System and method for controlling operation of heat pump configured with electric heater

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for controlling operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater. A system for controlling operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater. The system includes an occupancy sensor located in a region of interest (AOI) and is operable to detect the presence / absence of occupants within the AOI. The system supplies air within the AOI while flowing the air through a heat pump and an electric heater. The system includes a controller configured to: receive data relating to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI; monitoring a real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI; detecting the presence of an occupant within the AOI using an occupancy sensor; and upon detecting the presence of the one or more occupants within the AOI, operating the heat pump and / or the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to a first predefined temperature.

Description

Background Art

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of heat pumps, and more particularly to systems and methods for controlling the operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater that can be installed in an area of ​​interest (AOI) or environment to supply comfortable warm air within the AOI or environment according to the comfort of the occupants. Summary of the invention

[0002] A system for controlling the operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater is described herein. The system includes an occupancy sensor located in an area of ​​interest (AOI) and operable to detect the presence or absence of one or more occupants within the AOI, wherein the system is configured to supply air to the AOI while enabling the air to flow through the heat pump and the electric heater. The system further includes a controller in communication with the occupancy sensor, the heat pump, and the electric heater, wherein the controller includes one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors and configured to: receive data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI; monitor the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI; detect the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI using the occupancy sensor; and upon detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI, operate the heat pump and / or the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

[0003] In one or more embodiments, the controller is configured to stop or reduce operation of the electric heater to adjust the temperature of air being supplied to the AOI to a first predefined temperature when the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, or when one or more occupants operate the electric heater and heat pump in a fallback mode.

[0004] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below a first predefined temperature, and when the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the controller is configured to operate both the heat pump and the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

[0005] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below a first predefined temperature, and when the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the controller is configured to stop operation of the electric heater and operate the heat pump to increase the temperature of the air within the AOI.

[0006] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be above a first predefined temperature, the controller is configured to reduce or stop operation of the electric heater while allowing air to be supplied into the AOI.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, the system includes a variable speed fan configured with an electric heater or heat pump, wherein the fan is in communication with a controller and is configured to adjust the speed of the fan based on the temperature of air being supplied to the AOI.

[0008] In one or more embodiments, the system includes a thermostat located within the AOI, wherein the thermostat is configured to enable one or more occupants to set one or more of a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI and a second temperature to be maintained within the AOI.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the controller is configured to adjust the heating capacity of the heat pump and / or the electric heater based on the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI and the first predefined temperature of the air to be supplied to the AOI.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, the electric heater is arranged downstream of the heating coil of the heat pump.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature within the AOI is detected to be above a second predefined temperature, the controller is configured to stop the operation of the heat pump and the electric heater.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the system includes a temperature sensor located in the AOI or at the air outlet of the duct system in which the heat pump and the electric heater are installed, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to monitor the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI through the duct system.

[0013] A system for controlling the operation of an HVAC device configured with an electric heater is also described herein. The system includes an occupancy sensor located in an area of ​​interest (AOI) and operable to detect the presence or absence of one or more occupants within the AOI, wherein the system is configured to supply air to the AOI while causing the air to flow through the HVAC device and the electric heater. The system further includes a controller in communication with the occupancy sensor, the HVAC device, and the electric heater, wherein the controller includes one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors and configured to: receive data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI; monitor the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI; detect the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI using the occupancy sensor; upon detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI, operate the HVAC device and / or the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature; and upon detecting the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI, stop the operation of the electric heater.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below a first predefined temperature, and when the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the controller is configured to operate the HVAC device in a heating mode and / or further operate the electric heater at a predefined heating capacity to increase the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be above a first predefined temperature, and when the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the controller is configured to stop or reduce operation of the electric heater, and further operate the HVAC device in a cooling mode to reduce the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

[0016] A method for controlling the operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater is also described herein. The method includes the following steps: detecting, by an occupancy sensor, the presence or absence of one or more occupants within an area of ​​interest (AOI); receiving, by a controller, data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI when air is caused to flow through the heat pump and the electric heater; monitoring, by the controller, the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI; upon detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI, operating, by the controller, the heat pump and / or the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature; and upon detecting the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI, stopping, by the controller, the operation of the electric heater.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below a first predefined temperature, and when the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the method includes the steps of operating a heat pump and an electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below a first predefined temperature, and when the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the method includes the steps of stopping operation of the electric heater and operating a heat pump to increase the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI.

[0019] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be above a first predefined temperature, the method includes the step of stopping or reducing the operation of the heat pump and the electric heater.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the method includes the steps of adjusting the speed of a fan disposed upstream or downstream of the heat pump or electric heater to control the flow rate of air being supplied to the AOI based on the temperature to be maintained within the AOI.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the method comprises the step of adjusting the heating capacity of the heat pump and / or the electric heater based on the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI and the first predefined temperature of the air to be supplied to the AOI.

[0022] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, features, and techniques of the subject disclosure will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the subject disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the subject disclosure.

[0024] In the drawings, similar components and / or features may have the same reference label. In addition, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label with a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description applies to any of the similar components having the same first reference label (regardless of the second reference label).

[0025] Figure 1AAn exemplary representation of a system including a heat pump configured with an electric heater installed in an area of ​​interest (AOI) or environment to supply comfortable warm air within the AOI or environment in accordance with one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 1B Showing one or more embodiments according to the present subject disclosure Figure 1A An exemplary block diagram of a system.

[0027] Figure 2 An exemplary flow chart illustrating a method for controlling the operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater to supply warm comfort air within an AOI or environment in accordance with occupant comfort levels, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.

[0028] Figure 3 One or more embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in Figure 1A An exemplary flow chart of a control strategy implemented in a system.

[0029] Figure 4 An exemplary schematic block diagram of a hardware system for implementing the controller of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following is a detailed description of the embodiments of the subject disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are so detailed in order to clearly convey the subject disclosure. However, the many details provided are not intended to limit the intended changes of the embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives that fall within the scope and spirit of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0031] Various terms are used herein. To the extent a term used in a claim is not defined below, it should be given the broadest definition persons in the pertinent art have given that term as reflected in printed publications and issued patents at the time of filing.

[0032] In the specification, the spatial relationship between various components and the spatial orientation of various aspects of the components may be mentioned because these devices are depicted in the accompanying drawings. However, as those skilled in the art will recognize after reading this subject disclosure in its entirety, the components of the present invention described herein can be positioned in any desired orientation. Therefore, the use of terms such as "above", "below", "upper", "lower", "first", "second" or other similar terms to describe the spatial relationship between various components or to describe the spatial orientation of various aspects of such components should be understood to describe the relative relationship between the components or the spatial orientation of various aspects of such components, respectively, and the components described herein can be oriented in any desired direction.

[0033] Heat pumps may be installed in areas of interest (AOI) or environments to provide warm or conditioned air within the environment based on the comfort of the occupants. However, heat pumps operating in heating mode may not be able to supply air temperature according to the comfort of the occupants. Occupants may find that the temperature of the air leaving the heat pump is colder than their comfort range. To overcome this, the temperature of the air leaving the heat pump (for the environment) can be increased to a comfort level by using a supplementary electric heater. The heating capacity of the electric heater can be changed to different levels according to the air temperature value set by the occupant based on his comfort and the actual temperature of the air leaving the heat pump. Therefore, the electric heater can increase the temperature of the air leaving the heat pump to the first predefined air temperature set by the occupant. Although the electric heater reduces the overall efficiency of the system, the additional comfort may be worth the moderate increase in heating costs. However, when there are no occupants in the environment, the electric heater can still remain in operation. As a result, the benefit of operating the electric heater to supply warmer air is lost, but the additional cost or operating cost of the electric heater still exists. This can increase the operating cost of the electric heater and further make the entire system inefficient and expensive.

[0034] The present invention provides a simple, automatic, efficient and cost-effective system and method for controlling the operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater that can be installed in an AOI or environment to supply comfortable warm air within the AOI or environment based on the comfort of the occupants. The present invention may involve an occupancy sensor to detect the presence or absence of an occupant within the environment. The present invention enables the electric heater to be automatically and selectively operated for the purpose of increasing the comfort of the occupant based on the presence or absence of the occupant within the environment, thereby optimizing the use of the electric heater and making the entire invention efficient and cost-effective while supplying comfortable air to the occupants.

