| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20100078493 | Vent-blocking inflatable bladder assembly for a HVAC zone control system - The invention is an inflatable bladder assembly for use in HVAC zone control systems. The bladder has a nozzle for inflating and deflating the bladder. The nozzle connects to a small air tube that is connected to the control system that provides pressure and vacuum for inflating and deflating the bladder. The bladder has at least two mounting tabs for attaching the bladder to a mounting fixture. A restraint fixture is attached to the mounting fixture. The restraint fixture firmly grips the nozzle and air tube. The restraint fixture allows the nozzle and air tube to be easily inserted into the fixture such that an airtight seal is made between the nozzle and air tube. The restrain fixture strongly resists forces that would remove the nozzle or air tube from the restraint fixture. The mounting fixture is attached to the duct system. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100081357 | Remote controlled vehicle for threading a string through HVAC ducts - The invention is a remote controlled vehicle adapted for navigating inside HVAC supply trunks. It is equipped with a moveable camera and a powered tool for snagging a string or parachute propelled into the trunk by other methods. A command box is provided to view the image from the camera and control the vehicle's various functions. The installation technician inserts the vehicle into the trunk through an access hole and uses the command box to navigate the vehicle inside a HVAC trunk and locate and secure the string to the vehicle. The technician then controls the vehicle to pull the string back to the access or the technician manually pulls the vehicle back to the access by its tether. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100081372 | Method for threading a string through HVAC ducts - The invention is a method for threading a thin string through an HVAC duct system from a vent to the HVAC equipment supply plenum where the vent is connected to a small supply duct which in turn is connected to a large supply trunk connected to the plenum. The method uses a high speed blower at the vent to propel a small resistance object connected to the string through the small duct until it reaches the trunk. Then a capture mechanism is used from the HVAC plenum to capture the object and pull the string to the plenum. In an example of the method, the resistant object includes a packed parachute that is released after it travels a predetermined distance. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100100298 | Electronic control of the pressure and flow of linear pumps and compressors - A control circuit for linear motors driving pumps or compressors that provides a programmable pressure versus flow behavior. The duty cycle of a pulse width modulated drive signal to a coil in the motor is controlled by a parameter determined by the shape of the back EMF signal generated by that coil when it is not driven. The measured parameter value is compared to a target value for the present drive pulse width, and the pulse width is adjusted to reduce the difference between the measured value and the target value. The target value is stored in a table of calibrated values that determines the desired pressure versus flow behavior and can also compensate for manufacturing differences between individual pumps. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100102135 | Method for Controlling a Multi-Zone Forced Air HVAC System To Reduce Energy Use - In a multi-zone control system for central forced air HVAC systems where the minimum conditioned airflow produced by the HVAC equipment significantly exceeds the airflow capacity to many of the zones, the invention is an energy saving method for choosing non-calling zones to receive excess airflow in. When satisfying calls for conditioning from one or a few zones, excess conditioned airflow is directed to non-calling zones. The method chooses occupied non-calling zones using a priority that provides comfort, and chooses unoccupied non-calling zones using a different priority that provides energy savings. Limits are provided for each zone to prevent excessive over conditioning in non-calling zones. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100287489 | Power Monitoring and Analysis System for Identifying Individual Electrical Devices - The invention is a method for measuring and processing a plurality of electrical parameters of a common alternating current (AC) service that supplies multiple different electrical devices such that the power use and total power used by each of multiple devices is determined. Sensors provide high resolution signals corresponding to the current and voltage of the AC power supplied to the service panel typical of those used in residential construction. Analog-to-digital conversion and processing circuits produce multiple electrical parameters with 16- to 24-bit resolution at a sampling rate sufficient to characterize rapid transitions. The electrical parameters change rapidly when electrical devices transition between on and off. These transitions are detected, measured, characterized, and stored. The transition characterizations of multiple on-off cycles are grouped and analyzed to produce unique transition characterizations for each device or set of devices that are essentially electrically identical. Once a device has been characterized, the method can determine in real time when each known device is turned on or off. Therefore the method can report on present and historical power usage of each known device, or set of essentially identical known devices. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110144932 | Power Monitoring and Analysis System for Identifying and Tracking Individual Electrical Devices - The invention is a method for measuring and processing a plurality of electrical parameters of a common alternating current (AC) service that supplies multiple different electrical devices such that the power use rate and total power used by each of multiple devices is determined. Sensors provide high resolution signals corresponding to the current and voltage of the AC power supplied to the service panel typical of those used in residential construction. Analog-to-digital conversion and processing circuits determine multiple electrical parameters with high resolution at a sampling rate sufficient to determine the electrical parameters for approximately each AC cycle. The electrical parameters are stored as a large data set in a memory with sufficient capacity to store several months of electrical parameters representing each AC cycle. The data set is processed to extract complete on-off cycles of the devices. The on-off cycles are represented by instance structures. The characteristics of the instance structures are used to determine device structures. Each device structure characterizes one of the multiple devices. The contributions associated with the extracted instance structures are subtracted from the data set, making is possible to extract additional instance structures from the residual information in the data set. Information from the device structures are used to help extract instances structures that are partially obscured by overlapping instance structures. The newly extracted instances structures are subtracted from the data set and processing continues until no more instance structures can be extracted. Information from the extracted instance structures and device structures are further grouped and processed to provide useful information reports to a consumer. As the electrical parameters are determined and added to the data set, they can be incrementally processed so that near real time information can be provided to the consumer. The cost of operating each device and other information enables the consumer to make informed decision regarding energy use and conservation. | 06-16-2011 |
