With Alarm, Indicator, Signal, Register, Recorder, Test Or Inspection Means Patents (Class 165/11.1)
  • Patent number: 9976763
    Abstract: An HVAC system may include a VAV box including a damper movable between a first damper position and a second damper position and an HVAC controller that is mounted remotely from the VAV box. The HVAC controller may be configured to control the VAV box in accordance with a temperature set point entered into the HVAC controller and may be programmed with a test and balance procedure. In some cases, the HVAC controller may also be programmed with functionality that facilitates an installer or other technician in configuring and/or reconfiguring the VAV box. This may include providing a user interface that supports a test and balance procedure of the VAV box. Such functionality may be user-accessible via the user interface of the HVAC controller, and in some cases, may be used to drive the damper of the VAV box between various damper positions as well as perform other functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Shanna Leeland, Brent Barker, Jennifer Teves, Albert Holaso, Fred Becher, Kevin Callahan
  • Patent number: 9958177
    Abstract: An air conditioning system that includes refrigerant systems respectively including an indoor unit connected to an outdoor unit by a refrigerant pipe, the refrigerant systems being controlled by a remote controller that is provided. The indoor unit includes a human sensor whose power supply operates simultaneously with the indoor unit. When the air conditioning system is in an on-state and detection information of the human sensor indicates absence, the indoor unit transmits an absence signal to the remote controller. The remote controller that has received the absence signal transmits an absence-off period signal including absence-off period control information set in advance to the indoor unit. The indoor unit that has received the absence-off period signal is controlled according to the absence-off period control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 9945322
    Abstract: A free piston Stirling engine with a heat exchanger that has an inner component part assembled within an outer component part. The outer component part has a tubular outer wall and circumferentially spaced ridges that extend radially inward from the tubular outer wall and are separated from each other by inward opening slots. The inner component part has a tubular inner wall and circumferentially spaced ridges that extend outward from the inner tubular wall and are separated from each other by outward opening slots. The ridge widths of the outer and inner component parts are less than the slot widths of the corresponding slots into which they fit. The two component parts are assembled with the ridges of each component part extending into the slots of the other component part to form gas passages between interfacing sidewall surfaces of the ridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sunpower, Inc.
    Inventor: James Gary Wood
  • Patent number: 9927133
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a heat pump section performing indoor air-warming by using a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, a separate heat source section performing indoor air-warming by using a heat source separate from the heat pump section, and a control unit configured to control actions of the heat pump section and the separate heat source section. When a heat pump air-warming operation is being performed, and when a first switching condition is met, the control unit switches from the heat pump air-warming operation to a separate heat source air-warming operation. The first switching condition is that an outside air temperature reaches a first switching outside air temperature and an air-warming capability of the heat pump section reaches an upper limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akiharu Kojima
  • Patent number: 9920967
    Abstract: The hot and cold water air conditioning system includes a water temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of water flowing out of the heat pump heat source apparatus by an operation of the water circulation pump, and a controller configured to perform, in a heating operation, on/off normal control that turns on a compressor when the water temperature detected by the water temperature sensor becomes lower than a target water temperature and turns off the compressor when the water temperature becomes higher than a first temperature value higher than the target water temperature, and to switch from the on/off normal control, upon repeating the on/off operation of the compressor at a minimum frequency necessary for an operation of the compressor in the on/off normal control, to on/off restriction control that turns on the compressor when the water temperature becomes lower than a second temperature value lower than the target water temperature and turns off the compressor when the water temperature be
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Ushijima
  • Patent number: 9920949
    Abstract: In an air conditioning system of the present disclosure, the controlling module determines state of the indoor unit. If the indoor unit is under off state, the controlling module determines whether an indoor temperature is smaller than a preset temperature. If yes, the controlling module controls the indoor unit to heat according to a first heating temperature. If the indoor unit is under heating state, the controlling module sets a second heating temperature of the indoor unit to the first heating temperature, and controls the indoor unit to heat according to the first heating temperature. The first heating temperature is smaller than the second heating temperature. If the indoor unit is under cooling state, the controlling module sets a first cooling temperature to a second cooling temperature which is greater than the first cooling temperature, and controls the indoor unit to cool according to the second cooling temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: GD Midea Heating & Ventilating Equipment Co., Ltd., Midea Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Meibing Xiong, Yongfeng Xu, Xihua Ma, Weilong Hu
  • Patent number: 9921591
