MXPA96003411A - Apparatus and method for automatic control delcl - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling the levels of an environmental attribute of a room, controlling the operation of an environmental control unit to affect said levels of the attribute of the room, this apparatus includes an interface coupled to an environmental control unit , to control its operation by control signals, this apparatus comprises: a controller, which includes a processor coupled to a memory, this memory stores an environmental control program, which includes the instructions of the program to control the operation of said control unit environmental, generating the control signals and then storing the data, including a first displacement ratio, a first impulse ratio, a predetermined set point, representing a predetermined level of the attribute, a predetermined maximum interval relative to the point of adjustment, a predetermined minimum interval also in relation to the You, and a predetermined maximum time of recovery, the controller also includes a timer coupled to the processor, to synchronize the events related to environmental control, these events include the generation of control signals and the reception of the signals that represent the levels inside the room, an input device, coupled to the controller, to enter at least one of: the predetermined set point, the maximum interval, the minimum interval and the recovery time, a sensor of an environmental attribute, coupled to the controller , to supply, at any given moment, a signal representing the level of the attribute within the room, and a sensor of the occupancy state, coupled to the controller, to determine if the room is occupied and to send a control signal to the controller, for take one of a first action and a second action, this first action is taken if the room is unoccupied, to allow the level in the room is shifted to an environmental level of the attribute in a region adjacent to the room, and the second action is taken if the room is occupied, to operate the environmental control unit to drive the attribute level within the room away from the room. level of the environment, in which the environmental control program includes instructions to allow the displacement only to the maximum interval, when the space is occupied, and then, when it is reoccupied, activate the environmental control unit to boost the level of the attribute within the fourth towards an objective level of the attribute within the minimum range of the set point, and in which the maximum interval is limited so that a quantity of the impulse time for the environmental control unit, to drive the level of the attribute within the room, from the maximum interval to the objective level of the attribute, is not greater than the maximum predetermined time of recovery

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE CLIMATE CONTROLAUTOMÁTICO This invention relates to the control of temperature and other aspects of the climate of interior spaces of buildings and, in particular, to a system for controlling the temperature of an environment, according to predetermined criteria, which include the presence or absence of persons , programmable comfort intervals and programmable time tolerances to achieve those comfort intervals. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In conventional temperature or climate control systems (for example, in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, here generally referred to as "HVAC"), thermostats are used for control, when activated and deactivates the HVAC system. The user previously establishes a desired temperature (or "user set point") and, when the temperature of the controlled space is different from the previously set temperature, the HVAC system heats or cools the air, until reaching the temperature established previously.

Thus, conventional closed-space thermostats are merely on / off switches with a sensor for measuring the temperature of the enclosed space and resources for users to set their preferred temperatures. A problem with such thermostats is that the temperature is maintained at the user's set point when people are present or not, using expensive natural resources. Heating or cooling when there are no people present, wastes a lot of these resources. Some enclosed space thermostats come with a built-in clock and have a method for people to program different user set points for different times and days. These clock thermostats provide different HVAC services when people are expected to be present when they are expected to be absent. Problems with this approach are that the programming of clocks and thermostats is uncomfortable and also that, in the case of programming correctly, change the programs of people and so often do not correspond to the times previously programmed.

Some enclosed space thermostats come with sensors to detect the presence of people. They change from a conventional thermostat, when people are present, to a second conventional thermostat, when people are absent. This second thermostat has a second fixed temperature, so that it can change ("delay" or "raise") a fixed number of degrees from the first temperature, when people are absent. The problem with these thermostats is that the second temperature is often too far away from the first, to provide satisfactory well-being when someone returns to the room, or too close to the first temperature to achieve adequate energy savings. In addition, the enclosed space and environmental conditions change constantly, so these thermostats are very difficult to regulate for optimal energy savings versus changes in comfort. Even if a user could solve the second optimum setting of the thermostat for comfort and maximum energy saving at any given time, the conditions change constantly and that setting can quickly become not optimal. (In general, the term "environment" - as in "room temperature" - will be used to refer to the temperature or other conditions of the region surrounding the controlled, usually closed, or other space. "will be used to refer to the temperatures within the controlled space.) Therefore, there is a need for a climate control system that takes into account the occupation status by people in a controlled space and automatically responds to variations in the conditions of space and the environment, so as to minimize the use of energy, while complying with the comfort, health and other predetermined criteria that may be previously established by the user. Such a system should take into account, preferably, the variable adjustments of comfort for different people, both in the temperature and in the time allowed for this temperature to recover the preferred condition, when people return from an absence (referred to herein as "Recovery time") . The system must also automatically accommodate the various conditions of the enclosed space, which include the variable leaks of thermal energy, to and from the enclosed space, and the variable declines of this thermal energy (furniture, equipment, wall and floor coverings). , etc.) in the enclosed space. Likewise, variable environmental conditions must be accommodated (such as day or night, summer or winter, clear or rainy days, calm or strong wind conditions) and, additionally, the system must compensate for variations in the capacities of operation of the HVAC equipment. All these goals are automatically met by the system of the present invention.

Conventional systems do not take into account the nonlinear relationships between the operation of the HVAC equipment and the responses (temperature, humidity, etc.) of the space controlled over time. There is a need for a system that recognizes and uses such non-linear relationships to carry out climate control, such as by using an adjustment of an exponential curve.

Brief Description of the Invention The system of the invention uses one or more remote sensors and base stations. The remote sensor is a device that detects the presence or absence, transient or permanent, of people and transmits these observations from the "state of occupation" to the base station. The remote sensors have temperature sensors to report the temperature to the base station, and this base station can have additional temperature sensors. Both the sensors of the base station and remote are controlled by means of micro-controllers with the control programs stored in the memory, to carry out the functions of the invention and to control the heating / ventilation / air conditioning equipment ( HVAC) to maintain the temperature of the space at the user's set point, with a wide range of variations, as described below. The base station controls the HVAC equipment taking into account the history of the current operation and response of the system in the controlled space.

When people return from an absence, they would like the temperature to be at, or within an interval of, their preferred environment within a time that they decide is acceptable. The base station is thus a machine that adapts and learns, which controls the HVAC equipment to carry out the temperature and time preferences of the users. This base station provides the positioning of the user set point, ie the desired temperature set by the user. It also provides the placement of: (A) a specified maximum temperature range, which may deviate from the user's set point; (B) a specified maximum recovery time for the temperature to return to the margin around the user set point (this maximum recovery time may be zero, to always maintain the temperature at the user's set point; alternately a very long period ("infinite") to substantially always go back to the fixed maximum temperature); Y (C) a minimum specified temperature range (which can be substantially zero) about the user set point, for the system to return to the temperature within the specific recovery time.

The base station receives transmissions from the occupation state of one or more of its associated remote sensors. Measure, calculate and learn non-linear temperature-versus-time relationships, when the HVAC equipment is operating ("active") and the corresponding, but different relationships, when the HVAC equipment is inactive ("deviated") . Once the deviation and action curves (ie, deviation and action vs. time relationships) are learned, the system uses this information for future control decisions, including how much it will allow the temperature to drift past an interval previously established, before activating the HVAC equipment. In general, the temperature will be allowed to divert more when the space is not occupied than when it is.

The base station controls the HVAC equipment, always collecting and recording the temperature data - vs. - time, around the enclosed space and using this data to continuously maximize the energy savings, operating the HVAC equipment to the minimum levels, when the space is not occupied, while preparing to return the temperature to the set point of the user or the minimum temperature range around the user set point, within the specified recovery time.

The system of the invention can increase the allowed time of deviation when certain internal criteria are satisfied, so that the users will not notice the increase in increments in the time to return to the programmed temperature. This will lead to additional energy savings. The energy savings and the amount of use of the equipment can be derived from the data stored by the system. Other variations are programmable in the control parameters, such as the expansion of the allowed temperature range, when a controlled space is not occupied, for a long period of time, providing additional energy savings. Brief Description of the Drawing » Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system embodying the present invention. Figure IA shows a control of the user interface for use with the system of Figure 1. Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention. Figure 3 is a graph illustrating the deflection and impulse responses of the temperature of a space.

Figure 4 is a graph illustrating the response of the temperature deviation of a space, which identifies the parameters to an exponential equation that represents the response. Figure 5 is a graph illustrating the action response of the temperature of a space, which identifies the parameters to an exponential equation that represents the response. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing a base station of the invention in use with multiple remote sensors. Figure 7 is a block diagram of a remote sensor for use with the invention. Figures 8 to 10 are frame diagrams of various modalities of the base station. Figure 11 is a block diagram of a programmable pre-adjusting adapter for use with the invention. Figure 12 shows a zero crossing circuit for use with an embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is directed to a system for controlling the levels of a predetermined environmental attribute of a room or enclosed space, operating an environmental control unit or equipment in response to changes in such attribute levels, for maintain the real level of the attribute in the room within a certain interval of a user set point, ie the desired level, determined by the user, for the attribute. A preferred embodiment of the invention involves the controlled operation of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. The use of the present invention leads to considerable energy savings over existing systems. The invention is preferably carried out in a computer system 10 for controlling the equipment, as in Figure 1, which shows a base station 20 of a conventional multipurpose or dedicated computer, which includes a microprocessor 30 coupled to a memory 40. The input is provided by means of an input device 50 of the user, coupled to the computer 20; the device 50 may include a keyboard, a microphone for voice control, remote infrared or radio devices, touch screens or any of many other conventional computer input devices, including entry doors for communications from other computers or electronic devices. The output is provided through one or more output devices 60, which may comprise one or more standard output devices, such as a monitor, a printer, audio devices, communications ports for other computers, or other devices that can receive and use the computer outputs. One or more environmental attribute sensors, such as temperature sensors 70, are provided and coupled directly to an input of the computer 20 or communicate by means of the computer to conventional remote elements, such as infrared wiring systems, radio or building. Other sensors 90 similarly couple to or otherwise communicate with the computer 20, as well as one or more sensors 100 of the occupancy of persons, to detect the presence of people in a given space, whose climate is to be controlled.

These occupancy sensors 100 may be conventional personal detectors (such as a commercially available infrared detector) and preferably communicate with the computer 20 via a remote link, such as by infrared or radio transmission or transmission in the building's wiring.

The system described below and each of its variants are controlled by the computer 10, in response to the instructions in an environmental control program, stored in the memory 40. When a controller or processor is mentioned, it should be taken as meaning a process conventional or dedicated driver, such as the processor 30, which, in each case, will have an associated memory to store both the control program and the data that is generated and detected or otherwise entered during the course of the operation of the system.

Figure IA shows an appropriate control unit 110 to act as a user interface for the system, which will be used as described after the discussion of Figure 2. Specific modes of the sensors and base stations that can be used for carrying out the features of the invention are discussed below in relation to Figures 6 to 11.

Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the system of the invention, which will first be described in its basic form, followed by the description of the numerous variations in the fundamental mode. The method is based on the fact that the response of the temperature of a given space to the climate control equipment and to ambient temperatures different from the temperature of the space, is very difficult to forecast. Thus, the present invention uses an empirical approach to climate control, which will first be described in general terms, followed by a detailed description of the method, as illustrated in the flow chart of Figure 2. Deviation response? and impulse of the temperature of a space Figure 3 shows the nature of the response of a room or another space to the control of temperature and at different environmental temperatures from the temperature inside the space. The graph in Figure 3 illustrates the temperature response of that room, where the ambient temperature is, in general, higher than the temperature inside the room, as would be the case for a room with air conditioning on a hot day. For a room heated on a cold day, the principles are the same, but the direction of temperature increase on the y axis would be reversed.

Curve 400, in Figure 3, shows the exponential response of the temperature of the space over time, starting at a TEMPSET at a low temperature (which could be a temperature at which a thermostat of the air conditioner is adjusted). air, for example) and that approaches the ambient temperature (for example, the external temperature on a hot day), as time passes. Curve 410 is similarly an exponential curve that shows the response of the space to the air conditioner that is driven from the environment and descends towards the TEMPSET. The ambient temperature is generally the temperature of the enclosed, unoccupied space, which will be modified when the HVAC equipment is inactive; that is, if the temperature is higher outside than inside, the temperature of a room will tend to drift toward the hotter external temperature. (In some cases, the interior temperature may become warmer than the outside temperature, in this case, it is not always true that the temperature of the space approaches the external ambient temperature, this does not affect the present system, which In any case, it will work to cool the space to the TEMPSET, which is true in both cases, is that the closed space is diverted to some equilibrium temperature, which will usually be substantially the same as the ambient temperature of the region that surrounds the enclosed space For the examples, in the present application the "ambient" temperature will be taken as meaning the temperature of eguillirium for the space.) The temperature of the closed, unoccupied space is thus generally displaced to the ambient at a decreasing rate and can be driven from the environment to a decreasing regime. These variable regimes ("deceleration curves") are described very closely by the exponential equations of the form T = C + Ae-t / B, where T = temperature, t = time, and A, B and C are known parameters or learned, discussed below. The deviation and drive equations have the same shape, with different values for the parameters. By measuring changes in temperature and time, these equations can be solved (that is, all six parameters are "learned"). Once resolved, the time to push the temperature from one point to another, or the time the temperature takes to deviate from one point to another, can be calculated. As the ambient temperature changes, parameters A and C of the deviation and impulse equations are recalculated. Recovery times under continually varying conditions can then be calculated, which enables the system to continually adjust and maximize the deviation limit temperature, thus minimizing the HVAC equipment while it is always ready and capable of boosting the temperature back to, or within a range of, the user set point in the specified recovery time. The specific embodiments of these functions are discussed below.

The above equations give exact predictions, empirically determined, for deviation and im-pulse with only temperature and time measurements. Additional variables, such as moisture, can be added to the system, for which more complex nonlinear equations will be used, to accurately characterize the "cot" relationships that must be learned for accurate control. Figure 4 shows a curve 420, similar to curve 400 of Figure 3, which graphically illustrates the aforementioned parameters A, B and C. These parameters are defined as follows (for the deviation situation): A: the temperature deviation of the controlled space at time t = 0; B: the exponential constant of time (or "constant Tau") of the equation; Y C: the temperature at which the controlled space will move in time (ie, the equilibrium temperature of the space with the HVAC equipment closed.

Figure 5 shows a curve 430, similar to curve 410 of Figure 3, and is the pulse counterpart to the displacement curve of Figure 4. The parameters of Figure 5 are defined in a manner similar to the parameters of Figure 4, with C being the temperature that the space will approach asymptotically, if the HVAC equipment is driven for a very long time, under the same conditions (ambient temperature, HVAC power adjustment, etc.). The parameter A can be considered as the distance that the temperature has to travel to reach C from where it is at time zero.

Parameter B (the Tau or time constant) is the time it will take the temperature to travel 63% (1- 1 / e) of the distance to C from where it begins at time zero. The proportion of the distance traveled to C can be calculated as "n" Tau (= 1 - (l / e) n).

The parameter C, as noted above, is the temperature (in the equations of both deviation and impulse) at which the space heats up. In the deviation equation, it is the extreme temperature (maximum or minimum, depending on whether the environment is hotter or colder) to which the enclosed space will come if left alone for a sufficiently long time with a constant ambient temperature (ie , the equilibrium temperature of the enclosed space without operating the HVAC equipment). In the impulse equation, it is the extreme temperature (again, minimum or maximum, opposite to the end in the deviation situation) that the HVAC equipment can drive with a constant ambient temperature (ie, the equilibrium temperature of the enclosed space with the HVAC team operating).

The rate at which the temperature of the closed space changes with time decreases as it deviates more closely from the ambient temperature. The regime to which a temperature in the enclosed space changes over time decreases as it is driven away from the environment. These phenomena are shown by the curves delineated in Figure 3. Curve 400 illustrates that more time is needed to drive for a specified distance (ΔT) away from the ambient temperature at a lower temperature (see segment 410L) than to a higher temperature (see segment 410H), ie t2 > t4. Curve 400, on the other hand, illustrates that at a lesser time for the temperature to be diverted to the ambient temperature for a specified distance (? T), when it is further away from the ambient temperature (see segment 400L) than when it is closer (see segment 400H), that is, ti < t3.

Curves 400 and 410 further demonstrate, by a comparison of the segments 400H, 400L, 410H and 410L (see segments (410H) and (410L), relocated for comparison with 400H and 400L, respectively) that the proportion of time spent in the impulse when it is retained (that is, the cycle repeated through the deviation and impulse is maintained) a temperature of the closed space within a specific interval (? T), is greater than when the temperature is further away from the ambient temperature than when it is closer. Mathematically, this is expressed as: t2 / (tl + t2) >; t4 / (t3 + t4). The current system records a series of temperature measurements in the computer's memory. the time, when (1) the closed space is diverted and (2) when driven by the HVAC equipment. These measurements are used to solve the deviation and impulse equations, where the Temperature = C + Ae ~ tlemP0 / B. Each equation can be solved accurately, with three pairs of measurements, provided that the time intervals between the measurements are equal; this is discussed below in detail.

As the ambient temperature changes, parameters A and C of the deviation and impulse equations must be adjusted. Once the B parameters are learned for an unoccupied space, they remain constant until the space is again occupied and emptied. In the deviation equation, the initial temperature To = C + A, thus the changes in C are linearly coupled to the changes in A; that is, A = To - C. Derivation of the deviation and impulse parameters The curves and the parameters shown in Figures 3 to 5, provide the description of the behavior of a space, in response to the control of the temperature. The equation is of the form T - C + Ae - t / B. It will be assumed for this example that it is a hot day and that the HVAC equipment is being used to drive down the temperature, although, due to the symmetry of the mathematics, the example will work equally well for a cold room temperature, where the space , instead, it heats up.

The sensors measure the temperature, the system of the invention measures the temperature and the elapsed time as pairs of data points (in a manner that will be described below, in relation to Figure 2). In this example, the time periods of the measurements are selected to be equal, that is, the three points are selected so that they are evenly spaced in time, as follows: Time (seconds) TfBPfrature, ac (flf) t0 (O tO) = 0 T0 = 26.7 (80.00) tx (O ti) = 180 T? = 23.7 (74.59 t2 (O t2) - 360 T2 = 22.0 (71.61) Parameters A, B and C have solutions of closed forms, assuming that (t ^ - to) = (t2 - j_), as follows: B = - (^ - t0) / Ln. { (T2 - TX) / (TX - T0)} A = (T? - T2) / (e -tl / B _ e-t2 / B) C =? - Ae_tl / B Calculating the parameters, the impulse equation becomes: T = 20 + 6.7e_t / 300 (in ac) T 68 + I2e "t / 300 (in fiF) which means that the Tau impulse is 300 seconds; that is to say around 1 - (i / e) 300/300 = 63% of the temperature differential, which can finally be driven, is reached in 300 seconds, after starting the impulse (here, cooling), and the distance Total impulse will finally be 6.72c (122F) down from 26.72c (802F) (= 20.02 + 6.72C) (= 68 + 122F) In this example, the lowest temperature at which the system can be practically driven is 20.02C, thus the value that T approaches asymptotically as t (time) goes to very large numbers (ie, e_t / 300 is approaching to zero, and so t approaches "infinity"). This will be the case where, for example, the HVAC equipment is not very powerful, or there is a leak in the space, so that cold air is being lost, or when the air temperature blown by an air conditioner is, of fact, in 202c. In other words, the system of the invention automatically determines the practical limitations of the physical space and the climate control equipment in an empirical manner. These deflection and pulse parameters will be used in the method of the invention, as shown in the flow chart of Figure 2.

The method of the Fiaura 2 A conventional approach to climate control is to take the user's set point as the target temperature and, when the temperature in the controlled space deviates away from this set point, operate the HVAC equipment until that the temperature within the space returns to the set point or within a practical range (? TEMP) of the set point. A variation on this is to include a busy state detector, such as sensor 100, and when no one is present it will allow a greater deviation from the set point, but the temperature will return to the set point ±? TEMP when someone returns.

The first of these approaches is accommodated by the method illustrated in the flow diagram of Figure 2, by the cycle labeled as cycle A through frames 200 to 250 (and again through frame 210). The user enters the TEMPSET setpoint, and the margin? TEMP can enter at this time or can be pre-programmed. In fact, any of the input variables, discussed below (such as those listed in Table 200) can be pre-programmed and specified by the administrator / system owner, which can be changed by the user or not, as desired . The variables that fall into table 200 have the following dimensions and definitions: TEMPSET: (temperature): the set point defined by the user; ? TEMP: (temperature): the margin around TEMPSET (or TEMPLIMIT) within which the temperature is actually maintained; TEMPMIN: (temperature) an optional adjustment range around TEMPSET, used in conjunction with RECOVMAX to determine TEMPLIMIT, as discussed below; TEMPMAX: (temperature): a margin specified by the user around TEMPSET, at which the temperature of the space is preferably maintained when this space is not occupied; RECOVMAX: (time): a time specified by the user, which represents the maximum period of time the system must take to return the space to TEMPSET (±? TEMP OR TEMPMIN), when a person first occupies the space, after having been vacated; Initial deviation / impulse variables: A, B and C, in the deviation / impulse equations. A and C are temperatures and B is given in units of time; Y DD RATIO: (without dimensions): This variable represents an energy / savings ratio, specified by the user or the system administrator, from the time of deviation to the impulse time outside the TEMPMAX interval in the "genius" mode, discussed below . The initial values of the deviation and impulse parameters can be entered by the administrator or the user of the system if sufficient knowledge of the system is known to make a good guess about the values. They, in any case, will adjust automatically as the system collects the empirical information as the space heats up and / or cools, and it is preferable to generate exact deviation and impulse data as described in the previous section entitled "Derivation of the parameters of deviation and impulse ". The system, in this case, will be cycled through the start-up time to collect the necessary data and then it will be ready to execute exactly the required control of the HVAC equipment, according to the method of Figure 2.

Once all the input data is collected and stored by the system, the occupancy status (ie the presence or absence of someone in the controlled room or space) is detected in Table 210 and the TEMP temperature of the room. space is detected in frame 220. These are stored in memory, since they are all variables and input data during the execution of the method. In Table 230, the current TEMP and time are stored together, that is, correlated, which will be used later in the calculation of the deviation and impulse curves for the room or other space that is controlled.

In frame 240, it is determined whether the current space temperature (TEMP) is within a predetermined range? TEMP, from the TEMPSET set point. For example, the user can have the input temperature of 22.222c (722F) as a comfortable temperature, and the? TEMP can be 0.282c (0.52F). If the temperature in the space is within the range of 21.942c (71.52F) to 22.502c (72.52F), then the determination in Table 240 is positive, so the method branches to Table 250. If the system has driven the HVAC team, this stops at this point; if the system no longer drives the HVAC equipment, then it remains outside in frame 250. Then the method branches to frame 210 and cycle A begins again. Note that in cycle A (frames 210-250 of Figure 2) ), the occupation status is not important, since the temperature is substantially at the set point and the HVAC equipment will not be driven in any case.

Cycle B represents the situation where the space is occupied and the temperature of the space moves to the outside of the desired interval (TEMP ±? TEMP); that is, in table 260 it is determined if someone is present and thus the step in table 270 causes the computer to activate the HVAC equipment, for which the program is provided with commands to control the equipment in a conventional manner. A) Yes, when TEMP moves up (on a hot day), in this example above 22.502C (72.52F) or (on a cold day) below 21.942C (71.52F), the HVAC equipment will be activated to boost the temperature again within 0.282C (0.52F) of the set point, 22.222C (722F) (for example below 21.942C (71.52F) or above 22.52C (72.52F), respectively). Alternatively, the system can be set so that when, on a hot day, the temperature moves above 22.782c (732F), when the set point is 22.222c (722F) and? TEMP is 0.552C (12F), the HVAC equipment drives the temperature below 22.222C (722F). Similar variations are used without departing substantially from the principles of keeping the temperature within the same range? TEMP of a set point.

Cycle B returns to frame 210 and the method starts again at that point. If the temperature has returned to (TEMP ±? TEMP), then cycle A is executed, and the HVAC equipment is closed; otherwise, cycle B is executed again and in table 270 the HVAC equipment (already operating) continues its operation. However, it may be that before reaching the previously established margin around the set point (that is, before reaching the temperature range of TEMP ± TEMP), anyone who has been in the controlled space exits. Alternatively, it may be that the temperature of an unoccupied space is displaced outside the previously established range. In any case, the decision in table 260 branches to table 280, where the variables in the deviation and impulse equations (as in Figures 3 to 5) are updated.

Steps 280 to 290; calculations of the deviation and impulse variables v of the TEMPLIMIT In step 290, the variable TEMPLIMIT is set to be less than (1) TEMPMAX and (2) the temperature deviation of TEMPSET, for which time to recover TEMPSET (or optionally, TEMPMIN) is not greater than RECOVMAX.

The value of TEMPMIN is selected as the temperature range around the TEMPSET, so that a person in the controlled space will be comfortable even when the temperature may be outside the range of TEMP ±? TEMP. For example, if TEMP is 22.112c (702F) and? TEMP is 0.282C (0.52F), the system will normally maintain the temperature at 20.832C (69.52F) at 21.392C (70.52F). However, with the use of the variable TEMPMIN, the operator has the option of specifying a temperature margin close to 21.112C (702F), such as ± 1.112C (± 22F), so that it will be acceptable if the system reaches this margin slightly widened, within a given period of time, RECOVMAX, for example six minutes. You can then take additional minutes to reach the ideal temperature of 21.39 ± 0.282C (70.5 ± 0.52F), but people in the room will probably not notice the difference, once the 1.11 TEMPMIN margin is reached. Note that the TEMPMIN can be set to zero or equal to? TEMP, if desired, bypassing the "comfort margin" option. In this case, the calculation according to step 290, paragraph (2), is carried out with TEMPSET as the target temperature.

The temperature deviation under stage 290, row (2), is derived from the value of RECOVMAX in the following manner: if the HVAC system drives the temperature down to, for example, 21.112C (702F) and is interrupted ( that is, the user set point is 21.112C, (702F) ignoring? TEMP at the moment), then - using the exemplary impulse equation, discussed above - one can see that 21.112C (702F) is reached after of 537.30 seconds (almost nine minutes). If RECOVMAX is set, for example, in six minutes, or 420 seconds, the system must determine how much the system can allow the temperature to deviate and still be able to push back to 21,112C (702F) in 420 seconds. Using the previous exemplary equation, Tm ^? It could be calculated as follows: tmax = 20 + 6.7e "(537-53" 420) / 300 = 24.502C • Tmax = 68 + 12e- (5? .53-420) / 300 = 76,112F Thus, the temperature can be allowed to move to 24.52C (76.112F) and the system can still be driven back to 21.112C (702F) in 420 seconds.

The above calculation is performed in the same way when taken into account? TEMP or TEMPMIN; The only difference is that the last variables are taken into account when calculating the time it will take to boost the target temperature. Thus, if TEMPMIN »1.11 &C (22F), then the time taken to boost to 22.222C (72 F) will be compared with RECOVMAX to generate the value for Tmx, and this value will be greater than 24.5 c (76,112). F), since the system will not need to drive all the way back to TEMPSET.

Essentially, the same procedure is used as for the parameters of the impulse equation to find parameters A, B and C of the deviation equation, which are different from the parameters of the impulse equation and provide a different equation of the same form. For example, for a user set point of 21.112C (702F) and a maximum deviation to 32.222C (902F), the deviation equation that describes the behavior of the temperature when the equipment is deactivated, can be: T = 32.22 - ll.lle-t / 720 2C, T = 90 - 20e ~ t / 720 2F which means that the Tau deviation is 720 seconds, and that when the HVAC equipment is deactivated, the most that will deviate the temperature will be up to 32.222C (902F). (Note that at t = 0, the temperature is 21.112C (702F)) The slope of the deviation equation at T = 24.5 c (76.112F) is given by: dT / dt = -A / Be_t / B, like this, noting that T - 24.52c (76.112F) = > t = 262.49; dT / dt - - (- 20) / 720e ~ 262-49 / 720 = 0.01929 2F / sec dT / dt = - (- ll.ll) / 720e-262-49 / 720 = 0.01072 2c / sec. In the deviation mode, B varies so little that it could be taken as a constant. At the limit of the deviation temperature in this example, with B = 720 and t = 262.49, only A will vary significantly as the ambient temperature forces the leakage regime of the enclosed space (ie, the slope) to change. As the exterior heats up more, dT / dt will increase in the limit of the deflection temperature. To maintain the temperature at 24.52C (76.112F), the system repeatedly allows 1 temperature to deviate a little (such as 0.282C (0.52F)) above 24.52C (76.112F) and then pushes it back a little ( again, such as 0.282C (0.52F)), below 24.52c (76.112F). (Alternatively, the temperature will be allowed to deviate to 24.52C (76.112F) and then it will be driven, for example, 0.552c (12F) below this.) If the temperature is allowed to deviate by 0.282c (0.52F) above 24.5 c (76.112F) and then is driven by 0.282C) 0.52F) below 24.52c (76.112F), for a total displacement of 0.552c (12F) ), then initially the time for this displacement of 0.552c (12F) is (dT / dt) or 0 1 / 0.01929 = 52 seconds. As the exterior becomes warmer, the time for displacement of 0.552C (12F) is measured. If it is, for example, 35 seconds, then (dT / dt)! = 1/35 = 0.02894. Since dT / dt = -A / 720e "262.49 / 720 = -A constant x, so that: (dT / dt)! / (dT / dt) 0 = -A! / - Ao and Ai = A0 (dT / dt) 0, and, therefore, Ai = -20 X 02894 / 0.01929 = -30 Note that, of the deviation equation at t = 0: T = C + Ae "° / B - C + A, so T0 = 32.22 + (-11.11) = 21.11 = C + A (2C) T0 = 90 + (-20) - 70 = C + A (2F) and CX = T0 - Ai = 21.11 - (- 16.67) = 382C C? = T0 - Ai = 70 - (-30) = 1002F and the new deviation equation is: T - 38 - 16.67e ~ t / 720 2C.

T = 100 - 30 e-t / 720 2F This means that the Tau deviation is still 720 seconds, and that when the HVAC equipment is deactivated, now the furthest the temperature can deviate is 382C (1002F), that is, Cdesv. - 38 C (1002F).

When C ^ isv. change, the new parameters of the impulse equation must be calculated in step 280. In the impulse equation, CimpU? so has a nonlinear relationship to cdesv. while A and B vary so little that they can be taken as constants. CimpU? So can be estimated exactly using the Gauss equation of the form cimpulso = cdesv. + Dexp- [(Cdesv. - E) / F] *.

In this equation, D is the amplitude of (CimpU? S or Cdesv.) Max., E is the temperature a (Cimpulse - Cdesv.) Max. and F is a temperature Tau of the De Gauss equation, which is approximately the? cdesv necessary to obtain a precise equation.

Three sets of measurements of D, E, F, Cimpu? So and Cdesv # are required to solve this equation accurately. After three cycles of deviation and momentum of a duration of about one Tau, at different ambient temperatures, all nine parameters can be accurately calculated, and the unoccupied space is characterized entirely by two exponential equations, one Gaussian and a linear, Subsequent changes in ambient temperature, measured on the deviation side of the retention cycle, are used to calculate new parameters and their associated deviation and impulse equations.

In practice, the applicant has observed that ? cmpulse * ° -2? Cdesv. For small changes in Cdesv, and this estimate can be used until (new impulse cdesv.) / Cdesv. becomes greater than a fixed ratio adjusted by the user or previous programming.

In summary, first the system learns the parameters for the following equations: Timpulse = Cimulse + Ailftpulsoe-t / B impulse and 5 Tdesv. = Cdesv. + Adesv. e-t / b deviation As the work cycles change while maintaining the temperature in the current TmaXi, the system calculates a new deflection- Using this new deflection, the system then calculates 0 New detour ~ tdesv. 0 ~ new detour New impulse * On impulse new impulse = cpulse + ° «(C new detour" cimpulso) Y new impulse - C_new impulse + Aimpulsoe ~ t B impulse * • > new detour = new detour + New detour ~ 'dev.

