Interior atmosphere control system

• US 5,259,553 A
• Filed: 11/13/1992
• Issued: 11/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NORM Pacific Automation Corporation
• Original Assignee: NORM Pacific Automation Corporation
• Inventors: Shyu, Jia-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US07/976,283
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 236/49.1, 236/49.3, 236/91 R, 236/91 C, 236/91 D, 236/44 C, 236/46 R, 236/47, 62/78, 62/176.6, 62/182, 165/16, 73/865.1, 73/865.6, 454/256, 454/258
• US Class Current: 236/49.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/022 comprising a compressor cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/22 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/40 Pressure, e.g. wind pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/52 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/60 Odour
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/70 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/76 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/80 Electric charge
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/20 Sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/30 Artificial light
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/54 Heating and cooling, simultaneously or alternatively
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/10 by separation, e.g. by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/30 by ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 : characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 : Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An interior atmosphere control system contains a group of sensors to detect/measure indoor and outdoor air temperature, humidity, air pressure, oxygen content, carbon-dioxide content, static electric charge, indoor wall temperature, sound and light. These measured results, through a signal transfer interface, are sent to a microcomputer which also accepts a user'"'"'s command as input data through a user'"'"'s interface. The microcomputer, based on a monitor/control program and data prestored in its memory unit, the sensed values, and the user'"'"'s command, will then execute the necessary calculation, comparison and decision, and output adequate time variant control signals, through an output interface, to actuate a series of actuators to adjust the indoor temperature, humidity, air pressure, oxygen content, carbon-dioxide content, wind speed, static electric charge, magnetic field, sound, odor, and light which will generate different atmospheric modes, for example, to make people feel comfortable, refreshed, awakened, energetic, sleepy, uneasy, or even frightened. Above all, these feelings are promoted on the basis of the natural balance of human body, such as heat release and perspiration, by adjusting, the room temperature, humidity, wind speed and other factors.

Claims

1. An atmosphere control system for an interior space, comprising:

means for sensing values of each of a first plurality of environmental characteristics of the interior space and each of a second plurality of environmental characteristics of an exterior space, wherein the first plurality of characteristics includes at least temperature and humidity of air in the interior space, and wherein the second plurality of characteristics includes at least temperature and humidity of air in the exterior space;

means for changing at least the temperature and humidity of the interior air;

means for storing a plurality of sets of possible values of the first plurality of characteristics, including possible values of the temperature and humidity of the interior air, each possible value set corresponding to a different one of a plurality of physiological/psychological effects on occupants of the interior space, the plurality of physiological/psychological effects including at least one of promoting a feeling of comfort, promoting a feeling of refreshment and promoting concentration; and

means, responsive to the values sensed by said sensing means and a selection of any one of the plurality of physiological/psychological effects, for controlling said changing means to change the values of the first plurality of characteristics to values in the set which corresponds to the selected effect, thereby to obtain the selected effect.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said storing means stores possible value sets respectively corresponding to the effect of promoting a feeling of comfort, the effect of promoting a feeling of refreshment and the effect of promoting concentration.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the sets of possible values stored in said storing means includes a set of possible values corresponding to one of the physiological/psychological effect of promoting drowsiness, the physiological/psychological effect of promoting uneasiness, and the physiological/psychological effect of promoting fright.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of characteristics includes at least one of three environmental characteristics, the three environmental characteristics including pressure of the interior air, oxygen content of the interior air and carbon dioxide content of the interior air.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said means for changing comprises means for changing a value of said at least one of three environmental characteristics.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the values sensed by said sensing means includes values of air pressure in the interior space and air pressure in the exterior space, and said means for changing comprises means for changing the air pressure in the interior space.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensing means includes means for sensing movement of a human body in the interior space.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for changing comprises means for changing at least one of brightness and color of light in the interior space, oxygen content of the interior air, air flow speed of the interior air, an amount of air exchanged between the interior space and the exterior space, odor of the interior air, sound in the interior space, static electric charge in the interior space, magnetic field in the interior space, an interior wall temperature in the interior space.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling comprises means for controlling said changing means to modulate the temperature and humidity of the interior air so that the temperature of the interior air is increased and decreased while the humidity of the interior air is being respectively decreased and increased, in such a manner as to provide a comfortable heat dissipation rate and stimulation of the skin of persons in the interior space.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises means for automatically and smoothly switching from control according to one set of possible values stored by said storing means to control according to another set of possible values stored by said storing means.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of physiological/psychological effects includes promoting a feeling of comfort, said means for changing comprising means for changing brightness of light in the interior space and an amount of exchange of air between the interior space and the exterior space, the set of possible values corresponding to promoting a feeling of comfort including ranges of temperature and humidity of the interior air, brightness of the light in the interior space, and amount of exchange of air between the interior space and the exterior space, said means for controlling comprising means for controlling said changing means to modulate the temperature and humidity of the interior air sinusoidally.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of physiological/psychological effects includes promoting a feeling of refreshment, said means for changing comprising means for changing odor in the interior space and an amount of exchange of air between the interior space and the exterior space, the set of possible values corresponding to promoting a feeling of refreshment including ranges of temperature and humidity of the interior air, and amount of exchange of air between the interior space and the exterior space, said means for controlling comprising means for controlling said changing means to modulate the temperature and humidity of the interior air sinusoidally.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of physiological/psychological effects includes promoting concentration, the values sensed by said sensing means further including values of air pressure in the interior space and air pressure in the exterior space, said means for changing comprising means for changing the brightness of light and the air pressure in the interior space and an amount of exchange of air between the interior space and the exterior space, the set of possible values corresponding to promoting concentration including possible ranges of temperature and humidity of the interior air, brightness of the light in the interior space, and amount of exchange of air between the interior space, and amount of exchange of air between the interior space and the exterior space, said means for controlling comprising means for controlling said changing means to modulate the temperature and humidity of the interior air sinusoidally and maintain the air pressure in the interior space higher than the air pressure in the exterior space.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of physiological/psychological effects includes promoting a feeling of drowsiness, said means for changing comprising means for changing brightness of light in the interior space and carbon dioxide content of the interior air, the set of possible values corresponding to promoting a feeling of drowsiness including possible ranges of carbon dioxide content, temperature and relative humidity of the interior air, and the brightness of light in the interior space.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the possible range of temperature is 23-27 C., the possible range of carbon dioxide content is 0.1 to 0.5%, the possible range of relative humidity is 50-70%, and the brightness of light is low.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of physiological/psychological effects includes promoting uneasiness, the values sensed by said sensing means further including values of air pressure in the interior space and air pressure in the exterior space, said means for changing comprising means for changing the air pressure in the interior space, the set of possible values corresponding to promoting uneasiness including possible ranges of temperature and relative humidity of the interior air, said means for controlling comprising means for controlling said changing means to maintain the air pressure in the interior space lower than the air pressure in the exterior space.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the possible range of temperature is 25-32 C., the possible range of carbon dioxide content is 0.1 to 0.5%, and the possible range of relative humidity is 70-85%.

