MULTI-ZONE INDOOR CLIMATE CONTROL AND A METHOD OF USING THE SAME
First Claim
1. An HVAC control system comprising:
- a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors capable of sensing at least one environmental condition in an associated HVAC zone; and
a controller, configured to receive sensed environmental conditions from the plurality of sensors; and
further configured to control an HVAC unit associated with at least two HVAC zones based on the sensed environmental signals from those at least two HVAC zones.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of conditioning air within a multi-zone system using a controller in communication with at least one sensor located within at least one of a plurality of zones, the method comprising the steps of: operating the at least one sensor to measure at least one environmental condition within at least one of the plurality of zones, identifying which, if any, of the plurality of zones is occupied, determining whether a demand condition exists within at least one occupied zone, calculating the difference between an actual environmental condition and a desired environmental condition within the plurality of zones to create a zone demand value if a demand condition exists in two or more occupied zones, and determining whether a cumulative zone demand value is equal to a zone balance point value.
9 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An HVAC control system comprising:
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a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors capable of sensing at least one environmental condition in an associated HVAC zone; and a controller, configured to receive sensed environmental conditions from the plurality of sensors; and
further configured to control an HVAC unit associated with at least two HVAC zones based on the sensed environmental signals from those at least two HVAC zones. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of conditioning air within a multi-zone system using a controller in communication with at least one sensor located within at least one of a plurality of zones, the method comprising the steps of:
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operating the at least one sensor to measure at least one environmental condition within at least one of the plurality of zones; identifying which, if any, of the plurality of zones is occupied; determining whether a demand condition exists within at least one occupied zone; calculating the difference between an actual environmental condition and a desired environmental condition within the plurality of zones to create a zone demand value if a demand condition exists in two or more occupied zones; and determining whether a cumulative zone demand value is equal to a zone balance point value. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of conditioning air within a multi-zone system using a controller in communication with at least one sensor located within at least one of a plurality of zones, the method comprising the steps of:
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operating the at least one of the sensors to measure at least one environmental condition within at least one of the plurality of zones; identifying which, if any, of the plurality of zones is occupied; determining whether a demand condition exists within at least one occupied zone; operating a least one HVAC component to condition air if the demand condition exists in one occupied zone; determining whether the demand condition has been satisfied; and determining whether an over-condition limit has been reached within at least one of the plurality of zones. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. An HVAC system configured to condition air within a multi-zone system, the HVAC system comprising:
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at least one HVAC component; at least one controller in communication with the at least one HVAC component; and at least one sensor located within at least one of a plurality of zones, wherein the at least one sensor is in communication with the controller; wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure at least one environmental condition within at least one of the plurality of zones. wherein the controller is configured to receive the at least one environmental condition from the at least one sensor, identify which, if any, of the plurality of zones is occupied, determine whether a demand condition exists within at least one occupied zone, calculate the difference between an actual environmental condition and a desired environmental condition within the plurality of zones to create a zone demand value if a demand condition exists in two or more occupied zones, and determine whether a cumulative zone demand value is equal to a zone balance point value. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification