Specific Thermally Responsive Controller Patents (Class 700/278)
  • Patent number: 11940165
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control device configured to receive a user input for controlling an HVAC system, to determine whether the user input indicates an energy saving occupancy setting, and to identify a first plurality of time entries that are associated with a confidence level for a predicted occupancy status that is less than a predetermined threshold value in the predicted occupancy schedule. The device is further configured to modify the predicted occupancy schedule by setting the first plurality of time entries to an away status when the user input indicates an aggressive energy saving occupancy setting. The device is further configured to modify the predicted occupancy schedule by setting the second plurality of time entries to a present status when the user input indicates a conservative energy saving occupancy setting. The device is further configured to output the modified predicted occupancy schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar Venkatesh, Payam Delgoshaei, Janathkumar Manohararaj
  • Patent number: 11920809
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control device configured to receive a user input for controlling an HVAC system, to determine whether the user input indicates an energy saving occupancy setting, and to identify a first plurality of time entries that are associated with a confidence level for a predicted occupancy status that is less than a predetermined threshold value in the predicted occupancy schedule. The device is further configured to modify the predicted occupancy schedule by setting the first plurality of time entries to an away status when the user input indicates an aggressive energy saving occupancy setting. The device is further configured to modify the predicted occupancy schedule by setting the second plurality of time entries to a present status when the user input indicates a conservative energy saving occupancy setting. The device is further configured to output the modified predicted occupancy schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar Venkatesh, Payam Delgoshaei, Janathkumar Manohararaj
  • Patent number: 11903162
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a fan control method, applied to an electronic device. The electronic device includes a fan and a setting unit, the setting unit having a plurality of setting values, and each setting value being corresponding to a sampling number. The fan control method includes: continuously detecting a temperature of a heat source to obtain a plurality of temperature values; selecting one of the plurality of setting values based on variations of the temperature values; acquiring a value set from the temperature values based on the sampling number corresponding to the selected setting value, and generating an updated temperature value based on the value set; and controlling rotation of the fan based on the updated temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Hsin-Chen Lin, Ing-Jer Chiou
  • Patent number: 11885520
    Abstract: A machine learning apparatus determines an operation condition of a precooling operation or preheating operation of an air conditioner. The machine learning apparatus includes an acquisition unit and a learning unit. The acquisition unit acquires, as state variables, room temperature data at a time of the precooling operation or preheating operation, set temperature data, and outside air temperature data. The learning unit learns the operation condition of the precooling operation or preheating operation based on the state variables, a room temperature after start of the precooling operation or preheating operation, and a set temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Yoshimi, Tadafumi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11856118
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed. The method includes: receiving a first request to initiate a first customer service session; establishing a primary web socket connection between a first web server and service agent terminal; establishing a first communication sub-channel associated with the primary web socket connection, the first communication sub-channel corresponding to the first customer service session; receiving a second request to initiate a second customer service session; in response to receiving the second request: establishing a second communication sub-channel associated with the primary web socket connection, the second communication sub-channel corresponding to the second customer service session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: The Toronto-Dominion Bank
    Inventor: Abhijith Venkatesh
  • Patent number: 11828478
    Abstract: A system comprises a primary unit and a plurality of secondary units each having a unique unit number. The primary unit is configured to communicate a command to each secondary unit with instructions to reply during a time window. The primary unit is also configured to receive a reply communication indicating the secondary unit's unique unit number from at least one of the secondary units, and determine an address to assign to the replying secondary unit based at least in part on the received unique unit number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Hongbing Lian, Saravanakumar Selvarajan, Cheng Liang Xu
  • Patent number: 11802704
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control device configured to receive a user input for controlling an HVAC system, to determine whether the user input indicates an energy saving occupancy setting, and to identify a first plurality of time entries that are associated with a confidence level for a predicted occupancy status that is less than a predetermined threshold value in the predicted occupancy schedule. The device is further configured to modify the predicted occupancy schedule by setting the first plurality of time entries to an away status when the user input indicates an aggressive energy saving occupancy setting. The device is further configured to modify the predicted occupancy schedule by setting the second plurality of time entries to a present status when the user input indicates a conservative energy saving occupancy setting. The device is further configured to output the modified predicted occupancy schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar Venkatesh, Payam Delgoshaei, Janathkumar Manohararaj
