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US8019567B2 Active / In Force US ⏱️ 1.9 years remaining

System and method for evaluating changes in the efficiency of an HVAC system

Assignee: Ecofactor Inc
•
Filing: 2008-09-16
•
Granted: 2011-09-13
•
Expires: 2028-09-16
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Abstract

Abstract The invention comprises systems and methods for evaluating changes in the operational efficiency of an HVAC system over time. The climate control system obtains temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by the climate system, and status of said HVAC system. One or more processors receives measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than said HVAC system and compares said temperature measurements from said first location with expected temperature measurements. The expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements.

Inventors

  • 👤 John Douglas Steinberg
  • 👤 Scott Douglas Hublou

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 13:07
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01K; G01K13/00; F; F24; F24F; F24F11/00; F24F11/30; F24F11/62; F24F11/63; G01M; G01M99/00; G01M99/005; F24F11/46; F24F11/47; F24F11/50; F24F11/52; F24F2130/00; F24F2130/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim 218 words
A system for evaluating changes in the operational efficiency of an HVAC system over time comprising: at least one HVAC control system associated with a first structure that receives temperature measurements from at least a first structure conditioned by at least one HVAC system, and receives status of said HVAC system; one or more processors that receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than said HVAC system and compare said temperature measurements from said first structure, wherein said one or more processors compares the inside temperature of said first structure and the outside temperature over time to derive an estimation for the rate of change in inside temperature of said first structure when said HVAC system is in a first state of repair; and one or more databases that store at least said temperature measurements obtained from said first structure over time, wherein said one or more processors compares an inside temperature recorded inside the first structure with said estimation for the rate of change in inside temperature of said first structure to determine whether the operational efficiency of the HVAC system has decreased over time; and wherein if said operational efficiency has decreased, said one or more processors analyzes the changes in the operational efficiency over time to suggest a cause of degradation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 218 words
A system for evaluating changes in the operational efficiency of an HVAC system over time comprising: at least one HVAC control system associated with a first structure that receives temperature measurements from at least a first structure conditioned by at least one HVAC system, and receives status of said HVAC system; one or more processors that receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than said HVAC system and compare said temperature measurements from said first structure, wherein said one or more processors compares the inside temperature of said first structure and the outside temperature over time to derive an estimation for the rate of change in inside temperature of said first structure when said HVAC system is in a first state of repair; and one or more databases that store at least said temperature measurements obtained from said first structure over time, wherein said one or more processors compares an inside temperature recorded inside the first structure with said estimation for the rate of change in inside temperature of said first structure to determine whether the operational efficiency of the HVAC system has decreased over time; and wherein if said operational efficiency has decreased, said one or more processors analyzes the changes in the operational efficiency over time to suggest a cause of degradation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 30 words
A system as in claim 1 in which said processors receive measurements of outside temperatures for geographic regions such as ZIP codes from sources other than said HVAC control systems.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
A system as in claim 1 wherein said temperature measurements are obtained from a programmable thermostat that communicates using the Internet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
A system as in claim 1 in which said processors communicate with said HVAC system using a network that includes an electricity meter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
A system as in claim 1 in which said HVAC system includes a programmable thermostat and said programmable thermostat is the sole source for current data regarding temperature inside said first structure conditioned by said HVAC system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
A system as in claim 1 in which said HVAC system measures inside said first structure at only one physical location.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
A system as in claim 1 in which the status of said HVAC system includes whether said system is “on” or “off”.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 206 words
A system for detecting and correcting for anomalous behavior in HVAC control systems comprising: a first HVAC control system that receives temperature measurements from at least a first structure conditioned by at least one HVAC system, and receives status of said HVAC system; at least a second HVAC control system that obtains temperature measurements from at least a second structure conditioned by a second HVAC system, and status of said second HVAC system; one or more processors that receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than said first and second HVAC systems and compare said temperature measurements from said first HVAC system and said second HVAC system and said outside temperature measurements over time to determine the relative efficiency of the first HVAC system and the second HVAC system; and one or more databases that store said temperatures measurements, wherein said one or more processors compares the relative efficiency of the first HVAC system and the second HVAC system to determine whether the operational efficiency of the first HVAC system has decreased over time; and wherein if said operational efficiency has decreased, said one or more processors analyzes the changes in the operational efficiency over time to suggest a cause of degradation.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 206 words
