to operate in either an on state or an off state, an on-off controller configured to cause the equipment to transition between the on state and the off state based on a setpoint value and a deadband value to drive a control variable toward the setpoint value, and a deadband controller, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the deadband controller is configured to generate the deadband value used by the on-off controller. In some embodiments, the deadband controller is configured to generate the deadband value by obtaining a cost function that defines a cost based on at least a set of control values and the deadband value and selecting the deadband value that results in an optimal value of the cost function over a range of possible deadband values, the selected deadband value defining an optimal deadband value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Patent number: 11137160
    Abstract: A space controller and method for determining energy savings of the space controller are provided. The method includes estimating, by one or more processing circuits, a steady state gain of a controlled variable of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; determining, by the one or more processing circuits, an actual runtime that HVAC equipment of the HVAC system is in an on state based on a first setpoint or schedule; predicting, by the one or more processing circuits, a reduction of runtime that the HVAC equipment is in the on state for a second setpoint or schedule based on the actual runtime and the steady state gain; and adjusting, by the one or more processing circuits, the first setpoint or schedule to the second setpoint or schedule based on the reduction of runtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11131969
    Abstract: A self-configuring controller includes one or more processors and one or more non-transitory machine readable media storing instructions. When executed by the one or more processors, the instructions cause the one or more processors to receive an output signal from a controlled system or device representative of an operation of the controlled system or device in response to a first perturbed control input perturbed using a first dither signal, estimate a bandwidth of the controlled system or device based on the output signal and the first dither signal, perturb a second control input using a second dither signal based on the bandwidth of the controlled system or device to generate a second perturbed control input, and transmit the second perturbed control input to the controlled system or device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11092354
    Abstract: A method for controlling flow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that imposes an upper limit on the flow of fluid through a heating or cooling coil. Imposing this limit on the flow rate ensures that a temperature change across the coil remains above a minimum threshold and can significantly reduce energy waste. The method includes receiving a first temperature measurement associated with an inlet of the coil, receiving a second temperature measurement associated with an outlet of the coil, and receiving a flow measurement associated with the valve, applying the first temperature measurement, the second temperature measurement, and the flow measurement as input to a model, determining a maximum flow rate that ensures that a difference between the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement is above a threshold using the model, and operating the valve in accordance with the maximum flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Rachel A. Glanzer, Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Kirk H. Drees, John M. House, Timothy I. Salsbury
  • Publication number: 20210215378
    Abstract: An extremum seeking controller includes a processing circuit configured to modulate a manipulated variable provided as an input to a plant using an extremum-seeking control technique to drive a gradient of an objective function with respect to the manipulated variable toward an extremum. The objective function includes a performance variable characterizing a performance of the plant responsive to the manipulated variable. The objective function also includes a saturation adjustment term that becomes active as the plant approaches a saturation point and remains active as the plant operates within a saturated region past the saturation point. The saturation adjustment term causes the processing circuit to adjust the manipulated variable toward a value of the manipulated variable that returns the plant from the saturated region to a non-saturated region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, John M. House
  • Publication number: 20210215384
    Abstract: An adaptive flow limit controller for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a heat exchanger includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to use an adaptive model to determine a threshold flow rate of the fluid through the heat exchanger at which a gradient of a temperature difference of the fluid across the heat exchanger with respect to the flow rate of the fluid through the heat exchanger has a threshold gradient value. The processing circuit is configured to operate a flow control device to maintain the flow rate of the fluid of through the heat exchanger at less than or equal to the threshold flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Kirk H. Drees, Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House
  • Publication number: 20210207836
    Abstract: A temperature control system. The control system includes a flow sensor configured to monitor water flow through a valve, an actuator coupled to the valve, and a first controller configured to establish a setpoint for a second controller. The second controller monitors fluid flow through the valve and combines a weighted first command from the first controller and a weighted second command from the second controller to generate a control signal, wherein combining the weighted first command and the weighted second command is based on the reliability of the flow sensor. The second controller further controls the actuator based on the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, Timothy I. Salsbury
  • Publication number: 20210180811
    Abstract: A method of controlling signal transmission in a building control system including measuring a number of signal values associated with an environmental variable using a sensor of a wireless device, dynamically determining, by the wireless device, a noise threshold based on the number of signal values, combining a first signal value and a second signal value of the number of signal values using a mathematical relationship to determine a result associated with the first signal value and the second signal value, and periodically transmitting the first signal value from the wireless measurement device to a controller in response to the result exceeding the noise threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Publication number: 20210181703
    Abstract: A self-perturbing extremum-seeking controller for a plant that includes at least a static portion includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to obtain a value of a performance variable characterizing a performance of the plant. The processing circuit is configured to determine a sign of a gradient of the performance variable with respect to an input to the static portion of the plant. The processing circuit is configured to adjust a control input for the plant using the sign of the gradient, and provide the control input to the plant to affect the performance variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11002460
    Abstract: A thermostat for a conditioned space includes a sensor that measures a value of a performance variable of the conditioned space, a user interface that receives a setpoint value from a user and displays information to the user, and a controller. The controller receives values of the performance variable from the sensor over a time period, stores the values of the performance variable, receives the setpoint value from the user interface, and determines a value of a manipulated variable based on the setpoint value and the values of the performance variable. The controller is configured to adjust an operation of HVAC equipment that affect the conditioned space based on the value of the manipulated variable. The controller is configured to determine a smoothed value of the performance variable based on the values of the performance variable and cause the user interface to display the smoothed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez
  • Patent number: 10983486
    Abstract: A building management system includes building equipment configured to operate in accordance with an input to alter a variable state or condition of a building as a process function of the input while incurring a cost of operating the equipment as a cost function of the input. The building management system also includes a controller configured to calculate a value of a self-optimizing control variable as a function of a measured state of the building equipment and drive the value of the self-optimizing control variable towards a setpoint value by generating the input based on the self-optimizing control variable and providing the input to the building equipment. The function comprises multiplying the measured state by a matrix and adding an offset vector. Values of elements of the matrix and the offset vector are determined using a non-optimal reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House