Extensible networked multi-modal environment conditioning system

• US 10,323,849 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2016
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viswanathan, Mahesh
• Original Assignee: Viswanathan, Mahesh
• Inventors: Viswanathan, Mahesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iskra, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US15/292,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20170051926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 392407, 700275, 700291, 315159, 340 224, 340567, 340635
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 1/00 Stoves or ranges in which the fuel or energy supply is not restricted to solid fuel or to a type covered by a single one of the following groups F24C3/00 - F24C9/00; Stoves or ranges in which the type of fuel or energy supply is not specified
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 1/08 solely adapted for radiation heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 13/00 Electric heating systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1084 for air heating systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/00 Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/00 Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by F24F1/00 or F24F3/00 , e.g. using solar heat or combined with household units such as an oven or water heater
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A distributed, self-organizing environment conditioning system with adaptive and learning behaviors that provide localized and targeted climate conditioning such as, but not limited to, temperature and humidity control in indoor and outdoor settings and more particularly, to extensible networked multi-modal autonomous systems of heating units working together to efficiently target objects for selective environmental control.

Claims

1. A self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors, comprising:

a plurality of robotic targeting platforms;

a plurality of effectors configured to effect climate conditions within an environment, the effectors movable with the robotic targeting platforms;

a plurality of controllers configured to self-organize the locations of the plurality of robotic targeting platforms to enhance functionality through the sharing of information directly between each of the plurality of controllers using at least one of sensor data, functional capabilities, user preferences, location, and mapping of the plurality of robotic targeting platforms, the plurality of effectors, and the plurality of controllers to move at least one of the plurality of the robotic targeting platforms towards an animate object and control at least one of the plurality of effectors to focus climate conditioning towards the animate object only at a desired point of need.

2. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 comprising a plurality of sensors selected from a group consisting of temperature sensors, humidity measurement sensors, range finders, proximity sensors, and cliff sensors.

3. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 comprising a portable heater configured to project focused radiant heat at a distance greater than seven feet towards the animate object to focus climate conditioning only at a desired point of need.

4. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 comprising a tilt swivel tray affixed to the robotic targeting platform.

5. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 comprising a video camera.

6. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 5 comprising a human detection and tracking module using sequential video frames to identify motion of the animate object and predict the locus of motion of the animate object and move one of the plurality of robotic targeting platforms towards the moving animate object to target climate conditioning at the point of need of the moving animate object.

7. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 5 comprising a human detection and tracking module using sequential video frames to identify gestures that control the effectors to increase and decrease heating and cooling of the animate object.

8. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising a heating element having optical elements that focus electromagnetic radiation emitted by the heating element in a collimated beam and having a band stop filter that absorbs visible light and passes through infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

9. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising a laser producing wavelengths from 1,000 nm to 1,400 nm range to be absorbed by human tissue and produce a strong sensation of warmth.

10. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising halogen bulbs having optical elements selected from a group consisting of parabolic reflectors, lenses, Fresnel lenses, and band-stop filters to culminate the electromagnetic radiation produced.

11. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising a high resistance coil having optical elements selected from a group consisting of parabolic reflectors, lenses, Fresnel lenses, and band-stop filters to culminate the electromagnetic radiation produced.

12. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising an infrared light emitting diode having optical elements selected from a group consisting of parabolic reflectors and lenses to culminate the electromagnetic radiation produced.

13. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising a microwave source emitting unit having a waveguide to target electromagnetic radiation in a narrow beam.

14. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising at least one thermal store unit movable with one of the plurality robotic targeting platforms.