    Abstract: An interlock function block system, method, and apparatus that reduces the necessity for a building automation programmer to program low-level instructions using a complex series of ANDs, ORs, and arithmetic functions to protect such devices is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Franz Renggli, Marcel Walti, William Thomas Pienta, Virgil Seribo, James J. Coogan
  • Patent number: 9922738
    Abstract: A traveling reactor power monitoring system includes a drive control unit configured to drive a motor and move a traveling probe in a guide tube by driving the motor, a torque sensor configured to measure a drive torque of the motor, and a drive torque monitoring unit that generates an alarm when the measured drive torque exceeds a predefined upper threshold, and that bypasses generating the alarm for a predefined bypass time, the predefined bypass time starting at a time of starting driving the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masataka Yanagisawa, Toshifumi Sato, Tadashi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9909770
    Abstract: An HVAC controller, a method of operating an HVAC controller and an HVAC system employing the controller or the method. In one embodiment, the HVAC controller includes: (1) a processor couplable to at least two refrigerant pressure sensors via separate data paths to receive input signals therefrom and further couplable to a compressor stage and a condenser fan to provide output signals thereto, and (2) memory coupled to the processor and storing a software program having program instructions capable of causing the processor to command the compressor stage or the condenser fan to turn on irrespective of a state of an input signal generated by either of the at least two refrigerant pressure sensors, and generate an error message at least partially depending upon whether or not a high pressure shutdown occurs after the processor commands the compressor stage or the fan to turn on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos O. Chamorro, Roger C. Hundt, John P. Stachler, Stephen A. Walter
  • Patent number: 9903628
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for controlling an electromotive compressor in a heat pump system for a vehicle. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an unexpected cutoff of a compressor attributable to overload and the generation of noise and vibration attributable to frequent restarts can be prevented by controlling the number of rotations of the compressor within a specific range based on the discharge pressure of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: HALLA VISTEON CLIMATE CONTROL CORP.
    Inventors: Hak Kyu Kim, Sung Ho Kang, Sang Ki Lee, Young Ho Choi, Jae Min Lee, Jung Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 9885492
    Abstract: A wiring configuration tool may be configured to determine a new wiring configuration for a replacement HVAC controller based, at least in part, on the existing wiring configuration for a current HVAC controller and, for example, the make and model of the replacement HVAC controller. The wiring configuration tool may be hosted by a server that provides a user interface for interacting with the user. The user may access the wiring configuration tool via a web services interface, a smart phone application or in any other suitable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Hari Thiruvengada, Patrick Tessier, Heidi Finch
  • Patent number: 9874654
    Abstract: A motion detector having a bandpass filter is described herein. One device includes a passive infrared (PIR) sensor configured to generate a signal, and a bandpass filter configured to filter the signal, wherein the bandpass filter comprises a plurality of high pass filters, a plurality of low pass filters, and two operational amplifiers, wherein a portion of the plurality of high pass filters include a capacitor and two resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jiri Sapak, Ludek Zavodny, Roman Cervinka, Jan Crha, Robert Juntunen
  • Patent number: 9857126
    Abstract: A radiator which is disposed in front of a cooling fan may include a main heat-radiating portion to cool a high temperature coolant, an auxiliary heat-radiating portion to cool a coolant that is a relatively lower temperature coolant than the coolant passing through the main heat-radiating portion, and an insulating plate that prevents heat from being exchanged between the main heat-radiating portion and the auxiliary heat-radiating portion, in which the auxiliary heat-radiating portion is positioned at a center portion in front of the cooling fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Kyung Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 9852441
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for selecting media assets based on a scent detected at a location of a user device. For example, a media guidance application implemented on a user device may incorporate or have access to a scent detection component, which may determine one or more scents at the location of the user device. The media guidance application may then select a media asset that corresponds to the determined one or more scents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Ford, Daniel Thomas Ward, Paul Jensen, Michael R. Nichols
  • Patent number: 9851231
    Abstract: A flow meter records a flow rate and/or an amount of heat of a flowing fluid. A control and evaluation unit ascertains flow rate data and the fitting-dependent direction of through flow is automatically ascertained. A temperature measuring device has first and second temperature sensors for ascertaining a temperature difference between a feed temperature in the feed and a return temperature in the return. The fitting location of the first and second temperature sensors in the feed or the return is automatically ascertained by the control and evaluation unit on the basis of the temperature difference. The control and evaluation unit is automatically configured during first-time or re-installation of the flow meter such that the direction of flow through the meter is adapted to the fitted direction of through flow and/or the temperature sensors are assigned to the feed and the return, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Diehl Meterings GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Buckl, Marc-Andrè Meier, Johannes Mueller, Reiner Schuster, Edgar Vom Schloss, Frank Stefke
