Humidity monitoring and adjustment system

• US 9,709,291 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2013
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: La Crosse Technology IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: La Crosse Technology IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Dostmann, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Furdge, Larry
• Application Number:
  US13/738,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20130233933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 236 493
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity

Abstract

Methods and systems for humidity monitoring and adjustment are described herein. Data from at least one external sensor system is received by a computing device. The external sensor system determines at least one of outdoor air temperature and outdoor air humidity. Data from at least one internal sensor system is received by the computing device. The internal sensor system determines at least one of indoor air temperature and indoor air humidity. A dew point for an indoor environment is calculated based upon the data from the external sensor system and data from the internal sensor system. A graphical indication of an indoor environment climate may be displayed based upon the calculated dew point. Access openings, such as windows, may be opened or closed to change the humidity of the indoor environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, first data from at least one external sensor system, the first data from the external sensor system comprising external climate data;

receiving, by the computing device, second data from at least one internal sensor system, the second data comprising an indoor air temperature and an indoor air humidity;

calculating, by the computing device, a dew point for an indoor environment based upon the first data from the at least one external sensor system and the second data from the at least one internal sensor system;

outputting, to a display of the computing device, a graphical indication of an indoor environment climate based upon the dew point, wherein the graphical indication represents a graphical comfort level of the indoor environment climate relative to a range of indoor environment climates; and

outputting, to the display of the computing device, an access opening recommendation based on the indoor environment climate and an outdoor environment climate, the outdoor environment climate being based on the first data from the at least one external sensor system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the graphical comfort level of the indoor environment climate is based on a defined user input.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical comfort level includes a user comfort level based, at least in part, on a defined comfort setting of a user, and wherein the access opening recommendation is further based on the user comfort level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the computing device is a digital photo frame.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to change at least one access opening from one of;

an open state to a closed state and a closed state to an open state,

wherein the access opening recommendation is outputted responsive to determining to change the at least one access opening.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining a period of time to change the at least one access opening from one of:

the open state to the closed state and the closed state to the open state, wherein the determining the period of time is based upon the dew point for the indoor environment.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending, from the computing device, an instruction to an access opening control system associated with the at least one access opening to change the at least one access opening from one of:

the open state to the closed state and the closed state to the open state.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a period of time to change the at least one access opening from one of;

the open state to the closed state and the closed state to the open state; and

sending, from the computing device, an instruction to the access opening control system associated with the at least one access opening to change the at least one access opening from one of;

the open state to the closed state and the closed state to the open state for the period of time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determined time period is based upon the dew point for the indoor environment.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver system configured to;

receive first data from at least one external sensor system, the first data from the external sensor system comprising outdoor climate data;

receive second data from at least one internal sensor system, the second data from the internal sensor system comprising an indoor air temperature and an indoor air humidity;

a processing system configured to;

calculate a dew point for an indoor environment based upon the first data from the at least one external sensor system and the second data from the at least one internal sensor system;

calculate, based on the indoor air temperature and the dew point, an estimated indoor humidity if a first access opening is opened for a first amount of time;

compare the estimated indoor humidity to an air comfort chart; and

generate, based on the comparing, an access opening recommendation; and

a display configured to output a first graphical indication of an indoor environment climate based upon the dew point and a second graphical indication of the access opening recommendation, wherein the first graphical indication represents a graphical comfort level of the indoor environment climate relative to a range of indoor environment climates.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the graphical comfort level of the indoor environment climate is based on a defined user input.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first graphical indication includes a user comfort level based, at least in part, on a defined comfort setting of a user, and wherein the access opening recommendation is further based on the user comfort level.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

generate an access opening recommendation to change the first access opening from a closed state to an open state responsive to determining that the estimated indoor humidity is above a first value stored in the air comfort chart.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processing system is further configured to determine a period of time to change the first access opening from one of:

the open state to the closed state and the closed state to the open state.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the determined time period is based upon the dew point for the indoor environment.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an input/output system configured to send an instruction to an access opening control system associated with the first access opening to change the first access opening from one of:

the open state to the closed state and the closed state to the open state.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processing system is further configured to determine a period of time to change the first access opening from one of:

the open state to the closed state and the closed state to the open state, and wherein the input/output system is further configured to send an instruction to the access opening control system associated with the first access opening to change the first access opening from one of;

the open state to the closed state and the closed state to the open state for the determined time period.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, outdoor climate data from at least one external sensor system;

receiving, by the computing device, data from at least one internal sensor system, the data comprising an indoor air temperature and an indoor air humidity;

calculating, by the computing device, a dew point for an indoor environment based upon the outdoor climate data from the at least one external sensor system and the data from the at least one internal sensor system;

calculating, based on the indoor air temperature and the dew point, an estimated indoor humidity if a first access opening is opened for a first amount of time;

comparing the estimated indoor humidity to an air comfort chart;

generating, based on the comparing, an access opening recommendation, the access opening recommendation comprising an indication of whether to change the first access opening from one of;

an open state to a closed state and a closed state to an open state; and

outputting, to a display of the computing device, the access opening recommendation and a graphical indication of an indoor environment climate based upon the dew point.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving, at the computing device, a user selection to change the first access opening from one of:

an open state to a closed state and a closed state to an open state.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising changing the first access opening from one of:

an open state to a closed state and a closed state to an open state, responsive to determining to change the first access opening.