Smart control strategy for regulating a temperature controller

• US 6,522,954 B1
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Christoph Kummerer, Norbert Kummerer
• Original Assignee: Christoph Kummerer, Norbert Kummerer
• Inventors: Kummerer, Norbert, Kummerer, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US09/360,653
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/278, 700/299, 700/300, 700/306, 700/32-35, 702/99, 702/130, 236/91.R, 236/91.D, 236/91.F, 236/93.R
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

A smart control strategy/system for regulating a temperature controller for supplying or exhausting heat to/from a room, object or the like. The actual temperature of a room, object or the like requiring temperature control is prompted to dither between a specifiable maximum and specifiable minimum temperature setpoint by signaling the temperature controller periodically on/off. The profile of the actual temperature is continually monitored and the changes in the profile of the actual temperature resulting as a reaction to ON/OFF of the temperature controller are made use of to determine optimum ON/OFF points in time of the temperature controller.

Claims

1. A smart control strategy for regulating a temperature controller for supplying or exhausting heat to/from a room, object or fluid in which a maximum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MAX) and a minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MIN) is specified and the time profile of the actual temperature of the room, object or fluid is regularly measured, comprising the following steps:

a) defining an nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) at which the temperature controller is to be signaled ON,

b) defining an nth OFF point in time (t-OFF(n)) at which the temperature controller is to be signaled OFF,

c) sensing the two nth extreme values (actual-MAX(n) and actual-MIN(n)) resulting after ON of the temperature controller in the actual temperature profile in which the actual temperature has a local minimum and a local maximum,

d) determining the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)),

e) determining the optimum nth ON/OFF points in time (t-optON(n) and t-optOFF(n)) from the values of the nth OFF point in time (t-OFF(n)) and the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)), the two nth extreme values (actual-MAX(n) and actual-MIN(n)) in the temperature profile and the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) at which for the nth extreme value (actual-MAX(n)) a local maximum in the temperature profile equaling the specified maximum temperature setpoint (setpoint MAX(n)) and for the nth extreme value (actual-MIN(n)) a local minimum in the temperature profile equaling the specified minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint MIN(n)) is attained,

f) incrementing n by 1 and repeating the steps a) to f) taking into account the determined nth ON/OFF points in time (t-optON(n) and t-optOFF(n)) as well as the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) in establishing the n+1 ON/OFF points in time (t-ON(n+1) and t-OFF(n+1)).

2. The control strategy as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that with no change in the temperature setpoints (setpoint-MAX/MIN) the n+1th ON point in time (t-ON(n+1)) is set equal to the optimum nth ON point in time (t-optON(n)) and/or the n+1th OFF point in time (t-OFF(n+1)) is set equal to the optimum nth OFF point in time (t-optOFF(n)).

3. The control strategy as set forth in claim 1, characterized by in addition establishing the time interval between the ON point in time (t-ON(n)) and the local minimum (actual-MIN(n)) when the temperature controller is used for heating or, respectively between the ON point in time (t-ON(n)) and the local maximum (actual-MAX(n)) when the temperature controller is used for cooling, and taking into account this time interval when defining the n+1th OFF point in time t-OFF(n+1)).

4. The control strategy as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that for defining the n+1th ON point in time (t-ON(n+1)) at least the three values of the nth, n−

1th and n−

2th optimum ON point in time (t-optON(n), t-optON(n−

1) and t-optON(−

2)) are arranged in size and the mean value selected as the value for the n+1th ON point in time (t-ON(n+1)).

5. The control strategy as set forth in claims 1 characterized in that for defining the n+1th OFF point in time (t-OFF(n+1)) at least the three values of the nth, n−

1th and n−

2th optimum OFF point in time (t-optOFF(n), t-optOFF(−

1) and t-optOFF(−

2)) are arranged in size and the mean value selected as the value for the n+1th OFF point in time (t-OFF(n+1)).

6. The control strategy as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that a limit value is specified for the 1^st derivation of the temperature profile with time at the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) which when violated results in the values measured thereafter for defining the optimum ON/OFF points in time (t-optON(n) and t-optOFF(n)), until the occurrence of a temperature drop below an absolute temperature value or a change in the temperature profile, no longer being taken into account.

7. The control strategy as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the user of the strategy merely needs to specify one temperature setpoint from which the values of the maximum and minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MAX and setpoint-MIN) are defined.

8. The control strategy as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the temperature setpoints (setpoint-MAX and setpoint-MIN) as well as the nth ON/OFF points in time (t-ON(n) and t-OFF(n)) defined lastly relative to said setpoints (setpoint-MAX and setpoint-MIN) are memorized in a memory unit and that when there is a change in the temperature setpoints (setpoint-MAX and setpoint-MIN) the memory is checked to see whether the nth ON/OFF points in time (t-ON(n) and t-OFF(n)) are already memorized for the changed temperature setpoints (setpoint-MAX and setpoint-MIN) which are then taken over as the ON/OFF points in time for the first cycle of the control strategy with the new setpoints.

9. The control strategy as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the nth ON/OFF points in time (t-ON(n) and (t-OFF(n)) are defined by means of a central analyzer/control unit with which corresponding control commands for signaling the temperature controller ON/OFF are also generated.

10. The control strategy as set forth in claim 9, characterized in that said control commands are transmitted from said central analyzer/control unit to said temperature controller wireless.

11. The control strategy as set forth in claim 9, characterized in that said control commands are transmitted from said central analyzer/control unit to said temperature controller wired.