The concept of "work cycle" is standard, and in this case it can be defined as the percentage of the total time the system is active to maintain the temperature at a given value (such as TEMPSET ±? TEMP); that is, the amount 0 (active time) divided by (active time + non-active time) to maintain that temperature.

When (a new deviation "deviation") is greater than a fixed ratio (such as 0.15), the HVAC equipment is operating for a Tau duration to learn the new deviation and impulse parameters, saving the first set of parameters. simple linear adjustments until the fixed ratio is exceeded in a second time, in which the HVAC equipment is again operated, to learn the new parameters of deviation and impulse.In this stage, the system calculates the Gauss parameters and makes all other adjustments to the deviation and impulse equations, using only the changes in the work cycle time related to C deviation * Variation in the exponential equation The form of the above equation, T = C + Ae "^ / 6, can be taken equivalently as T = C + Ae ~ Bt, with merely a change in the definition of the dimension of B. The first it is used in the present examples, so that Tau has the dimension of time rather than the inverse of time, which is easier to conceptualize.

Once parameters A, B and C in the equation T = C + Ae ~ Bt are determined, any of the necessary values are calculated directly in the flow chart of Figure 2.

The value for row (2) in step 290 can be determined in the above manner for any value of TEMPSET and RECOVMAX. Once TEMPLIMIT is adjusted in this step, it is determined in step 300 whether the current temperature TEMP is within the TEMPLIMIT allowed range of TEMPSET. If so, then there is nothing to do at this point, so the method proceeds to step 250, where the HVAC equipment is disconnected (or, if it is already disconnected, it will remain that way). The method then returns to stage 210, which completes one pass of cycle C. This cycle C will be repeated and the impulse of the equipment will not take place, as long as the controlled space remains unoccupied and the temperature in the space is within the range TEMPLIMIT (as determined in step 290) of the user set point. Stage 320: Cycle E v the "qenius" mode If the temperature in the space deviates outside this range, then the method proceeds to step 310, where it is determined whether the "genius" mode is established. This is a mode used by the invention to lead to greater energy savings and may be indicative in the memory program by a flag or other conventional element, to indicate the mode change. The user control of the "genius" mode can be a hardware (equipment) switch, whose position is detected and communicated to the control program, or it can be a software control (program), which will be equivalent.

The genius mode is used to determine whether, although the current temperature TEMP may have reached TEMPLIMIT, calculated in step 590, a correction may take place to allow the temperature to deviate further, before being propelled back to TEMPSET, in followed by reoccupation. This will be allowed to take place, effectively lengthening the TEMPLIMIT, if the recovery time of the new "elongated" TEMPLIMIT is sufficiently small compared to the deviation time of the TEMPLIMIT calculated to the new "elongated" TEMPLIMIT. Equivalently, the system inspects whether the ratio of DRIFT to RECOV, as defined in step 320, is greater than some predetermined displacement-pulse ratio, DD RATIO. For example, DD RATIO can be 5, which means that every five minutes of temperature displacement (with the HVAC equipment disconnected) will require only one minute of equipment impulse to return to the TEMPLIMIT point. In practice, the narrower the temperature of the space at ambient temperature, the higher the value of DD RATIO; for example, very close to room temperature, thirty minutes of travel time may only require thirty seconds of corrective impulse time (return). In this case, a DD RATIO of 60: 1 is performed, leading to large blocks of inactive time from the HVAC equipment, and thus considerable energy savings. Under these conditions, the user will want to set the "genius" mode and select a value of DD RATIO that leads to energy savings, as long as it does not inconvenience the occupants of the space. This will be determined empirically; an extra thirty seconds of impulse time is acceptable, while twenty minutes probably are not.

There are other ways to carry out the "genius" mode than the expression of the DD RATIO value. For example, displacement may be allowed to occur by passing the TEMPLIMIT when: (a) the incremental temperature deviation does not exceed a defined percentage of the temperature deviation interval allowed; I (b) the incremental recovery time does not exceed a defined percentage of the specified recovery time. Example (b) is essentially the same as the previous example, but accentuates the inverse of DD RATIO - this may be more natural for a user to adjust the user's programmable value as, for example, specifying that the incremental recovery time is not exceed 15% of the specified recovery time. Alternatively, as in example (a), the user can specify that the deviation of the incremental temperature does not exceed 10% of the allowed deviation interval. In any of these cases, with the genius mode setting, the system will automatically increase the maximum allowed deviation interval, passing the TEMPLIMIT by an amount that corresponds to the calculated RA RATIO interval. The increased amount is thus limited by the DD RATIO (and / or its equivalent under (a) or (b) above); if DD RATIO is 10: 1, then the incremental temperature passing the TEMPLIMIT that the system allows the space to move, will be substantially that temperature for which the system calculates that the impulse time (recovery) to TEMPLIMIT is of a tenth or less of the pulse time (This calculation can be carried out in the same way as in the previous example to calculate RECOVMAX in step 290.) If the conditions of the genius mode are met as in table 230, then the system follow cycle E proceeding to step 250, and disconnecting (or stopping) the HVAC equipment. If DD RATIO is not large enough, the cycle F will be followed, where the time that the HVAC equipment is connected (or activated), and in both cases the method then proceeds to step 210. In this basic form of the method of the invention, cycles A and B (without detection of "occupied space" and testing of steps 210 and 260) correspond to conventional approaches for HVAC control. When the occupation status in the previous systems has been taken into account, it has been used to extend the limit of an interval, such as? TEMP, but the characteristics of the cycle C (particularly step 290) have not been realized so far. The genius mode of cycle E is a further improvement that leads to even greater energy savings.

It can be seen from the above that the method of the invention does not depend on the complex and potentially not exact models of a controlled space. The rooms and buildings where the climate is to be controlled change constantly: doors and windows, furniture, carpets and wall coverings can be added; the micro-climate environment will change with the seasons and surrounding buildings, trees and the like are added or removed, etc. Even during the course of a day, the environmental conditions will change drastically, for example, when an outside wall is exposed to direct sunlight in the afternoon, but receives a cool breeze at night. Not only do the surrounding conditions change, but the HVAC equipment itself also evolves; the capacity of the equipment changes when the filters are cleaned or become dirty, when refrigerants are added or they decrease with use, when the equipment is replaced or improved or degraded, and when the pipes and ducts are cleaned or become clogged or They have leaks The capacity of the HVAC equipment for boosting the temperature of the enclosed space depends on all these variants, as well as the variants in the enclosed space and the environmental conditions discussed above.

The present invention automatically accommodates all these changes by the continuous empirical determination of the parameters of the deviation and momentum equation, so that the reactions for the changing conditions occur, as soon as the changes themselves occur. The control 110 of the user interface, shown in Figure IA, provides a convenient way for the user to manipulate some of the variables used in the method of Figure 2, by the action on the user's input 50 to interact directly with the program in memory 40. Each of the arrows 120-140 represents a multi-position switch or continuous control of the dial. Switch 120 of "OFF / AUTO / Heat / cool" (DISCONNECT / AUTOMATIC / Heating / Cooling), allows the user to place the system in disconnected, automatic, heating or cooling mode, respectively. (Here, the "AUTOMATIC" setting will allow automatic switching between heating and cooling). The temperature control 130 allows the user to specify the TEMPSET with reference to a graduated scale 150, which shows an exemplary range of 18.33 to 32.222C (65 to 902F) / which will preferably include finer graduations and temperature marks).

The energy saving control 140 is preferably a continuously variable dial. With control 140 set to "high", the values of RECOVMAX and TEMPMAX must be at some maximum, which minimizes the amount of time that the HVAC equipment operates. When control 140 is set to "low", RECOVMAX and TEMPMAX take the minimum values, which maximize user comfort, but also use more energy. For example, the system administrator can previously define a range of allowed values for RECOVMAX and TEMPMAX and the user, placing control 140, smoothly varies these values and relates to each other from maximum values to minimum values. In this mode, the user does not need to know what the absolute values are for these variables. The control 140 may also interact with the program in the memory 40 by placing the mode in genius or not. Thus, at some point on the scale towards "high" energy savings, the genius mode can come into operation.

The control 110 of the user interface is analog and, therefore, includes a conventional analog to digital converter (not shown separately) for each of the controls 140 and 150. The use of analog devices to control the programs of Computer is well known and any of a variety of standard equipment can be used. A conventional digital interface can be used alternatively in any of the present modalities, with precise settings for temperature, RECOVMAX, TEMPSET and other variables that are to be adjusted. Variations in the basic method A. Detection and control of conditions in addition to temperature The use of sensors of presence of people and temperature, have already been discussed. Moisture sensors can be used in a manner equivalent to temperature sensors: a user may wish for moisture to remain at a particular interval, and will adjust a "user set point" of moisture, just as it was done for the temperature in the modalities already discussed. All the variables that appear in table 200 of Figure 2 are used, and the variations of the method discussed above are applicable, except that humidity is the condition of the controlled climate, rather than the temperature, and climate control equipment. it is a device that moistens / dehumidifies, rather than merely a temperature control device. Of course, temperature and humidity can both be controlled by the system of the invention.

Thus, when the user specifies, for example, a humidity of 70%, then if the humidity goes below that (or above 70% - 0.5%, where the? HUMIDITY = 0.5), then the humidifier is activated until that the moisture goes to the correct interval again. If the controlled space is unoccupied, the humidity can be allowed to deviate, just like the temperature, and the concepts of RECOVMAX and TEMPLIMIT (or here, HUMIDLIMIT), described in relation to Figure 2, are directly applicable. The "genius" mode also works in the same way.

Another application of the invention is to detect and control the concentrations of gases in the atmosphere of the controlled space. For example, in certain environments, the accumulation of carbon dioxide (C0) is of interest; and replacing the temperature by the concentration of carbon dioxide in the method of Figure 2, it is shown that the method is directly applicable to such a situation. Instead of controlling the temperature, the climate control equipment, in this case, controls the standard ventilation equipment and / or a conventional degassing unit, to remove toxic gases or drawbacks. Other gases that can be detected and controlled include radon, carbon monoxide, etc. Similarly, the simple regime of air flow may be the controlled condition.

The invention can, in a similar manner, be applied to any weather condition, which can be influenced by equipment controlled by a computer. While it can be applied to lighting conditions (to control the switching on and off of lights in occupied and unoccupied rooms, respectively), it is particularly advantageous when applied to the control of a variable condition with some hysteresis effect, i.e. a condition that changes in an appreciable period of time (at least minutes, instead of seconds).

B. Preventive Maintenance Indicator For closed spaces where a controlled HVAC unit acts, at a constant Crossover, the EFF power efficiency can be defined in a relationship reached by the user, that is: EFF = (Cdesv. ~ Cimpulso) / Bimpulso 'This relationship highlights the effect of the HVAC equipment in the closed space, with the Bimpulso denominator normalizing the efficiency measure EFF, compensating the response of the natural frequency ("t") of the space.