  • Patent number: 11788756
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for remote control of a thermostat by a network-based server, when the thermostat is not connected to a local or wide-area network. A network-based server calculates a modified temperature profile for a thermostat based on a utility's time-of-use pricing and/or weather forecasts. After the server has calculated the modified temperature profile, it is provided to a mobile device via a wide-area network, and the mobile device provides the modified temperature profile directly to the thermostat when the mobile device is within range of the thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Michael Hoffman
  • Patent number: 11788749
    Abstract: A multi-unit air conditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units each of which causes a notification unit of the indoor unit to operate in response to a notification signal from a control device. When at least one indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units is malfunctioning, the at least one indoor unit each transmits a malfunction occurred signal which includes identification information of the indoor unit to the control device. If the control device cannot check operation of the notification unit of each of the malfunctioning at least one indoor unit by a response signal corresponding to the transmitted notification signal, the control device transmits a notification signal to an indoor unit to which a notification signal has not been transmitted among the plurality of indoor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Maki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11785749
    Abstract: A method of controlling the cooling of servers in a data center including a plurality of server racks each including a plurality of servers, the cooling being provided by aisle cooling units via a cold isle and by server fans, wherein the method includes: obtaining temperature measurements from temperature sensors in the data center, performing an optimization of the total power consumption of the aisle cooling units and of the servers based on the temperature measurements, with constraints on a cold aisle temperature and on an air flow level of the aisle cooling units, and controlling the aisle cooling units based on the optimization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Winston Garcia-Gabin, Kateryna Mishchenko
  • Patent number: 11774129
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control device configured to receive a user input for controlling an HVAC system, to determine whether the user input indicates an energy saving occupancy setting, and to identify a first plurality of time entries that are associated with a confidence level for a predicted occupancy status that is less than a predetermined threshold value in the predicted occupancy schedule. The device is further configured to modify the predicted occupancy schedule by setting the first plurality of time entries to an away status when the user input indicates an aggressive energy saving occupancy setting. The device is further configured to modify the predicted occupancy schedule by setting the second plurality of time entries to a present status when the user input indicates a conservative energy saving occupancy setting. The device is further configured to output the modified predicted occupancy schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar Venkatesh, Payam Delgoshaei, Janathkumar Manohararaj
  • Patent number: 11767998
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a system including a first active control device, comprising: a flow control element; one or more sensors; a network interface configured to connect to a mesh network; a memory comprising computer-executable instructions; and a processor configured to: execute the computer-executable instructions; receive local sensor data from the one or more sensors; receive remote sensor data from a remote sensing device; control a position of the flow control element based on one or more of the local sensor data or the remote sensor data; store the local sensor data and remote sensor data in the memory; and transmit the local sensor data and the remote sensor data to a second active control device via the mesh network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Ajamian Integrated Research Corp.
    Inventors: Michael Ajamian, James Irmiger
  • Patent number: 11748917
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for augmented reality-based environmental parameter filtering are provided. The method determines an environmental parameter by a wearable augmented reality (AR) device. A visualization of the environmental parameter is generated on a display of the wearable AR device. The method generates a set of control options on the display of the wearable AR device. The set of control options are configured to modify the environmental parameter. A user interaction with the wearable AR device is detected. The user interaction selects a control option of the set of control options. The method interacts with an external device to modify the environmental parameter based on the selected control option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Raghuveer Prasad Nagar, Sarbajit K. Rakshit, Nimit S Chauhan, Gaurav Kumar
  • Patent number: 11733723
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system includes a plurality of sensors including a first sensor configured to measure an outside air temperature of outside air, a second sensor configured to measure a return air temperature of return air, and a third sensor configured to measure a mixed air temperature of mixed air. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors. The controller is configured to determine that data from one of the plurality of sensors is unavailable and estimate the data from the one of the plurality of sensors based on data from other sensors of the plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Aron M. Seiler, Chandra S. Yelamanchili, Nathan T. Ostrye
  • Patent number: 11732919
