Systems and methods for monitoring room conditions to improve occupant performance

• US 7,113,086 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Altec Energy Systems
• Original Assignee: Altec Energy Systems
• Inventors: Shorrock, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/819,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 340/521, 340/501, 340/517, 340/522, 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/539.26, 340/539.27, 340/3.1
• US Class Current: 340/521
• 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 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/70 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring conditions in a room are disclosed. Sensors may be placed in a room that measure various environmental conditions of the room, such as temperature, CO2, ventilation, humidity, volatile organic compounds, sound, static, light, pressure and odor (e.g. H2S). Depending on the use of the room, a selected number of these measurements are signal conditioned to be able to be displayed in real time, or near real time, on a computer display monitor or other visual display in a three dimensional format or more called a sweet spot. At the same time the computer can display onto the visual display an optimum sweet spot that is calculated from an algorithm given the special features, contents, and the like that characterize the room. The deviation between 1he two sweet spots, i.e., actual and theoretical, may be calculated, and recommendations made on the visual display that will cause the actual sweet spot to coincide with the algorithm sweet spot. The actions may then be carried out in real time, or near real time, to correct for the unusual conditions in the room.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring conditions in a room, the method comprising:

receiving a set of desirable parameters for a room;

receiving a set of actual conditions for the room;

determining a deviation of the actual conditions from the desirable conditions; and

displaying at least one recommendation designed to bring the actual conditions closer to the desirable parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of desirable parameters include parameters selected from the group consisting of:

temperature, CO, ventilation, Humidity, volatile organic compounds, sound, static, light, pressure and H2S.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one recommendation includes a recommendation selected from the group consisting of:

turn on room fan, open a window, pull down a blind, have occupants move about for a selected time, adjust thermostat, increase ventilation, move furniture away from ducts, and increase number of vents.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a sweet spot indicator representing the desired set of parameter values and a graphical indicator representing the actual conditions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the room is a classroom.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a set of configuration data for the room.

7. A computerized system for monitoring conditions in a room, the system comprising:

a monitor

a plurality of sensors placed in a room, wherein each of said sensors is operable to measure a selected environmental condition in the room; and

a computer, communicably coupled to the monitor and to the plurality of sensors and operable to,

receive a set of measurements for actual conditions from the plurality of monitors;

display on the monitor an indicator representing the set of measurements;

display on the monitor an indicator representing a set of desirable parameters; and

display on the monitor at least one recommendation designed to bring the actual conditions closer to the set of desirable parameters.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of sensors is communicably coupled to the computer with a wireless interface.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising an analog to digital converter coupled to the computer and operable to convert an analog signal received from one of the plurality of sensors to a digital format.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the set of desirable parameters include parameters selected from the group consisting of:

temperature, CO2, ventilation, humidity, volatile organic compounds, sound, static, light, pressure, and H2S.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one recommendation includes a recommendation selected from the group consisting of:

turn on room fan, open a window, pull down a blind, have occupants move about for a selected time, adjust thermostat, increase ventilation, move furniture away from ducts, and increase number of vents.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer is further operable to display a sweet spot indicator representing the desired set of parameter values and a graphical indicator representing the actual conditions.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the room is a classroom.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer is further operable to receive a set of configuration data for the room.