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of physiological/psychological effects includes promoting fright, the values sensed by said sensing means further including values of air pressure in the interior space and air pressure in the exterior space, said means for changing comprising means for changing brightness of light in the interior space and the air pressure in the interior space, the set of possible values corresponding to promoting fright including possible ranges of temperature and humidity, and brightness of light, said means for controlling comprising means for controlling said changing means to maintain the air pressure in the interior space lower than the air pressure in the exterior space and to modulate the brightness of light in the interior space.

19. A system according to claim 10, wherein said means for changing comprising means for discharging an insecticide or a disinfectant into the interior air, and means for exchanging air between the interior space and the exterior space, said controlling means including means for controlling said discharging means to discharge the insecticide or disinfectant and for automatically controlling said exchanging means to exchange air between the interior space and the exterior space only after a predetermined period of time following the discharge the insecticide or disinfectant.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein the values sensed by said sensing means includes a number of persons occupying the interior space.

21. An atmosphere control system for an interior space, comprising:

means for sensing each of a first plurality of environment characteristics of the interior space and each of a second plurality of environmental characteristics of an exterior space, wherein the first plurality of characteristics includes at least temperature and humidity of the air in the interior space, and wherein the second plurality of characteristics includes at least temperature and humidity of air in the exterior space, said sensing means generating signals respectively corresponding to the sensed characteristics;

means for changing at least the temperature and humidity of the interior air; and

means, responsive to a selection signal and the signals generated by said generating means, for controlling said changing means to modulate the interior air temperature and humidity so that the interior air temperature is increased and decreased while the interior humidity is being respectively decreased and increased, in such a manner as to provide a comfortable heat dissipation rate, and stimulation of the skin, of any persons in the interior space.

22. An atmosphere control system for an interior space, comprising:

means for sensing each of a first plurality of environmental characteristics of the interior space and each of a second plurality of environmental characteristics of an exterior space, wherein the first plurality of characteristics includes at least temperature, humidity and pressure of air in the interior space, and wherein the second plurality of characteristics includes at least temperature, pressure and humidity of air in the exterior space, said sensing means generating signals respectively corresponding to the sensed characteristics;

means for changing at least the temperature, humidity and pressure of the interior air, and for changing brightness of light in the interior space;

means for controlling said changing means; and

means storing a plurality of algorithms, each algorithm corresponding to a control of the first plurality of characteristics to provide one of a plurality of different physiological/psychological effects on occupants of the interior space, the plurality of physiological/psychological effects including at least promoting a feeling of comfort, promoting a feeling of refreshment, promoting concentration and promoting a feeling of drowsiness, said controlling means being responsive to a selection of any one of said algorithms to control said changing means, and thereby the first plurality of characteristics, according to the selected algorithm.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the first plurality of characteristics includes carbon dioxide content of the interior air, said means for changing including means for changing the carbon dioxide content of the interior air, and the plurality of physiological/psychological effects includes promoting a feeling of uneasiness and promoting a feeling of fright.