Specific Thermally Responsive Controller Patents (Class 700/278)
  • Publication number: 20110153090
    Abstract: An HVAC system for conditioning air of an associated room includes one or more power consuming features/functions including at least one temperature controlling element for one of heating and cooling air. A controller is operatively connected to the one or more power consuming features/functions. The controller is configured to receive and process a signal indicative of a utility state. The controller operates the HVAC system in one of a plurality or operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to at least one of selectively adjust and deactivate at least one of the one or more power consuming features/functions to reduce power consumption of the HVAC system in the energy savings mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: John K. Besore, Michael F. Finch, Timothy Dale Worthington, Daniel Ryan Capelle
  • Publication number: 20110130881
    Abstract: Regarding rooms other than a room being targeted, a controller controls the rooms in energy-saving conditioning mode when a person is not detected in the rooms, even when the rooms are scheduled to be controlled in ordinary conditioning mode in a temperature control schedule. At this time, when the controller judges that the person has exited the room, the controller controls the targeted room in energy-saving conditioning mode, in rapid conditioning mode. As a result, the room is rapidly conditioned such that the temperature changes from an energy-saving temperature t to an ordinary set temperature by the time the person who has exited the room enters the room. As a result, unnecessary conditioning of the room set to be conditioning in ordinary conditioning mode can be reduced, and energy consumption can be reduced. In addition, comfort of the person entering the room can be ensured by prediction of the movement of the person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Tomoyuki NANAMI
  • Publication number: 20110106315
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for estimating temperature are provided for estimating a temperature of a test point in a space with an air conditioner. In the method, a first and a second sensor device are deployed in the space, wherein the second sensor device is deployed at the test point. Then, state parameters and temperature transformation functions are defined according to temperatures detected by the first and the second sensor devices and a state of the air conditioner during a predetermined time period. After the second sensor device is removed, a current state of the air conditioner is determined by reference temperatures detected by the first sensor device and the state parameters. One of the temperature transformation functions is selected according to the current state, and a current temperature of the test point is estimated by using the selected temperature transformation function and the reference temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION INDUSTRY
    Inventors: Kun-Cheng Tsai, Chang-An Hsieh, Pei-Lin Hou, Chia-Shin Yen
  • Publication number: 20110106316
    Abstract: A controller in communication with one or more energy consuming appliances for a premises includes a transmitter device for transmitting wireless signals to a utility meter to request an energy consumption reading, and a receiver device to receive wireless signals including energy consumption information. The controller is configured to receive a signal from an energy consuming appliance indicating the appliance was actuated, and to responsively transmit a signal to the utility meter to request an energy consumption reading and thereafter receive a signal including an energy consumption value. Following deactivation of the appliance, the controller is configured to transmit a signal to the utility meter to request an energy consumption reading, and thereafter receive a signal from the meter including another energy consumption value. The controller is configured to determine from a difference between the energy consumption values an estimate of the energy consumption level associated with the appliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: David Scott Drew, Xingwen Luo
  • Patent number: 7931209
    Abstract: Described herein is a system for controlling an air-conditioning system within an environment, in particular the passenger compartment of a vehicle, said system comprising a plurality of sensors designed to detect quantities representing the thermal comfort of the occupants and an electronic control unit (ECU), which calculates, on the basis of said quantities, a temperature indicating the thermal comfort of the occupants of the environment, on the basis of which the actuator devices of the air-conditioning system are driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Stefano Mola, Carloandrea Malvicino
  • Publication number: 20110082594
    Abstract: A climate control system includes a control head having a warmer/cooler temperature control for providing relative thermal comfort. A thermal comfort rating (TCR) corresponding to a range of passenger cabin temperatures is determined based upon a comfort level selection by an occupant using the control head. A control strategy employs look-up tables corresponding to the TCR to determine the speed of an electric compressor and the position of a temperature control blend door. The strategy provides for a relatively fast ramp down to a minimum compressor speed to improve fuel economy while maintaining a relative level of thermal comfort.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gerhard A. Dage, Halim Wijaya, Christopher Mark Greiner, Wayne Frank Buescher
  • Publication number: 20110071687
    Abstract: An air condition control device for controlling a plurality of air conditioners which cool a plurality of electronic apparatuses respectively, the air condition control device includes a storage section for storing a heating value information related to respective heating values of the electronic apparatuses, and a controller for detecting that a fault has occurred in one of the air conditioners, specifying any of the electronic apparatuses which has been cooled by the one of the air conditioners having occurred the fault when the fault in the one of the air conditioners is detected, determining a heating value of each of the specified electronic apparatuses on the basis of the heating value information, and setting the air flow rate for at least one of the other air conditioners in accordance with the heating values of the specified electronic apparatuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasushi URAKI, Junichi ISHIMINE, Ikuro NAGAMATSU, Masahiro SUZUKI, Tadashi KATSUI, Yuji OHBA, Nobuyoshi YAMAOKA, Akira UEDA, Seiichi SAITO
  • Patent number: 7913180
    Abstract: A zone control panel that is easy and intuitive to use and to program. In some embodiments, a zone control panel may be configured to have an easy to use, single level menu structure with, for example, a configuration mode and/or a checkout mode. The configuration mode may, if present, include a number of menu screens sometimes without any sub-menu levels. Likewise, the checkout mode may, if present, include a number of menu screens sometimes without any sub-menu levels. A mode selector may be provided to select a particular mode, after which, the menu screens that correspond to the selected mode may be sequentially displayed to the user. Other features and aspects are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven R. Hoglund, David J. Arneson, Brad Paine, Paul G. Schwendinger, Steven L. Wolff
  • Patent number: 7908039
    Abstract: A cooling device is provided with an inverter compressor. Set speeds of the inverter compressor can be switched to six stages from a first speed to a sixth speed. The relationship between each of the set speeds of the rotational speed is set so that the stages adjacent to each other have gradually larger differences in rotational speed as the rotational speed becomes higher. With this, independently from the level of the rotational speed, a degree of increase in cooling performance between each of the stages can be equalized. In a case of performing a control to increase or decrease the rotational speed of the inverter compressor stage by stage depending whether an actual temperature drop rate is larger or smaller than a target temperature drop rate, the change amounts in cooling performance that can be substantially equalized, and too high or too low cooling performance does not result, i.e. fluctuation in cooling performance can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kaga, Akihiko Hirano
  • Patent number: 7908117
    Abstract: The invention comprises systems and methods for verifying the occurrence of a change in operational status for climate control systems. The climate control system measures temperature at least a first location conditioned by the climate control system. One or more processors also receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than the climate control system, and compares the temperature measurements from the first location with expected temperature measurements. The expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements obtained by the climate control system and the outside temperature measurements. A server transmits changes in programming to the climate control system based at least in part on the comparison of the temperature measurements with the expected temperature measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: John Douglas Steinberg, Scott Douglas Hublou
  • Patent number: 7908116
    Abstract: The invention comprises systems and methods for estimating the rate of change in temperature inside a structure. At least one thermostat located is inside the structure and is used to control an climate control system in the structure. At least one remote processor is in communication with said thermostat and at least one database stores data reported by the thermostat. At least one processor compares the outside temperature at least one location and at least one point in time to information reported to the remote processor from the thermostat. The processor uses the relationship between the inside temperature and the outside temperature over time to derive a first estimation for the rate of change in inside temperature assuming that the operating status of the climate control system is “on”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: John Douglas Steinberg, Scott Douglas Hublou
  • Patent number: 7904209
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a building automation system, and, more particularly, to an Internet-centric, open, extensible software and hardware framework supporting all aspects of control and monitoring of a smart building ecosphere. The present invention further relates to an “intelligent,” real-time control system capable of both autonomous process control and interaction with system users and system administrators, which is configured to accommodate functional extensions and a broad array of sensors and control devices. The system allows individuals to communicate, monitor and adjust their personal environmental preferences (temperature, light, humidity, white noise, etc.) much like they would in an automobile, via the Internet. The system is equipped with an occupancy sensor that recognizes the presence and identity of the individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Syracuse University
    Inventors: Marek Podgorny, Luke Beca, Roman Markowski, Edward A. Bogucz, Suresh Santanam, Edward Lipson, Paul Roman, Greg Michalak, Gregg Lewandowski, Paul D. Gelling