    Abstract: The present application provides a temperature control method. According to the present application, in response to receiving a state adjustment command for a temperature sensing device, by adjusting a communication connection state between a temperature control device and the temperature sensing device based on the state adjustment command, flexible adjustment of temperature sensing devices included in a target temperature control system is implemented, and further by acquiring temperature collected by each temperature sensing device in the target temperature control system, determining ambient temperature based on the temperature collected by each temperature sensing device and a setting coefficient corresponding to an energy consumption mode state of each temperature sensing device, and adjusting temperature of a set space based on the ambient temperature, temperature control over the set space is implemented more smartly and flexibly through the target temperature control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Degrii Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fei Zhao, Ye Zhao, Kai Ql
  • Patent number: 11662113
    Abstract: A building cooling system includes one or more cooling devices operable to affect an indoor air temperature of a building and a system management circuit. The system management circuit is configured to obtain an objective function that includes a power consumption term and a comfort term, perform an optimization of the objective function over a time horizon to determine values of the cooling capacity of the cooling devices where each value of the cooling capacity corresponds to a time step of the time horizon, and control the cooling devices based on the values of the cooling capacity of the cooling devices. The comfort term of the objective function a difference between a prediction of the indoor air temperature of the building and a temperature setpoint for the building, while the power consumption term is a function of the power consumption of the one or more cooling devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Robert D. Turney, Liming Yang, Michael J. Wenzel
  • Patent number: 11649978
    Abstract: A Thermal Performance Forecast approach is described that can be used to forecast heating and cooling fuel consumption based on changes to user preferences and building-specific parameters that include indoor temperature, building insulation, HVAC system efficiency, and internal gains. A simplified version of the Thermal Performance Forecast approach, called the Approximated Thermal Performance Forecast, provides a single equation that accepts two fundamental input parameters and four ratios that express the relationship between the existing and post-change variables for the building properties to estimate future fuel consumption. The Approximated Thermal Performance Forecast approach marginally sacrifices accuracy for a simplified forecast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: CLEAN POWER RESEARCH, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Hoff
  • 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: 11585552
    Abstract: A thermostat of an HVAC system receives active event parameters from a utility provider. The active event parameters include a start time, a stop time, and a predefined temperature setpoint for the active event, which is associated with a requirement to decrease energy consumption between the start time and the stop time. Following the start time, the thermostat adjusts a setpoint temperature of the HVAC system to the predefined setpoint temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Nguyen Trong Ho
  • Patent number: 11555625
    Abstract: An air conditioning control system includes a plurality of remote control terminals and a server. The plurality of remote control terminals each calculates a time required for a user of the remote control terminal to return to a building from outside the building, and transmits information indicating the time required to the server. The server calculates an estimated time when a user who returns to the building first among the plurality of users returns to the building on the basis of the time required, and transmits a command for changing air conditioning setting to an air conditioner in stages from a time when the estimated time is calculated to the estimated time calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 11538294
    Abstract: A smart thermostat hub and a management platform for controlling and securing smart devices in a multi-family residential property are disclosed. Smart thermostat hubs may bi-directionally communicate with the management platform using a LoRaWAN communication link and communicate with smart devices present within an apartment of the multi-family residential property via a non-LoRaWAN communication link. Smart thermostat hub may provide a gateway or bridge between the management platform and an offline door lock, thereby enabling access credentials for an offline door lock to be disabled from the management platform, and may serve to facilitate remote configuration of other smart devices, such as thermostats and smart light fixtures, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: EDST, LLC
    Inventors: Dave Marcinkowski, Thomas Mandry, Shawn Massie, David Gilles, Larry LaFreniere, Tray Johnson
  • Patent number: 11538295
    Abstract: A smart thermostat hub and a management platform for controlling and securing smart devices in a multi-family residential property are disclosed. Smart thermostat hubs may bi-directionally communicate with the management platform using a LoRaWAN communication link and communicate with smart devices present within an apartment of the multi-family residential property via a non-LoRaWAN communication link. Smart thermostat hub may provide a gateway or bridge between the management platform and an offline door lock, thereby enabling access credentials for an offline door lock to be disabled from the management platform, and may serve to facilitate remote configuration of other smart devices, such as thermostats and smart light fixtures, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: EDST, LLC
    Inventors: Dave Marcinkowski, Thomas Mandry, Shawn Massie, David Gilles, Larry LaFreniere, Tray Johnson