[0035] refer to Figure 1A and 1B, the system 100 may include a heat pump 104, which may be in fluid communication with an area of ​​interest (AOI) 102 (also referred to herein as environment 102). The AOI 102 may be a space or room associated with a building. The AOI 102 may also be a storage space associated with a container or a truck, but is not limited to such. The system 100 may further include an electric heater 106 in fluid communication with the heat pump 104, so that air flowing into the AOI 102 may flow through the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106, and then flow into the AOI 102. In one or more embodiments, the heat pump 104 may be configured in a duct system, which may fluidly connect the heat pump 104 to the AOI 102. The duct system may include an air supply duct extending between the surrounding and the AOI 102 to allow ambient air to flow from the surrounding into the AOI 102 while causing the received air to flow through the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106. The duct system may further include a return air duct (not shown), which may be configured to receive return air from the AOI 102 and further supply the received return air into the AOI 102 while allowing the received return air to flow through the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106. Thus, the duct system may enable supply air (ambient air and / or return air) to flow through the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106, and then flow into the AOI 102.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, Figure 1A As shown in , the electric heater 106 can be configured upstream or downstream of the heat pump 104. This configuration can enable the supply air to be heated by one or more of the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106 before being supplied to the AOI 102. In some embodiments (not shown), the electric heater 106 can be in thermal contact with the refrigerant coil associated with the heat pump 104 to increase the temperature of the air being supplied through the refrigerant coil of the heat pump 104, thereby increasing the heating capacity of the heat pump 104.

[0037] In one or more embodiments, the system may include a variable speed fan 108 configured with the duct system to enable air to circulate between the surrounding and the AOI 102, and further enable the air to flow through the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106 before being supplied to the AOI 102. However, in one or more embodiments, the system may also include a single speed fan 108 instead of a variable speed fan to enable air to circulate between the surrounding and the AOI 102, and further enable the air to flow through the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106 before being supplied to the AOI 102. In one or more embodiments, the fan 108 may be located before (upstream) both the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106, or between the heat pump coil 104 and the electric heater 106, or after (downstream) both the heat pump coil 104 and the electric heater 106.

[0038] In some embodiments, the system 100 may include an air handling unit associated with the AOI 102, which may include a fan 108, a heat pump 104, and an electric heater 106. The fan of the AHU may enable air to circulate between the surrounding and the AOI 102, and also enable air to flow through the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106. In one or more embodiments, the electric heater 106 may include multiple heating elements. The heating capacity of the electric heater 106 may be adjusted (increased or decreased) by activating one or more of the heating elements.

[0039] The system 100 may include an occupancy sensor 110 located in the AOI 102. The occupancy sensor 110 may detect the presence or absence of one or more occupants within the AOI 102. The system 100 may further include a first temperature sensor 114 that may be located downstream of the heat pump 104 to monitor the temperature of the air leaving the heat pump 104. In addition, the system may include a second temperature sensor 112 that may be located downstream of the electric heater 106 in the duct system or at the outlet of the duct system, or located in the AOI 102 near the electric heater 106 to monitor the temperature of the air flowing into the AOI 102 after being heated by the heat pump 104 and / or the electric heater 106. In one or more embodiments, the first temperature sensor 114 and the second temperature sensor 112 may be replaced with a single temperature sensor that may be located after both the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106 (regardless of the order of the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106 in the air flow) to monitor the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI. In an example, when the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106 are operating, the temperature of the air downstream of the heat pump 104 (or leaving the heat pump 104) (sensed by the first temperature sensor 114) may be higher than the temperature of the air upstream of the heat pump 104. In addition, the temperature of the air downstream of the electric heater 106 (sensed by the second temperature sensor 112) may be higher than the temperature of the air upstream of the electric heater (or downstream of the heat pump 104).

[0040] The system may further include a thermostat 118 located within the AOI 102. The thermostat 118 may be configured to enable an occupant to set one or more of a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI 102 based on the occupant's comfort level, and further set a second predefined temperature to be maintained within the AOI 102. The first predefined temperature of the air may facilitate regulating or controlling or maintaining the second predefined temperature within the AOI 102, however, the first predefined temperature of the air may provide comfort to the occupant. In one or more embodiments, the second temperature sensor 112 may be associated with the thermostat 118, however, the second temperature sensor 112 may also be a Figure 1A The independent sensor shown in .

[0041] The system may further include a controller 116 in communication with the heat pump 104, the electric heater 106, the fan / AHU 108, the occupancy sensor 110, the thermostat 118, the first temperature sensor 114, and the second temperature sensor 112. Figure 1B , the controller 116 may include one or more processors 116 - 1 coupled to a memory 116 - 2 that stores instructions executable by the one or more processors 116 - 1 that may enable the controller 116 to perform one or more specified operations.