  • Patent number: 9851112
    Abstract: A device for pulsing the control lines of an HVAC system in order for a user to discover which outside unit is associated with a particular inside unit. Lead wires from the device connect to the control contacts on the thermostat of an HVAC unit. The device is an electrical or electromechanical circuit that can use the power contained within the thermostat or can be battery powered. Once the device is connected, it pulses the control line for the reversing valve, in the case of a heat pump system, or pulses the control line for the compressor, for a cooling-only system. This pulsing creates a loud clicking sound in either case that allows the repair technician to decipher the correct outside unit corresponding to the inside unit without use of a helper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Inventor: Ray Jones
  • Patent number: 9849253
    Abstract: An intracorporeal temperature changing intracorporeal fluid delivery device is described that includes an outer shell forming an internal enclosure comprises at least one heat generation layer and a heater activation system. In one embodiment, the invention is a intracorporeal fluid delivery device, such as an intravenous fluid device. As such it is generally configured for delivery of a heated fluid to a user, and is configured to be worn about an appendage of the user such as an arm, leg, or neck or otherwise operatively connected to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Forever Young International, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel L. Young
  • Patent number: 9835351
    Abstract: An air conditioner controlling method includes: deciding on a supply-air temperature Ts and a return-air temperature Tr as specified design values; deciding that the total heat-exchange efficiency ? is zero; selecting two or more stepped levels of the outdoor-air volume percentage ?; deriving a linear function which expresses a relation between an outdoor-air temperature To and a mixed-air temperature Tm for each level of the outdoor-air volume percentage ? by using the return-air temperature Tr and the total heat-exchange efficiency ?; and deciding on the range where the mixed-air temperature Tm is lower than the supply-air temperature Ts for each of the linear functions and the range where the mixed-air temperature Tm in each linear function comes closest to the supply-air temperature Ts as compared with the mixed-air temperatures Tm in the other linear functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: KOJIMACHI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michio Kagitani, Isao Okayasu, Munemasa Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9829230
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus has different two modes including a response detection diagnosis in which a control unit diagnoses a trouble of a component device during the trouble diagnosis operation based on presence or absence of a response from the operational state sensor when the mode has forcibly changed the device operation, and a performance detection diagnosis in which a trouble is detected by a detection value of the operational state sensor at a time when the operational state of the trouble diagnosis operation is stable, and the performance detection diagnosis is executed after the response detection diagnosis is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Tamaki, Kazuyoshi Shinozaki, Tomohiko Kasai
  • Patent number: 9829231
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes low-pressure side pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of a refrigerant being sucked by a compressor, suction refrigerant temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant being sucked by the compressor, frequency detecting means for detecting the operation frequency of the compressor, cooling target fluid inflow temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of a cooling target fluid flowing in an evaporator, cooling target fluid outflow temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the cooling target fluid flowing out of the evaporator, and flow rate calculating means (measuring unit, computing unit, and storage unit) for calculating the absolute quantity of the flow rate of the cooling target fluid flowing in the evaporator using a value detected by each detecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Fukui, Fumitake Unezaki, Makoto Saito
  • Patent number: 9829259
    Abstract: The invention refers to a heat exchanger plate and a plate heat exchanger. The heat exchanger plates are arranged beside each other in the plate heat exchanger to define several first plate interspaces for a first medium and several second plate interspaces for a second medium. Each heat exchanger plate comprises a heat transfer area, an edge area, which extends around and outside the heat transfer area, and a functional device, which is configured to receive or produce a signal. The heat exchanger plate also comprises a communication module provided on the heat exchanger plate. The communication module comprises an electronic circuit connected to the functional device and a module antenna. The communication module is configured to permit wireless communication of the signal with a master unit via the module antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventors: Anders Nyander, Klas Bertilsson, Nils Bjelk
  • Patent number: 9826601
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems are described herein for harmonizing firmware among lighting units of a lighting system. In some embodiments, a lighting unit controller of a lighting unit may be configured to: broadcast, to a plurality of remote lighting units of the lighting system, data indicative of a version of the firmware used locally; receive, directly or indirectly from at least one remote lighting unit of the lighting system, data indicative of a version of firmware used by the at least one remote lighting unit; determine that the version of firmware used by the at least one remote lighting unit is different from a version of the firmware stored in the memory; and take remedial action to harmonize the firmware stored in the memory with the firmware used by the remote lighting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Jurgen Mario Vangeel, Bas Marinus Johannus Van Berkel
  • Patent number: 9815348
