Residential heating cooling and energy management system
First Claim
1. A system for controlling the temperature of the interior of a building with a heat exchange fluid comprisingmeans for selectively modifying the temperature of said heat-exchange fluid:
- conduit means for conveying said heat-exchange fluid to various parts of said building and back to said means for modifying in a plurality of paths, said conduit means includinga fluid return chamber to which fluid from all of said parts of said building is returned and mixed,means at each of said various parts of said building for exchanging heat between said conduit means and the building interior, andselectively energizable means for forcibly circulating said heat exchange fluid through said conduit means to said parts of said building and back independently of the operation of said means for modifying;
sensing means positioned at said fluid return chamber for measuring the temperature of the mixed fluid therein; and
control means for controlling the operation of said means for modifying, said control means includingmeans for establishing a temperature set point representative of the temperature at which said interior of said building is to be maintainedmeans for periodically investigating the temperature of said fluid in said fluid return chamber as measured by said sensing means;
means operative to energize said means for circulating at selected times before investigating said temperature of said fluid; and
means for operating said temperature modifying means in response to a predetermined difference in a degraded direction between said set point and said temperature of said fluid measured at one of said selected times to change the temperature of said fluid and thereby the temperature of said interior of said building.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A residential HVAC system includes a heat pump having a compressor arranged to heat a domestic hot water vessel and to heat or cool a storage vessel which is connected to a heat exchanger within the residence. Temperature sensors are provided at critical locations throughout the system and current and voltage sensors are coupled to the power lines feeding the residence. A microprocessor controls the operation of the compressor and other components of the heat pump system in response to measured temperatures, in response to the level of energy supplied to the residence and in response to the existence of on- or off-peak time intervals to operate the compressor and/or resistive heating elements to condition the hot water and storage vessels for subsequent use and to control an interior fan to condition the space. Operation of the compressor is controlled during on-peak intervals as a function of the resident'"'"'s life style as reflected in power usage and requested comfort level.
55 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A system for controlling the temperature of the interior of a building with a heat exchange fluid comprising
means for selectively modifying the temperature of said heat-exchange fluid: -
conduit means for conveying said heat-exchange fluid to various parts of said building and back to said means for modifying in a plurality of paths, said conduit means including a fluid return chamber to which fluid from all of said parts of said building is returned and mixed, means at each of said various parts of said building for exchanging heat between said conduit means and the building interior, and selectively energizable means for forcibly circulating said heat exchange fluid through said conduit means to said parts of said building and back independently of the operation of said means for modifying; sensing means positioned at said fluid return chamber for measuring the temperature of the mixed fluid therein; and control means for controlling the operation of said means for modifying, said control means including means for establishing a temperature set point representative of the temperature at which said interior of said building is to be maintained means for periodically investigating the temperature of said fluid in said fluid return chamber as measured by said sensing means; means operative to energize said means for circulating at selected times before investigating said temperature of said fluid; and means for operating said temperature modifying means in response to a predetermined difference in a degraded direction between said set point and said temperature of said fluid measured at one of said selected times to change the temperature of said fluid and thereby the temperature of said interior of said building. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification