Abstract

A temperature voting system which receives votes indicating the temperature preferences of a plurality of occupants within a given HVAC zone, and adjusts a set-point temperature of a corresponding HVAC system accordingly. The votes may be received via a mobile device, an employee workstation, or from one or more biomedical devices. Each occupant may manually enter and submit a vote for their preferred set-point temperature, or a software application may be configured to automatically cast a vote for the corresponding occupant according to user-configurable preferences or current metabolic state. The received votes may be weighted according to a status of the voter, and aggregated to determine an appropriate set-point temperature. In some embodiments, near-field communication devices, GPS location technology, or other technology may be used to automatically detect the presence of an occupant within a HVAC zone and cast the occupant's vote for a corresponding HVAC zone.

IPC Classes  ?

• G05B 15/02 - Systems controlled by a computer electric
• F24F 11/56 - Remote control
• F24F 11/63 - Electronic processing
• F24F 11/64 - Electronic processing using pre-stored data
• F24F 11/65 - Electronic processing for selecting an operating mode

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for measuring the supply of a consumable product to a facility over time and analyzing the measurements to determine the consumption or supply of the product by one or more loads and/or sources in the facility, and to determine induced and residual heat flow through the facility's envelope. Various aspects compare the measured supply of the consumable product to a database of consumption signatures. Operating conditions and facility characteristics may be further considered in determining a particular user's access of the consumable product. Thermal resistance factors of the building may be determined, which are based on the induced and residual heat flow through the facility. Finally, one or more signatures of a building system are analyzed to determine a building's overall efficiency, including determining a controllable load of a building and/or determining an efficient start time for one or more building systems.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01K 17/20 - Measuring quantity of heat conveyed by flowing media, e.g. in heating systems based upon measurement of temperature difference across a radiating surface, combined with ascertainment of the heat-transmission coefficient
• G01R 21/133 - Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor by using digital technique
• G05F 1/66 - Regulating electric power
• G06Q 30/00 - Commerce
• G05B 11/01 - Automatic controllers electric
• G06Q 50/06 - Energy or water supply
• G06Q 10/00 - AdministrationManagement

Abstract

A temperature voting system which receives votes indicating the temperature preferences of a plurality of occupants within a given HVAC zone, and adjusts a set-point temperature of a corresponding HVAC system accordingly. The votes may be received via a mobile device, an employee workstation, or from one or more biomedical devices. Each occupant may manually enter and submit a vote for their preferred set-point temperature, or a software application may be configured to automatically cast a vote for the corresponding occupant according to user-configurable preferences or current metabolic state. The received votes may be weighted according to a status of the voter, and aggregated to determine an appropriate set-point temperature. In some embodiments, near-field communication devices, GPS location technology, or other technology may be used to automatically detect the presence of an occupant within a HVAC zone and cast the occupant's vote for a corresponding HVAC zone.

IPC Classes  ?

• G05B 15/02 - Systems controlled by a computer electric
• F24F 11/00 - Control or safety arrangements

Goods & Services

computer software and hardware for reading sub meter utilities and generation of invoices

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for measuring the supply of a consumable product/energy source, such as electrical power, to a facility over time and analyzing the measurements to determine the consumption or supply of the product by one or more loads and/or sources in the facility, and to determine induced and residual heat flow through the facility's envelope. Various aspects compare the measured supply of the consumable product to a database of consumption signatures, which characterize access to the consumable product by particular users. Operating conditions and facility characteristics, such as temperatures, load factors, insulation factors, etc., may be further considered in determining a particular user's access of the consumable product. To aid in the controlling of energy use, thermal resistance factors of the building are determined, which are based on the induced and residual heat flow through the facility.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01K 13/00 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• G01K 7/04 - Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples the object to be measured not forming one of the thermoelectric materials
• G01R 21/00 - Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor
• G08B 17/00 - Fire alarmsAlarms responsive to explosion
• G01K 1/02 - Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• G01K 17/20 - Measuring quantity of heat conveyed by flowing media, e.g. in heating systems based upon measurement of temperature difference across a radiating surface, combined with ascertainment of the heat-transmission coefficient
• G06Q 50/06 - Energy or water supply
• G01N 25/18 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means by investigating thermal conductivity
• G06Q 20/14 - Payment architectures specially adapted for billing systems
• G06N 5/04 - Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for measuring the supply of a consumable product to a facility over time and analyzing the measurements to determine the consumption or supply of the product by one or more loads and/or sources in the facility, and to determine induced and residual heat flow through the facility's envelope. Various aspects compare the measured supply of the consumable product to a database of consumption signatures. Operating conditions and facility characteristics may be further considered in determining a particular user's access of the consumable product. Thermal resistance factors of the building may be determined, which are based on the induced and residual heat flow through the facility. Finally, one or more signatures of a building system are analyzed to determine a building's overall efficiency, including determining a controllable load of a building and/or determining an efficient start time for one or more building systems.

