EXTENSIBLE NETWORKED MULTI-MODAL ENVIRONMENT CONDITIONING SYSTEM

• US 20130259456A1
• Filed: 03/30/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mahesh Viswanathan
• Original Assignee: Mahesh Viswanathan
• Inventors: Viswanathan, Mahesh
• Granted Patent: US 9,500,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 392/407
• 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. An extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system, comprising:

at least one control unit;

at least one electromagnetic radiation unit; and

wherein at least one control unit directs the electromagnetic radiation unit to a moving animate object and radiates the animate object only at a desired point of need area to selectively adjust the body temperature of the animate object.

2. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising at least one robotic platform unit.

3. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising at least one thermal store unit.

4. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising a monitoring unit that tracks at least one of temperature, humidity, shade, air circulation, air quality and odors.

5. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising a rechargeable battery system.

6. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the at least one control unit communicates with at least another control unit to self-organize, share information and enhance functionality over the environmental setting of the control units.

7. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 6 wherein the shared information is one of at least sensor data, list of capabilities, user preferences, historic environmental data and dynamically generated maps of the settings.

8. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation unit is one of at least a laser electromagnetic radiation unit, a spot electromagnetic radiation unit, a wire electromagnetic radiation unit, an infrared light emitting diode electromagnetic radiation unit and a microwave source electromagnetic radiation unit.

9. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation unit radiates a target at a range of 3 meters to 4.5 meters (10 feet to 15 feet).

10. The extensible networked multi-modal autonomous environment conditioning system of claim 1 wherein at least one control unit detects an animate object by tracking motion of the object through gestures.

11. A method of thermally conditioning an environment, comprising the steps of:

mapping a setting;

detecting movement of an animate object through gestures within the setting;

determining a point of need on the animate object;

directing electromagnetic radiation to the point of need;

adjusting the body temperature of the animate object based on sensing of environmental conditions.

12. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 11 further comprising the step of moving the electromagnetic radiation source towards the animate object using a robotic platform unit.

13. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 11 further comprising the step of moving a thermal store unit towards the animate object using a robotic platform unit.

14. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 11 further comprising the step of monitoring one of at least temperature, humidity, shade, air circulation, air quality and odors.

15. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 12 further comprising the step of recharging one of at least the electromagnetic radiation source and the robotic platform unit.

16. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 11 further comprising the step of communicating with at least one control unit to self-organize, share information and enhance functionality over the environmental setting(s) they are in.

17. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 16 further comprising the step of communicating shared information that is one of at least sensor data, list of capabilities, user preferences, historic environmental data and dynamically generated maps of the settings.

18. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 11 further comprising the step of directing electromagnetic radiation to the point of need using one of at least a laser electromagnetic radiation unit, a spot electromagnetic radiation unit, a wire electromagnetic radiation unit, an infrared light emitting diode electromagnetic radiation unit and a microwave source electromagnetic radiation unit.

19. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 11 further comprising the step of directing the electromagnetic radiation to a point of need that is at a distance from the electromagnetic radiation source in a range of 3 meters to 4.5 meters (10 feet to 15 feet).

20. A method of thermally conditioning an environment of claim 18 further comprising the step of reducing the intensity of the laser electromagnetic radiation unit using direct diodes and beam splitters and spreading the beam to maintain the beam at intensities within eye safety levels.