[0042] In one or more embodiments, the controller 116 may be configured to receive data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI 102 from the thermostat 118. However, in other embodiments, the controller 116 may be configured to receive data related to the first temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI 102 from a control unit associated with the air handling unit. The controller 116 may further monitor the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102 using the second temperature sensor 112. In addition, the controller 116 may detect the presence or absence of an occupant within the AOI 102 using the occupancy sensor 110. Therefore, in one or more embodiments, upon detecting the presence of an occupant within the AOI 102, the controller 116 may operate the heat pump 104 and / or the electric heater 106 to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102 to the first predefined temperature.

[0043] Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the controller 116 may be configured to stop operation of the electric heater 106 upon detecting the absence of an occupant within the AOI 102. Figure 3 In one or more embodiments, the controller 116 may allow an occupant to operate the electric heater 106 and the heat pump 104 in a fallback mode, in which the controller 116 stops the operation of the electric heater 106 regardless of the presence or absence of an occupant within the AOI 102. However, when the fallback mode is not activated and an occupant is detected within the AOI 102, the controller 116 may operate both the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106 to increase the air exit temperature, thereby adjusting the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102 to the first predefined temperature.

[0044] In one or more embodiments, when the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102 (monitored by the second temperature sensor 112) is detected to be below a first predefined temperature set by an occupant and the occupant is also detected within the AOI 102, the controller 116 may be configured to operate both the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106 to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102 to the first predefined temperature.

[0045] In one or more embodiments, when the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102 (monitored by the second temperature sensor 112) is detected to be lower than the first predefined temperature set by the occupant, but the occupant is detected to be absent in the AOI 102, the controller 116 may be configured to stop the operation of the electric heater 106 while continuing to operate the heat pump 104 to increase the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102.

[0046] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102 is detected to be above a first predefined temperature set by an occupant, the controller 116 may be configured to reduce or stop the operation of the electric heater 106 while operating the heat pump 104 and allowing air to be supplied into the AOI 102 to increase or maintain a second predefined temperature within the AOI 102. In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature within the AOI 102 is detected to be above a second predefined temperature set by an occupant, the controller 116 may be configured to stop the operation of the heat pump 104 and the electric heater 106.

[0047] In some embodiments, the controller 116 may also be configured to adjust the speed of the fan 108 based on the temperature of the air to be supplied to the AOI 102. This may facilitate increasing or decreasing the temperature of the air supplied to the AOI 102. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the controller 116 may be configured to adjust the heating capacity of the heat pump 104 and / or the electric heater 106 (by activating a heating element) based on the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI 102 and a first predefined temperature of the air to be supplied to the AOI 102 and / or based on the real-time temperature within the AOI 102 and a second predefined temperature to be maintained within the AOI 102.

[0048] The controller 116, the heat pump 104, the electric heater 106, the fan / AHU 108, the occupancy sensor 110, the thermostat 118, the first temperature sensor 114 and the second temperature sensor 112 may include a transceiver or communication module to communicatively connect the controller 116 to one or more of the heat pump 104, the electric heater 106, the fan / AHU 108, the occupancy sensor 110, the thermostat 118, the first temperature sensor 114 and the second temperature sensor 112 through a network via a wired and / or wireless medium. In one or more embodiments, the system or controller 116, and a mobile device associated with an occupant or registered user or administrator of the AOI 102 may be operably coupled to the website and thus operable from any Internet-enabled user device. The mobile device may allow occupants, users, and administrators to monitor and control the operation of the system. Examples of mobile devices may include, but are not limited to, portable computers, personal digital assistants, handheld devices, and workstations.

[0049] In one or more embodiments, the network may be a wireless network, a wired network, or a combination thereof. The network may be implemented as one of different types of networks, such as an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, and the like. In addition, the network may be a dedicated network or a shared network. A shared network represents an association of different types of networks that communicate with each other using a variety of protocols (e.g., hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), transmission control protocol / Internet protocol (TCP / IP), wireless application protocol (WAP), and the like). In addition, the network may include a variety of network devices, including transceivers, routers, bridges, servers, computing devices, storage devices, and the like. In another implementation, the network may be a cellular network or a mobile communication network based on various technologies, including but not limited to global system for mobile 100 (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), long term evolution (LTE), WiMAX, 5G or 6G network protocols, and the like.

