Systems and methods for solar affected environmental control

• US 8,180,491 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solar Revolution LLC
• Original Assignee: Solar Revolution LLC
• Inventors: Reid, Lawrence W., Reid, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUGHLIN, NATHAN L
• Application Number:
  US11/681,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-278, 320/101, 165/49
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 50/00 Arrangements for controlling solar heat collectors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a solar affected environmental control system. The system includes a set of input devices, a priority device, an output device, and a control module. The input devices measure environmental values such as temperature, light, environmentally generated water heat, and environmentally generated electricity. The priority device interfaces with a user to define a goal that corresponds to a hierarchy of environmental objectives. The output device is an adjustable solar module that has an affect on the environmental values. The control module is an electrical device that includes a mathematical algorithm configured to correlate the environmental values and the user-defined goal so as to generate a set of output device settings. The control module is electrically coupled to the output device to facilitate adjustment according to the output device settings, so as to affect the environmental values in a manner consistent with the goal.

Claims

1. An environmental control system comprising:

a plurality of input devices individually configured to measure independent environmental values;

a priority device configured to receive a user-defined goal that defines a priority of environmental objectives;

at least one adjustable output device that has an effect on one or more of the independent environmental values, and wherein one of the at least one adjustable output devices is solar affected such that an adjustment of the output device with respect to the sun causes a direct quantitative effect on one or more of the independent environmental values;

wherein the at least one adjustable output device includes a photovoltaic solar panel;

wherein the independent environmental values include an electrical current transmitted from the photovoltaic solar panel and an environmental parameter external of the photovoltaic solar panel, and wherein the photovoltaic solar panel is solar affected such that an adjustment of the photovoltaic solar panel with respect to the sun causes a direct quantitative effect on both the electrical current transmitted from the photovoltaic solar panel and an environmental parameter external of the photovoltaic solar panel including at least one of humidity and temperature;

wherein the goal includes optimizing the electrical current; and

a control module further comprising;

an input communication module configured to receive the independent environmental values from the plurality of input devices and to receive the goal from the priority device;

an algorithm configured to mathematically correlate the goal and the independent environmental values to produce a set of output device settings; and

an output communication module configured to transmit the output device settings to the at least one adjustable output device so as to adjust the at least one adjustable output device in a manner that causes the independent environmental values to be affected in a manner consistent with the goal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the independent environmental values correspond to internal and external environmental parameter of a particular enclosed structure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of input devices includes at least two of a temperature sensor, water pressure sensor, electricity sensor, and a light sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the priority device includes at least one of a graphical web interface, a multi-position switch, a touchpad, and a keyboard.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user-defined goal includes a hierarchy of at least two environmental objectives, and wherein the at least two environmental objectives include at least two of visual light, ambient temperature, solar water heat, and solar electrical generation.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user-defined goal includes multiple priority lists of environmental objectives corresponding to a plurality of location based zones.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustable output device further includes at least one additional of the following:

a rotatable solar panel system and a hydrothermal solar panel.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one adjustable output device further includes at least one additional of ventilation fans, water pumps, switches, and motors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustable output device includes a multi-panel solar system comprising:

a plurality of rotatable panels disposed in alignment with one another, wherein the axis of rotation of each of the plurality of panels is perpendicular to the axis at which the panels are disposed in alignment;

a rotation system mechanically coupled to the plurality of panels that enables the coordinated rotation of all of the panels about parallel axis of rotation; and

a housing encasing the plurality of rotatable panels and the rotation system, wherein the housing mechanically supports the relative positioning of the plurality of rotatable panels and insulates thermal conduction transmission of the plurality of panels external to the housing, and wherein the housing includes a thermally insulating and visually transparent member on opposite sides of the plurality of panels.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustable output devices include at least two output devices disposed on a multi-panel rotatable solar system including a rotatable solar affected panel and at least one of a ventilation fan and a water pump, and wherein one of the at least one input devices is disposed on the multi-panel rotatable solar system and includes a position sensor that senses the relative positioning of the rotatable solar affected panel in relation to the sun.

