IP Library Granted Patent US 9,723,380
Granted Patent B2
US 9,723,380 · App. 14/264,161 · Granted Aug 1, 2017

Method of and system for automatically adjusting airflow and sensors for use therewith

Inventors: Dipul Patel (Revere, MA); Nicholaus Ray Lancaster (Mineral Wells, TX)
Assignee: ecoVent Corp.
H04Q9/00F24F11/0001F24F11/001F24F11/006F24F11/0012F24F11/0034F24F11/0076G01C19/00G01N19/10F24F2011/0013F24F2011/0026F24F2011/0027F24F2011/0042F24F2011/0058F24F2011/0068F24F2011/0072G01L7/08G01N29/00Y02B30/78
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,723,380
App. No.
14/264,161
Granted
Aug 1, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of and system for automatically adjusting airflow and sensors for use therewith are disclosed. A sensor assembly includes a first face on an opposite side of the sensor assembly relative to a second face. The assembly includes an electrical plug on the first face and an electrical outlet on the second face. The electrical outlet is of a same type that is complimentary to the electrical plug on the first face. The assembly includes a sensor for sensing a value of an environmental variable in a space and a sensor communication system for transmitting and receiving information. A sensor system includes a plurality of sensor assemblies disposed in a building. Each sensor assembly includes a sensor for sensing a value of an environmental variable of the space within which the sensor is placed. The system determines gradient values for the sensed environmental variable.

Claims (12)

1. A sensor system comprising:

a plurality of sensor assemblies disposed in a building, each sensor assembly comprising:

a temperature sensor for sensing the ambient temperature of the space in the building within which the sensor is placed,

a pressure sensor for sensing the ambient pressure of the space in the building within which the sensor is placed, and

a sensor communication system for transmitting and receiving information; and

a sensor information aggregator that receives information about the ambient temperatures and ambient pressures in the building sensed from the sensors of the plurality of sensor assemblies, the sensor information aggregator comprising:

an aggregator communication system for transmitting and receiving information, and

an aggregator processor system for determining a vertical spatial temperature gradient in the building based on the information about the ambient temperatures in the building and ambient pressures in the building received by the sensor information aggregator, wherein the vertical spatial temperature gradient represents a change in temperature as a function of a change in altitude; and

wherein the aggregator processor system uses wireless communication signal strength between the sensor information aggregator and the sensor assemblies to estimate sensor assembly locations relative to each other, the determination of the vertical spatial temperature gradient in the building being further based on the relative locations of the sensor assemblies.

2. The sensor system of claim 1 , at least one of the plurality of sensor assemblies being wall-mounted.

3. The sensor system of claim 1 , at least one of the plurality of sensor assemblies being portable and carried by an individual.

4. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the aggregator processor system uses manually entered locations of sensor assembly locations relative to each other, the determination of the vertical spatial temperature gradient in the building being further based on the relative locations of the sensor assemblies.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2017
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: AVANTI HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 043885/0281 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2017
From: AVANTI HOLDINGS LLC
To: ECOVENT SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 043885/0640 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 24, 2017
From: ECOVENT CORP.
To: ECOVENT SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 043081/0268 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 13, 2016
From: ECOVENT CORP.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 038695/0983 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2015
From: PATEL, DIPUL; KELMAN, JOEL; LANCASTER, NICHOLAUS RAY; ROSE, SHAWN HEEN; SPADA, JOSEPH M.; JOHNSON, NICHOLAS; WARSINGER, DAVID ELAN MARTIN
To: ECOVENT CORP.
Reel/Frame 035687/0828 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 61955297 · Mar 19, 2014
Provisional Application 61902939 · Nov 12, 2013
Related Publication 20150130631A1 · May 14, 2015