    Abstract: A method of controlling an automotive air conditioning system includes: a mode checking step of checking whether the air conditioning system is in an auto-mode; an operation recognizing step of recognizing whether the air conditioning system is manually operated in the auto-mode; and a learning step of setting and storing at least one manual operation value, when the air conditioning system is manually operated, and then operating the air conditioning system in accordance with the at least one stored manual operation value in a next auto-mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jae Woong Kim, Jae Woo Park, Man Ju Oh
  • Patent number: 9791208
    Abstract: An air-conditioning setting screen has a coordinate space defined by a Y-axis along which temperature items are indicated in increments of one degree and an X-axis along which time-point items are indicated in increments of one hour. Operation points PT corresponding to the time-point items are arranged in the coordinate space. The air-conditioning setting screen displays time-series changes in a previous day's body-movement values such that the density of a background color is higher for times at which the body-movement value is larger and the density of a background color is lower for times at which the body-movement value is smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Taiji Sasaki, Yoichi Nishida, Tetsuji Fuchikami, Shunji Harada, Masashi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9784463
    Abstract: An environmental control system includes at least one of a security monitoring system or a building automation control system. A thermostat is coupled to the at least one system, wherein the thermostat provides feedback as to output signals therefrom to evaluate functioning of the thermostat. The output signals would be coupled to a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Thomas S. Babich
  • Patent number: 9776471
    Abstract: HVAC unit has a single blower fan, an evaporator downstream of the blower and a heater downstream of the evaporator, wherein each zone outlet includes a temperature mixing door for controlling portions of hot and cold air and an output valve for controlling a zonal output flow rate. A method is devised to control the discharge of temperature-conditioned air from a plurality of zone outlets of an automotive HVAC system via such an HVAC unit by the steps of reading an operator-requested zonal discharge blower level for each of the zone outlets; converting each zonal discharge blower level request to a zonal flowrate request; calculating a total requested output flowrate as a summation of all zonal flowrate requests; and adjusting a blower voltage to a minimum voltage required for generating the total requested output flowrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Wen Liu, Mingyu Wang, Yanping Xia, Prasad S. Kadle, Jeffrey C. Kinmartin
  • Patent number: 9762168
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a compressor and a capacitor electrically coupled to the compressor. A method of operating the refrigeration system includes measuring voltage values based on alternating current power powering the compressor. The method includes measuring current values based on the alternating current power. The method includes determining, with a controller, a power factor value based on at least one of the voltage values and at least one of the current values. The method includes receiving a supply air temperature value from an air temperature sensor installed in the refrigeration system. The method includes receiving a return air temperature value from an air temperature sensor installed in the refrigeration system. The method includes determining a temperature split based on a difference between the return and supply air temperature values. The method includes determining a fault in the capacitor based on the power factor value and the temperature split.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hung M. Pham, Fadi M. Alsaleem
  • Patent number: 9756763
    Abstract: To provide a cooling fluid supply apparatus capable of continuing cooling a heat load even when supply of a cooling fluid stops while the heat load is running. A cooling fluid circulation path connecting a cooling fluid supply apparatus and a heat load and a heat-dissipating fluid circulation path connecting the cooling fluid supply apparatus and a heat-dissipating fluid supply apparatus are connected with bypass pipes and disposed therebetween. When a cooling fluid is supplied from the cooling fluid supply apparatus to the heat load, the cooling fluid circulation path and heat-dissipating fluid circulation path are disconnected by closing the bypass pipes and by using the overheating prevention valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiaki Shimizu, Hideo Morita, Katsutoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 9746996
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) controller for controlling one or more components of a HVAC system or monitoring a state thereof is provided. The HVAC controller may include a touch screen display configured to receive a parameter setting command input by a user's touch, and a controller connected with the touch screen display to display a screen on the touch screen display. The controller may display a function selection screen to select a type of a limit function when the controller receives a command for selecting limit functions of one or more components of the HVAC system. Further, the controller may display a set-up screen to input a limit parameter on the touch screen display when a specific limit function is selected on the function selection screen, and the set-up screen may include a set-up button to input the limit parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Yonghyun Choi, Hongku Lee, Byungku Hwang
  • Patent number: 9683462
