Ventilation System and Method

• US 20100044448A1
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tuckernuck Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tuckernuck Technology, LLC
• Inventors: WOLFSON, JASON
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/49.300
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2007/005 Cyclic ventilation, e.g. alternating air supply volume or reversing flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0002 for admittance of outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2012/008 cyclic routing supply and exhaust air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/003 in combination with air cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 Heat recovery units
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An amount of time that air has been delivered from an air handler to a space is tracked, and based on the tracked amount of time, at least one turn-on time or one turn-off time of the delivery of air from the air handler to the space is controlled. Other features relate, among other things, to controlling a replacement air vent, and to user interfaces.

Claims

1-81. -81. (canceled)

82. A method comprising

tracking an aggregate amount of time that air has been transferred into or out of a space during an air transfer period, wherein said aggregate amount comprises time during which a first condition is present in a device associated said space, and time during which the first condition is not present in said device, and

based on the tracked aggregate amount of time, controlling at least one turn-on time or one turn-off time of a fan that transfers air into or out of the space.

83. The method of claim 82 in which tracking the aggregate amount of time that air has been transferred comprises tracking the on time of an exhaust fan that removes air from said space during said air transfer period.

84. The method of claim 82 in which the controlling of the turn-on time or turn-off time is also based on an intended amount of time that air has been transferred between an air handler and a space.

85. A medium bearing instructions to cause a machine to

track an aggregate amount of time that air has been transferred into or out of a space during an air transfer period, wherein said aggregate amount comprises time during which a first condition is present in a device associated with said space, and time during which the first condition is not present in said device, and

based on the tracked aggregate amount of time, control at least one turn-on time or one turn-off time of a fan that transfers air into or out of the space.

86. Apparatus comprising

a controller to

track an aggregate amount of time that air has been transferred into or out of a space during an air transfer period, wherein said aggregate amount comprises time during which a first condition is present, in a device associated with said space and time during which the first condition is not present in said device, and

based on the tracked aggregate amount of time, control at least one turn-on time or one turn-off time of a fan that transfers air into or out of the space.

87. A method for controlling a fan in a building having a device controller for controlling a device, comprising:

(a) establishing a fan period length and a run time amount, the run time amount being less than the fan period length; and

(b) during a fan period having said fan period length;

(i) operating the fan during at least some portions of periods when the device controller is in a first state; and

(ii) if the time when the fan is operated while the device controller is in said first state during the fan period is less than the run time amount, operating the fan for additional periods when the device controller is not in the first state, such that the fan operation time during the fan period substantially equals the minimum run time amount.

88. The method of claim 87, wherein the fan comprises an exhaust fan.

89. The method of claim 87, wherein the fan blows heated or cooled air into a space in the building.

90. An apparatus comprising:

a first controller for controlling a fan that, during a predetermined fan period;

(a) operates the fan during at least some portions of periods when a second controller is in a first state;

(b) if the time when the fan is operated while the second controller is in said first state during the fan period is less than the run time amount, operates the fan for additional periods when the second controller is not in the first state, such that the fan operation time during the fan period substantially equals a predefined minimum run time amount.

91. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the fan comprises an exhaust fan.

92. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the fan blows heated or cooled air into a space in the building.

93. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the fan period and the run time amount are established by a user.

94. An medium bearing instructions to cause a first controller to control a fan during a predetermined fan period so that the first controller:

(a) operates the fan during at least some portions of periods when a second controller is in a first state;

(b) if the time when the fan is operated while the second controller is in said first state during the fan period is less than the run time amount, operates the fan for additional periods when the second controller is not in the first state, such that the fan operation time during the fan period substantially equals a predefined minimum run time amount.

95. The medium of claim 94, wherein the fan comprises an exhaust fan.

96. The medium of claim 94, wherein the fan blows heated or cooled air into a space in the building.

97. A fan controller comprising:

a processing system adapted to generate signals for controlling a fan and to receive signals;

an input device for inputting to said processing system a first amount specifying a first length of time and a second amount specifying a second length of time, said second length of time representing a portion of said first length of time; and

a control logic for controlling said processing system to, during a time period having a length equal to the first length of time;

substantially always operate said fan when a control device is in a first state; and

if said control device is in a first state during said time period for a total amount of time that is less than the second length of time, operate said fan for an additional amount of time when said control device is not in said first state, for a sufficient duration, so that the total fan operation time during said time period substantially equals the second length of time.

98. The controller of claim 97, wherein said fan is an exhaust fan for exhausting air from a confined space.

99. The apparatus of claim 97, wherein said second controller controls a heating or cooling system for an enclosed space, and wherein said first state is an on state for said heating or cooling system.

100. The controller of claim 97, wherein said first state of said control device corresponds to the on state of a device other than said fan.

101. The controller of claim 98, when said fan controller comprises said control device.