Architectural dynamic control: intelligent environmental control and feedback system for architectural settings including offices

• US 8,392,025 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orfield Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Orfield Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Orfield, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/951,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 700275-277, 700/282, 702/33, 702/127, 702/130, 702/134, 702/188
• US Class Current: 700/275
• 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 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/38 Personalised air distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

A smart, adaptive control system that monitors and influences physical conditions of an architectural setting. The architectural setting in which the system is deployed typically includes a plurality of private spaces and at least one community space. The individual private spaces, and the community spaces, may include an environmental control device that affects one or more physical conditions of the individual private space. Each private space may also include an environmental sensor that measures a particular physical condition of the private space. The private spaces may also include one or more occupant sensors, which measure either behavioral or physiological parameters of an occupant. The environmental control devices, environmental sensors, and occupant sensors are in communication with a computer. The computer is also in communication with a database, which houses a data set that describes how to best modify the physical conditions of the architectural setting.

Claims

1. A method of measuring physical conditions throughout an architectural setting, the method comprising:

providing environmental measuring devices to an organization, wherein the environmental measuring devices are constructed to measure at least light level, temperature, and air quality;

instructing the organization to locate the environmental measuring devices at a plurality of locations within the architectural setting;

instructing the organization to use the environmental measuring devices to measure physical conditions for each of the plurality of locations within the architectural setting by measuring at least light level, temperature, and air quality for each of the plurality of locations within the architectural setting and transmit the measurements to a computing facility;

receiving the measurements from the environmental measuring devices in the computing facility;

instructing occupants in the plurality of locations within the architectural setting to provide survey data including a subjective reaction to the physical conditions;

comparing the measurements with survey data generated by the occupants of the architectural setting;

manipulating environment within the architectural setting; and

completing a feedback loop wherein the environment is manipulated based on the survey data and the survey data is generated based on the manipulated environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurements are associated with data describing the location within the architectural setting at which the measurements were taken.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental measuring devices comprise a multidisciplinary analyzer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the survey data comprises a characterization of energy level for an occupant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the survey data is conducted at a daily interval.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the survey data is conducted at a weekly interval.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the survey data is conducted at a monthly interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing occupant sensors for measuring behavioral propensity of the occupants, and transmitting occupant sensor information to the computing facility.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the occupant sensors measure heart rate.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the occupant sensors measure breathing rate.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the occupant sensors measure blood pressure.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the occupant sensors measure body temperature.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the physical conditions at the plurality of locations is controlled according to a theme.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the theme is an environment that mimics the patterns of daytime.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein light brightness changes from an east side to a west side of the architectural setting based on the time of day.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the theme involves mimicking current outdoor conditions.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the theme includes oscillating temperature to provide stimulation.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the survey data is generated on an occupant-accessible computer.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the survey data comprises a characterization of whether the occupant is too hot or too cold.