Method of and system for automatically adjusting airflow and sensors for use therewith

• US 9,723,380 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecovent Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: ecoVent Corp.
• Inventors: LANCASTER, Nicholaus Ray, PATEL, Dipul
• Primary Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US14/264,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/40 Pressure, e.g. wind pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/70 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/72 Carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/00 Gyroscopes; Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses; Turn-sensitive devices without moving masses; Measuring angular rate using gyroscopic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 7/08 of the flexible-diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 19/10 Measuring moisture content, e.g. by measuring change in length of hygroscopic filament; Hygrometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object G01N3/00, G01N5/00, G01N7/00, G01N9/00, G01N11/00, G01N13/00, G01N15/00, G01N17/00, G01N19/00, G01N21/00, G01N22/00, G01N23/00, G01N24/00, G01N25/00, G01N27/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 : Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A method of and system for automatically adjusting airflow and sensors for use therewith are disclosed. A sensor assembly includes a first face on an opposite side of the sensor assembly relative to a second face. The assembly includes an electrical plug on the first face and an electrical outlet on the second face. The electrical outlet is of a same type that is complimentary to the electrical plug on the first face. The assembly includes a sensor for sensing a value of an environmental variable in a space and a sensor communication system for transmitting and receiving information. A sensor system includes a plurality of sensor assemblies disposed in a building. Each sensor assembly includes a sensor for sensing a value of an environmental variable of the space within which the sensor is placed. The system determines gradient values for the sensed environmental variable.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a plurality of sensor assemblies disposed in a building, each sensor assembly comprising;

a temperature sensor for sensing the ambient temperature of the space in the building within which the sensor is placed,

a pressure sensor for sensing the ambient pressure of the space in the building within which the sensor is placed, and

a sensor communication system for transmitting and receiving information; and

a sensor information aggregator that receives information about the ambient temperatures and ambient pressures in the building sensed from the sensors of the plurality of sensor assemblies, the sensor information aggregator comprising;

an aggregator communication system for transmitting and receiving information, and

an aggregator processor system for determining a vertical spatial temperature gradient in the building based on the information about the ambient temperatures in the building and ambient pressures in the building received by the sensor information aggregator, wherein the vertical spatial temperature gradient represents a change in temperature as a function of a change in altitude; and

wherein the aggregator processor system uses wireless communication signal strength between the sensor information aggregator and the sensor assemblies to estimate sensor assembly locations relative to each other, the determination of the vertical spatial temperature gradient in the building being further based on the relative locations of the sensor assemblies.

2. The sensor system of claim 1, at least one of the plurality of sensor assemblies being wall-mounted.

3. The sensor system of claim 1, at least one of the plurality of sensor assemblies being portable and carried by an individual.

4. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the aggregator processor system uses manually entered locations of sensor assembly locations relative to each other, the determination of the vertical spatial temperature gradient in the building being further based on the relative locations of the sensor assemblies.