As a general rule, as the efficiency of the climate control equipment decreases, the time it takes to change a fixed amount of a condition (temperature, humidity or other) increases.

The system of the invention can thus act as a preventive indicator of maintenance, retaining in the memory the values of the EFF and / or (Cdesv >, Cimpu? So and / or Bimpulso) correlated with time. The relative efficiency of the climate control equipment from one time to another can then be determined when desired, such as absolute changes in efficiency. The system can be easily programmed to register such an efficiency ratio regularly, such as on a daily basis, and from this an efficiency curve can be determined empirically. Such a curve can generally be adjusted to an equation of EFF = * l00e ~? T, where EFF is the peak efficiency (100%), t is time and K is an empirical parameter learned over time (with dimensions of the inverse of the weather) .

This equation of relative efficiency is updated and presented to the user by means of an output device as frequently as desired, preferably each time a new efficiency ratio is determined. In addition, once the equation of efficiency is established, the relative efficiency at a future time can be predicted. If the system administrator specifies a minimum requirement of relative efficiency, the system can thus notify with a message or output signal not only when the equipment, in fact, is below the desired efficiency, but can notify the administrator in advance when The equipment is expected to go below the specified efficiency ratio. For example, every day for two weeks in advance of the expected date, the system may issue a warning, such as a computer printout or other message; light flashing on the base station and / or the equipment itself; an audible alarm, etc. A user interrogation device may be provided, such as a button on the base station or equipment, which, when depressed, displays on an adjacent display the value of the efficiency. Such warnings can be coupled with a probability of efficiency failure, which can be determined by the minimum squares adjustment or other curve fitting scheme of the empirical data, with the idealized equation EFF = 100e ~? T. To predict the probability that efficiency will decline past a predetermined minimum allowable efficiency, the system of the invention can be programmed to project the time at which the HVAC equipment is likely to go below a predetermined minimum and produce this time with a projection probability , such as the conventional curve adjustment value "r2" in the minimum squares adjustment. System forecasts can then be used to create a maintenance program for equipment for multi-unit properties (such as a hotel or hotel chain), thus increasing the efficiency of the property manager's maintenance program. It is a direct thing, given the above teachings, to create a program to: (1) operate periodic efficiency tests (or regularly extract data from the efficiency of the normal operation of climate control equipment); (2) calculate the efficiency data, which include the relative effi- ciency; and (3) issue efficiency reports and maintenance programs, as appropriate.

The determination of the efficiency of the HVAC system can lead to energy savings, notifying the system administrator when it operates inefficiently; When these inefficiencies are resolved, the temperature can be allowed to deviate further, because RECOVMAX can be more easily met, so that the equipment is operating in general with a lower percentage of time and duty cycles (hold) have impulse components (temporary) minors.

C. Recoil Momentum Alert When the system activates the climate control equipment, this is in order to alter a given condition in the controlled space, such as temperature, humidity, gas concentration or other condition. The tendency of the direction deviation of the controlled condition is known and this information can be used to further govern the use of the equipment.

For example, it may happen that someone has left a window open to the outside in the controlled space. If this is the case, then an attempt to cool the space (on a hot day) may also fail. This can be discovered by the system of the invention, determining after a fixed period of operation of the equipment, whether the temperature changes under the conditions of impulse in the same direction as it was under the condition of deviation. Thus, if after N minutes (for example N = 15), the direction of the temperature under the impulse is the same as that under the deviation, the system infers that there is a serious leak from or into space. Noting this "backward" momentum, the system can be programmed to automatically disconnect the climate control equipment to stop the obvious waste and wasteful energy costs.

This is particularly valuable in hotels that want to automatically disconnect an air conditioner or heater, when a guest has left a window or sliding glass door open and left the room. Some systems have sliding glass doors with wire fences (on balconies, for example, in high-rise hotels) with a switch that disconnects the HVAC system when the door is ajar or open. Such a system is expensive and problematic to install and maintain, and for its complete state, such sensors must be placed in each opening in the room. The present system, on the other hand, automatically determines for any space if there is a probability of a greater leakage in the limits of the enclosed space (walls, skies, etc.) and can immediately suspend the operation of the HVAC system or after a previously defined or learned time period (see the learning algorithm of the delay time below), under such conditions, with or without the presence of people in the closed space. For example, the system could wait 15 minutes in the presence of people, even with an apparent leak, to allow maintenance personnel to clean the room with an open door, and then stop the wasteful operation of HVAC. Alternatively, the system could stop the HVAC operation only when the space has an apparent leak and is unoccupied. This modality is also applicable to the detection of humidity. It can be applied to the detection of gaseous impurities, although, rather than stopping the ventilation equipment, an alarm may sound to indicate that the effort of ventilation is not successful in ridding the space of inconvenient gases.

Any of the above variations can be combined with an automatic report generation program to notify the user or system administrator of all the time periods that take place in the "recoil impulse".

D. Impulse fixed temperature setting interval Given the high cost of the energy used to heat and cool a space, some property owners now prefer to limit the temperature range that users (or tenants) of the space can adjust for them. same. For example, some hotel room managers believe that a temperature range of 17.78 to 26.672C (64 to 802F) is sufficient to provide comfort to their guests, when a room is occupied. Even if the HVAC equipment is capable of driving the temperature of less than 17,782C (642F) or greater than 26,672c (802F), the present system can be configured to limit the temperature range to a desired range, such as shown The temperature can still be diverted beyond these limits, of course, as long as the recovery time constants and savings goals are met.

Similar limits can be placed in any controlled condition, such as humidity. The limits can be specified as per the application only when the space is occupied, or whether or not this space is occupied. A program designed to carry out the method of Figure 2 can be easily adapted to provide the user-defined limits, such as taking the limits as input from a management station and, if the last user specifies an interval outside the allowed, by modifying the last entry interval with the end of the limited interval (such as by substituting the user input of 15.542C (602F) by 17.782C (642F)). The administrator will effectively have the ability to modify, since he can, from the base station, change the limit interval at any time. B. Adapted delay time, deducted from the unoccupied state When people leave a closed space, such as a hotel room, they can do it to get an ice cream in the lobby, to buy a newspaper in a front counter, to go to four bathing in an attached room without monitoring, or leave it for a prolonged period. Rather than switching to the "unoccupied" mode (as in step 260 of Figure 2), immediately upon leaving the room vacant, the system can be programmed to delay for a period of time, such as N minutes (where N = 15, for example), so that certain comfort requirements are met, in the event that the occupant returns early. In Figure 2, this will lead to a determination in step 260 of whether the space: (a) is unoccupied and (b) has been idle for N continuous minutes. By storing the records relating to the occupied state of space in many exit / return cycles, the system can learn how much to expect to ensure a certain percentage p% (where P = 90%, for example) of all recent previous occupants do not return by at least M minutes (M = 30, for example). For example, it can be determined that after 9 minutes of an unoccupied state, only 10% of the time the occupants return within the next 30 minutes; in this case, the deduced non-occupied delay time "can be adjusted in 9 minutes, meaning that only after 9 minutes the busy state of the system will change to" idle "(and proceed to table 280 in Figure 2). although the occupied state of the room, strictly speaking, is altered as soon as a person leaves the room, the real unoccupied state for a long period does not change until after the expected delay time, after which the system can predict that the state not busy will continue for a prolonged period.

The method can also be improved by establishing two delay times, one for when the space is illuminated and another when it is dark. Delay times in the dark may be longer because the occupants are sleeping and the detectors notice their movements less frequently. This variant in the method enables the system to minimize the delay time for accommodating and maximizing energy savings, while minimizing the likelihood that the occupants will become bothered by an uncomfortable temperature, when they continue to use and occupy the space.

F. Savings / use meter When the system maintains the temperature at the maximum displacement limit, TEMPLIMIT, the HVAC system returns for some percentage of the total cycle time [active / (active + inactive)]. The system can calculate that this figure would be if it maintains the temperature at the user's set point, and compares the two percentages. For example, in the displacement limit the equipment could be active for 4 minutes and displaced by 16 minutes in a cycle, for a proportion of 20% [4 / (4 + 16)]. At the same time, it can be determined that if the system tries to maintain the temperature at the user's set point, it would be active for 12 minutes and inactive for 6 minutes, for a ratio of 66.67% [12 / (12 + 6)] .

The amount of energy saving is the ratio of the user's set point (the figure of 66.67% before) minus the proportion of the displacement temperature, OR 66.67% - 20% [2/3 - 1/5 = 7 / 15] Or 47%. In this example, in a cycle at the displacement limit, the saving amount is 47% times 20 [4 + 16] minutes, or 9 1/3 minutes of operating time, where the HVAC system is inactive when it has that operate to maintain the user's set point.

The energy saving additionally includes an amount represented by the following: (TEMPSET duty cycle) (travel time to TEMPLIMIT) minus (1 - TEMPSET duty cycle) • (pulse time from TEMPLIMIT to TEMPSET) where the TEMPSET work cycle is defined as the (active time) divided by the (active time + inactive time) in maintaining the temperature in TEMPSET. It is easy to calculate and include this amount of savings in the system output to the user.

The system of the invention can be programmed to store these figures at regular intervals, such as every hour, and to generate a report for the system operator, which reflects the added savings in a total time of the operation of the equipment, and also the proportion of the total time the equipment has to operate if the temperature is already maintained at the user's set point. Finally, it is a simple matter to configure the program to determine the output of watts that will be required in the latter case, since the rate of use of the power of the equipment is generally known, or it can be determined empirically by a power meter, and Power consumption figures can be digitized and entered as data to the computer 20 to arrive at the figures of the actual energy savings. This can easily be represented in the figures as the money saved, to produce a report to the system operator.

Next, an application of the calculation of savings is given in the example previously used, in which the displacement and impulse equations were determined are: Impulse Equation: T = 20 + 6.7e_t / 300 = > t = -300-Ln [T-20) /6.7] (in C) T = 68 + 12e ~ t / 300 = > t = 300-Ln [T-68) / 12] (in F) Displacement Equation: T = 32.22-11. lle-t / 720 = > t = -720-Ln [(T-32.22) / (- ll.ll) (in 2Q) T = 90 - 20e "t / 720 = t = -720 -Ln [(T-90) / (-20)] (in 2F) The cycling of the displacement and impulse times are now calculated to maintain: (1) at the limit of the displacement temperature of the recovery time and (2) at the user set point, as follows: F.l. At the limit of the displacement temperature of the recovery time (6 minutes = 24.52C (76.112F)) For this example, it is assumed that the temperature remains at 24.5 ± 0.282C (76.11 ± 0.52F).

