Method and apparatus for estimating the rate at which a gas is generated within a plurality of zones
First Claim
1. An apparatus for estimating the rate at which gas is generated in a plurality of zones, comprising:
- at least one sensor configured to measure values of selected environmental variables of at least two of the plurality of zones and generate signals representative of the values, the at least one sensor includes means for measuring the concentration of the gas in the incoming air of the at least two zones and the concentration of the gas in the at least two zones; and
a gas flow model circuit, operatively connected with the sensors, for receiving the signals from the sensors and generating an estimated gas generation rate value as a function of the values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for estimating the rate at which gas is generated in a plurality of zones is disclosed. It includes at least one sensor to measure values of environmental variables of at least two of the zones. Signals representative of the values are generated and provided to a gas flow model circuit. The circuit generates an estimated gas generation value, preferably of carbon dioxide, as a function of the values. The sensor preferably measures the concentration of the gas in the incoming air of the at least two zones and the concentration of the gas in the at least two zones, and may measure the concentration of the gas in the outgoing air of the at least two zones, the aggregate mass of the air in the at least two zones, or the aggregate flow of the incoming air of the at least two zones.
54 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An apparatus for estimating the rate at which gas is generated in a plurality of zones, comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to measure values of selected environmental variables of at least two of the plurality of zones and generate signals representative of the values, the at least one sensor includes means for measuring the concentration of the gas in the incoming air of the at least two zones and the concentration of the gas in the at least two zones; and a gas flow model circuit, operatively connected with the sensors, for receiving the signals from the sensors and generating an estimated gas generation rate value as a function of the values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for estimating the rate at which gas is generated in a plurality of zones, comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to measure values of selected environmental variables of at least two of the plurality of zones and generate signals representative of the values; and a gas flow model circuit, operatively connected with the sensors, for receiving the signals from the sensors and generating an estimated gas generation rate value as a function of the values, the gas flow model circuit generates an estimated carbon-dioxide generation rate value based upon time derivatives of the relationship expressed in the equation;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">y(t)=C(t)ω
(t)where C(t) is a output distribution matrix and ω
(t) is a mass concentration state vector.
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18. A method of estimating the rate at which gas is generated in a plurality of zones, comprising:
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measuring values of selected environmental variables of at least two of the plurality of zones, including the steps of measuring the concentration of the gas in the incoming air of the at least two zones and the concentration of the gas in the at least two zones; and generating an estimated gas generation rate value as a function of the values. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of estimating the rate at which gas is generated in a plurality of zones, comprising:
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measuring values of selected environmental variables of at least two of the plurality of zones; and generating an estimated gas generation rate value as a function of the values, including the step of estimating a carbon-dioxide generation rate value based upon time derivatives of the relationship expressed in the equation;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">y(t)=C(t)ω
(t)where C(t) is a output distribution matrix and ω
(t) is a mass concentration state vector.
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33. A building control system, comprising:
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a plurality of sensors disposed to sense values of specified environmental variables in a plurality of zones; and a controller, operatively connected with the plurality of sensors, configured to receive the values from the plurality of sensors and generate control signals responsive to the values, the controller including an interface circuit operatively connected with the plurality of sensors; a gas flow model circuit operatively connected with the interface circuit, the gas flow model circuit being configured to receive the values from the plurality of sensors through the interface circuit, the gas flow model circuit being further configured to generate, responsive to the values, an estimated aggregate gas generation rate value representative of the aggregate rate at which carbon dioxide is generated in the zones; processing and control means, operatively connected with the gas flow model, the processing and control means including a memory, the processing and control means being configured to receive the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value from the gas flow model circuit, to process the estimated gas generation rate value according to instructions stored in memory, compare the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value with a predetermined threshold rate, and to generate the control signals responsive to the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value, one of the control signals indicating the presence of an occupant in the zones when the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value is greater than the threshold rate. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A building control system, comprising:
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plurality of sensors disposed to sense values of specified environmental variables in a plurality of zones; and a controller, operatively connected with the plurality of sensors, configured to receive the values from the plurality of sensors and generate control signals responsive to the values, the controller including an interface circuit operatively connected with the plurality of sensors; a gas flow model circuit operatively connected with the interface circuit, the gas flow model circuit being configured to receive the values from the plurality of sensors through the interface circuit, the gas flow model circuit being further configured to generate, responsive to the values, an estimated aggregate gas generation rate value representative of the aggregate rate at which carbon dioxide is generated in the zones; processing and control means, operatively connected with the gas flow model, the processing and control means including a memory, the processing and control means being configured to receive the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value from the gas flow model circuit, to process the estimated gas generation rate value according to instructions stored in the memory, to generate the control signals responsive to the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value, and to generate an estimated number of occupants value based on the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A building control system, comprising:
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a plurality of sensors disposed to sense values of specified environmental variables in a plurality of zones; and a controller, operatively connected with the plurality of sensors, configured to receive the values from the plurality of sensors and generate control signals responsive to the values, the controller including an interface circuit operatively connected with the plurality of sensors; a gas flow model circuit operatively connected with the interface circuit, the gas flow model circuit being configured to receive the values from the plurality of sensors through the interface circuit, the gas flow model circuit being further configured to generate, responsive to the values, an estimated aggregate gas generation rate value representative of the aggregate rate at which carbon dioxide is generated in the zones; processing and control means, operatively connected with the gas flow model, the processing and control means including a memory, the processing and control means being configured to receive the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value from the gas flow model circuit, to process the estimated gas generation rate value according to instructions stored in the memory, to generate the control signals responsive to the estimated aggregate gas generation rate value, and to estimate a bodily heat production value responsive to a value representative of the number of occupants in the zones and the rate at which carbon dioxide is generated in the zones, the processing and control means being configured to generate the plurality of control signals responsive to the bodily heat production value.
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Specification