  • Patent number: 11531936
    Abstract: The overall thermal performance of a building UATotal can be empirically estimated through a short-duration controlled test. Preferably, the controlled test is performed at night during the winter. A heating source is turned off after the indoor temperature has stabilized. After an extended period, such as 12 hours, the heating source is briefly turned back on, such as for an hour, then turned off. The indoor temperature is allowed to stabilize. The energy consumed within the building during the test period is assumed to equal internal heat gains. Overall thermal performance is estimated by balancing the heat gained with the heat lost during the test period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: CLEAN POWER RESEARCH, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Hoff
  • Patent number: 11506422
    Abstract: A method of controlling a temperature of water delivered by a water heating system, includes providing communication device which is adapted to receive a communication from at least one mobile device, the communication device being located so as to determine when the at least one mobile device is within a predefined zone in which is located a pre-selected water access point. In response to a determination that the at least one mobile device is within the predefined zone, enabling a user selecting a temperature setting of the where the water heating system. The selection is wirelessly communicated to a receiver which is in communication with the water heating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Rheem Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Yue-Xin Peng, Wilson Ng, Alan Ng, Samuel Zhang, Martin Agbayani, Yao Zhou
  • Patent number: 11460838
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure is a virtual home service apparatus including, a communicator, a home information collector for obtaining a design drawing of the home, and obtaining a 3D drawing by converting the design drawing, a home appliance identifier for obtaining an internal image and SLAM information of the home, and identifying the location and state of the home appliance based on the internal image and the SLAM information, and a virtual home implementator for generating virtual home information by reflecting the location and state of the home appliance to the 3D drawing. One or more among an autonomous driving vehicle, a user terminal, and a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be associated with or converged with an Artificial Intelligence module, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), a robot, an Augmented Reality (AR) apparatus, a Virtual Reality (VR), 5G service-related apparatus, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun Soo Kim, Kyung Jun Shin, Dong Heon Shin, Sun Yup Kim, Hyun Sang Park
  • Patent number: 11450194
    Abstract: A method is presented for monitoring the use of a building area, where instruments are installed at a variety of points in a building to monitor and record parameters of interest to a building operator. The building operating system provides past and real-time information based on the parameters, and alerts a building operator when unintended events occur. The circumstances for unintended events are bundled into modes, such that by selecting a mode for a building area, a building operator is effectively selecting a set of circumstances for which alerts must be given.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: 1VALET CORP.
    Inventor: Hanna Haddad
  • Patent number: 11402116
    Abstract: A method of predicting a time of effect of an intervention of a point of a Building Management System (BMS). The method includes evaluating a first input to determine how an intervention of a point will affect a variable of the BMS; predicting a time at which the intervention will affect the variable of the BMS; presenting feedback to a user via a user interface before implementing the intervention of the point, the feedback comprising the time at which the intervention of the point is predicted to affect the variable; and implementing the intervention or a cancellation of the intervention based at least in part on a second input from the user or an automated response to the feedback. The method allows for users to determine whether to implement proposed interventions in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Dimitrios S. Papadopoulos, Kirk H. Drees
  • Patent number: 11337381
    Abstract: Some embodiments of apparatuses and methods according to the present invention control the growth of plants in indoor systems. In some embodiments, an electronic device is provided that wirelessly discovers, couples to and controls one or more peripheral devices, the one or more peripheral devices including one or more of a light for illuminating a grow, a water pump for supplying water to the grow, a fan for circulating air to the grow, an air pump for oxygenating water for the grow, a heater for increasing a temperature ambient to the grow, and a chiller for decreasing a temperature ambient to the grow. The electronic device may also wireless couple to one or more sensors, including one or more of a temperature sensor, camera, light sensor, pH sensor, electrical conductivity sensor, and/or any other environmental, plant, biology, water, electrical, light, and/or power sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Grow Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Nelson, David McGee, Andrew Verhasselt, Montique Willis
  • Patent number: 11320167
    Abstract: Disclosed is a centralized control method for a VRV air conditioning system, includes a debugging terminal sending a first acquisition request to a cloud server on the basis of an identification code, the debugging terminal creating a project on the basis of system information, the debugging terminal uploading project information corresponding to the project to the cloud server, and the cloud server generates a delivery code corresponding to the project information, a centralized control device sending a second acquisition request to the cloud server on the basis of the delivery code, and the centralized control device loading the project corresponding to the delivery code on the basis of the project information, and activating same. Also disclosed in the present application are a centralized control system for a VRV air conditioning system and a computer readable storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Inventors: Jie Yan, Rui Liang, Qiang Li
