System and method of controlling an HVAC system

• US 7,130,719 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Original Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Ehlers, Gregory A., Beaudet, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US10/628,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/276, 700/277, 700/278, 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 700/296, 700/299, 700/300, 705/412, 702/60, 702/61, 702/62, 702/130, 702/132, 702/180, 702/187, 702/188
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/66 one of the loads acting as master and the other or others acting as slaves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 : Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A system and method manage delivery of energy from a distribution network to one or more sites. Each site has at least one device coupled to the distribution network. The at least one device controllably consumes energy. The system includes a node and a control system. The node is coupled to the at least one device for sensing and controlling energy delivered to the device. A control system is coupled to the node and distribution network for delivery to the node at least one characteristic of the distribution network. The node controls the supply of energy to the device as a function of the at least one characteristic.

Claims

1. A system for managing environmental comfort at a site, the site having a temperature and environment management system, the temperature and environment management system being supplied with energy from an energy provider, comprising:

a humidity sensor for sensing humidity at the site;

a temperature sensor for sensing air temperature at the site;

a thermostatic device in communication with the energy provider to receive a current cost of energy, the thermostatic device being coupled to the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor and configured for receiving an input from a user, the input including a temperature setpoint and of one of a plurality of comfort level scenarios, wherein each of the comfort level scenarios relate to a willingness to pay for energy at the expense of comfort,

wherein the thermostatic device is operable to determine an effective setpoint as a function of the temperature setpoint and the sensed humidity and determine a deadband defined by the effective setpoint and an offset from the effective setpoint, wherein the offset is based on the selected comfort level scenario and the current level of energy cost.

2. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the thermostatic device includes a processor, a communications channel coupled to the temperature and environment management system, a display coupled to the processor, and a control panel coupled to the processor for receiving the input from the user.

3. A system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the thermostatic device receives the current cost of the energy and displays the current cost on the display.

4. A system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the display and control panel are implemented in a graphic user interface.

5. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the effective setpoint is equal to the temperature setpoint plus a predetermined number of degrees per a predetermined percentage decrease in relative humidity for cooling applications and the effective setpoint is equal to the temperature setpoint minus a predetermined number of degrees per a predetermined percentage increase in relative humidity for heating applications.

6. A system, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the thermostatic device tracks user adjustments to the temperature setpoint and responsively modifies at least one of the predetermined number of degrees and the predetermined percentage increase or decrease in relative humidity.

7. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the temperature and environment management system includes at least one of a humidifier and a de-humidifier, wherein the thermostatic device controls the at least one of a humidifier and a de-humidifier as function of the effective setpoint, the offset, and the sensed temperature and humidity.

18. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of levels of energy cost include low, medium, high and critical, wherein the offset from the effective setpoint is determined for each of the cost levels of energy within each scenario.

19. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the thermostatic device allows the user to define a plurality of occupancy modes, each occupancy mode having a separate user defined temperature setpoint and selected comfort level scenario.

20. A system, as set forth in claim 19, wherein each occupancy mode includes a default scenario.

21. A system, as set forth in claim 19, wherein at least one occupancy mode has an associated recovery time, the recovery time being a desired time period of the transition between a previous occupancy mode and the at least one occupancy mode.

22. A system, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the thermostatic device allows the user to set at least one start time for at least one occupancy mode.

23. A system, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the system is adapted to transition from the previous occupancy mode to the at least one occupancy mode at a time equal to the at least one start time minus the recovery time.

24. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of comfort level scenarios includes at least maximum savings, balanced savings and comfort, and maximum comfort.

26. A system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the current characteristic of energy is displayed using at least one of a size and a number of symbols displayed to provide an indication of the relative cost of energy.

8. A method for managing air quality at a site, the site having a temperature and environment management system, the temperature and environment management system being supplied with energy, comprising:

sensing humidity at the site

sensing air temperature at the site;

receiving a characteristic of energy from the energy provider;

receiving input from a user, the input including a temperature setpoint and a selection of one of a plurality of comfort level scenarios, wherein each of the comfort level scenarios relate a willingness to pay for energy at the expense of comfort;

determining an effective setpoint as a function of the temperature setpoint and the sensed humidity; and

,

determining an offset from the effective setpoint based on the selected comfort level scenario and the current characteristic of energy, wherein the offset varies from the effective setpoint as a function of the selected comfort level scenario and the current characteristic of energy;

controlling the temperature and environment management system to maintain air temperature at the site within a deadband defined by the effective setpoint and the offset.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 8, including the step of displaying the characteristic of energy on a display.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the effective setpoint is equal to the temperature setpoint plus a predetermined number of degrees per a predetermined percentage decrease in relative humidity for cooling applications and the effective setpoint is equal to the temperature setpoint minus a predetermined number of degrees per a predetermined percentage increase in relative humidity for heating applications.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 10, further including the step of tracking user adjustments to the temperature setpoint and responsively modifying at least one of the predetermined number of degrees and the predetermined percentage increase or decrease in relative humidity.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 8, including the step of controlling at least one of a humidifier and a de-humidifier as function of the effective setpoint, the offset, and the sensed temperature and humidity.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 8, including the step of allowing the user to define a plurality of occupancy modes, each occupancy mode having a user defined temperature setpoint.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein each occupancy mode includes a default comfort level scenario.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein at least one occupancy mode has an associated recovery time, the recovery time being a desired time period in which the temperature and environment management system transitions between a previous occupancy mode and the at least one occupancy mode.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 15, including the step of allowing the user to set at least one start time for the at least one occupancy mode.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 16, including the step of transitioning from the previous occupancy mode to the at least one occupancy mode at a time equal to the at least one start time.

25. A system, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the current characteristic of energy is displayed graphically using a symbol.

27. A method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the characteristic of energy includes a plurality of levels including at least low, medium, high and critical, wherein the offset is determined for each of the characteristic levels of energy with each scenario.

28. A method, as set forth in claim 13, including the step of allowing the user to select one of the comfort level scenarios for each of the plurality of occupancy modes, wherein the offset is determined for each occupancy mode based on the selected comfort level scenario and the characteristic of energy when the temperature and environment management system is operating within the occupancy mode.

29. The method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the plurality of comfort level scenarios include maximum savings, balanced savings and comfort, and maximum comfort.