Impulse Time T1 = 24.5 - 0.28 = 24.22 C = > t] ^ = 136.63 (Ti - 76.11 - 0.5 = 75.612F) T2 = 24.5 + 0.28 = 24.782C = > -t2 = 99.59 (T2 = 76.11 * 0.5 = 76.612F) 37. 04 sec Travel time: Tx = 24.782C (76.612F) = > t = 288.88 T2 = 24.232C (75.612F) = - > -t2 = 237.02 51. 86 sec The total cycle time (displacement + pulse) is thus 37.04 + 51.85 = 88.90 seconds, while the impulse portion of the cycle time is 37.04 / 88.90 = 0.417 or 41.7% of the total cycle time.

F.2. At the User Adjustment point of 21.112C (79SF) The same? TEMP is used here as in the displacement limit (in this example, ± 0.282C) to calculate the cycle that will be required if the temperature is maintained at the user set point: Impulse time T = 21.11 - 0.28 = 20.832C =. > ti - 623.83 (T2 = 70 - 0.5 = 69.52F) T2 = 21.11 + 0.28 = 21.392C = > -t2 = -470.58 (T2 = 70 + 0.5 = 70.52F) 153. 25 sec.

Travel time: Ti = 21.392C (70.52F) = > tx = 18.23 T2 = 20.832C (69.52F) = > -t2 = -17.78 36. 01 sec The total cycle time (displacement + pulse) is thus 153.25 + 36.01 = 189.26 seconds, while the impulse portion of the cycle time is 153.25 / 189.26 = 0.810 or 81.0% of the total cycle time.

F.3. Savings At the limit of the displacement temperature, the equipment is driven by a smaller percentage of the total cycle time than at the user's set point, for one hour, or any given period, the (difference in pulse times) multiplied by the (cost to operate the HVAC equipment) supplies the total amount of savings. For example, if the system saves 20 minutes per hour, and the cost per hour is US $ 0.15 to operate the HVAC equipment, then the amount of savings at 20/60 • US $ 0.15 = US $ 0.05 per hour, using the present system . Ten hours of similar savings per day for thirty days saves USO.05 - 10 - 30 = US $ 15.00 per month. This can be a very significant amount, both in relation to the total cost of operating the equipment, and taking into account that for larger organizations, where the savings per unit of temperature control multiply several times.

In this example, with the (User Set Point Impulse Ratio) minus the amount of (Impulse Proportion Displacement Limit) = 0.810 - 0.417 = 0.393, the savings amounts to 0.393 times the total elapsed time. For every 60 minutes in the displacement limit, the team is driven by 60 • 0.417 = 25.0 minutes. If the temperature is maintained at the user set point, the system will have to be driven by 60.0 • 0.810 = 48.6 minutes. Thus, the system saves 60 - 0.393 = (48.6 - 25.0) = 23.6 minutes of the impulse time per hour, when the temperature is maintained at the impulse limit, rather than at the user set point.

Gathering this data for days and months, the system accumulates, (a) real momentum; (b) pulse time calculated without the present system (calculated as if it were maintained at the user set point); (c) the difference between these two pulse times (= Impulse Time Savings); and (d) this difference divided by the impulse time calculated without the system (= Savings Ratio, achieved by the present system). G. Limitation of Recycling of Minimum Inactive Time Equipment. The compressors accumulate pressure in the HVAC pipe. When the HVAC equipment stops, the pressure slowly escapes, taking 2 to 4 minutes or more. If one tries to restart the compressor before the pressure escapes, the electric current goes inside the electric coils of the compressor, trying, without success, to overcome the high retropressure. Frequently, the electrical coils of the compressor overheat and burn, causing the failure of all the equipment and the need for repair. The present system solves this problem by including in the program a governor which, for a compressor-based HVAC device, automatically retains inactive for a minimum period of time between active cycles, thus preventing premature burning due to too frequent recycling. A minimum time period of 4 minutes is appropriate, such as minimum idle time, but this time may be decreased for some more recent HVAC equipment. Maximum Recycling Frequency. Each time a compressor is activated, there is an electric current of inrush, very similar to the acceleration forces required to move a car from a state of rest to motion. The tension in the electrical components of HVAC that carry this current is higher when it exceeds the starting inertia and lower when it maintains the continuous pumping action, very similar to the difference of wear and tear for a car, when the acceleration is compared with the speed of travel. The less frequently the HVAC equipment is subjected to startup, the longer the equipment will last.

The present system, in a preferred embodiment, automatically limits the frequency of recycling of the compressor-based equipment to R times per hour, which means that a minimum cycle lasts 60 / R minutes. One can, for example, adjust R = 6, so that up to 6 recycled per hour will be allowed, or a minimum of 10 minutes for an active / inactive cycle. This could trigger the temperature range up and down a temperature retention level, beyond the input or "TEMP programmed previously, to be increased, for example, beyond a value of ± 0.282C (0.52F). ), so the retention interval grows from ± 0.28 to ± 0.4172C (± 0.5 to ± 0.752F) or more, to achieve minimum 10-minute cycles. H. Switching on the Zero Voltage The voltage at which the alternating current is delivered to the equipment varies along the sine wave, from the amplitude crests to the zero voltage junctions. The present system can be configured to detect the zero voltage crossover and automatically actuate the electrical current at this point, minimizing the sparking opportunities and decreasing the equipment voltage, which can occur due to sudden changes in the electromotive force.

Figure 12 shows a suitable circuit for zero-cross switching, which uses a conventional integrated circuit 950 with an internal switch that detects the zero voltage (with the switching of the zero voltage being performed by the hardware (equipment); a microclave). The integrated circuit (Cl) 950 is coupled to a microprocessor 960, which is connected to the outputs, inputs and peripheral circuits, as necessary and can be any of the microprocessors or microcontrollers discussed here for the control of HVAC or other equipment. climate control. The Cl 950 is coupled to ground by means of a conventional 970 relay. The outputs of the 960 microprocessor are thus automatically synchronized to the line voltage. Power Factor Correction Voltage and current are rarely delivered perfectly in phase to users. When they are not in phase, some amount of current is lost. Power is equal to the product of voltage and current, so when they are in phase, the delivery of the optimum power is possible. The present system automatically adjusts the phase of the current to be synchronized with the phase of the voltage, achieving the optimum delivery of the power. The angle of ase between voltage and current can be measured in a conventional manner. One method is to sample the signals of both voltage and current, to produce two inputs in an integrated circuit of a product detector (multiplication). An output of the product detector is a signal whose amplitude varies with the phase angle. This angle provided in phase is used as an input to an analog to digital converter (AD) of a microprocessor, which controls a variable capacitor to tune the phase angle and the power factor to an optimum value. J. Qpti ization of Multi-Stage HVAC In a multi-stage HVAC device, seconds and even third levels of the equipment are activated when it is required to set the temperature back to the user's set point (see Figure 10). For example, when it is very cold, many heat pump systems (using the heat pump as stage 1) activate electric coils and move air over them to add heat to the heat pump. These electric coils are considered a second heating stage. Additional heating stages in very cold climates may include fuel oil burners and other appliances. Usually, the first stage is more efficient and thus less expensive to operate than the second stage, which, in turn, is more efficient and less expensive to operate than the third stage. In some climates, users are encouraged to operate their HVAC equipment in the first stage at all times, to prevent the temperature of the occupied space from reaching a temperature where more expensive stages are required.

The present invention, in a preferred embodiment, is configured to learn the impulse curves of the first stage, the first stage plus the second stage working together, and the first, second and third stages working together. The relative cost factors for these different stages and for different configurations of multiple stages and geographical regions, are stored in the base station (in the computer's memory) and can be updated periodically. Given the impulse curves and the relative cost factors, the system can determine an optimal limit of energy savings (minimum cost). This can be done, for example, determining which duty cycle to maintain the temperature (TEMPSET or TEMPLIMIT, as the case may be) would be for each of the stages. Thus, the system determines first which work cycle would be in stage 1, then in stage 2 and then in stage 3 (if there is one). Since the use of power in stage 1 is lower, the duty cycle will be greater than in stage 2, where power output is greater. The total energy consumption is (duty cycle) • (power output) for any given stage. For example, if stage 2 uses 1.2 times the power of stage 1, then the point of uniform interruption, ie the point at which the total cost of energy is the same, regardless of whether stage 1 or the Stage 2, is the point at which: (work cycle in stage 2) = (work cycle in stage 1) /1.2 When the left side of this equation is smaller, then it is economical to progress to stage 2, since the time saved in decreasing the cycle of work more than compensates for the extra energy consumed per unit time. If the left side is the largest, then the system must remain optimally in stage 1.

This same approach is used to determine if it would be economical to move to stage 3. Any stage that leads to lower energy consumption should be used and the system can be easily configured (by simple programming) both to make this determination and to move to a new stage, and also to constantly monitor the situation, using the updated displacement and impulse curves, learned, to determine, at any given moment, whether a different stage should be used.

Also, although the system can be programmed to retain the driving boundary of the first stage, the conditions are sometimes such that the temperature must be allowed to move further, when the savings exceed the impulse return cost of the second aid. or third stages. The multi-stage learned curves are combined with the relative multi-stage cost factors to provide the precise information necessary for maximum energy savings in multi-stage systems.

Settings of the parameters of the remote base station The parameters that are used as input (such as by the method of the invention) are preferably remotely alterable. Such parameters may include the recovery time, the maximum displacement interval, the minimum recovery interval and the mode of operation (active, to operate as in conventional systems; "vigorous" - to use cycle C of Figure 2; "genius"). Figure IA, discussed below, shows one modality to achieve this, while Figure 11 (discussed below) shows another.

One method to remotely adjust such parameters is to transmit these values over the domestic wiring to the specific, regional and global units. Another is to transmit these values in the air (by radio or infrared radiation) to transceivers (transmitters-transmitters) located in base stations, defined regionally, which, in turn, transmit to all base stations in their region. This allows the operation values to be changed from any computer in the building or even a laptop, without entering the rooms, and with the transmission provided securely by the ID verification protocols of the present system.

Prolonged periods of non-occupation The system of the invention can be modified to keep track of the occupation length and its lack each time, and store this information for review by the system administrator. This information can be used to provide further energy savings by programming the system with a previously defined program of TEMPSET variations, when the controlled space has been unoccupied for long periods.