    Abstract: A cooling fluid flow control system for a turbine section of a steam turbine system and a related program product are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes at least one computing device operably connected to a cooling system. The computing device may be configured to control a flow rate of cooling fluid supplied to a steam turbine system by the cooling system by performing actions including modeling a sensitivity of a wheel space temperature to a change in the flow rate in the form of a piecewise linear relationship, the piecewise linear relationship including a flooded flow rate above which the wheel space temperature becomes insensitive to increased flow rate. The computing device also periodically modifies the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied to the wheel space of the turbine section to approximate a minimum flooded flow rate based on the measured flow rate and the modeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mert Geveci
  • Patent number: 9671122
    Abstract: A controller for an HVAC system, a compute-usable medium and an ERV are disclosed. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) an input terminal configured to receive feedback data from a first operating unit of the HVAC system, (2) an operation monitor configured to determine if the feedback data corresponds to a predetermined condition for the first operating unit and (3) a system director configured to operate a second operating unit of the HVAC system at a predetermined operating value corresponding to the predetermined condition and a number of occurrences of predetermined conditions associated with the first operating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Justin McKie, Eric Perez, Greg Thomas
  • Patent number: 9657955
    Abstract: To obtain an air-conditioning apparatus that does not make a refrigerant circulate up to an indoor unit and further can achieve energy-saving. A refrigeration cycle is configured by connecting a compressor that pressurizes a refrigerant, a four-way valve that switches a circulation path of the refrigerant, a heat source side heat exchanger that performs heat exchange, expansion valves for pressure-adjusting the refrigerant, and a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the heat medium to heat and cool the heat medium, with piping. A heat medium circuit is configured by connecting intermediate heat exchangers, pumps that pressurize the heat medium, and a plurality of use side heat exchangers that perform heat exchange between the heat medium and the air in the indoor space, with piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Yuji Motomura, Takeshi Hatomura, Naoki Tanaka, Shinichi Wakamoto, Takashi Okazaki, Yusuke Shimazu
  • Patent number: 9657458
    Abstract: An auxiliary power unit excavator system comprises a vehicular base powered by a first internal combustion engine enabling excavator mobility, an excavator boom assembly disposed on a top side of the vehicular base, an auxiliary power unit assembly disposed on a top side of the vehicular base, a cab disposed above the vehicle base, and a second internal combustion engine powering a generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Company Wrench, Ltd.
    Inventors: Brad Hutchinson, Eric Thornton
  • Patent number: 9651930
    Abstract: A mobile device is provided with a communication unit which performs communication via wireless communication, a display unit, and a display control unit which controls the display unit to display a setting input screen for allowing the user to input setting of a household electrical device. The communication unit transmits a request signal for checking whether there is a person in the vicinity of the household electrical device before the setting input screen is displayed by the display control unit. The display control unit controls the display unit to display a setting input disable screen indicating that setting of the household electrical device is not received without causing the display unit to display the setting input screen when there is a person in the vicinity of the household electrical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naofumi Nakatani, Satoshi Tsujimura, Kazunori Kurimoto, Hiromi Toyota
  • Patent number: 9644906
    Abstract: A method for selecting a heat medium in installing an air-conditioning system includes: determining power required for use side heat exchangers corresponding to a plurality of air-conditioned spaces; calculating a total refrigerant amount required when a refrigerant is circulated through all the use side heat exchangers having the determined power; calculating a refrigerant concentration when the total refrigerant amount leaks to each air-conditioned space using the refrigerant, for each air-conditioned space; determining the refrigerant concentration for each air-conditioned space exceeds a predetermined limit concentration; when any air-conditioned space exceeds the limit concentration, selecting, as a nontoxic medium, the circulation heat medium of the use side heat exchanger installed in one of the air-conditioned spaces; and calculating a total refrigerant amount required when the refrigerant is circulated through all other use side heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Shimamoto, Osamu Morimoto, Takayoshi Honda, Koji Azuma, Koji Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9581342
    Abstract: A thermostat stand for a thermostat device may include a base and a mounting fixture configured to receive a thermostat device. The thermostat stand may additionally include an opening configured to allow one or more wires to pass through the opening to connect to the thermostat device, the one or more wires originating from either a power supply or from the boiler control device. The thermostat stand may further include a reflective horizontal surface positioned such that motion detection of energy-emitting objects is enhanced by virtue of reflections of energy emissions off of the reflective horizontal surface into the occupancy sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Eric B. Daniels, William R. Dong, Jason C. Chamberlain, Daniel A. Warren, Helen Vo, Shyam R. Srinivasan, Anthony M. Fadell, Matthew L. Rogers
  • Patent number: 9578121
    Abstract: A system for controlling one or more structural appliances, such heating, cooling, and ventilation sensor systems utilizing cloud computing architecture, includes at least one intelligent controller, a local intelligent gateway in communication with the intelligent controller, and a cloud computing network in communication with the local intelligent gateway. A local device is operative to communicate through the cloud computing network to the intelligent controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: DUNAN MICROSTAQ, INC.