  • Patent number: 7904830
    Abstract: A zone control panel that is easy and intuitive to use and to program. In some embodiments, a zone control panel may be configured to have an easy to use, single level menu structure with, for example, a configuration mode and/or a checkout mode. The configuration mode may, if present, include a number of menu screens sometimes without any sub-menu levels. Likewise, the checkout mode may, if present, include a number of menu screens sometimes without any sub-menu levels. A mode selector may be provided to select a particular mode, after which, the menu screens that correspond to the selected mode may be sequentially displayed to the user. Other features and aspects are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven R. Hoglund, Jian Huang, Tony Liu, Paul G. Schwendinger, David J. Arneson, Brad Paine
  • Publication number: 20110054701
    Abstract: An energy saving system for a climate control system includes zone controllers which poll temperature difference of each heat exchanger downstream of the thermal station, and a system controller which polls degree of opening of all control valves from zone controllers associated with the heat exchangers downstream of the thermal station. Each zone controller configures degree of opening of the valve to regulate the medium flow in response to the temperature difference of the heat exchanger in its respective thermal zone to maintain medium at optimum flow rate to provide a thermal comfort at the thermal zone while being energy efficient. The system controller sends command to the thermal station control system to regulate the outlet temperature of the thermal station to ensure the thermal station consuming the least amount energy to provide the medium to each thermal zone to meet the thermal comfort need at the thermal zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Adam Xiaonong Wang, Jim Jiaming Ye
  • Patent number: 7899579
    Abstract: A Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Management and Control System (CS) that provides “Closed Loop Adaptive Climate Control” of heating, cooling, ventilation or any combination thereof to an occupied space using standard AC electric induction motor(s) connected to a fan and other motor or electric powered devices. The CS uses methods and apparatus based on Opto-Programming & Processing Analog techniques that allow multi-dimensional concurrent variables to continuously and Adaptively vary the quantity and/or rate of discharge air, return air, outside air, discharge air temperature and thermal fluid flow. The CS adapts, adjusts, varies electric motor(s) and device(s), speeds and actions by concurrently adjusting motor voltage, frequency and phase as needed; to control fan output(s), associated damper actuators, valve actuators, or other unit devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: OGD V-HVAC, Inc.
    Inventor: Ormonde G. Durham, III
  • Publication number: 20110046792
    Abstract: A system and method migrating virtualized environments is disclosed. According to an aspect of the disclosure, a home energy management system and method includes a database configured to store site report data received from a plurality of residential sites using a wireless home energy network at each site. Each residential site includes a thermostat accessible to the wireless home energy network. A processor is operably coupled to the database and configured to access the site report data and detect a current temperature set-point of the thermostat at a first residential site; detect a first seasonal profile of the thermostat; detect a current operating mode of a HVAC system operably coupled to the thermostat; and determine a thermostat schedule of the thermostat using the first seasonal profile and the current operating mode of the HVAC system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Kevin R. Imes, James Hollister
  • Patent number: 7890195
    Abstract: A controller equipped with a user interface having multiple-day programming capabilities, including methods of programming such devices, are disclosed. The user interface may include one or more menus or screens that can be used to program a schedule for one or more selected days during the week. An illustrative method of programming the controller may include the steps of entering a scheduling routine, selecting multiple days for schedule modification, changing the schedule parameters for one or more periods during the selected days, and then exiting the scheduling routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel A. Bergman, Eugene J. Takach, Marcus D. Stoner, John B. Amundson, Philip O. Readio, Paul G. Schwendinger, Jeff D. Boll, Ian Thomson, Colin T. Ferguson, George J. Mcleod, James A. Wolfbauer
  • Patent number: 7890218
    Abstract: A system for managing battery temperature is described. The system may include a cooling system which may include a fluid. A cabin circulation subsystem may be coupled to the cooling subsystem and may utilize the fluid for cabin cooling. A separate battery circulation subsystem may also may also be coupled to the cooling subsystem so that it may additionally utilize the fluid for battery cooling. A control may be present in order to regulate movement of the fluid to the cabin circulation subsystem and/or to the battery circulation subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Thomas Adams, David Frederick Lyons, Philip Wayne Luk, Eugene Michael Berdichevsky, Jeffrey Brian Straubel
  • Publication number: 20110035060
