Temperature control balancing desired comfort with energy cost savings
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a temperature regulating system, comprising the steps of:
- defining a performance index that indicates a desired balance between maintaining a user selected setpoint temperature and conserving energy costs;
determining a current energy cost;
determining a value of the performance index using an optimal control solution and the current energy cost; and
adjusting a sensitivity of the system to a difference between the setpoint temperature and a current actual temperature according to the performance index value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A temperature regulating system utilizes changing energy price information to alter the system operation. A performance index value is determined that indicates a balance between a user'"'"'s preference for maintaining a setpoint temperature and a need for maintaining energy cost savings. The performance index value is related to the current energy price and the system automatically responds to rising energy prices by reducing system operation in a manner that provides cost savings according to a user'"'"'s specified preference for weighting temperature comfort levels compared to energy cost savings. According to the described example, an optimal control solution is used to determine the performance index value.
165 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling a temperature regulating system, comprising the steps of:
-
defining a performance index that indicates a desired balance between maintaining a user selected setpoint temperature and conserving energy costs;
determining a current energy cost;
determining a value of the performance index using an optimal control solution and the current energy cost; and
adjusting a sensitivity of the system to a difference between the setpoint temperature and a current actual temperature according to the performance index value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
wherein Q is a user-selected weighting factor indicating the user'"'"'s desire to maintain the setpoint temperature;
T is the temperature difference;
R is a determined weighting factor indicating the need to balance energy cost savings with the user'"'"'s desire to maintain the setpoint temperature; and
u is a value indicating system operation responsive to the temperature difference.
-
-
8. The method of claim 7, including estimating the performance index using a degenerate Ricatti equation.
-
9. The method of claim 1, including using the performance index value to determine a gain value and applying the gain value to the system control signal.
-
10. The method of claim 9, including determining the gain value by determining a value of kT=−
- PBR−
1wherein k is the gain value;
P is the estimated performance index value;
B is a predetermined system gain value; and
R is a determined weighting factor indicating the need to balance energy cost savings with the user'"'"'s desire to maintain the setpoint temperature.
- PBR−
-
11. A temperature regulating system, comprising:
-
a thermostat device having a user input portion that allows a user to input a setpoint temperature and a sensor portion that provides an indication of a current temperature near the thermostat device;
a communication module that is capable of receiving information from an outside source remote from the thermostat device; and
a controller that determines a current energy price from information received by the communication module, determines a performance index value indicative of a balance between a user-specified desire to maintain the setpoint temperature and energy cost savings and automatically adjusts a sensitivity of the system to a difference between the current temperature and the setpoint temperature according to the performance index value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
wherein k is the gain value;
P is the estimated performance index value;
B is a predetermined system gain value; and
R is a determined weighting factor indicating the need to balance energy cost savings with the user'"'"'s desire to maintain the setpoint temperature.
-
-
16. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the performance index by estimating a value of
-
0 ∝ ( QT 2 + Ru 2 ) u wherein Q is a user-selected weighting factor indicating the user'"'"'s desire to maintain the setpoint temperature;
T is the temperature difference;
R is a determined weighting factor indicating the need to balance energy cost savings with the user'"'"'s desire to maintain the setpoint temperature; and
u is a value indicating system operation responsive to the temperature difference.
-
-
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller estimates the performance index using a degenerate Ricatti equation.
-
18. The system of claim 16, wherein R is a ratio of the current energy price to a predetermined nominal energy price.
Specification