US7188779B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Zone climate control
Assignee: EMME E2MS LLC
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Filing: 2004-06-22
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Granted: 2007-03-13
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Expires: 2024-06-22
Abstract
Abstract A zone climate control system and method of its operation. A zone can be a single room. A method for determining which zones' vents are to be closed, and which are to be opened, in performing heating or cooling, circulation to heat or cool a zone by mixing its air with air from another zone, circulation to reduce excessive conditioning of a zone by mixing its air with air from another zone, or circulation to maintain air quality. Airflow, thermal capacity, heating or cooling requirements, and other parameters are developed for each zone by measurement and/or derivation. Plenum pressure is predicted and managed.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold Gene Alles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 10:06
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F13/00; F24F13/08; F24F13/10; F24F3/00; F24F3/044; F24F3/0442; F24F13/082; F24F2013/087; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/87249; Y10T137/87571; Y10T137/87676; Y10T137/87684; Y10T137/87692; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49716
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for operating a zone climate control system to control a multi-zone HVAC system in a building having multiple zones conditioned by the HVAC system, the method comprising: maintaining, for each of the zones, a thermal model which is dependent on an outside temperature, and which includes a capacity term and a loss term; maintaining an airflow model that prorates airflow to each of the zones; and utilizing a predictive algorithm for determining when conditioning is needed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for operating a zone climate control system to control a multi-zone HVAC system in a building having multiple zones conditioned by the HVAC system, the method comprising: maintaining, for each of the zones, a thermal model which is dependent on an outside temperature, and which includes a capacity term and a loss term; maintaining an airflow model that prorates airflow to each of the zones; and utilizing a predictive algorithm for determining when conditioning is needed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the predictive algorithm determines which zones will receive airflow.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 wherein: the predictive algorithm further determines a duration of a cycle of the HVAC system.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for operating a zone climate control system to control a multi-zone HVAC system in a building having multiple zones conditioned by the HVAC system, the method comprising: maintaining a thermal model which utilizes an outside temperature and which includes a capacity term and a loss term for each of the zones; and executing a predictive algorithm upon the thermal model to determine when conditioning is needed in a zone.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for operating a zone climate control system to control a multi-zone HVAC system in a building having multiple zones conditioned by the HVAC system, the method comprising: maintaining a thermal model which utilizes an outside temperature and which includes a capacity term and a loss term for each of the zones; and executing a predictive algorithm upon the thermal model to determine when conditioning is needed in a zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 4 wherein: the predictive algorithm determines which zones will receive airflow.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 5 wherein: the predictive algorithm further determines a duration of a cycle of the HVAC system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 6 wherein: the thermal model includes an airflow term for each of the zones.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the thermal model comprises: storing historical thermal model data; and deriving parameters of the thermal model from the stored historical thermal model data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the airflow model comprises: predicting plenum pressure of the HVAC system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 9 wherein utilizing the predictive algorithm comprises: selectively operating a bypass duct to control plenum pressure, in response to predicting the plenum pressure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein utilizing the predictive algorithm comprises: attempting to maximize the duration of the cycle without over-conditioning any zone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein utilizing the predictive algorithm comprises: maintaining different target temperatures in different zones.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein utilizing the predictive algorithm comprises: maintaining a plurality of temperature schedules for the various zones.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein utilizing the predictive algorithm comprises: utilizing an anticipation function.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 14 wherein utilizing the anticipation function comprises: adapting the anticipation function in response to changing outside temperature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 wherein utilizing the anticipation function comprises: operating the anticipation function independently for each zone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 16 wherein utilizing the anticipation function comprises: adjusting operation of the anticipation for a first zone in response to changing conditions in a second zone.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein utilizing the predictive algorithm comprises: using only circulation without heating or cooling, to control temperature in a zone.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein utilizing the predictive algorithm comprises: ensuring that each zone receives a predetermined minimum amount of airflow during a predetermined time period.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the airflow model is calibrated during installation of the zone climate control system.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 20 wherein calibrating the airflow model comprises: measuring plenum pressure for a predetermined pattern of settings of vents in the various zones.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing default values for parameters of the thermal model upon installation of the zone climate control system; and updating values of the parameters of the thermal model in response to usage of the thermal model over time.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: calibrating the capacity term in response to the loss term.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: calculating a zone's capacity term by accumulating data for each HVAC cycle received by the zone.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: periodically calculating offset parameter values and usage factor parameter values according to short term and long term data stored in the thermal model.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: calculating thermal model parameters by averaging recent values.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for operating a zone climate control system to control a multi-zone HVAC system in a building having multiple zones conditioned by the HVAC system, the method comprising: maintaining a thermal model of the zones, wherein the thermal model includes for each zone a capacity term and a loss term describing thermal characteristics of the zone; maintaining a temperature schedule for each of the zones; measuring a current temperature in a zone; determining, based on the temperature schedule and the measured current temperature, whether the zone will require conditioning; if the zone is determined to require conditioning, operating the HVAC system to provide conditioning to the zone; predicting, according to the thermal model, the measured current temperature, and the temperature schedule, a duration of an HVAC cycle for which the HVAC system is to be operated.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for operating a zone climate control system to control a multi-zone HVAC system in a building having multiple zones conditioned by the HVAC system, the method comprising: maintaining a thermal model of the zones, wherein the thermal model includes for each zone a capacity term and a loss term describing thermal characteristics of the zone; maintaining a temperature schedule for each of the zones; measuring a current temperature in a zone; determining, based on the temperature schedule and the measured current temperature, whether the zone will require conditioning; if the zone is determined to require conditioning, operating the HVAC system to provide conditioning to the zone; predicting, according to the thermal model, the measured current temperature, and the temperature schedule, a duration of an HVAC cycle for which the HVAC system is to be operated.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 27 further comprising: ending the HVAC cycle at an end of the predicted duration, regardless of whether a new current temperature in the zone can be measured.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 28 wherein: the determining further includes identifying additional zones which also will require conditioning; and the operating further includes providing conditioning to the additional zones.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 29 further comprising: identifying other zones which may be conditioned to at least one of(i) extend the duration of the HVAC cycle and (ii) decrease pressure in a plenum of the HVAC system; and providing conditioning to the other zones.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-03-12 | 2010-09-11 | 2011-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-03-12 | 2014-09-11 | 2015-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-03-12 | 2018-09-11 | 2019-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |