American Standard Inc.

Richard A Bishop

Joe M Baldwin

William G Hansen

Merle A Renaud

James A Davis

Phillip L Polley

John L Hancock, Jr

A method of utilizing an economizer to reduce the energy usage of a mechanical refrigeration system. The method comprises the steps of: economizing if both cooling demand and the prerequisites to economize are present; measuring economizer capacity; determining if the measured economizer capacity is sufficient to meet the needs of a zone being conditioned; continuing to economize as long as there is both a cooling demand and the prerequisites to economize; and initiating the use of the mechanical cooling system only if the economizer capacity has been determined to be insufficient to meet the needs of the zone being conditioned.

Economizer preferred cooling control

A thermostat and method for controlling the overshoot and undershoot of the temperature in a zone that are caused by an air conditioning system responsive to a change in the setpoint of the thermostat is disclosed. The thermostat includes a sensor for detecting the temperature in the zone and being adapted to generate a signal representative of the temperature. A processor for controlling the air conditioning system is communicatively coupled to the sensor and receives the signal representative of the temperature of the zone therefrom. A setpoint input device for changing the setpoint of the thermostat is communicatively coupled to the processor and is adapted to provide a signal representative of the changed setpoint to the processor. The processor controls the air conditioning system in a static condition mode during normal operations and switches the air conditioning system to a full on mode responsive to a setpoint change. The processor is adapted to generate a time based target temperature curve and to compare the target temperature with the temperature in the zone at certain time intervals after the input of the setpoint change. The air conditioning system is switched by the processor from the full on mode of operation to the static condition mode of operation when the sensed temperature in the zone equals the temperature of the target temperature curve.

Apparatus and method for reducing overshoot in response to the setpoint

A method of operating a controller of an HVAC system comprising the steps of: constantly establishing the validity of each of a plurality of input devices; and reconfiguring the mode of operation of the HVAC system each time the validity of any of the plurality of input devices changes to ensure that the HVAC system operates in the best available mode of operation.

Self configuring controller

A method of air conditioning an environment with an HVAC system. The method comprises the steps of: determining an environment to be either occupied or vacant; determining a mode of operation for the HVAC system to be heating or cooling; determining a heating setpoint and a cooling setpoint; and determining a setback value equal to a difference between the value of the heating setpoint and the value of the cooling setpoint. The method also includes the steps of: establishing an operational setpoint equal to the heating setpoint if the mode of operation in the environment is heating and the environment is occupied; establishing an operational setpoint equal to the heating setpoint minus the setback value if the mode of operation is heating and the environment is unoccupied; establishing an operational setpoint equal to the cooling setpoint if the mode of operation is cooling and the environment is occupied; establishing an operational setpoint equal to the cooling setpoint plus the setback value if the mode of operation is cooling and the environment is unoccupied; and conditioning the environment in accordance with the operational setpoint.

Method of determining setback for HVAC system

A method of configuring a controller of an HVAC system comprising the step of configuring the HVAC system based upon components which are indicated by a wiring harness to be physically connected to the HVAC system.

Configuration wiring harness for HVAC controller

A method of controlling the operation of an HVAC system comprising the steps of: accepting an input; selecting a first mode of operation if the input has a value in excess of a first predetermined limit; selecting a second mode of operation if the input has a value less than a second predetermined limit; selecting a third mode of operation if the input has a value which is between the second and the first predetermined limits.

Growing community of inventors

Clarksville, TN, United States of America

Richard A Bishop