Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8123142 | Solar powered smart ventilation system A ventilation system comprising a fan to bring air into a building or exhaust air out of the building, a rechargeable battery to power the fan in the absence of an alternative energy source, and an alternative energy harnessing device to power the fan and to recharg... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8100341 | Solar power augmented heat shield systems A dual air cavity roof has a continuous upper cavity which is cooled by fans, while the lower cavity is generally sealed. Preferably the cavities are separated by a radiant barrier. The fans are preferably powered by one or more photovoltaic cells that are also disp... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8096481 | Ventilation system control A method, system, apparatus, and device to provide an effective, automatic means to effect exhaust, supply, or balanced ventilation, or a combination thereof, by automatically activating a ventilation fan for the selected operation time per cycle interval based on p... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8047448 | Modular air conditioning system The invention is a modular heating, cooling and humidifying unit designed to fit within, or be interposed between segments of existing air ducting systems. The invention includes a plenum through which air is received from a central system within a structure, and wh... | 11/01/2011 |
| RE42735 | Method and apparatus for controlling space conditioning in an occupied space Techniques for controlling air conditioning and transfer air in an occupied space are described. The example of a commercial restaurant is provided. Features of model based control and integration of load predictors is also described. ... | 09/27/2011 |
| 8002199 | Highly sensitive airflow direction sensing Sensors, apparatus and methods are disclosed for detecting airflow direction between two volumes. The preferred airflow sensor includes a tube for conducting an airflow stream between the volumes, a first temperature sensor sensing ambient temperature in the first v... | 08/23/2011 |
| 7988063 | Method for controlling cooling in a data storage system A system having: a midplane having air flow channels therein; a disk drive mounted to a first side of the midplane; and a temperature sensors mounted to the midplane. The system includes a pair of electrical chassis connected to a second side of the midplane. A firs... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7918407 | Method and apparatus for control of cooling system air quality and energy consumption An energy saving air quality control system modulates supply fan speed by use of controlled, variable-frequency drive controls for automatic dampers or suction pressure to maintain adequate air flow across the evaporator coil at partial cooling loads. Demand ventila... | 04/05/2011 |
| 7891573 | Methods and apparatuses for controlling air to a building HVAC systems, including various HVAC system components, and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed for controlling airflow into a building. Embodiments of the HVAC systems include apparatuses for controlling the volumetric airflow moving through at least o... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7886986 | Building, ventilation system, and recovery device control Control systems for recovery wheels, ventilation systems with recovery devices, buildings having ventilation, and methods of controlling recovery wheels and controlling or modifying ventilation systems. A parameter of ventilation systems or recovery devices, such as... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7883023 | Fluid moving device having a fail-safe operation In a method for operating a fluid moving device, the fluid moving device is operated under one of a local mode where the fluid moving device operates autonomously and a global mode where the fluid moving device operates based upon instructions received from a global... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7837127 | Ventilation system The invention relates to a ventilation system for exchanging the air in a room with outside air, which system comprises: A fine wire heat exchanger having a first channel and a second channel, which channels are in heat-exchanging contact with each other, and wherei... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7806344 | Method of cleaning dust using a cooling fan of a computer and related dust-cleaning device A dust-cleaning device for a computer and a method using the same that utilizes a computer fan are disclosed. The computer is a laptop computer, a desktop computer, or a server. The method comprises: determining if a temperature of an electronic component is higher ... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7798418 | Ventilation system control A method, system, apparatus, and device to provide an effective, automatic means to effect exhaust, supply, or balanced ventilation, or a combination thereof, by automatically activating a ventilation fan for the selected operation time per cycle interval based on p... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7766246 | Variable speed blower control in an HVAC system having a plurality of zones A zone control panel for use with an HVAC system having zone control and a variable speed blower, and a method for controlling a fluid temperature conditioning device. In one aspect, the zone control panel includes a plurality of thermostat terminals for receiving t... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7748639 | Control of a heating and cooling system for a multi-level space A heating and cooling system for a multi-level space is provided that comprises at least one lower level return air duct and at least one upper level return air duct, and a thermostat for controlling the operation of the heating or cooling system through either a lo... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7731098 | Thermostat responsive to inputs from external devices A thermostat is provided that receives one or more inputs from at least one heating system of a climate control system, and initiates an appropriate action in response to the input. The thermostat can turn off a heat pump providing substandard heat and responsively ... | 06/08/2010 |
| 7726582 | Method and apparatus for converting constant-volume supply fans to variable flow operation A control strategy for supply fans in constant-volume heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems that reduces the speed of the fan at part-load conditions is provided. The invention consists of a constant-volume HVAC system, wireless discharge air tem... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7669777 | Slope predictive control and digital PID control for a variable temperature control system The present invention applies a slope predictive control method to a Variable Temperature Control (VTC) system, measuring the slope of the discharge temperature as a function of flow regulation device position, and using this slope to predict the position of the flo... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7641125 | Variable air volume ceiling diffuser A variable air volume ceiling diffuser includes a damper that is raised and lowered by a linkage that is controlled by a duct temperature sensor/actuator and one or more room temperature sensors/actuators. The linkage includes a heating slide movable for the heating... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7621460 | Data storage system having cooling fan speed protection A speed control system is provided for controlling temperature within a chassis. The chassis includes therein a temperature sensing device for producing a temperature signal representative of temperature within the chassis, a fan, and a fan speed controller. The fan... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7591433 | Method for controlling fan speed A method for controlling the fan speed by detecting different power supplies of a mobile electronic device is proposed. When an external power source is used for mobile electronic device and detected by the embedded controller, the first fan control table is used to... | 09/22/2009 |
