Patent · US Expired

Temperature control balancing desired comfort with energy cost savings

US6785630B2 · kind B2 · utility

142Cited by
4References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 4, 2002
Grant dateAug 31, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 4, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05D23/1923
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A temperature regulating system utilizes changing energy price information to alter the system operation. A performance index value is determined that indicates a balance between a user's preference for maintaining a setpoint temperature and a need for maintaining energy cost savings. The performance index value is related to the current energy price and the system automatically responds to rising energy prices by reducing system operation in a manner that provides cost savings according to a user's specified preference for weighting temperature comfort levels compared to energy cost savings. According to the described example, an optimal control solution is used to determine the performance index value.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.