    Abstract: A household energy management system uses measurements of the household electricity supply to identify and to determine the energy consumption of individual household appliances. From these measurements, models can be built of the behavior of the occupants of the house, the thermal properties of the house and the efficiency of the appliances. Using the models, the household appliances—in particular heating and cooling appliances—can be controlled to optimize energy efficiency; and maintenance programs for the appliances and for the house itself can be recommended to the householder or arranged with a service company.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventor: James Ian Oswald
  • Publication number: 20110035061
    Abstract: A load control system for a building having a heating and cooling system and a window located in a space of the building is operable to control a motorized window treatment in response to a demand response command in order to attempt to reduce the power consumption of the heating and cooling system. When the window may be receiving direct sunlight, the motorized window treatment closes a fabric covering the window when the heating and cooling system is cooling the building, and opens the fabric when the heating and cooling system is heating the building. In addition, when the space is unoccupied and the heating and cooling system is heating the building, the motorized window treatment may open the fabric if the window may be receiving direct sunlight, and may close the fabric if the window may not be receiving direct sunlight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Altonen, William Bryce Fricke, Elliot G. Jacoby, Michael W. Pessina, Walter S. Zaharchuk, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: 7884727
    Abstract: A system to control energy consumption in a room uses a wireless mesh network that allows for continuous connections and reconfiguration around blocked paths by hopping from node to node until a connection can be established, the mesh network including one or more wireless area network transceivers adapted to communicate data with the wireless mesh network, the transceiver detecting motion by analyzing reflected wireless signal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventor: Bao Tran
  • Publication number: 20110029139
    Abstract: A load control system for a building having a heating and cooling system and a window located in a space of the building controls amount of daylight entering the window in order to attempt to reduce the power consumption of the heating and cooling system, and adjusts amount of daylight entering the window if the heating and cooling system is not saving energy. A motorized window treatment of the load control system is operable to move a fabric covering the window in a first direction, and a temperature control device is operable to subsequently determine if the heating and cooling system is consuming more energy than when the fabric was in the initial position. The motorized window treatment then moves the fabric in a second direction opposite the first direction if the heating and cooling system is consuming more energy than when the fabric was in the initial position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Altonen, William Bryce Fricke, Elliot G. Jacoby, Michael W. Pessina, Walter S. Zaharchuk, Joel S. Spira
  • Publication number: 20110015789
    Abstract: A system for the sensing of ambient parameters within an enclosure is provided having: a hardware closure whereby an aperture to the enclosure is secured; at least one sensor disposed within the hardware closure; a wireless transmitter disposed within the hardware, communicating with the at least one sensor; a base station, wirelessly in communication with the transmitter; a processing unit, whereby data collected by the sensor and transmitted by the transmitter to the base station is processed and information relevant to the environment of the enclosure obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: THE BRONZE CRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: James R. LaJeunesse
  • Patent number: 7873443
    Abstract: A system, methods, and user-friendly program product to optimize energy recovery or a process or cluster of processes under all possible process changes and stream-specific minimum temperature approach values without enumeration, are provided. The program product can utilize stream-specific minimum temperature approach values ?Tmini, where the superscript i represents the specific hot stream, as the optimization parameters instead of the single global ?Tmin currently used, in addition to identifying the optimal operating conditions. The program product can determine optimal global minimum energy utility values and define optimal process conditions and an optimal driving force distribution in heat recovery systems, and can produce an optimal Pareto-curve that shows the rigorous trade off between energy cost and capital cost for any energy recovery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mahmoud Bahy Noureldin, Ahmed Saleh Aseeri
  • Publication number: 20100324741
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for detecting faults in an environmental control system for a building zone. The environmental control system is controlled by a finite state machine that causes states of the environmental control system to change based on a varying climate condition. A circuit is configured to receive a current value for the climate condition when the environmental control system is in a heating state and to calculate an estimate of the climate condition at which a transition from the heating state to a state of no heating by the environmental control system is expected to be caused by the finite state machine. The circuit is configured to determine that a fault exists based on a comparison of the current value for the climate condition in the heating state and the estimate of the climate condition at which a transition from the heating state to the no heating state is expected to be caused by the finite state machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: John M. House, John E. Seem
