Method of and system for automatically adjusting airflow

• US 9,854,335 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecovent Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ecovent Systems Inc.
• Inventors: LANCASTER, Nicholaus Ray, PATEL, Dipul
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cotov, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/264,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20150133043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 454258, 236 493
• 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 is presented. A system includes a controlled supply register that has an airflow adjusting mechanism that controls an aperture through which air passes and a register sensor that senses a value of an environmental variable in system duct work. The register also includes a communication system and a processor system that controls the airflow adjusting mechanism. The system also includes a sensor platform that senses an environmental variable in a space and transmits and receives information. The system also includes a controller that receives information about the environmental variables and a desired set point for the environmental variable in the space. The controller determines a target airflow to achieve the desired set point and transmits information about the target airflow. The register receives information about the target airflow and controls the register adjusting mechanism to achieve the target airflow.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of controlled supply registers, each controlled supply register adapted for placement within a corresponding terminus of a portion of duct work for a forced-air building environmental control system, each register comprising;

an airflow adjusting mechanism that controls a size of an aperture through which air passes when exiting the terminus of the portion of the duct work,

a register sensor that senses a value of an environmental variable inside the corresponding portion of the duct work into which the register is placed,

a register communication system for transmitting and receiving information, and

a register processor system that controls the airflow adjusting mechanism;

a plurality of sensor platforms, each sensor platform sensing a value of an environmental variable in a space into which the air exiting the corresponding terminus of the portion of the duct work passes, each sensor platform comprising;

a sensor for sensing the value of the environmental variable, and

a sensor communication system for transmitting and receiving information;

and a controller comprising;

a controller communications system for transmitting and receiving information, and

a controller processor system,

wherein;

the controller receives information about desired set points for the environmental variables in each corresponding space,

the controller receives information from the plurality of registers about the values of the environmental variables sensed by the plurality of registers,

the controller receives information from the plurality of sensor platforms about the values of the environmental variables sensed by the plurality of sensor platforms,

the controller processor system retrieves a total target airflow for the forced-air building environmental control system,

the controller processor system determines an individual register target airflow for each of the plurality of registers to achieve the desired set points for the environmental variables in the spaces and to achieve the total target airflow,

the controller transmits information about the individual register target airflows,

each register receives information about the individual register target airflow corresponding to the register, and

in response to receiving the corresponding individual register target airflow, the corresponding register processor system controls the corresponding register adjusting mechanism to achieve the corresponding target airflow.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives information associating more than one space with a group for maintaining a common desired set point for the spaces associated with the group for an environmental variable.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives information for setting relative priorities of maintaining desired set points of environmental variables of a plurality of spaces.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental variables sensed by the register sensor include at least one of ambient pressure, noise, air velocity, temperature, motion, and humidity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the register comprises a rechargeable power source and a power generator for recharging the rechargeable power source.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller processor determines the target airflow further based on at least one of future weather forecasts, level of power in the rechargeable power source, and user feedback of noise, draftiness, temperature, or other perceived environmental variables.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the register comprises a fan for increasing airflow through the aperture.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the register comprises an active noise cancellation module.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the register is adapted for placement within the terminus without the use of tools by using an interference fit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow adjusting mechanism of the register comprises at least one of shutters, louvers, an iris, and sliding doors, and an actuator for moving the airflow adjusting mechanism.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interface to the forced-air building environmental control system, wherein the controller processor system controls the operation of the building environmental control system via the interface.

12. A method comprising:

sensing a plurality of values of environmental variables in a corresponding plurality of spaces at corresponding terminuses of a portion of duct work for a forced-air building environmental control system using a corresponding plurality of sensor platforms, the sensor platforms comprising;

a sensor for sensing the value of the environmental variable in the space, and a sensor communication system for transmitting and receiving information;

sensing a plurality of values of environmental variables inside a corresponding plurality of portions of the duct work using a corresponding plurality of controlled supply registers adapted for placement within the corresponding terminuses of the corresponding portions of the duct work, the controlled supply registers comprising;

an airflow adjusting mechanism that controls a size of an aperture through which air passes when exiting the terminus of the portion of the duct work,

a register sensor that senses the value of the environmental variable inside the portion of the duct work into which the register is placed,

a register communication system for transmitting and receiving information, and

a register processor system that controls the airflow adjusting mechanism;

receiving, at a controller, information about a plurality of desired points for the environmental variables in the corresponding spaces, the controller being remote from the sensor platforms and the controlled supply registers, the controller comprising;

a controller communications system for transmitting and receiving information,

and

a controller processor system;

receiving, at the controller, information about the values of the environmental variables in the corresponding spaces and information about the values of the environmental variables inside the corresponding portions of the duct work;

receiving, at the controller a total target airflow for the forced-air building environmental control system,

determining, by the controller processor system, a plurality of target airflows to achieve the desired set points for the environmental variables in the corresponding spaces;

the controller transmitting information about the plurality of target airflows;

the register receiving information about the target airflows corresponding to its space; and

in response to receiving the target airflow, each register processor system controlling the register adjusting mechanism to achieve the corresponding target airflow.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising the controller receiving information associating more than one space with a group for maintaining a common desired set point for the spaces associated with the group for an environmental variable.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the controller receiving information for setting relative priorities of maintaining desired set points of environmental variables of a plurality of spaces.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the environmental variable sensed by the register sensor includes at least one of ambient pressure, noise, air velocity, temperature, motion, and humidity.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the register comprises a rechargeable power source and a power generator for recharging the rechargeable power source.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the controller processor determining the target airflow further based on at least one of future weather forecasts, level of power in the rechargeable power source, and user feedback of noise, draftiness, temperature, or other perceived environmental variables.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the register comprises a fan for increasing airflow through the aperture.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising reducing noise present in the duct work using an active noise cancellation module in the register.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the airflow adjusting mechanism of the register comprises at least one of shutters, louvers, an iris, and sliding doors, and an actuator for moving the airflow adjusting mechanism.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising the controller processor system controlling the operation of the forced-air building environmental control system via an interface to the building environmental control system.