  • Patent number: 11315295
    Abstract: Perception of the relationship between a comfort level and environmental data is facilitated, and appropriate management of air-conditioning equipment is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ohta, Natsumi Tamura, Kenji Sato, Satoko Tomita, Kazuyuki Nagahiro, Kazuo Tomisawa, Takayoshi Iida, Hiroyuki Yasuda, Yoshinori Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11313576
    Abstract: An air-conditioner communication system includes: a ceiling-embedded air conditioner; a wireless local area network (LAN) adapter attached to the air conditioner and that functions as a network communication unit of the air conditioner; a router that configures a LAN; a server that communicates with the router via a telecommunication line; and a terminal device that communicates with the wireless LAN adapter and that includes a display. The wireless LAN adapter is connected to the LAN, acquires connection information that indicates whether the wireless LAN adapter is in communication with the router, and provides the terminal device with the connection information. The terminal device displays indicates, on the display based on the connection information, whether the air conditioner, the wireless LAN adaptor, the router, and the server are in communication with one other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Fukushima, Kazuhiro Akita, Kunitaka Morimoto, Yuuki Ogiso, Yuu Ohhashi
  • Patent number: 11306934
    Abstract: The air-conditioning system control apparatus includes an influence-degree calculation unit that calculates a degree of influence between two air-conditioning indoor units that are selected from a plurality of air-conditioning indoor units as a pair of air-conditioning indoor units, based on operation data on the pair of air-conditioning indoor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Hamada, Tomoo Nakano, Nobuaki Tasaki, Yasuomi Ando
  • Patent number: 11280671
    Abstract: Various implementations relate generally to multi-sensor devices. Some implementations more particularly relate to a multi-sensor device including a ring of radially-oriented photosensors. Some implementations more particularly relate to a multi-sensor device that is orientation-independent with respect to a central axis of the ring. Some implementations of the multi-sensor devices described herein further include one or more additional sensors. For example, some implementations include an axially-directed photosensor. Some implementations also can include one or more temperature sensors configured to sense an exterior temperature, for example, an ambient temperature of an outdoors environment around the multi-sensor. Additionally or alternatively, some implementations include one or more of an infrared sensor or infrared sensors, a cellular communication circuit, and a GPS module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Clark Brown, Dhairya Shrivastava, Jason Zedlitz, Trevor Frank, Jue Wang, Alexander Rumer, Dennis Mullins, Kevin Kazuo Kaneshiro
  • Patent number: 11262094
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for remote control of a thermostat by a network-based server, when the thermostat is not connected to a local or wide-area network. A network-based server calculates a modified temperature profile for a thermostat based on a utility's time-of-use pricing and/or weather forecasts. After the server has calculated the modified temperature profile, it is provided to a mobile device via a wide-area network, and the mobile device provides the modified temperature profile directly to the thermostat when the mobile device is within range of the thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: RCS Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Hoffman
  • Patent number: 11240974
    Abstract: An indoor gardening appliance includes a liner defining a grow chamber and a grow module rotatably mounted within the grow chamber for receiving a plurality of plant pods, the grow module defining a plurality of grow chambers spaced apart along the circumferential direction. One or more resilient sealing elements, e.g., formed from silicone, are positioned at the distal ends of the grow module to seal a gap between the grow module and the liner. The resilient sealing elements define one or more air ducts for providing a flow of air through the resilient sealing element into one of the plurality of chambers and a flow regulating device for regulating the flow of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Hunter, Michael Goodman Schroeder, Brent Alden Junge
  • Patent number: 11190605
    Abstract: A system and method for connecting devices includes receiving from a first device a request to follow a second device, and setting a following relationship between the first device and the second device in response to the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang-Min Kim, Jong-Chang Lee, Won-Joo Park, Hyun-Sik Shim, Young-Hee Park, Moon-Sang Lee, Min-Soo Koo, Seung-Hyun Yoon, Ji-In Nam
  • Patent number: 11188832
    Abstract: Method and environment controller for validating a predictive model of a neural network. The environment controller receives at least one environmental characteristic value and determines a plurality of input variables. At least one of the plurality of input variables is based on one among the environmental characteristic value(s). The environment controller executes an environment control software module for calculating at least one output variable based on the plurality of input variables. The environment controller transmits the plurality of input variables to a training server executing a neural network training engine using the predictive model; and receives at least one inferred output variable from the training server. Each inferred output variable corresponds to one of the at least one output variable calculated by the environment control software module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: DISTECH CONTROLS INC.