  • Publication number: 20100318226
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes a grid of intersecting ducts having one or more inlets, outlets, and intersections. Air may be received into the inlets and directed through the outlets into one or more zones of a building. One or more HVAC units may be connected to the inlets and mechanical valves may be located at the intersections to control the air flow through the grid. A control system may be provided to control the temperature of each zone by adjusting the mechanical valves (and/or turning selected HVAC units “on” or “off”). In certain embodiments, the HVAC system includes at least one reading device to read temperature preference information associated with an occupant of a zone. The control system may then align the temperature of the zone with the temperature preference information when the occupant is inside the zone. A corresponding method and apparatus are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Leonardo R. Augusto, Lucas G. Franco, Carlos E. Seo
  • Publication number: 20100318227
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the cycling time of a climate control system. For example, one or more of the exemplary systems can receive from a database a target time at which a structure is desired to reach a target temperature. In addition, the system acquires the temperature inside the structure and the temperature outside the structure at a time prior to said target time. The systems use a thermal characteristic of the structure and a performance characteristic of the climate control system, to determine the appropriate time prior to the target time at which the climate control system should turn on based at least in part on the structure, the climate control system, the inside temperature and the outside temperature. The systems then set a setpoint on a thermostatic controller to control the climate control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: EcoFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: John Douglas Steinberg, Scott Douglas Hublou, Leo Cheung
  • Patent number: 7853361
    Abstract: System and method for controlling at least one device such as for example an operator for a door, a gate, a window, blinds, shutters, a curtain, an awning or a light source including a controllable unit associated with the at least one device and a plurality of nodes for transmitting control signals to the at least one controllable unit. At least one of the control signals includes priority setting indications relating to at least one of a plurality of levels. At least one controllable unit comprises a component configured to register the priority indications and for storing a corresponding entry relating to the plurality of command levels. Further, the controllable unit includes a component configured to perform an evaluation based on the stored entries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: VKR Holding A/S
    Inventors: Martin Sandal Nielsen, Bjarne Ravndal Andreasen
  • Publication number: 20100312397
    Abstract: A control system for governing temperature and humidity levels within a confined space including a controller communicatively coupled to a cooling system, a heating system, a duct system, a plurality of environmental sensors for detecting temperature and humidity levels within the confined space and external to the confined space, and an external air intake for introducing air external to the confined space to within the confined space. The control system may further include predictive heating and predictive cooling configurations having a computing device communicatively connected to the controller and to an environmental forecast source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventor: Josmon C. George
  • Publication number: 20100312396
    Abstract: A control system for governing temperature and humidity levels within a confined space including a controller communicatively coupled to a cooling system, a heating system, a duct system, a plurality of environmental sensors for detecting temperature and humidity levels within the confined space and external to the confined space, and an external air intake for introducing air external to the confined space to within the confined space. The control system may further include predictive heating and predictive cooling configurations having a computing device communicatively connected to the controller and to an environmental forecast source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventor: Josmon C. George
  • Patent number: 7848900
    Abstract: The invention comprises a system for calculating a value for the effective thermal mass of a building. The climate control system obtains temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by the climate system. One or more processors receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than the control system and compare the temperature measurements from the first location with expected temperature measurements. The expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements obtained by said HVAC control system and said outside temperature measurements. The processors then calculate one or more rates of change in temperature at said first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: John Douglas Steinberg, Scott Douglas Hublou
  • Patent number: 7848853
    Abstract: A system and method are provided to control hydronic systems having a plurality of on-demand sources, semi-on-demand sources, and intermittent sources that are fluidly or thermally coupled to a plurality of load zones. The hydronic system device obtains performance measurements for system components to provide system metrics, including failure diagnostics, energy capture, and usage optimization. The hydronic system device may also calculate British Thermal Units produced and used by the plurality of sources and loads to calculate incentives, including renewable energy credits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: SolarLogic, LLC