| 7543759 | Multi-valve damper for controlling airflow and method for controlling airflow The present invention relates to a multi-valve damper which divides a section of an airflow duct into at least two airflow sections. The damper has a plug body having a proximal end and a distal end. The plug body is adapted to separate a section of an airflow duct ... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7520444 | System and method for controlling heat exchanger fans A fan controller reduces the percentage of time that fans used in a heat exchanger of an outdoor cabinet that houses electronics and power source must operate to provide required cooling to the electronics and power source. The fan controller can also reverse operat... | 04/21/2009 |
| 7513439 | Automatic climate control system for vehicle An automatic climate control system for a vehicle determines actual sun load and a virtual sun load based on prescribed virtual heat load data and the external air temperature. A controller is configured to compare the actual sun load to the virtual sun load to obta... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7487922 | Windmill damper operator A small windmill is provided upstream of a damper in an air duct. When air flows in the duct it rotates the windmill. The windmill shaft is connected by a cable to the damper operator through a transmission means, such that, as the shaft turns, it takes-up the cable... | 02/10/2009 |
| 7484668 | Building protection system and method An improved building protection system in a building having an inlet air duct for bringing an atmospheric air steam into the building, a damper in such air duct operable to regulate atmospheric air stream passing through the duct, a return air duct with a damper in ... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7478761 | Self-contained ventilation flow control system A preassembled flow control unit includes a plenum, a flow controller mounted to the plenum, and a flow control sensor mounted to the plenum. An isolation valve selectively blocks the flow of air between the plenum and the flow controller. An optional thermal coil i... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7475828 | Fresh air ventilation control methods and systems Methods and systems are disclosed for meeting a fresh air ventilation threshold in a controlled space. In particular, and in some embodiments, a minimum ventilation threshold is met by using normal air handler fan cycles to minimize the energy cost of supplying the ... | 01/13/2009 |
| 7434413 | Indoor air quality and economizer control methods and controllers Supervisory controllers, and methods, for use in a coordinated IAQ and economizer system. Various control objectives are defined and met. Some illustrative control objectives include economizer control, sequencing of economizer free cooling with compressor driven co... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7434743 | Reversible fan of electronic module An apparatus in one example comprises a reversible fan of an electronic module that rotates in a clockwise direction if the electronic module is communicatively coupled in a first position and a counterclockwise direction if the electronic module is communicatively ... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7431641 | System for controlling distribution of air to different zones in a forced air delivery system Apparatus for controlling the delivery of air in a forced air distribution system having a source of air under pressure (4), a duct system to deliver the air, and a plurality of ports (8) in the duct system with each port defining an air delivery zone ... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7424806 | Method for auto-regulating fan speed The present invention relates to a method for auto-regulating the fan speed. The method includes detecting the temperature of a thermal source. When the temperature of the thermal source exceeds a target value, the fan speed of the fan is regulated according to a re... | 09/16/2008 |
| 7401644 | Computer systems and related methods for cooling such systems Methods and systems for cooling computer systems, in which the computer system has a processor and a fan. An exemplary method includes: determining a temperature threshold for operating the fan at greater than low speed; determining a temperature of the computer sys... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7380587 | Vehicle air conditioner An air conditioner for a vehicle is provided with an air conditioning unit for blowing conditioned air to a passenger compartment of the vehicle, multiple seat air conditioning units for respectively controlling temperatures of seats of the vehicle, and a control un... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7372695 | Directional fan assembly A computer system having a fan assembly is provided. In one example, the computer system includes a computer chassis for mounting with a computer rack, the computer chassis comprising a front portion and a rear portion and including a main board. The computer system... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7370242 | Thermal monitoring and response apparatus and method for computer unit Thermal conditions within a computer unit are monitored. A system-level temperature sensor responds to intake cooling air. A subsystem-level temperature sensor responds to the temperature of a subsystem-level component, preferably a motherboard or a backplane. When ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7367199 | Method for automatically balancing air conditioning outdoor heat exchange A method for automatically balancing air conditioning outdoor heat exchange detects a piping measured value of each piping equipment through a detection unit and compares the piping measured value with a set operation mode selected by users and a set value. Airflow ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7364093 | Thermostat having default curtailment temperature settings A thermostat capable of receiving signals transmitted by a utility provider communicating a usage rate schedule or a request for a load curtailment period, and controlling one or more systems based on the information communicated by the utility. The thermostat chang... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7364094 | Method and apparatus for controlling space conditioning in an occupied space Techniques for controlling air conditioning and transfer air in an occupied space are described. The example of a commercial restaurant is provided. Features of model based control and integration of load predictors is also described. ... | 04/29/2008 |
