Air conditioning system

• US 6,840,052 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wellspring Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wellspring Acquisition, Inc.
• Inventors: Saar, David A., Smith, Wade W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US10/417,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20040206097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 621/25, 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 621/30, 621/31, 621/761, 621/76, 621/766, 236/94, 236/44.R, 236/44.C, 236/51, 165/230, 165/231, 165/232, 165/233
• US Class Current: 62/126
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An air conditioning system cools air within an area. An air conditioner controller defines information based on input data from door and window open status sensors and a return air monitor sensing the dry bulb temperature and the wet bulb temperature or relative humidity of the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioning system and shuts down the system when specific conditions exist. The defined information is transmitted to a remote host device which retains and presents the transmitted information or information derived therefrom.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system comprising

an air conditioner for cooling air within an area,

an air conditioner controller for defining information from input data concerning the temperature and/or relative humidity of the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioner including a first register having a count to be incremented by time times Delta T where Delta T is the positive difference between average dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature and the time is the time between temperature readings, and

transmitting means for periodically transmitting the content of said first register,

a return air monitor for defining data concerning the temperature and relative humidity of the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioner and inputting the data into the air conditioner controller,

a remote host device for receiving, retaining and presenting transmitted information or information derived therefrom.

2. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein said air conditioner has shut off means for turning off the air conditioner including air conditioner on/off relay contacts and a relay coil for supplying said on/off relay contacts with an off signal and wherein said air conditioner controller includes means for selectively operating said shut off means based on selected defined information.

3. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein said means for defining information from input data concerning the temperature and/or relative humidity of the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioner further includes

a second register to be incremented by time times Delta T where Delta T is the negative difference between average dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature and the time is the time between temperature readings and

said transmitting means further comprises means for periodically transmitting the content of said second register.

4. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein said means for defining information from input data concerning the temperature and/or relative humidity of the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioner includes

a third register to be incremented by time times Delta RH where Delta RH is the positive difference between the read relative humidity and an acceptable value and time is the time between readings and

said transmitting means further comprises means for periodically transmitting the content of said third register.

5. An air conditioning system according to claim 3, wherein the transmitted defined information concerning input data concerning the temperature and/or relative humidity of the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioner includes the count of registers 1 and 2 and said remote host device comprises control means for issuing an alarm if the count of register #2 is too high.

6. An air conditioning system according to claim 3, wherein the transmitted defined information concerning input data concerning the temperature and/or relative humidity of the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioner includes the count of registers 1 and 2 and said remote host device comprises control means for issuing an alarm if the ratio of the count of register #2 to register #1 is too high.

7. An air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the transmitted defined information concerning input data concerning the temperature and/or relative humidity of the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioner includes the count of register #3 and said remote host device comprises control means for issuing an alarm if the count of register #3 is too high.

8. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein

said return air monitor further comprises means for defining data concerning the level of a biocide in the air within the area being cooled by the air conditioner and inputting the level of the biocide into the air conditioner controller,

said air conditioner controller transmitting means transmits the current biocide level when it transmits defined information, and wherein said remote host device comprises means for issuing an alarm either if the biocide level is too high or too low.

9. An air conditioning system comprising

an air conditioner for cooling air within an area,

said air conditioner having shut off means operated upon the receipt of an alarm signal for turning off the air conditioner,

an air conditioner controller for defining information from input data concerning the open status of a door and or window(s) and for supplying an alarm signal to said shut off means when a door/window is open,

said air conditioner controller including a shut-down event register which will be incremented each time a door/window is opened and transmitting means for periodically transmitting the content of said shut-down register, and

a remote host device for receiving, retaining and presenting transmitted information or information derived therefrom.

10. An air conditioning system according to claim 9, wherein

said air conditioner controller further includes means for determining the total time that a door/window is open, a total shut-down time register which will be incremented by the total time a door/window is open each time a door/window is opened and transmitting means for periodically transmitting the content of said total shut-down time register.