    Inventors: Fredric Milder, Boaz Soifer, Bristol Stickney
  • Patent number: 7844764
    Abstract: A unitary control module having adjustable input and output mapping functionality, including methods of configuring such devices for use in different applications, are disclosed. The unitary control module can include a unit type selector such as a DIP-switch that can be used by an installer to configure the control module to emulate a particular type of controller. The control module can be configured to run a selection algorithm for configuring the mapping of the input terminals and output terminals for the device based on the controller type selected. In use, the control module may run different control algorithms for controlling the system components based on the controller type selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Eric B. Williams
  • Publication number: 20100293991
    Abstract: A wiring system for use in an air conditioning system comprising a printed circuit board having a perimeter and wiring receptacles located proximate the perimeter and wiring connectors. In one aspect, at least some of the wiring receptacles comprise two or more wiring sub-receptacles, and each of the wiring sub-receptacles includes a slotted sub-receptacle connection pattern. Furthermore, the slotted sub-receptacle connection pattern of each of the wiring sub-receptacles is different from every other sub-receptacle connection pattern. Each of the wiring connectors includes a ridged connection pattern that is different from every other ridged connection pattern of the wiring connectors, such that a given wiring connector is receivable within only one of the wiring sub-receptacles. An air conditioning system and a method of manufacturing is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: Lennox Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven C. Brown, Carlos O. Chamorro, Merlin K. Chapin, Robert W. Gilkison, Aylan A. Him, Randall L. Lisbona, Richard A. Mauk, Michael Renker
  • Publication number: 20100298992
    Abstract: The present invention is a system for controlling the heating of a plurality of individual housing units in a building. The system includes at least one heating unit contained in each individual housing unit for heating said individual housing unit and a control unit coupled to each of the heating units for controlling the heat output of the control units. At least one outside temperature sensor is coupled to the control unit for providing the control unit with the measured temperature of the air outside the building. The control unit has an algorithm which is configured to decrease the heat output of the heating units when the temperature of the air outside the building increases beyond a predefined minimum outside temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Dmitriy Knyazev
  • Publication number: 20100292849
    Abstract: Adaptive intelligent circulation control methods and systems are used to help increase the comfort and/or reduce energy usage and equipment wear. In one illustrative embodiment, the circulation and/or ventilation time is adjusted based on one or more environmental conditions inside or outside the building structure. In another illustrative embodiment, the circulation and/or ventilation time may be adjusted based on the current time of day, current time of year, and/or the current schedule period. In another illustrative embodiment, the circulation and/or ventilation time is randomized over time. The start time, end time, and/or length of a circulation and/or ventilation cycle may be randomly set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Mark W. Peterson, Robert J. Schnell, Brent D. Vick
  • Patent number: 7832465
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a multiple zone climate control system which includes a HVAC unit that supplies conditioned air to more than one zone, a zone controller in each zone, a central controller, one or more air flow rate regulating devices in each zone, and a digital wireless network connecting the air flow rate regulating devices, zone controllers and the central controller. The multiple zone climate control system is capable of energy efficiently regulating temperature in each zone independently as well as providing other air conditioning functions such as humidifying, cleaning and filtering air in each zone independently. The multiple zone climate control system can be installed in a single zone climate control system to convert it into a multiple zone climate control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Inventors: Shazhou Zou, Victor W Wang, Jian Mao, Tianxin Wang
  • Publication number: 20100286831
    Abstract: An energy recovery ventilation system is described which allows for continuous fan speed control through pulse width modulation of direct current fans. The energy recovery ventilation described is capable of fine motor speed control without the disadvantages of high noise, low efficiency and a fixed number of speeds present in commonly-used speed-varying techniques used with alternating current (AC) fans. This may be accomplished through the use of direct current (DC) fans and pulse width modulation. A controller is used to optimize the ventilation and energy efficiency of the system through the use of several temperature sensors. The energy recovery ventilation also provides a control process for self-optimization of the energy recovery ventilation, in case the supply and exhaust airflows are unequal. An unbalance may be detected by calculating the thermal efficiencies of the exhaust and supply airflows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: Air Tech Equipment Ltd.
