Controlling a climate control appliance in response to a reduced operation request

• US 9,423,144 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Evans, Edward B., Mueller, Carl J., Sartain, John M., Garozzo, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US13/471,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 236/1.C, 236/46.R, 236/51, 236/94
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• 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 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1923 using thermal energy, the cost of which varies in function of time

Abstract

Controllers and methods for controlling operation of a climate control appliance for heating and/or cooling a space are provided. One example controller includes a memory for storing at least one temperature offset and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to receive the reduced operation request from at least one of a utility provider and a user of the controller, to receive a sensed temperature from at least one sensor disposed within the space, and to determine an artificial temperature based on the sensed temperature and the at least one temperature offset associated with the reduced operation request. The processor is configured to, in response to the reduced operation request, operate the climate control appliance based on a comparison of the set-point temperature and artificial temperature during a reduced operation interval, to thereby reduce operation of the climate control appliance in response to the reduced operation request.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling a climate control appliance for heating and/or cooling a space, the control system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense a temperature associated with the space;

a memory for storing at least one temperature offset; and

a processor coupled to the memory and in communication with the at least one sensor, the processor configured to receive a reduced operation request and to receive a sensed temperature from the at least one sensor, the processor configured to, based on whether the reduced operation request has been received within a predetermined time period, perform the following;

determine an artificial temperature by applying at least one stored temperature offset associated with the reduced operation request to the sensed temperature, and, in response to the reduced operation request, to reduce operation of the climate control appliance based on a comparison of a set-point temperature and the artificial temperature during a reduced operation interval within the predetermined time period;

wherein the application of the at least one stored temperature offset is obscured by a representation of the artificial temperature as the sensed temperature during the reduced operation interval.

2. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a display device coupled to the processor and configured to display the set-point temperature and the artificial temperature, but not the sensed temperature of the space, during the reduced operation interval.

3. The control system of claim 2, further comprising a thermostat coupled to the climate control appliance, the thermostat including the memory, the processor, and the display device.

4. The control system of claim 2, further comprising a portable communication device including the display device, the portable communication device in communication with the processor.

5. The control system of claim 2, wherein the display device is further configured to display an indicator indicating the control system is operating in accordance with the reduced operation request.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one temperature offset is in the range of about 1 to about 8 degrees Fahrenheit; and

/or

the at least one temperature offset value comprises a plurality of incrementally varying offsets.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the processor is configured to operate the climate control appliance based on the artificial temperature during the reduced operation interval when the reduced operation requested was received within the predetermined time period; and

the processor is further configured to operate the climate control appliance based on a comparison of the set-point temperature and the sensed temperature after the reduced operation interval or when the reduced operation request was received outside of the predetermined time period.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to discontinue operation of the climate control appliance for at least a minimum off-time period after the artificial temperature has substantially reached the set-point temperature.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the processor is configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one sensor, when the at least one sensor is mounted remotely therefrom; and

/or

the processor is configured to wirelessly transmit the artificial temperature to a display device spaced apart from the processor.

10. A control system for controlling a climate control appliance for heating and/or cooling a space, the control system comprising:

a processor configured to set an energy savings mode to an enabled setting in response to receiving a request for reduced operation from a user of the control system and/or to receive a signal from a utility provider that includes a request for reduced operation;

the processor configured to, based on one of the following;

(a) the energy savings mode of the climate control appliance having been enabled in response to a request for reduced operation, or (b) the energy savings mode of the climate control appliance having been enabled before a request for reduced operation is received;

periodically receive a sensed temperature value from at least one sensor indicative of a temperature within the space, offset the sensed temperature value by at least one sensed temperature offset value when a request for reduced operation has been received, to thereby determine an artificial temperature value for the space, and obscure the offsetting of the sensed temperature value by representing the artificial temperature as the sensed temperature; and

discontinue heating or cooling operation for the space where the determined artificial temperature value has reached or is within a fraction of a degree above or below a set-point temperature.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein:

the processor is configured to receive a request for reduced operation from a utility provider and to receive a request for reduced operation from a user of the control system, whereby the user may initiate the request for reduced operation independent of any request for reduced operation from the utility provider; and

/or

the processor further includes the at least one sensed temperature offset value in the determination of the artificial temperature value for the space for a predetermined time period after receiving the request for reduced operation.

