Method for controlling HVAC units

• US 6,402,043 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cockerill, John F.
• Original Assignee: Cockerill, John F.
• Inventors: Cockerill, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): WAYNER, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US09/981,562
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: 236/46.R, 236/91.F, 236/49.3, 236/78.D, 237/8.R, 700/30, 700/278, 165/11.1
• US Class Current: 236/78.00D
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller

Abstract

The method for adjusting the temperature set point of a HVAC unit and activating and deactivating the HVAC unit utilizes one sensor to periodically determine the thermostat activity in a controlled environment and a second sensor to measure the temperature of a transfer medium output from said HVAC system. A microprocessor receives, stores and processes information from the two sensors and is connected to and controls the HVAC unit. The first sensor records thermostat activity for the controlled environment at set intervals over a defined time period and they are stored in the microprocessor. An actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment is created by the microprocessor, based on said recorded thermostat activity. The actual HVAC demand model is compared to an ideal HVAC demand model and a temperature change factor is calculated. Then, the optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is determined, based on said temperature change factor. The microprocessor adjusts the actual temperature set point of the HVAC unit to the optimum temperature set point. In addition, the microprocessor continuously monitors the temperature of the transfer medium of said HVAC unit. This temperature is compared to the temperature set point for the HVAC unit. The microprocessor generates a signal to the HVAC unit for activating it when the temperature of the transfer medium deviates from the temperature set point by more than the temperature set point range differential. The HVAC unit is turned off by the microprocessor when the temperature of the transfer medium returns to the temperature set point.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the temperature set point of a HVAC unit and activating and deactivating said HVAC, comprising the steps of:

A. recording thermostat activations for a controlled environment at set intervals over a defined time period;

B. creating an ideal HVAC demand model for said controlled environment;

C. at the conclusion of said defined time period,

1. creating an actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment, based on said recorded thermostat activations;

2. comparing said actual HVAC demand model to said ideal HVAC demand model and determining a temperature change factor;

3. calculating an optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit, based on said temperature change factor; and

4. adjusting an actual temperature set point for said HVAC to said optimum temperature set point;

D. continuously monitoring temperature of a transfer medium of said HVAC unit;

E. comparing said temperature of said transfer medium to said temperature set point;

F. activating said HVAC unit when said temperature of said transfer medium deviates from said temperature set point by more than a temperature set point range differential; and

G. deactivating said HVAC unit when said temperature of said transfer medium returns to a temperature equivalent to said temperature set point.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein thermostat activation in said controlled environment are recorded every five seconds for ninety minutes.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment is calculated by determining a ratio of a total number of activation settings of said thermostat to the total number of recordings of said thermostat.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment is calculated by determining a ratio of a total number of activation settings of said thermostat to the total number of recordings of said thermostat.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the total number of recordings of the thermostat is 1080.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to ten times a degree variable times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

7. A method according to claim 2, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

8. A method according to claim 3, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to ten times a degree variable times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

9. A method according to claim 4, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

10. A method according to claim 5, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

11. A method for adjusting the temperature set point of a HVAC unit and activating and deactivating said HVAC unit, utilizing a first sensor periodically determining the thermostat setting in a controlled environment, a second sensor measuring the temperature of a transfer medium output from said HVAC unit, and a microprocessor receiving, storing and processing information from said first and second sensors and connected to and controlling said HVAC unit, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

A. recording thermostat activations for said controlled environment at set intervals over a defined time period by means of said first sensor and storing data in said microprocessor;

B. creating an ideal HVAC demand model for said controlled environment and storing said ideal HVAC model in said microprocessor;

C. at the conclusion of said defined time period,

1. creating an actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment, based on said recorded thermostat activations, and storing said actual HVAC demand model in said microprocessor;

2. comparing said actual HVAC demand model to said ideal HVAC demand model and determining a temperature change factor by means of said microprocessor;

3. calculating an optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit, based on said temperature change factor, by means of said microprocessor; and

4. generating a signal from said microprocessor to said HVAC unit for adjusting an actual temperature set point for said HVAC unit to said optimum temperature set point;

D. continuously monitoring temperature of said transfer medium of said HVAC unit by means of said second sensor and storing said temperature of said transfer medium in said microprocessor;