For example, if the space has been unoccupied for 24 hours or more, the system can institute a PROVTEMSET, which is 2,782C (52F) (or a certain percentage) greater than the programmed TEMPSET (for cooling settings), or 2,782 C (52F) (or, again, a previously defined percentage) less than the programmed TEMPSET (for heating settings). In the cooling situation, the system will then allow the space to rise to a temperature of 2782C (52F) higher than if the space had been occupied at any time within the preceding 24 hours. After another 24 hours, an additional 2,782C (52F) (or a percentage) can be added to the PROVTEMSET, etc. After a week, the system can go to a temporary suspension of operation completely, until the operation is again driven by someone entering the space again. This last variation is preferably limited by fixed absolute limits, such as from 22 to 552c (40 to 1002F), to prevent heating or cooling from damaging accessories or furniture in the controlled space. Any of the above variations in the setting and times to carry them out can, of course, be altered to apply to a given setting. The same principle can be applied to variations in RECOVMAX, where the maximum allowed recovery time is allowed to be extended to a certain percentage or number of minutes each day or another time block and again the system can be programmed to suspend operations after a predetermined large period of time, until readjusted manually or when someone returns inside the space.

A simpler version of this variant is to allow users to schedule times in which they move away for known periods, and thus cease or limit the operation of the HVAC equipment for such periods.

Base stations? Sensors; Figures 6 to 10 Below, a discussion of the preferred configurations of the hardware (computer equipment) to carry out the invention, directed to the use of temperature sensors is given. Other sensors, as discussed above, can replace or use in addition to the temperature sensors, with appropriate changes in the control program. For example, as mentioned above, if a C02 sensor is used in addition to the temperature sensor, then the program is configured to drive only the fan subunit of the HVAC equipment, ie only the fans. Figures 6 to 11, while addressing the mode of temperature control, can be generalized to add as many sensors of other types as desired.

In common with all these modalities, it is the acceptance of user's simple instructions, which include the set point or temperature interval, when people are present, and the recovery time when she returns from an absence. In each case, the systems automatically achieve the goals of climate condition (for example temperature) and recovery time, while minimizing the wasteful operation of the equipment when people are absent.

Figure 6 is a block diagram of a system 500 using a base station 510 with multiple remote sensor units, 520-540. These sensors may include the types of sensors illustrated in Figure 1 to detect temperature, occupancy status and other conditions, such as the intensity of light and the presence of C0 or other gases. Also shown in Figure 1, input / output devices, 550, coupled to the computer of the base station 510, and the climate control equipment 560.

A suitable remote sensor unit 520 is shown in the frame diagram of Figure 7 and communicates with the base station 510 by radio, infrared radiation, domestic wiring, wiring connections or other equivalent elements. A microcontroller 570 is used and can, for example, be a PIC16C54 microcontroller (of the PIC16C5X series, manufactured by Microchip Corporation), which is a product, commercially available, programmable in the language of the set. It is energized by a power source 580, which for the remote sensors is communicated by wireless elements or when placed in inconvenient locations, preferably has batteries that can be recharged by solar cells, such as the power source. This allows for lower maintenance efforts and saves energy costs for the energy to go to the remote sensor. The sensor unit 520 also includes one or more sensors 590, which may include any combination of the following: Types of sensors: 1. Person sensors: • Passive infrared (PIR) • Acoustic • Microwave (preferably combined with the PIR) • laser 2. temperature sensors 3. humidity sensors 4. day / night detectors (photocells) . meters of the concentration of pollutants 6. air flow meters Some of them have already been discussed. Air flow meters can be used to ensure a minimum rate of volume or velocity of air flow through a space that must be well ventilated.

Figure 8 shows a base station 620 in cooperation with which the transmitter 600 and the switches / indicators 610 can be used in Figure 7, in an embodiment of the invention using a type of air conditioner and / heater, which goes through the wall (for example, an air conditioner typical of a hotel room). The base station includes a conventional 630 power unit, which is plugged into a wall receptacle and energizes the HVAC 640 equipment and the microcontroller 650, which can be any of a number of commercially available microcontrollers, such as the TMS 370 Series microcontroller from Texas Instruments (which is programmable in the C ++ language). The microcontroller 650 activates and deactivates the HVAC 640 equipment by means of the control line 690 connected to the power unit 630. One or more sensors 660 can be coupled by the microcontroller 650, in addition to, or instead of, the sensors 590 of the 520 unit of remote sensors, shown in Figure 7.

A transceiver 670 is controlled by the microcontroller 650 and communicates with the remote sensor unit 520. The switch / indicator unit 680 is also coupled to the microcontroller 650. In the preferred embodiment, the microcontrollers 650 (of the base station 620) and 570 (of the remote sensor unit 520) are programmed to work in cooperation, so that The remote sensor identifies itself to the base station as follows. A user presses a programmed switch of the switch unit 680, which causes the microcontroller 650 to be ready by itself to receive the identity of a remote sensor via the transmitter-receiver 670. Any remote sensor that sends an identity of the user within a predetermined time, is "registered" at the base station and will henceforth be recognized and accepted when communicating with the base station, which will collect the sensor readings from the remote sensors in question and respond to them. Thus, the user presses the identity switch of the user receiving in the unit 680, and then within a predetermined time (such as 90 seconds) will press a switch of the sending user identity, previously programmed, in the unit of 610 switches (see Figure 7). This causes the microcontroller 570 of the remote sensor to transmit the user identity key for that sensor to the base station. Since activation, the base station is the receiver of the sensor information of that remote sensor.

This ensures that, if two remote sensors are within the radius or other transmission range of two different base stations, they can be reliably linked to one base station each.

Other switches or controls useful in unit 680, to carry out the features of the invention, discussed above, include: • mode (active, vigorous, genius) • TEMPSET control (for the user setpoint) • TEMPMIN control • TEMPMAX control • control? TEMP • RECOVMAX control • DD RATIO control Useful indicators (lights or light-emitting diodes (LED), for example) are: • on / off indicator • identity indicator of the receiving / received user • weak signal indicator of the remote sensor • fault indicator of the remote sensor Figure 9 shows a base station 700 which is suitable for a central plant HVAC unit, energized from a standard line current, such as is conventional in commercial buildings, typically output at 110/220 VAC. The base station 700 will replace the wall unit for such a central floor unit, and includes a microcontroller 710, sensors 720, transceiver 730 and switch / indicator unit 740, which are essentially identical to the features numbered similarly in the Figure 8, except that the microcontroller 710 must, of course, be programmed differently so as to control the central HVAC equipment instead of a single unit that goes into the wall. The base station 700 cooperates with the remote sensors in the manner described above, via the transceiver 730.

The HVAC equipment in this embodiment includes a heating unit 750, a cooling unit 760 and a fan unit 770, all of which are of conventional HVAC equipment and may include a system using hot and cold water pipes and a fan. , or a compressor / burner equipment with a fan fan, or other standard devices. The microcontroller 710 controls the HVAC 750-770 equipment individually by means of the connection-disconnection control lines 780, which control the heating, cooling and ventilation relays (fans), respectively, of the 790 power unit. Figure 10 is a block diagram of a configuration of a base station 800, suitable for conventional, multi-stage, 850 HVAC equipment (such as a standard wall-type unit) where three stages of heating and two stages of cooling are provided and are controlled by a multi-stage 860 power unit. The use of multi-stage HVAC equipment is convenient to provide higher degrees of heating and cooling (with higher energy consumption) when necessary, while using the minor stages of operation for moderate conditions or where a minor heating or cooling is acceptable.

In this embodiment, a microcontroller 810 has a memory that stores the program, as with each of the other modes (such as in Figures 8 and 9). The sensors 820, transceiver 830 and the switch / indicator unit 840, may be essentially identical to the corresponding units 720-740, shown in Figure 9, but they and the microcontroller 710 and its program are adapted, as necessary , to the multi-stage HVAC 850 equipment functions. Each of the stages is controlled individually by the microcontroller 810 via the on / off lines 870, which operate the individual energy stages shown in the power unit 860, which can be energized by a conventional unit 880 of 24. volts.

It is direct matter to configure a program to carry out the invention to learn the displacement and pulse curves (as in Figures 4-5) for each of the multiple stages of operation and store the operating parameters and calculate the data of efficiency and for each of these stages over time.

Each of the base stations, shown in Figures 8 to 10, and other conventional base stations, performs the method of the invention, illustrated in Figure 2, by means of a program stored in the memory of the respective microprocessor. Other types of base stations will be necessary to control the different types of HVAC equipment, not illustrated here, but the principles of the present invention apply in each case, since any heating and cooling operation will be associated with the displacement curves and impulse that can be learned, and based on this empirical data, the operation of the equipment can be efficiently controlled.

"Figure 11 shows a pre-set adapter 900, which allows user-specific, programmable pre-settings for the system, including a suitable microcontroller 910, powered by unit 920 and coupled to a 930 transmitter, which can be wired to the base station in connection with which the adapter is used A 940 switch / indicator unit is also provided, coupled to the microcontroller 910. As with any remote sensor, the microcontroller includes a microprocessor and a memory to store and execute a program, to carry out the functions of the invention.

In this case, the functions are to provide a station by which a user can set the preferred temperatures for different times and days, and can modify these settings. When a user modifies a given schedule of temperatures, this plan returns to the programmed settings at the next indicated time. Thus, if a user sets the temperature to 21.112C (702F) at 8:00 a.m. Saturday and then down to 18.332c (652F) at 11:00 p.m. On Saturday, the system will automatically place TEMPSET at 21.112C at 8:00 on Saturday. If the user changes the temperature setting for Saturday afternoon, changing the temperature, for example to 23.882C (752F), the default plan will take effect at 11:00 pm, as programmed, and the temperature will still drop at 18.332c (652F). Adapter 900 thus includes switches to allow such programs to be pre-adjusted by the user, together with displays to facilitate programming, that is: Exhibits • temperature • time • days of the week and / or dates Switches • temperature (manual, ascending / descending) • time (manual, ascending / descending) • day / date setting (ascending / descending) • setting [temperature / time / day-date] in the program • cancellation [temperature / time / day-date] of the program • scheduled display [temperature / time / day-date] .

These switches and displays, of course, are variable, according to the wishes of the user and any standard or customer programming interface can be supplied., which include, if desired, simply a keyboard interface to the microcontroller 910. In reality, with any of the microcontrollers used to carry out the features of the invention, the interface may be a keyboard and / or a mouse , as is conventional in personal computers. The type of interface represented by the frame diagram of Figure 11 is, however, preferable for a commercial HVAC control unit: Given the above teachings in the method of Figure 2 and its variants, and the frame diagrams of the various possible configurations for executing the functions of the invention, a person skilled in the art can easily adapt a large variety of processors, memories, zones of user access and conventional computer / HVAC access zones, to carry out the invention. No hardware is required for special purposes. The programming required is that of routine and is relatively simple and can be achieved in any of a number of languages, such as ASSAMBLER, FORTRAN, BASIC, C ++ or other conventional languages.