11. A method for controlling an environment comprising the acts of:

receiving a plurality of independent environmental values;

receiving a user-defined goal that defines a priority of environmental objectives;

correlating the user-defined goal and the independent environmental values to produce a set of output device settings;

adjusting at least one adjustable solar affected output device with respect to the sun in a manner that causes the independent environmental values to be affected in a manner consistent with the user-defined goal, wherein adjustment of the solar affected output device with respect to the sun causes a direct quantitative effect on one or more of the independent environmental values;

wherein the at least one adjustable solar affected output device includes a photovoltaic solar panel;

wherein the independent environmental values include an electrical current transmitted from the photovoltaic solar panel, and an environmental parameter external of the photovoltaic solar panel, and wherein the adjustment of the photovoltaic solar panel with respect to the sun causes a direct quantitative effect on both the electrical current transmitted from the photovoltaic solar panel and an environmental parameter external of the photovoltaic solar panel including at least one of humidity and temperature; and

wherein the goal includes optimizing the electrical current.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of receiving a plurality of independent environmental values includes wirelessly data coupling a control module with at least one environmental input measurement device and receiving an environmentally related data value.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of receiving a user-defined goal that defines a priority of environmental objectives further includes providing a human interface to facilitate a user-defined goal hierarchy and selection process.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the human interface is a graphical user selection interface and is transmitted to a user via a dynamic communication medium.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the user-defined goal includes multiple priority lists of environmental objectives corresponding to a plurality of location based zones.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of adjusting at least one adjustable solar affected output device in a manner that causes the independent environmental values to be affected in a manner consistent with the user-defined goal further includes rotating a multi-panel solar system with respect to the orientation of the sun so as to change at least one of the independent environmental values.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of correlating the user-defined goal and the independent environmental values to produce a set of output device settings includes applying a mathematical algorithm.

18. The method of claim 11 further including providing an environmental control system comprising:

a plurality of input devices individually configured to measure independent environmental values;

a priority device configured to receive a user-defined goal that defines a priority of environmental objectives;

at least one adjustable output device that has an effect on one or more of the independent environmental values, and wherein one of the at least one adjustable output devices is solar affected; and

a control module further comprising;

an input communication module configured to receive the independent environmental values from the plurality of input devices and to receive the goal from the priority device;

an algorithm configured to mathematically correlate the goal and the independent environmental values to produce a set of output device settings; and

an output communication module configured to transmit the output device settings to the at least one adjustable output device so as to adjust the at least one adjustable output device in a manner that causes the independent environmental values to be affected in a manner consistent with the goal.

19. An environmental control system comprising:

a plurality of input devices individually configured to measure independent environmental values, wherein the plurality of input devices include at least one of a temperature sensor, water pressure sensor, water temperature sensor, electricity sensor, and a light sensor;

a priority device configured to receive a user-defined goal that defines a priority of environmental objectives, wherein the available environmental objectives include at least one of visual, temperature, solar water heat, and solar electrical generation;

at least one adjustable output device that has an effect on one or more of the independent environmental values, and wherein one of the at least one adjustable output devices is solar affected such that an adjustment of the output device with respect to the sun causes a direct quantitative effect on one or more of the independent environmental values; and

a control module further comprising;

an input communication module configured to receive the independent environmental values from the plurality of input devices and to receive the user-defined goal from the priority device;

an algorithm configured to mathematically correlate the user-defined goal and the independent environmental value to produce a set of output device settings;

an output communication module configured to transmit the output device settings to the at least one adjustable output device so as to adjust the at least one adjustable output device in a manner that causes the independent environmental values to be affected in a manner consistent with the user-defined goal;

wherein the at least one adjustable output device includes a photovoltaic solar panel;

wherein the independent environmental values include an electrical current transmitted from the photovoltaic solar panel, and an environmental parameter external of the photovoltaic solar panel, and wherein the photovoltaic solar panel is solar affected such that an adjustment of the photovoltaic solar panel with respect to the sun causes a direct quantitative effect on both the electrical current transmitted from the photovoltaic solar panel and an environmental parameter external of the photovoltaic solar panel including at least one of humidity and temperature; and

wherein the goal includes optimizing the electrical current.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one solar affect output device further includes at least one additional of a solar hydrothermal panel and a skylight.