12. A smart control strategy for regulating a temperature controller for supplying or exhausting heat to/from a room, object or fluid in which a maximum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MAX) and a minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MIN) is specified and the time profile of the actual temperature of the room, object or fluid is regularly measured, comprising the following steps:

a) defining an nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) at which the temperature controller is to be signaled ON,

b) defining an nth OFF point in time (t-OFF(n)) at which the temperature controller is to be signaled OFF,

c) sensing the two nth extreme values (actual-MAX(n) and actual-MIN(n)) resulting after ON of the temperature controller in the actual temperature profile in which the actual temperature has a local minimum and a local maximum,

d) determining the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)),

e) determining the optimum nth ON/OFF points in time (t-optON(n) and t-optOFF(n)) from the values of the nth OFF point in time (t-OFF(n)) and the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)), the two nth extreme values (actual-MAX(n) and actual-MIN(n)) in the temperature profile and the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) at which for the nth extreme value (actual-MAX(n)) a local maximum in the temperature profile equaling the specified maximum temperature setpoint (setpoint MAX(n)) and for the nth extreme value (actual-MIN(n)) a local minimum in the temperature profile equaling the specified minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint MIN(n)) is attained,

f) incrementing n by 1 and repeating the steps a) to f) taking into account the determined nth ON/OFF points in time (t-optON(n) and t-optOFF(n)) as well as the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) in establishing the n+1 ON/OFF points in time (t-ON(n+1)) and t-OFF(n+1)),

wherein after ON of the temperature controller at the ON point in time (t-ON(n)) the 1st derivation of the temperature profile is continually sensed with time and the temperature controller is signaled OFF only when

timeout of the defined OFF point in time (t-OFF(n)) is attained and

a local minimum (actual-MIN(n)) and local maximum (actual-MAX(n)) has occurred in the heating temperature profile and cooling temperature profile respectively, and

the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time is greater or smaller than a specified value in hearing and cooling respectively, and

the actual temperature is greater than the minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MIN) and smaller than the maximum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MAX) in heating and cooling respectively.

13. The control strategy as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that no OFF point in time (t-OFF(n)) is defined, and that instead, after ON of the temperature controller at the ON point in time (t-ON(n)) the 1st derivation of the temperature profile is continually defined with time and the temperature controller signaled OFF only when

a local minimum (actual-MIN(n)) or local maximum (actual-MAX(n)) has occurred in the heating temperature profile and cooling temperature profile respectively, and

the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time is greater or smaller than a specified value in heating and cooling respectively, and

the actual temperature in heating is greater than the minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MIN) or smaller than the maximum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MAX) in heating and cooling respectively.

14. A smart control strategy for regulating a temperature controller for supplying or exhausting heat to/from a room, object or fluid in which a maximum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MAX) and a minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint-MIN) is specified and the time profile of the actual temperature of the room, object or fluid is regularly measured, comprising the following steps:

a) defining an nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) at which the temperature controller is to be signaled ON,

b) defining an nth OFF point in time (t-OFF(n)) at which the temperature controller is to be signaled OFF,

c) sensing the two nth extreme values (actual-MAX(n) and actual-MIN(n)) resulting after ON of the temperature controller in the actual temperature profile in which the actual temperature has a local minimum and a local maximum,

d) determining the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)),

e) determining the optimum nth ON(OFF points in time (t-optON(n) and t-optOFF(n)) from the values of the nth OFF point in time (t-OFF(n)) and the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)), the two nth extreme values (actual-MAX(n) and actual-MIN(n)) in the temperature profile and the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) at which for the nth extreme value (actual-MAX(n)) a local maximum in the temperature profile equaling the specified maximum temperature setpoint (setpoint MAX(n)) and for the nth extreme value (actual-MIN(n)) a local minimum in the temperature profile equaling the specified minimum temperature setpoint (setpoint MIN(n)) is attained,

f) incrementing n by 1 and repeating the steps a) to f) taking into account the determined nth ON/OFF points in time (t-optON(n) and t-optOFF(n)) as well as the 1st derivation of the temperature profile with time in the nth ON point in time (t-ON(n)) in establishing the n+1 ON/OFF points in time (t-ON(n+1)) and t-OFF(n+1)),

the control strategy being used regulating temperature controllers through which a heating agent/coolant flows, the temperature of the heating agent/coolant being adjustable, and the difference required between the heating agent/coolant temperature and the actual temperature (termed supply flow temperature (VT) in the following) being defined and set from the time interval as measured between t-ON(n) and t-OFF(n) (termed ON duration (D(n)) in the following), as well as from the time interval as measured between the local extreme values actual-MAX(n−

1) and actual-MIN(n)—

when the temperature controller is used for heating—

or, respectively as well as from the time interval as measured between the local extreme values actual-MIN(n) and actual-MAX(n) —

when the temperature controller is used for cooling (termed half cycle (HC(n)) in the following) comprising the following steps;

a) lowering the supply flow temperature (VT) by a fraction (B) and modifying the heating agent/coolant temperature accordingly if the ON duration (D(n)) is smaller than the half cycle (HC(n)) multiplied by a factor (F),

b) elevating the supply flow temperature (VT) by a fraction (B) and modifying the heating agent/coolant temperature accordingly if the ON duration (D(n)) is greater than the half cycle (HC(n)) multiplied by a factor (F),

c) redefining the OFF point in time (t-OFF(n+1)) so that the ON duration (D(n+1)) in case a) is lengthened by the fraction (B) and in case b) is shortened by the fraction (B).