IPC Classes  ?

• G05B 13/00 - Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion
• G05B 11/01 - Automatic controllers electric
• G01R 21/133 - Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor by using digital technique
• G01K 17/20 - Measuring quantity of heat conveyed by flowing media, e.g. in heating systems based upon measurement of temperature difference across a radiating surface, combined with ascertainment of the heat-transmission coefficient
• G06Q 50/06 - Energy or water supply
• G06Q 10/00 - AdministrationManagement

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for measuring the supply of a consumable product/energy source, such as electrical power, to a facility over time and analyzing the measurements to determine the consumption or supply of the product by one or more loads and/or sources in the facility, and to determine induced and residual heat flow through the facility's envelope. Various aspects compare the measured supply of the consumable product to a database of consumption signatures, which characterize access to the consumable product by particular users. Operating conditions and facility characteristics, such as temperatures, load factors, insulation factors, etc., may be further considered in determining a particular user's access of the consumable product. To aid in the controlling of energy use, thermal resistance factors of the building are determined, which are based on the induced and residual heat flow through the facility.

IPC Classes  ?

• G06F 15/00 - Digital computers in generalData processing equipment in general
• G06Q 40/00 - FinanceInsuranceTax strategiesProcessing of corporate or income taxes
• G01K 11/28 - Measuring temperature based on physical or chemical changes not covered by group , , , or using measurements of density
• G01R 21/00 - Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor
• G08B 17/00 - Fire alarmsAlarms responsive to explosion
• G01K 7/04 - Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples the object to be measured not forming one of the thermoelectric materials
• G01K 1/02 - Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• G01K 17/20 - Measuring quantity of heat conveyed by flowing media, e.g. in heating systems based upon measurement of temperature difference across a radiating surface, combined with ascertainment of the heat-transmission coefficient
• G06Q 50/06 - Energy or water supply
• G01N 25/18 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means by investigating thermal conductivity
• G06Q 20/14 - Payment architectures specially adapted for billing systems
• G01K 13/00 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• G06N 5/04 - Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for measuring the supply of a consumable product/energy source, such as electrical power, to a facility over time and analyzing the measurements to determine the consumption or supply of the product by one or more loads and/or sources in the facility, and to determine induced and residual heat flow through the facility's envelope. Various aspects compare the measured supply of the consumable product to a database of consumption signatures, which characterize access to the consumable product by particular users. Operating conditions and facility characteristics, such as temperatures, load factors, insulation factors, etc., may be further considered in determining a particular user's access of the consumable product. To aid in the controlling of energy use, thermal resistance factors of the building are determined, which are based on the induced and residual heat flow through the facility.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01J 5/00 - Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry
• G01F 1/708 - Measuring the time taken to traverse a fixed distance
• G01F 5/00 - Measuring a proportion of the volume flow
• G01N 25/18 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means by investigating thermal conductivity

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for measuring the supply of a consumable product/energy source, such as electrical power, to a facility over time and analyzing the measurements to determine the consumption or supply of the product by one or more loads and/or sources in the facility, and to determine induced and residual heat flow through the facility's envelope. Various aspects compare the measured supply of the consumable product to a database of consumption signatures, which characterize access to the consumable product by particular users. In doing so, costs for the product may be more accurately divided between different tenants of the facility without having to install individual services or measurement equipment for each individual tenant. Operating conditions and facility characteristics, such as temperatures, load factors, insulation factors, etc., may be further considered in determining a particular user's access of the consumable product. To aid in the controlling of energy use, thermal resistance factors of the building are determined, which are based on the induced and residual heat flow through the facility. Various algorithms are used including smart agents (e.g. neural networks) to determine the consumption of the consumable product by a particular user, to create the database of consumption signatures, and to determine the thermal resistance factors.

IPC Classes  ?

• G06Q 20/00 - Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
• G06Q 20/14 - Payment architectures specially adapted for billing systems

Goods & Services

Computer software and hardware for reading sub meter utilities and generation of invoices

Goods & Services

installation of submetering hardware for commercial buildings