Claims (47)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, property is claimed as contained in the following: CLAIMS 1. An apparatus for governing the levels of an environmental attribute of a room, controlling the operation of an environmental control unit to affect said levels of the attribute of the room, this apparatus includes an interface coupled to an environmental control unit, to control its operation by control signals, this apparatus comprises: a controller, which includes a coupled processor to a memory, this memory stores an environmental control program, which includes the instructions of the program to control the operation of said environmental control unit, generating the control signals and then storing the data, which include a first displacement relation, a first impulse ratio, a predetermined set point, which represents a predetermined level of attribution With a predetermined maximum interval relative to the set point, a predetermined minimum interval also relative to the set point, and a predetermined maximum recovery time, the controller further includes a timer coupled to the processor, to synchronize the events related to the environmental control, these events include the generation of the control signals and the reception of the signals that represent the levels within the room; an input device, coupled to the controller, to enter at least one of: the predetermined set point, the maximum interval, the minimum interval and the recovery time; a sensor of an environmental attribute, coupled to the controller, to supply, at any given moment, a signal that represents the level of the attribute within the room; and an occupancy state sensor, coupled to the controller, to determine if the room is occupied and to send a control signal to the controller, to take one of a first action and a second action, this first action is taken if the fourth is unoccupied, to allow the level in the room to be shifted to an environmental level of the attribute in a region adjacent to the room, and the second action is taken if the room is occupied, to operate the environmental control unit to drive the attribute level within the room away from the level of the environment; in which the environmental control program includes instructions to allow the displacement only to the maximum interval, when the space is unoccupied, and then, when it is reoccupied, activate the environmental control unit to boost the level of the attribute within the room to a objective level of the attribute within the minimum range of the set point; and in which the maximum interval is limited such that an amount of the pulse time for the environmental control unit, to drive the level of the attribute within the quarter, from the maximum interval to the objective level of the attribute, is not greater than the maximum time predetermined recovery.
2. 2. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein: the attribute of the room is the temperature; the sensor of the environmental attribute comprises a temperature sensor; and the environmental control unit includes at least one of: the heating unit, the air conditioning unit and the ventilation unit.
3. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the attribute of the room is humidity; the environmental attribute sensor comprises a humidity sensor; and the environmental control unit includes at least one of: a humidifier and a dehumidifier.
4. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the attribute of the room is the presence of a predetermined gas; the environmental attribute sensor comprises a sensor to determine quanes of gas in the room; and the environmental control unit includes at least one of: the ventilation unit and the degassing unit.
5. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the attribute of the room is the air flow; the environmental attribute sensor comprises an air flow meter; and the environmental control unit includes a ventilation unit.
6. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first displacement ratio and the first impulse ratio, stored in the memory, comprise empirically determined relationships for the room and the environmental control unit.
7. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control program further includes instructions for automatically supplying a modification mode, to allow the attribute level in the room to move out of the maximum range to a supra-maximum level, before promote the environmental control unit, satisfying at least one predetermined criterion. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein this at least one predetermined criterion includes a determination that the ratio of the pulse time of the attribute level, from the supra-maximum level to within the maximum interval, at the time of displacement from the maximum interval to the supra-maximum level, is less than a predetermined amount. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an output device, coupled to the controller, for producing information to a user, wherein: the memory also stores a second pulse ratio, determined at a later time than the moment to determine the first impulse relation; and the program further includes instructions for producing an alarm signal to the output device, when the ratio of the second pulse ratio to the first pulse ratio exceeds a predetermined tolerance ratio. 10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the program also includes instructions for measuring the efficiency of the environmental control unit and for producing information that reflects the efficiency of a user. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the instructions for measuring efficiency include instructions for determining an efficiency ratio, calculated as: the difference between (1) a level of displacement of the attribute, toward which the fourth is moving, when the environmental control unit is disconnected and (2) an attribute impulse level, towards which the room is driven, when the control unit is connected to good-tal; the difference is normalized by a factor representing the time regime of the momentum of the attribute levels, with the environmental control unit connected. 12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the instructions include instructions for determining changes in the efficiency regime over time. 13. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the program further includes instructions for ceasing the activation of the environmental control unit if, after a predetermined maximum pulse time, a direction of the change of the attribute level under the pulse of the environmental control unit is the same as the direction of the change of the attribute level, when the environmental control unit is not driven. 14. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the program further includes instructions for the cessation of activation of the environmental control unit if, after a predetermined maximum pulse time, the attribute level in the room is not closer to the minimum interval by at least the predetermined margin. 15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the program further includes instructions for establishing an expected delay time of an unoccupied state of the room. 16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the program further includes instructions for modifying the predetermined maximum recovery time, based on the expected delay time. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the expected delay time is established by determining a first minimum amount of time that the room is idle, for a predetermined percentage of previously defined time periods. 18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the program further includes instructions for providing a minimum idle time for the environmental control unit. 19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the program includes instructions for limiting the frequency at which the environmental control unit can be switched on and off alternately. 20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the environmental control unit is configured to be driven in each of a plurality of different power settings. The apparatus, according to claim 20, wherein the program includes instructions for determining which of the power settings requires the lowest power consumption, to maintain the attribute level in the room at said set point, and to operate the environmental control unit in said power adjustment. 22. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein each of the power settings is determined empirically for the room and the environmental control unit. 23. The apparatus according to claim 1, which further includes a second displacement ratio and a second pulse ratio, stored in the memory, this second displacement ratio and the second impulse ratio are determined for the fourth and the environmental control unit , after the first displacement ratio and the first impulse ratio, in which the program also includes instructions to recalculate the maximum interval and the maximum recovery time, based on the second displacement ratio and the second impulse ratio . 24. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the first pulse ratio is determined by detecting the level of the attribute in each of the first moment and the second moment, during a pulse operation of the environmental control unit; and the first displacement relation is determined by detecting the level of the attribute in each of the third moment and the fourth moment, during a period of displacement for the environmental control unit. 25. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the maximum interval is furthermore limited to a previously established maximum interval stored in the memory. 26. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an output device, coupled to the controller, for producing information to a user, wherein the program also includes instructions for maintaining a first record of an actual operating time. which operates the environmental control unit, and a second record of a projected operating time which could have been operated by the environmental control unit, if the attribute was maintained substantially at the predetermined set point, to store the time of actual operation and the operating time projected in the memory, and determine a difference between this actual operating time and this projected operating time, "and to produce information to the output device that represents said difference. claim 26, in which the program also includes instructions for determining a ratio of the difference to the projected operating time, and to produce this relationship in the output device. 28. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the program further includes instructions for limiting the set point of the attribute to a predetermined absolute maximum. 29. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the program further includes instructions for limiting the set point of the attribute to a predetermined absolute minimum. 30. A method to control the levels of an environmental attribute of a room, this method is executed by a program that has instructions stored in the memory of a computer that controls the operation of an environmental control unit, to affect the levels of the attribute, the The method includes the steps of: (1) storing an adjustment point representing a predetermined level of the attribute in the memory, a predetermined margin around the predetermined level, a maximum allowed deviation of the displacement, when the room is unoccupied, a minimum deviation from the displacement and a maximum time allowed for recovery, to recover the minimum displacement deviation; (2) determine if the room is occupied; (3) determine a current level of the attribute in the room; (4) determine if the current level is within the margin of the predetermined level; and if not, then proceed to stage 5, but if it is, then stop the operation of the environmental control unit, if it is operating, and proceed to stage 2; (5) if the determination of stage 2 is positive then proceed to stage 6, and, otherwise, proceed to stage 7; (6) operate the environmental control unit to push the current level to the predetermined level and then proceed to stage 2; (7) establish a dynamic deviation of the attribute, from the predetermined level, to be less than the maximum allowed deviation of displacement and a new allowed deviation of displacement for which the recovery time to the minimum deviation of displacement by the operation of the environmental control unit, is not greater than the maximum allowed time of recovery; (8) determine if the current level is within the dynamic deviation of the attribute's predetermined level, and if not, then: (8 A) proceed to step 6; but if so, then: (8B) stop the operation of the environmental control unit, if it is operating, and then proceed to stage 2; to allow the current level to move further from the predetermined level, when the room is unoccupied, but enabling the recovery of the predetermined level within the maximum recovery time. 31. The method according to claim 30, which includes storing the current level correlated with a time at which this current level was determined. 32. The method according to claim 30, which includes, when the determination in step 8 is positive, after step 8, but before step 8A, the additional steps of: (9) calculating the ratio of: (i) a time of travel from the current level to the dynamic deviation, from the predetermined level, to (ii) a recovery time from the current level to the dynamic deviation from the predetermined level; and (10) determine if the ratio is greater than a predetermined relationship, and if not, then proceed to step 8A, and if so, then proceed to step 8B. 33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the calculation in step 9 is carried out based on the data, determined empirically, for the fourth. 34. The method according to claim 30 wherein the attribute is the temperature, and step 6 comprises the step of operating at least one of: the heating unit, the cooling unit and the ventilation unit. 35. The method according to claim 30 wherein the attribute is moisture, and step 6 comprises the step of operating at least one of: humidifier and dehumidifier. 36. The method according to claim 30 in which the attribute is the presence of a predetermined gas, and step 6 comprises the step of operating at least one of the ventilation unit and the degassing unit. 37. The method according to claim 30, wherein the attribute is the air flow, and step 6 comprises the step of operating a ventilation unit. 38. The method according to claim 30 further comprising storing a first shift ratio and a first impulse ratio, which represent the response of the attribute levels in the room, to operate and not operate, respectively, the environmental control unit. 39. The method according to claim 38 in which: the step 1 further includes storing a second pulse ratio, determined at a time after the first pulse ratio; and the method further includes determining whether the second pulse ratio deviates more than a predetermined amount from the first pulse ratio, and if so, then generating a signal representing said deviation. 40. The method according to claim 30, further comprising the steps of: determining whether, after a predetermined period of time from the start of the operation of the environmental control unit, a direction of the change of the current attribute level in the room has been changed, and if not, then cease operation of the environmental control unit. 41. The method according to claim 30 further comprising the steps of: determining whether, after a predetermined period of time from the start of operation of the environmental control unit, the current level is within a predetermined amount of the set point and, if not, then stop the operation of the environmental control unit. 42. The method according to claim 30, which includes determining an expected delay time from the actual unoccupied state for a prolonged period of the room in a room after the occupied state of the room changes from occupied to vacated. 43. The method according to claim 42, wherein step 7 includes modifying the maximum allowed time of recovery, to allow a greater dynamic deviation when this expected delay time is greater than a predetermined length. 44. The method according to claim 30, which includes, after step 8B, preventing the start of operation of the environmental control unit for a predetermined minimum time of disconnection. 45. The method according to claim 30, wherein step 6 includes the step of operating the environmental control unit in one of a plurality of power settings. 46. The method according to claim 45, wherein step 6 further includes the steps of: determining one of the power settings that require the lower power consumption, to maintain the current level of the attribute substantially at the set point; and operating the environmental control unit in said power adjustment. 47. The method according to claim 30, wherein the set point lies within a previously programmed maximum range of attribute levels.