Patent · US Active

Method and system for cooperative powering of unitary air conditioners

US8548631B1 · kind B1 · utility

0Cited by
24References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 8, 2012
Grant dateOct 1, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 8, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF24F11/523
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and system provide for the cooperative powering of unitary air conditioners. The method and system includes coordinating powering of unitary air conditioners in a multiunit building or other low level of aggregation in a power grid. Multiple unitary air conditioners can use a power line communication (PLC) communication module for communicating with other air conditioners that are within the same multiunit building. According to one aspect of the method and system, by using power line communications, multiple unitary air conditioners within a single building can form self-contained local area networks. The LAN can also support a token ring network. According to this token ring network, a predetermined number of tokens can be assigned within the token ring network.

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