Automatic temperature and humidity regulation – High and low temperature alternate
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-09-18
Wayner, William (Department: 3744)
Automatic temperature and humidity regulation
High and low temperature alternate
C062S296000, C181S175000, C381S324000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290140
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of energy management systems and, in particular, to the field of energy management systems for buildings having a plurality of individually controlled spaces.
II. Prior Art
During normal operation of an air conditioner air is forced over a coil while the air conditioner is in operation in order to permit the coil to absorb thermal energy from the air thereby cooling the air. However, it is also known in the prior art to continue to blow air over the coil after operation of the air conditioner terminates until the coil reaches ambient temperature. This decreases wasted energy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The energy management system and method of the present invention manages energy usage by an energy consuming system The energy consuming system managed by management system and method of the present invention manages the energy consuming device by determining a plurality of parameters within the controlled space in order to reduce energy waste during heating and cooling of the controlled space. The controlled space can be one of a plurality of differing independently controllable spaces. For example, the controlled space can be a single room in a hotel wherein each such hotel room must be well controlled in order to avoid any periods of guest discomfort. Additionally, the control must be performed in a manner that does not cause any disturbance to an occupant of the controlled space.
For example, the present invention can determine the temperature settings of the controlled space as well as changes in temperature settings, or setbacks. Additionally, the hysteresis or span of the energy consuming device can be determined by the present invention. Furthermore, the energy management system of the present invention gives priority to the comfort of any occupants of the controlled space when controlling the energy usage of the controlled space since it is advantageously applied to buildings such as hotels where guest comfort is very important. The control logic of the system and method of the present invention can be applied to the various energy consuming devices of the controlled space on a priority basis.
The present invention can use parameters in addition to temperature settings in order to perform its control functions. For example, time of day, day of week, month, day of month, season of year, ingress and egress, window opening and closing, change in status, occupancy state, circadian rhythm of occupant, ambient noise level, light level, energy consumption, temperature drift rate and direction, rate of energy consumption, utility tariffs, humidity, and environment or weather can also be used in performing the control functions. The weather information can come, for example, from local weather instruments, data input, or the internet.
Additionally, by making use of card keys that can open a door of the controlled space it is possible to distinguish different types of individuals who enter the controlled space. For example, in a hotel it is possible to distinguish between guests and staff entering the controlled space according to the card key used. Therefore, occupant identification can also be used as system parameter in the present invention.
One way for the system of the present invention to increase the comfort level of the occupant of a controlled space is to reduce the perception of the noise coming from a heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) system. This is partly accomplished by reducing the frequency of the changes in the HVAC equipment noise levels. The frequency of the changes in HVAC noise levels can be reduced, for example, by increasing the control span of the energy consuming system managed by the system of the present invention.
Reduction of the noise perception of an occupant is also accomplished by reducing the changes in the noise levels of the HVAC equipment. The reduction in the changes in HVAC equipment noise level is obtained by masking the changes in noise levels created by on/off state transitions of the HVAC equipment. Masking the changes in noise level while the occupant is sleeping, and thereby reducing the noise perceived by the occupant, can cause the occupant to be awakened less frequently than with a standard on/off thermostatic control of the space.
The noise masking method of the present invention is effective to reduce the noise perceived by an occupant of the controlled space because individuals become accustomed to a constant level of ambient noise in a space they occupy. Noise sensitivity, or noise perception, by an individual can thus be related to the relative magnitude of changes in the ambient noise level once the individual becomes accustomed to a constant noise level. Greater changes in the noise level are more readily noticed by the individual than smaller ones.
Noise masking in accordance with the present invention can be advantageously performed any time that an occupant is present within the controlled space. Alternately, it can be performed only when the occupant is in the controlled space and is determined to be resting or sleeping. When the controlled space is unoccupied, or when the controlled space is occupied but the occupant is not resting or sleeping, the most energy efficient control method can take priority over noise reduction methods in order to reduce energy consumption.
In addition to providing further sleeping comfort using noise reduction, the method of the present invention enhances sleeping comfort using the natural circadian rhythm of the occupant. In this feature of the present invention changes in setback temperatures can be provided in accordance with the normal daily changes in the body temperature of the occupant. This feature of the present invention can also reduce energy consumption during occupied periods while adding to the comfort of the occupant and the ability of the occupant to sleep.
Additionally, the system and method of the present invention make use of ambient energy in controlling energy consumption within the controlled space. In order to perform this function the present invention is provided with an enthalpy system that can inhibit the use of any energy consuming devices. The enthalpy system inhibits the energy use when the measured natural direction of temperature change, or temperature drift, is the same as the desired direction of temperature change.
The system of the present invention determines the current natural direction of temperature change by repeatedly measuring the ambient temperature of the controlled space. This makes it possible to track the rate of temperature change as well as the direction of temperature change. If the natural direction of the ambient temperature change is the same as the desired direction, the system inhibits HVAC activation unless it is overridden by other predetermined conditions.
The determination to override the HVAC inhibit feature when the control direction and the natural direction are the same can be made according to many considerations. The considerations are mostly, but not exclusively, related to the comfort of the occupant. The override considerations can include occupancy of the controlled space, whether the occupant is in a rest or sleep state, the duration and rate of the ambient temperature change, and the time required to reach the desired temperature range using the natural temperature drift. Emergency conditions such as freezing and other predetermined emergencies can also be considered before inhibiting the HVAC equipment.
The system of the present invention establishes a band of control in addition to the span of control. The band of control can be selected to include or exclude the span of control and to extend predetermined amounts above and below the span of control. Furthermore, the band of control is determined by the logic of the energy management system of the present invention to save energy and to provide occupant comfort. When the controlled space is determined to be within the band of control no further energy is applied to the
Capper, Jr. Robert N.
Gross Allan B.
Gross Brian E.
Kielburger Erich F.
Pesko Leonard B.
Caesar Rivise Bernstein Cohen & Pokotilow Ltd.
EnergyIQ Systems, Inc.
Wayner William
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