    Inventors: Patrick Paul Boudreau, Michael Boulay
  • Publication number: 20100274396
    Abstract: Thermoelectric modules are disposed to be connected to a vehicle coolant system and to an air handling system to provide localized climate control and passenger compartment climate control. Vehicle coolant acts as a heat sink in cooling mode and a heat source in heating mode in embodiments. A system controller in embodiments is disposed to monitor an input for a signal that a monitored climate characteristic has departed from a predefined range of values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jihui Yang, Gregory A. Major
  • Patent number: 7819334
    Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling multi-stage boiler systems. In one illustrative embodiment, the number of stages to be used is determined in a staging control sequence in response to a heating load, and in some cases, the individual stages are modulated to meet a heating load. In some embodiments, the staging control sequence may include observation of both heating load and the rate of change of the heating load. In another illustrative embodiment, the staging control compares a measured temperature to a setpoint and monitors changes in the measured temperature to make staging decisions. Various control methods are also provided to help achieve improved stability and efficiency, as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Pouchak, Paul Wacker
  • Publication number: 20100263852
    Abstract: Providing a plurality of fans within an enclosure. A system implementing this technique can include an enclosure, a heat sink in thermal communication with the enclosure, electronic components at least partially sealed within the enclosure, an eXclusive OR (XOR) fan array, a monitoring engine, and a control engine. A method implementing this technique can include using a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by electronic components within an enclosure; determining that each of the fans of a XOR fan array are stopped, selecting one and only one of the fans of the XOR fan array for operation, and operating the fan to increase air flow within the enclosure, thereby increasing the efficiency of the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Trapeze Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Mirshams, Gary Wong, Michael Nguyen, Nozar Azarakhsh
  • Publication number: 20100262299
    Abstract: The invention comprises systems and methods for ramping setpoints on thermostats controlling HVAC systems. At least one thermostat is located inside a structure and is used to control an HVAC system in the structure. At least one remote processor is in communication with said thermostat and at least one database stores data reported by the thermostat. At least one processor compares the outside temperature at least one location and at least one point in time to information reported to the remote processor from the thermostat. The remote processor ramps the setpoint on the thermostat so as to reduce the average spread between inside temperature and outside temperature in order to reduce energy consumption with affecting comfort. The remote processor takes into account the effect of weather conditions and occupant preferences in determining whether and when to ramp setpoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Leo Cheung, Scott Douglas Hublou, John Douglas Steinberg
  • Patent number: 7809471
    Abstract: An environmental apparatus control system assures a consistent temperature control for realizing a comfortable residential environment based upon demands from the residents, yet in an energy-saving manner. The system includes an apparatus for controlling a residential space, and an initializer which provides an initial target value for control of the residential space at the start of operating the system. Comfortableness demands from residents are analyzed in order modify the initial target value to a working target value. The initial target value is shifted in a direction of saving the energy such that the working target value can always approach from and settle on the energy-saving side as the demands from the residents are analyzed. The working target values within a past time period are weighted to give a corrected target value which replaces the initial target value for the start of next operation cycle of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignees: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd., National University Corporation Nagoya University
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Murakami, Masaaki Terano, Fumiaki Oobayashi, Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Kuno, Masayuki Harada
  • Publication number: 20100250009
    Abstract: A comfort HVAC or refrigeration system includes a remote sensor for sensing an environmental condition within a climate-controlled space and having, an associated transmitter for sending, a wireless signal to a receiver of a controller such that the controller can then responsively modulate the operation of the components of the HVAC or refrigeration system to maintain a desired condition at a specific location or locations within the-climate-controUed'space. The desired condition can be, for instance, temperature, humidity and/or carbon dioxide level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander Lifson, Michael F. Taras