    Inventors: Parthiban Arunasalam, Arvind Rao, Wayne Long, Dhaman Besarla
  • Patent number: 9574773
    Abstract: A combustion control device includes a combustion fan motor, a control unit, a silicon diode group, a silicon diode, and a combustion-fan-disconnection detecting unit. The control unit is configured to control a combustion state of the combustion fan motor. The silicon diode group includes at least two silicon diodes coupled in series to the combustion fan motor. The silicon diode is coupled in parallel to the silicon diode group with a reversed polarity. The combustion-fan-disconnection detecting unit includes a photocoupler and a resistor. The photocoupler and the resistor are coupled in parallel to the silicon diode group and the silicon diode with the same polarity as a polarity of the silicon diode group side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: SHIZUOKA SEIKI CO., LTD
    Inventor: Shogo Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 9575496
    Abstract: Arrangements for configuring a thermostat for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system are presented. A thermostat may receive information indicative of the HVAC system comprising an air conditioner and information indicative of the HVAC system comprising a multi-stage heat pump. The thermostat may modify configuration information of the thermostat based on the information indicative of the air conditioner and the information indicative of the multi-stage heat pump. The thermostat may then control the HVAC system in accordance with the modified configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Michael Fadell, Matthew Lee Rogers, David Sloo, Mark D. Stefanski, Yoky Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 9554958
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the operation of an infant care device based upon whether the infant care device is occupied or unoccupied. One or more sensors are positioned within the infant care device to determine whether the infant care device is occupied or unoccupied. A controller receives the indication of the occupied status of the infant care device and operates the infant care device in a selected mode of operation. Upon a change in the occupied status of the infant care device, the controller adjusts various operating parameters and alarm parameters. The controller continuously monitors the occupied status of the infant care device and controls the operation of the infant care device accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew H. Richards, James Patrick Cipriano
  • Patent number: 9551495
    Abstract: A first tracking module increments a first period of time when a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building is ON during a predetermined period of time. A second tracking module increments a second period of time when, during the predetermined period of time: (i) the HVAC system is ON and (ii) a split temperature of the HVAC system is outside of a temperature range of the HVAC system. A grade determination module determines a grade of the HVAC system for the predetermined period of time based on both the first period of time and the second period of time. A reporting module generates a displayable report for the HVAC system for the predetermined period of time. The report includes the grade of the HVAC system for the predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.
