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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7219507 | Configurable, nonlinear fan control for system-optimized autonomous cooling Disclosed herein are methods and systems for controlling fan speed by approximating a nonlinear temperature control function activated within a given temperature control range. The temperature control range is divided into numerous linear segments each of which is a... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7188001 | System and method for temperature control A system for controlling the temperature of a reaction mixture comprises at least one heating device for heating the mixture and a power regulator for regulating the amount of power supplied to the heating device. A controller in communication with the power regulat... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7026929 | Food information monitoring system Systems and methods for gathering data, representative of food condition information, from a plurality of remote locations and providing the information to a user together with information about the locations from which the information was gathered. The sensors may ... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7019638 | Food information monitoring system Two-stage systems and methods are provided for gathering food information and communicating the food information to a data collection apparatus. A system includes a remote unit, having a sensor device and a wireless transmitter; a translator or intermediate unit, ha... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6951527 | Method and an assembly for vehicle thermal management A method and an apparatus are provided which use, or which calculate, a temperature gradient of a portion of a vehicle to determine a value equal to, or representative of, a time before a maximum allowable operating temperature is reached by the portion. If the valu... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6712133 | System and method for automatic temperature control in vehicles using predictive coding A system and method for controlling temperature within a vehicle cabin include monitoring various temperature sensors to determine current operating conditions, determining a desired temperature or temperature range based on occupant input, dynamically estimating a ... | 03/30/2004 |
| 6644398 | Advanced starting control for multiple zone system A system and method for controlling delivery of conditioned water to a plurality of heat exchangers includes a system controller which gathers information as to the current and future demands for conditioned water by a plurality of zone controllers associ... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6628997 | Method for programming a thermostat A method for programming a thermostat, comprising the steps of providing a thermostat programmed to convert programming codes into time-temperature schedules; determining a desired time-temperature schedule; developing a programming code corresponding to ... | 09/30/2003 |
| 6591901 | Advanced starting control for heating/cooling systems A system and method for controlling delivery of either heated or cooled water to a plurality of heat exchangers includes a system controller which gathers information as to the current and future heating or cooling demands of a plurality of zone controlle... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6467537 | Advanced starting control for multiple zone system A system for controlling delivery of conditioned water to a plurality of heat exchangers includes a system controller which gathers information as to the current and future demands for conditioned water by a plurality of zone controllers associated with t... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6453993 | Advanced starting control for multiple zone system A system for controlling delivery of either heated or cooled water to a plurality of heat exchangers includes a system controller which gathers information as to the current and future heating or cooling demands of a plurality of zone controllers associat... | 09/24/2002 |
| 5822997 | Thermostat setback recovery method and apparatus A thermal conditioning system is provided which is configured for setback operations. The source of thermal conditioning is preferably a gas driven heat pump. Control is provided such that during the recovery process, the operation of the heat pump is var... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5622310 | Adaptive recovery control scheme for conventional and heat pump systems An adaptive recovery process and apparatus for use in temperature control devices for controlling different kinds of HVAC plants. The process and apparatus include main and auxiliary heat ramps in the adaptive recovery portion for dealing with both conven... | 04/22/1997 |
| 5555927 | Thermostat system having an optimized temperature recovery ramp rate An adaptive recovery method for a setback thermostat using the intersection of the space temperature with a sloped recovery temperature line which approximates the change in temperature as a function of time during recovery of the temperature controlled s... | 09/17/1996 |
| 5402845 | Recovery process for heat pump system A process for noting in advance when a change in set point temperature is to occur in one or more zones. A heating stage is prematurely activated and dampers are selectively opened in the one or more zones that are about to experience changes in set point... | 04/04/1995 |
| 5361983 | Method of maximizing the efficiency of an environmental control system including a programmable thermostat A process which is periodically executed by a programmable thermostat of a heating and cooling system which controls the temperature of a defined space within a structure subjected to a variable external environment. The process advances by an increment o... | 11/08/1994 |
| 5270952 | Self-adjusting recovery algorithm for a microprocessor-controlled setback thermostat A recovery algorithm for a setback thermostat uses the intersection of the space temperature with a sloped recovery temperature line which approximates the change in temperature as a function of time during recovery of the temperature controlled space fro... | 12/14/1993 |
| 5219119 | Thermostat-type setback controller having a recovery set point which depends on the time-based value of a sensor signal A setback controller, typically a thermostat, controls a control unit which holds a condition within an enclosure at either a low energy consumption set point or a high energy consumption set point depending on the present time. The controller uses a reco... | 06/15/1993 |
| 5115967 | Method and apparatus for adaptively optimizing climate control energy consumption in a building A computer (37) or microprocessor-based thermostat system (10) for automatically determining and implementing an optimum thermostat setback schedule (80) which, while maintaining a user-specified occupancy comfort schedule (39), minimizes the energy consu... | 05/26/1992 |
| 5025984 | Setback thermostat with recovery start time selected non-linearly A setback thermostat controlling a device which holds and changes the temperature in a space includes the capability of sensing and recording the difference between the time at which recovery to a new setpoint temperature occurs and the selected time at w... | 06/25/1991 |
| 4947928 | VAV system coordinator A microcomputer-based system coordinator for variable air volume (VAV) system through which conditioned air is supplied to a plurality of zones. The VAV system coordinator (VSC) is used to coordinate a central system VAV cooling and heating operation base... | 08/14/1990 |
| 4911358 | Temperature recovery system for an electronic programmable thermostat A method of controlling a multistage heating system so as to minimize the energy required to bring the temperature of a predetermined volume of space to a predetermined temperature level is provided. The multistage heating system includes an energy effici... | 03/27/1990 |
| 4901917 | Anticipating dual set-point bistable thermostat Automatically adjusting the time when control is returned to the operational set-point, in compensation for changing load conditions, is accomplished by measuring the operation of a heating or cooling system controller in its standby mode, and using this ... | 02/20/1990 |
| 4897798 | Adaptive environment control system This adaptive environment control system provides an HVAC control system that adapts to the continually-changing thermal characteristics of the building in which it operates. The adaptive environment control system periodically estimates the thermal chara... | 01/30/1990 |
| 4840220 | Heat pump with electrically heated heat accumulator A temperature setting unit is operated to set a desired temperature. An indoor temperature detector detects an indoor temperature. A timer is operated to set an operation start time. An indoor unit includes at least an indoor heat exchanger, an air duct a... | 06/20/1989 |
| 4828016 | Programmable electronic thermostat with means for enabling economical recovery A programmable electronic thermostat is provided for controlling operation of a multistage heating apparatus comprising a heat pump and auxiliary heat. A salient feature is a program which provides for economical recovery from a setback temperature. The p... | 05/09/1989 |
| 4706882 | Adaptive optimum start An optimum start system for determining the optimum start time of a temperature control system within a building so that energy can be conserved by operating the temperature control system at reduced energy levels during periods of non-occupancy of the bu... | 11/17/1987 |
| 4702305 | Temperature control system for control of a multiplant environmental unit A temperature control system for a multiplant environmental unit utilizing a heat pump and auxiliary heat is specifically disclosed. This system is operated by a microcomputer based real time operated thermostat which provides night setback and day setup ... | 10/27/1987 |
| 4632177 | Clock operated thermostat having automatic changeover and optimum start A clock operated thermostat having both automatic heat-cool changeover and optimum start is disclosed. Programs for the optimum start and automatic changeover are incorporated in a microcomputer based clock thermostat and eliminate any possibility that a ... | 12/30/1986 |
| 4615380 | Adaptive clock thermostat means for controlling over and undershoot A clock operated thermostat that provides setup temperature from an energy saving temperature is disclosed. The amount of overshoot caused in the space in which the thermostat is installed is measured, and a constant in the operation of the thermostat is ... | 10/07/1986 |
| 4506826 | Time-controlled heat regulator with nighttime temperature lowering capability A time-controlled heat regulator has the capability of controlling a heat supply so as to lower the temperature of a heated area during nighttime and to increase the supply of heat in dependence upon outside temperature to begin raising the temperature of... | 03/26/1985 |
| 4390959 | Optimal start programmer An optimal start programmer for starting a heating or cooling cycle for an intermittently occupied building includes a digital counter which is enabled at the start of a pre-occupancy "search" period and accumulates counts from a timing source. A digital ... | 06/28/1983 |
| 4386649 | Programmable thermostatic control device A programmable thermostatic control device for controlling the temperature within a preselected zone of an enclosed environment. The device can be readily installed and utilizes an interface unit through which the heating, ventilation and cooling system o... | 06/07/1983 |
| 4293028 | Arrangement for controlling room temperature An arrangement for controlling room temperature in conjunction with a heating or air conditioning system which operates throughout successive and uniform periods of time, each period of time being divided into a first time interval and a second time inter... | 10/06/1981 |
| 4274475 | Control apparatus for regulating building perimeter temperature change system A control apparatus for regulating a building perimeter temperature change system, which may be a heating system, a cooling system, or both. The control apparatus operates in conjunction with a central heating system which operates to adjust temperatures ... | 06/23/1981 |
| 4266599 | Method and apparatus for controlling comfort conditions including setback Method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling and selectively setting back the comfort condition, such as temperature, within a conditioned zone utilizing a system which includes both preferred and back-up conditioning means, the former exhibiting mo... | 05/12/1981 |
| 4156502 | Environmental condition control system The efficiency of an environmental control system such as a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system is enhanced and energy is conserved by starting and stopping the heating or air conditioning modes of operation at variable times at the beginning... | 05/29/1979 |