    Inventor: Francois Gervais
  • Patent number: 11187448
    Abstract: The invention provides an air conditioner control method and device and an air conditioner. The air conditioner control device acquires a current temperature of a chilled water of a unit at a preset period; determine a target load of the unit, a target temperature of a chilled water and a target temperature of a cooling water based on a temperature of the chilled water set by a user and the current temperature of the chilled water; determine an evaporating parameter and a condensing parameter of the unit based on the target load of the unit, the target temperature of the chilled water and the target temperature of the cooling water; and determine operation parameters of a compressor based on the target load of the unit, the evaporation parameter and the condensation parameter. Therefore, the unit can operate based on the operation parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Zhiping Zhang, Zhongkeng Long, Chiliang Luo, Bing Zhang
  • Patent number: 11182714
    Abstract: A method for generating an optimal nominated capacity value for participation in a capacity market program (CMP) includes generating, by a processing circuit, an objective function comprising a nominated capacity term, wherein the nominated capacity term indicates a nominated capacity value, wherein the nominated capacity value is a curtailment value that a facility is on standby to reduce its load by in response to receiving a dispatch from a utility. The method includes optimizing, by the processing circuit, the objective function to determine the optimal nominated capacity value for a program operating period and transmitting, by the processing circuit, the optimal nominated capacity value to one or more systems associated with the CMP to participate in the CMP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Michael J. Wenzel, Mohammad N. Elbsat
  • Patent number: 11168908
    Abstract: A method for controlling an air conditioner includes obtaining initial indoor ambient temperature and humidity, obtaining an initial dew point temperature according to the initial indoor ambient temperature and humidity, controlling a temperature of an indoor heat exchanger coil to be equal to the initial dew point temperature and maintaining a current operating frequency of a compressor unchanged, obtaining a current indoor ambient temperature, judging whether the current indoor ambient temperature is lower than or equal to a set temperature, if so, obtaining a current indoor ambient humidity and obtaining a current moisture content and a current dew point temperature according to the current indoor ambient temperature and the current indoor ambient humidity, and controlling the air conditioner to perform humidification or dehumidification according to the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger coil, the current moisture content, and the current dew point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignees: GD MIDEA AIR-CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhanli Xi, Jinbo Li, Bobo Zhang
  • Patent number: 11165270
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a battery and a battery management system. The battery management system is configured to derive a predicted battery demand based on observed usage patterns to predictively charge the battery to healthily accommodate the predicted battery demand. The battery management system is further configured to determine a predicted deviating battery demand based on a contextual signal. The predicted deviating battery demand differing from the predicted battery demand. The battery management system is further configured to predictively charge the battery to healthily accommodate the predicted deviating battery demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Craig Daniel Owen, Dongli Zeng, Jeffrey Duane Bruce
  • Patent number: 11105525
    Abstract: A method for heating or cooling rooms in a building with a temperature-controlled system, the temperature-controlled system has a central heater or cooler with a run-around coil system having a supply line and a return line, a central circulation pump for circulating a temperature-control fluid in the run-around coil system, at least two heat exchanger devices that thermally supply one room of the building and are connected to the supply line and the return line of the run-around coil system, one valve with an actuator for each heat exchanger device, one room temperature sensor for each thermally supplied room, and a central open- and closed-loop control unit that is connected to the actuators of the valves and to the room temperature sensors. The method serves to bring about, in the thermally supplied rooms, a temperature transition from a starting state to an end state, with corresponding room temperature setpoint values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventor: Roland Obrist
  • Patent number: 11073291
    Abstract: An external control unit to be connected between a power source and an electrically driven pump to act as a smart switch to convert a “dumb” pump into a smart pump. The control system of this invention comprises a microcontroller-operated switch, located between the power source and the pump, or other fluid flow control device to be operated by electricity, and which can be programmed to record usage data of, e.g., hot water, by the household; it sets up the operating times in accordance with such usage. A temperature sensor is connected to the microcontroller to sense a temperature change, in a hot water system is turned on, by measuring an increase in temperature to indicate flow through the hot water pipe, and to record such data. This will determine, in the context of a hot water system, when the pump should be activated to bring up hot water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Iaco, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kellicker, Carl A. Perrone, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11073850