    Inventor: Priotomo Abiprojo
  • Patent number: 9551501
    Abstract: An auto changeover mechanism for a thermostat. A heat and cool mode auto changeover with single or crossed setpoints may be an approach for doing a single setpoint auto changeover, an approach that can handle auto changeover with separate heat and cool setpoints that do not require the cool setpoint to always be higher than the heat setpoint, and also an approach that does not necessarily require a dead band between the setpoints. A hysteresis may be associated with switching to the other mode. The thermostat having the auto changeover mechanism may have a display of a mode that automatically changes between heat and cool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Schnell, Steven C. Nichols
  • Patent number: 9535589
    Abstract: An electronic thermostat is described that includes a head unit, a rotatable ring, a backplate, an electronic display that is viewable by a user in front of the thermostat, a printed circuit board, and a daughter circuit. The daughter circuit is coupled to the printed circuit board, and senses motion of the rotatable ring and includes a first temperature sensor. A second temperature sensor separated from the first temperature sensor, are both used to calculate ambient temperature. The first temperature sensor is positioned at least partially within a cavity formed between a front surface of the head unit and the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony M. Fadell, Matthew L. Rogers, David Sloo, Michael Plitkins, John B. Filson, Eric Daniels, Michael J. Matas, Fred Bould, Brian Huppi
  • Patent number: 9523270
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatus and methods for transferring a pressure to downhole electronics with a pressure transfer medium. An embodiment of the apparatus includes a body supporting a moveable pressure transfer member, a pressure transfer medium contained by the body and the moveable pressure transfer member, and an electronic component disposed in the pressure transfer medium, wherein the pressure transfer member is moveable to transfer a pressure to the pressure transfer medium and the electronic component. Another embodiment of the apparatus includes a moveable enclosure and a non-conductive material, wherein the non-conductive material isolates an electronic component from a downhole fluid and the moveable enclosure is operable to transfer a hydrostatic pressure to the non-conductive material and the electronic component. An embodiment of a method includes transferring a downhole hydrostatic pressure to an electronic component via a flexible package and a pressure transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Donald G. Kyle, Orlando Dejesus, Roger Schultz
  • Patent number: 9517475
    Abstract: A centrifuge including: a rotor configured to be rotatably driven; a rotor chamber accommodating the rotor therein; and a protector provided at an outer periphery of the rotor chamber, wherein the protector includes at least one metal plate which is wound in an overlapping state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Kusumoto, Yoshitaka Imoto
  • Patent number: 9511458
    Abstract: A heat exchanger with a thermal storage function includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes, a plurality of thermal storage material containers, and a first thermal storage material charging member. A circumferential wall of the first thermal storage material charging member is deformed such that a collapsed portion is formed on the first thermal storage material charging member and the thermal storage material charging passage is closed and sealed. The collapsed portion of the first thermal storage material charging member includes a first collapsed part and a second collapsed part. A relation T2<T1?2t is satisfied where “t” represents a thickness of the circumferential wall of an uncollapsed portion of the first thermal storage material charging member, “T1” represents a thickness of the first collapsed part, and “T2” represents a thickness of the second collapsed part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: KEIHIN THERMAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Kamoshida, Mitsuru Nobusue
  • Patent number: 9489836
    Abstract: A control system includes a server, an active device and a passive device. An operation interface information is stored in the server. The active device is wirelessly connected with the passive device according to a communication identification information. When a device information of the passive device is acquired by the active device, a control application program of the active device retrieves the operation interface information from the server according to the device information. Consequently, an operation interface corresponding to the operation interface information is displayed on the active device. By operating the operation interface, the passive device is correspondingly controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD.
    Inventors: Ying-Jieh Huang, Sheng-Ling Huang, Po-Wen Chen
  • Patent number: 9468557
    Abstract: A compact heat exchanger for veno-venous perfusion-induced hyperthermia includes an integral pneumatic pump and a hollow tubule heat exchange array. A veno-venous perfusion-induced hyperthermia system incorporating the compact heat exchanger is described. The heat exchanger provides a compact, efficient design allowing a lesser heat exchanging surface area and lesser required pumping power compared to conventional systems. In turn, the system provides a shorter blood circuit compared to conventional systems, allowing maintaining a lower blood temperature than such conventional systems while supplying sufficiently heated blood to patient visceral organs to provide a therapeutic effect, such as in supplementing chemotherapy drugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Dongfang Wang, Joseph B. Zwischenberger
  • Patent number: 9446654
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, a first warm air diversion passage is a tunnel-shaped passage that is provided near a first side air outlet and takes in warm air and causes the air to flow without mixing with cool air. A second warm air diversion passage is a passage inside a tunnel that is provided near a second side air outlet and takes in warm air and causes the air to flow without mixing with cool air. A diversion passage section includes an in-tunnel guide wall that directs the warm air flowing through the first warm air diversion passage toward the first side air outlet, and an in-tunnel guide wall that directs the warm air flowing through the second warm air diversion passage toward the second side air outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakazu Yamamoto, Ryosuke Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 9450532
    Abstract: A motor control device includes: a control processing unit that controls driving of a motor based on a command signal input from a controller so as to command an operation of the motor and a detection signal which is a detection result of the operation of the motor; and an abnormality determining unit that detects an abnormality in the controller, the motor control device, and the motor based on the command signal, the detection signal, and a control signal generated in the motor control device and that determines a level of repeatability of the detected abnormality based on a predetermined criterion. The control processing unit transitions from a normal mode to a specific abnormality alarm mode when the abnormality determining unit determines that an specific abnormality having high repeatability has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tanabe, Daisuke Goto