12. A controller for controlling a climate control appliance for heating and/or cooling a space, the controller comprising:

a memory for storing at least one temperature offset; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to receive a reduced operation request from at least one of a utility provider and a user after a reduced operation interval has begun, to receive a sensed temperature of the space from at least one sensor, and to determine an artificial temperature by applying to the sensed temperature at least one stored temperature offset associated with the reduced operation request,

wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to the reduced operation request, reduce operation of the climate control appliance based on a comparison of a set-point temperature and the artificial temperature, and conceal, in displaying the artificial temperature as the sensed temperature, the application of the at least one stored temperature offset, during the reduced operation interval.

13. The controller of claim 12, wherein:

the memory includes at least two set-point temperatures, each of the set-point temperatures associated with different time periods of operation; and

the processor is configured to select said set-point temperatures from the at least two set-point temperatures.

14. The controller of claim 12, further comprising a display device coupled to the processor, the display device configured to display the artificial temperature to the user.

15. A thermostat comprising the controller of claim 14.

16. The controller of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the at least one temperature offset by incrementing a minimum offset by a fraction of a degree Fahrenheit for each individual time increment that a run-time exceeds a minimum threshold.

17. The controller of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the at least one temperature offset based on a prior run-time of the climate control appliance and to store the at least one temperature offset in the memory.

18. A controller for controlling a climate control appliance for heating and/or cooling a space, the controller comprising:

a processor configured to set an energy savings mode to an enabled setting in response to receiving a request for reduced operation from a user of the controller and/or to receive a signal from a utility provider that includes a request for reduced operation;

the processor configured to periodically receive a sensed temperature value from at least one sensor indicative of a temperature within the space, where the processor offsets the sensed temperature value by at least one sensed temperature offset value when a request for reduced operation has been received, to thereby determine an artificial temperature value for the space, and conceals the at least one sensed temperature offset value in the artificial temperature by representing the artificial temperature as the sensed temperature; and

the processor configured to discontinue heating or cooling operation for the space where the determined artificial temperature value has reached or is within a fraction of a degree above or below a set-point temperature;

wherein the controller remains enabled in the energy savings mode after the request for reduced operation has been discontinued.

19. The controller of claim 18, wherein:

the processor is configured to receive a request for reduced operation from a utility provider and to receive a request for reduced operation from a user of the controller, whereby the user may initiate the request for reduced operation independent of any request for reduced operation from the utility provider; and

/or

the processor further includes the at least one sensed temperature offset value in the determination of the artificial temperature value for the space for a predetermined time period after receiving the request for reduced operation.

20. A method for controlling operation of a climate control appliance for heating and/or cooling a space, the method comprising:

sensing, at a sensor, a temperature associated with the space;

receiving a reduced operation request within a predetermined time period;

determining, at a processor, an artificial temperature based on the sensed temperature and a temperature offset associated with the reduced operation request; and

in response to the reduced operation request, operating the climate control appliance based on a comparison of the artificial temperature and a set-point temperature and concealing the temperature offset in the artificial temperature by representing the artificial temperature as the sensed temperature for at least a reduced operation interval.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying, at a display device, the artificial temperature and the set-point temperature, but not the sensed temperature, during the reduced operation interval.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

receiving the reduced operation request includes receiving the reduced operation request from at least one of a utility provider and a user; and

the method further comprises transmitting, via at least one network, the artificial temperature to a display device spaced apart from the processor.

23. A method for controlling operation of a heating and/or cooling system, the method comprising:

a controller of the heating and/or cooling system determining an artificial temperature value for a space based on (a) sensed temperature value information indicative of a sensed temperature within the space and (b) a temperature offset value associated with a reduced operation request when the controller has received the request for reduced operation from a user or a utility provider within a predetermined time period;

when a reduced operation interval is in effect within the predetermined time period, obscuring a difference between the determined artificial temperature value and sensed temperature by representing the determined artificial temperature value as the sensed temperature; and

discontinuing operation of the heating and/or cooling system for the space when the determined artificial temperature value has reached or is within a fraction of a degree above or below a set-point temperature;

the method performed by the controller using a processor and memory to control operation of the heating and/or cooling system.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

storing in the memory at least one sensed temperature offset value associated with an energy savings mode enabled by a user of the controller; and

/or

setting an energy savings mode to an enabled setting in response to receiving a request for reduced operation from a user of the controller; and

/or

displaying on a display device the determined artificial temperature value for the space instead of the actual sensed temperature of the space, and further displaying the user selected set point temperature.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein:

for a predetermined time period after a request for reduced operation has been received, the at least one sensed temperature offset value is added to the sensed temperature value in the determination of an artificial temperature value for the space; and

/or

the method includes allowing reduced cooling operation only during day time periods of elevated temperatures, to thereby selectively reduce operation based on outside ambient temperatures without requiring the use of any outside ambient temperature sensor.