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for improving configuration of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. In some embodiments, a control system of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes control circuitry and memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the control circuitry, causes the control circuitry to control air flow supplied to a first building zone by the HVAC system based on a temperature setpoint schedule associated with the first building zone; and control air flow supplied to a second building zone by the HVAC system based on a constant temperature setpoint associated with the second building zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Theresa N. Gillette
  • Patent number: 11054158
    Abstract: A ventilation fan includes a body unit, which has a fan disposed in a body case and a fan controller operable to control an air volume of the fan. The ventilation fan also includes a sensor module having an indoor environment detecting sensor and a module controller operable to control a detecting operation of the indoor environment detecting sensor. The body unit has a module mount on which the sensor module is mounted and another sensor module can be mounted in place of the sensor module. The module mount is connected to the fan controller. The module controller outputs detection information obtained based on a detection result of the indoor environment detecting sensor to the fan controller, which in turn controls the air volume of the fan based on the detection information inputted thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirosato Sakai, Hidenori Syougen, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Tsuraki Nakajima, Shingo Takenawa, Masahiro Yamaguchi, Kazuki Doumoto
  • Patent number: 11034210
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes a variable-speed compressor which compresses refrigerant flowing through the HVAC system, a blower which provides a flow of air through the HVAC system at a controllable flow rate, and a controller communicatively coupled to the variable-speed compressor and the blower. The controller receives a demand request, which includes a command to operate the HVAC system at a predefined setpoint temperature. In response to receiving the demand request, a setpoint temperature associated with the HVAC system is adjusted to the predefined setpoint temperature. A speed of the variable-speed compressor is decreased to a low-speed setting. Based on the decreased speed of the variable-speed compressor, an air-flow rate is determined to provide by the blower. The controllable flow rate of the flow of air provided by the blower is adjusted based on the determined air-flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Rakesh Goel, Vijaykumar Sathyamurthi
  • Patent number: 11022335
    Abstract: A Fault Detection Diagnostic (FDD) correction method for increasing the cooling capacity delivered by an Air-Conditioning (AC) system with an economizer comprising: correcting/superseding at least one cooling fault/delay, the correcting/superseding selected from the group consisting of: correcting/superseding a High-limit-Shut-off-Temperature (HST) fault/delay based on detecting an Outdoor Air Temperature (OAT) is less than or equal to a High-limit-Control Temperature (HCT) during a thermostat call for cooling to enable economizer cooling otherwise delayed by the at least one HST fault/delay, superseding a thermostat second-stage time/temperature-deadband delay based on detecting an OAT is greater than or equal to an AC Control Temperature (ACT) during a call for cooling and energizing an AC compressor otherwise delayed by a thermostat second-stage time/temperature-deadband delay, superseding at least one economizer second-stage time/temperature delay based on detecting a thermostat second-stage cooling signa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventors: Robert J. Mowris, John Walsh
  • Patent number: 11015825
    Abstract: An intelligent air-drying system and method are provided. The intelligent air-drying system includes an air-drying device and an application program. The air-drying device includes a device body, a sensing unit, a heater, and a processing unit. The device body has a water-absorbing material for absorbing moisture in the air. The sensing unit is disposed on the device body to detect the humidity of the environment where the air-drying device is located. The heater is disposed on the device body to heat the water-absorbing material. The processing unit is coupled to the sensing unit and the heater, and the processing unit executes the application program. The startup timing of the heater is dynamically predicted based on the daily humidity change measured by the sensing unit, and the heater is started before the water-absorbing material reaches saturation to ensure the water-absorbing and dehumidifying capabilities of the water-absorbing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: FORTUNE ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Ching Lin, Ching-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 10996702
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a provisioning system for a network includes a first device associated with a site. The first device includes a communication chip associated therewith. The system also includes a second device including a device identifier associated therewith. The communication chip is configured to read the device identifier on the second device to obtain information about the second device. The device identifier of the second device is transmitted to a cloud server. Information about the second device is received at the first device from the cloud server based on the device identifier. Based on the information from the cloud server about the second device it can then be joined to the network by the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister, John Cottrell
  • Patent number: 10990076
    Abstract: An evapotranspiration mitigation method, system, and computer program product include checking a condition via a first sensor connected to an outside of a device to compute an evapotranspiration level and activating a roof opening of the device to deploy a roof from the device if the evapotranspiration level is greater than a pre-determined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Igor Cerqueira Oliveira, Ana Paula Appel, Paula Fernanda Pereira