  • Publication number: 20100235005
    Abstract: In an energy efficient building, a thermostatic controller receives temperature and humidity input signals indicative of an inside, outside and air mass buffer. According to one or more algorithms, the thermostatic controller controls the operations of various actuators, such as blower speed, a fresh air intake vent damper, an exhaust vent and a heat pump, so as to adjust the internal climate of the energy-efficient building towards a control point (e.g., an inside temperature and humidity comfort level).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventor: John Stockton
  • Patent number: 7797080
    Abstract: A Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Management and Control System (CS) that provides “Closed Loop Adaptive Climate Control” of heating, cooling, ventilation or any combination thereof to an occupied space using standard AC electric induction motor(s) connected to a fan and other motor or electric powered devices. This new CS uses methods and apparatus based on Opto-Programming & Processing (OP) Analog techniques that allow multi-dimensional concurrent variables to continuously and Adaptively vary the quantity and/or rate of discharge air, return air, outside air (where available), discharge air temperature and thermal (heat/cool) fluid flow. This new CS adapts, adjusts, varies electric motor(s) and device(s), speeds and actions by concurrently adjusting motor voltage, frequency and phase as needed; to control fan output(s), associated damper actuators, valve actuators, or other unit devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: OGD V-HVAC Inc.
    Inventor: Ormonde G. Durham, III
  • Publication number: 20100223085
    Abstract: In one example, a data center may be built in modular components that may be pre-manufactured and separately deployable. Each modular component may provide functionality such as server capacity, cooling capacity, fire protection, resistance to electrical failure. Some components may be added to the data center by connecting them to the center's utility spine, and others may be added by connecting them to other components. The spine itself may be a modular component, so that spine capacity can be expanded or contracted by adding or removing spine modules. The various components may implement functions that are part of standards for various levels of reliability for data centers. Thus, the reliability level that a data center meets may be increased or decreased to fit the circumstances by adding or removing components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Thomas Gauthier, Scott Thomas Seaton, Allan Joseph Wenzel, Cheerei Cheng, Brian Clark Andersen, Daniel Gerard Costello, Christian L. Belady, Jens Conrad Housley, Brian Jon Mattson, Stephan W. Gilges, Kenneth Allen Lundgren
  • Publication number: 20100212341
    Abstract: Systems and methods that receive a digital signal outputted from a single line of a device are disclosed. Embodiments of the systems and methods calculate the temperature of the device based on the digital signal. Embodiments of the systems and methods generate a signal to a cooling system to cool the device when the calculated temperature of the device is higher than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY L.P.
    Inventors: ANDREW JOHN MIKUSZEWSKI, Gregory P. Ziarnik, Mark D. Tupa
  • Patent number: 7778737
    Abstract: A method and system for shedding loads based upon a power system characteristic, such as voltage or frequency, is provided. In one embodiment, a remote party, such as a power generator or utility, transmits a signal to a control device proximately located with a load device. Upon receipt of the signal, the control device measures the power system characteristic for a predetermined time to establish a baseline threshold. The control device then monitors the power system characteristic. When the power system characteristic falls outside the baseline threshold, the control device sheds load. In one embodiment, the loads are prioritized such that the load of least importance may be shed first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Comverge, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Rossi, Howard Ng
  • Patent number: RE42195
    Abstract: A method for controlling one or more computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units for energy efficient operation, in which, the temperature of the air returned (Trat) into the one or more CRAC units and the temperature of the air supplied (Tsat) by the one or more CRAC units is detected. The caloric heat transfer level (Q) is calculated based upon the Trat and the Tsat and it is determined whether the Q is within a predetermined setpoint caloric heat transfer range. In addition, at least one operation of the one or more CRAC units is reduced in response to the Q being within the predetermined setpoint caloric heat transfer range to thereby increase the efficiencies of the one or more CRAC units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.
    Inventors: Cullen E. Bash, Ratnesh K. Sharma, Abdlmonem Beitelmal