A system for detecting and correcting for anomalous behavior in HVAC control systems comprising: a first HVAC control system that receives temperature measurements from at least a first structure conditioned by at least one HVAC system, and receives status of said HVAC system; at least a second HVAC control system that obtains temperature measurements from at least a second structure conditioned by a second HVAC system, and status of said second HVAC system; one or more processors that receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than said first and second HVAC systems and compare said temperature measurements from said first HVAC system and said second HVAC system and said outside temperature measurements over time to determine the relative efficiency of the first HVAC system and the second HVAC system; and one or more databases that store said temperatures measurements, wherein said one or more processors compares the relative efficiency of the first HVAC system and the second HVAC system to determine whether the operational efficiency of the first HVAC system has decreased over time; and wherein if said operational efficiency has decreased, said one or more processors analyzes the changes in the operational efficiency over time to suggest a cause of degradation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 30 words
A system as in claim 8 in which said processors receive said outside temperature measurements for geographic regions such as ZIP codes from sources other than said HVAC control systems.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
A system as in claim 8 wherein said temperature measurements are obtained from a programmable thermostat that communicates with said first HVAC control system using the Internet.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 24 words
A system as in claim 8 in which said processors communicate with said first HVAC system using a network that includes an electricity meter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 38 words
A system as in claim 8 in which said first HVAC system includes a programmable thermostat and said programmable thermostat is the sole source for current data regarding temperature inside said location conditioned by said first HVAC system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 22 words
A system as in claim 8 in which said first HVAC system measures inside said first location at only one physical location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 25 words
A system as in claim 8 in which the status of said first HVAC system includes whether said first HVAC system is “on” or “off”.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 135 words
A method for evaluating changes in the operational efficiency of an HVAC system over time comprising: storing temperature measurements from at least a first structure conditioned by an HVAC system; and comparing with one or more processors said temperature measurements from said first structure with outside temperature measurements over time to derive expected temperature measurements of a rate of change in inside temperature of said first structure when the HVAC system is in a first state of repair wherein the expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements and based at least in part on outside temperature measurements, wherein said one or more processors compares an inside temperature recorded inside the first structure with said expected temperature measurements to determine whether the operational efficiency of the HVAC system has decreased.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 135 words
A method for evaluating changes in the operational efficiency of an HVAC system over time comprising: storing temperature measurements from at least a first structure conditioned by an HVAC system; and comparing with one or more processors said temperature measurements from said first structure with outside temperature measurements over time to derive expected temperature measurements of a rate of change in inside temperature of said first structure when the HVAC system is in a first state of repair wherein the expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements and based at least in part on outside temperature measurements, wherein said one or more processors compares an inside temperature recorded inside the first structure with said expected temperature measurements to determine whether the operational efficiency of the HVAC system has decreased.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method as in claim 15 wherein said outside temperature measurements are for geographic regions such as ZIP codes from sources other than said HVAC system.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method in claim 15 further comprising communicating with a programmable thermostat associated with said HVAC system using the Internet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method as in claim 15 further comprising communicating with said HVAC system using a network that includes an electricity meter.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method as in claim 15 wherein a programmable thermostat associated with said HVAC system is the sole source for current data regarding temperature inside the first structure conditioned by said HVAC system.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method as in claim 15 further comprising whether the status of said HVAC system is “on” or “off”.

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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) 2014-09-12 2015-03-14 2015-09-13 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2018-09-12 2019-03-14 2019-09-13 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2022-09-12 2023-03-14 2023-09-13 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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