E. comparing said temperature of said transfer medium to said temperature set point by means of said microprocessor;

F. generating a signal from said microprocessor to said HVAC unit for activating said HVAC unit when said temperature of said transfer medium deviates from said temperature set point by more than a temperature set point range differential;

G. generating a signal from said microprocessor to said HVAC unit for deactivating said HVAC unit when said temperature of said transfer medium returns to a temperature equivalent to said temperature set point.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the thermostat activation in said controlled environment are recorded every five seconds for ninety minutes.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment is calculated by determining a ratio of a total number of activations of said thermostat to the total number of recordings of said thermostat.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment is calculated by determining a ratio of a total number of activations of said thermostat to the total number of recordings of said thermostat.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the total number of recordings of the thermostat is 1080.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to ten times a degree variable times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to ten times a degree variable times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

21. A method according to claim 11, wherein the ideal HVAC demand model is created, based on external environmental conditions.

22. A device for adjusting the temperature set point of a HVAC unit and activating and deactivating said HVAC, comprising:

A. a first sensor periodically determining thermostat activations in a controlled environment over a defined time period;

B. a second sensor measuring temperature of a transfer medium output from said HVAC unit; and

C. a microprocessor receiving, storing and processing information from said first and second sensors, connected to and controlling said HVAC unit, and connected to said first and second sensors; and

, wherein said microprocessor

1. records thermostat activations for said controlled environment at set intervals generated by said first sensor;

2. creates an ideal HVAC demand model for said controlled environment,

3. creates an actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment, based on said recorded thermostat activations from said first sensor, at the conclusion of said defined time period,

4. compares said actual HVAC demand model to said ideal HVAC demand model and determines a temperature change factor,

5. calculates an optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit, based on said temperature change factor,

6. adjusts an actual temperature set point for said HVAC unit to said optimum temperature set point,

7. continuously monitors said temperature of said transfer medium output from said HVAC unit received from said second sensor,

8. compares said temperature of said transfer medium to said temperature set point,

9. activates said HVAC unit when said temperature of said transfer medium deviates from said temperature set point by more than a temperature set point range differential, and

10. deactivates said HVAC unit when said temperature of said transfer medium returns to a temperature equivalent to said temperature set point.

23. A method for adjusting the temperature set point of a HVAC unit, utilizing a sensor periodically determining the thermostat setting in a controlled environment, and a microprocessor receiving, storing and processing information from said sensor and connected to and controlling said HVAC unit, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

A. recording thermostat activations for said controlled environment at set intervals over a defined time period by means of said sensor and storing data in said microprocessor;

B. creating an ideal HVAC demand model for said controlled environment and storing said ideal HVAC model in said microprocessor; and

C. at the conclusion of said defined time period,

1. creating an actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment, based on said recorded thermostat activations, and storing said actual HVAC demand model in said microprocessor;

2. comparing said actual HVAC demand model to said ideal HVAC demand model and determining a temperature change factor by means of said micropressor;

3. calculating an optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit, based on said temperature change factor, by means of said microprocessor; and

4. generating a signal from said microprocessor to said HVAC unit for adjusting an actual temperature set point for said HVAC unit to said optimum temperature set point.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the thermostat activation in said controlled environment are recorded every five seconds for ninety minutes.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein the actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment is calculated by determining a ratio of a total number of activations of said thermostat to the total number of recordings of said thermostat.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the actual HVAC demand model for said controlled environment is calculated by determining a ratio of a total number of activations of said thermostat to the total number of recordings of said thermostat.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the total number of recordings of the thermostat is 1080.

28. A method according to claim 23, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to ten times a degree variable times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

29. A method according to claim 24, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

30. A method according to claim 25, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to ten times a degree variable times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

31. A method according to claim 26, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

32. A method according to claim 27, wherein said temperature change factor is equal to said actual HVAC demand model minus said ideal HVAC demand model, and said optimum temperature set point for said HVAC unit is equal to twenty times said temperature change factor plus a current temperature set point, wherein a positive temperature change factor indicates an increase in the temperature set point and a negative temperature change factor indicates a decrease in the temperature set point.

33. A method according to claim 23, wherein the ideal HVAC demand model is created, based on internal and/or external environmental conditions.