[0050] refer to Figure 2 , discloses a method 200 for controlling the operation of an electric heater and a heat pump associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI), the method can control the temperature of air leaving the electric heater and the heat pump according to the comfort of the occupants before the air is supplied to the AOI. The method 200 can involve the controller 116, the heat pump 104, the electric heater 106, the fan / AHU 108, the occupancy sensor 110, the thermostat 118, the first temperature sensor 114, the second temperature sensor 112, and the controller 116. Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe method 200 may include a step 202 of detecting, by an occupancy sensor, the presence or absence of one or more occupants within the AOI. In addition, the method 200 may include a step 204 of receiving, by a controller, data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI when the air is passed through the heat pump and the electric heater, and another step 206 of monitoring, by the controller, the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI.

[0051] In one or more embodiments, upon detecting the presence of an occupant within the AOI, method 200 may include operating, by the controller, a heat pump and / or an electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to a first predefined temperature at step 208. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, upon detecting the absence of an occupant within the AOI, method 200 may include stopping, by the controller, the operation of the heat pump and / or the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to a first predefined temperature at step 210.

[0052] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be lower than a first predefined temperature set by an occupant and the occupant is also detected within the AOI, method 200 may include the step of operating a heat pump and an electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

[0053] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below a first predefined temperature and the absence of an occupant within the AOI is detected, method 200 may include the steps of reducing or stopping operation of the electric heater and operating a heat pump to increase the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI.

[0054] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected as being above a first predefined temperature, the method 200 may include the steps of reducing or stopping the operation of the electric heater while operating the heat pump and allowing air to be supplied into the AOI to increase or maintain a second predefined temperature within the AOI. In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature within the AOI 102 is detected as being above a second predefined temperature set by an occupant, the method 200 may include the steps of stopping the operation of the heat pump and the electric heater.

[0055] In one or more embodiments, the method 200 may include the step of adjusting the speed of the fan based on the temperature of the air to be supplied to the AOI, thereby increasing or decreasing the temperature of the air supplied to the AOI.

[0056] In one or more embodiments, the method 200 may include a step of adjusting the heating capacity of the heat pump based on the real-time temperature within the AOI and the first predefined temperature to be maintained within the AOI. In addition, the heating capacity and / or fan speed of the electric heater may be adjusted to adjust the temperature of the air supplied to the AOI.

[0057] Also described herein are systems for controlling the operation of an electric heater and HVAC device associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI). In one or more embodiments, (not shown) the system may include an HVAC device or a chiller unit or an air conditioning unit that may be in fluid communication with an area of ​​interest (AOI) (also referred to herein as an environment). The AOI may be a space or room associated with a building. The AOI may also be a storage space associated with a container or a truck, but is not limited to such. The system may further include an electric heater in fluid communication with the HVAC device so that air flowing into the AOI may flow through the HVAC device and the electric heater and then flow into the AOI. The system may include Figure 1A and Figure 1B , however, the ductwork herein may enable supply air (ambient air and / or return air) to flow through the HVAC device and the electric heater and then into the AOI.

[0058] In one or more embodiments, the electric heater may be configured upstream or downstream of the HVAC device. Such a configuration may enable the HVAC device to cool the supply air and further enable the electric heater to heat or warm the supply air being cooled by the HVAC device so as to supply conditioned air within the AOI in accordance with the comfort of the occupants. In some embodiments, the electric heater may be in thermal contact with a refrigerant coil associated with the HVAC device to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied through the refrigerant coil of the HVAC device, thereby controlling the cooling capacity of the HVAC device.

[0059] In one or more embodiments, the system may further include a variable speed fan configured with the duct system to enable air to circulate between the surroundings and the AOI, and further enable the air to flow through the HVAC device and the electric heater before being supplied to the AOI.

[0060] The system may include an occupancy sensor located in the AOI. The occupancy sensor may detect the presence or absence of one or more occupants within the AOI. The system may further include a first temperature sensor, which may be located downstream of the HVAC device to monitor the temperature of air leaving the HVAC device. In addition, the system may further include a second temperature sensor, which may be located downstream of the electric heater in the duct system or at the outlet of the duct system, or located in the AOI near the electric heater to monitor the temperature of air flowing into the AOI after being heated by the HVAC device and / or the electric heater.

[0061] The system may further include a thermostat located within the AOI. The thermostat may be configured to enable an occupant to set one or more of a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI based on the occupant's comfort, and further set a second predefined temperature to be maintained within the AOI. The first predefined temperature of the air may facilitate regulating or controlling or maintaining the second predefined temperature within the AOI, however, the first predefined temperature of the air may provide an initial comfort level to the occupant, while the second predefined temperature may further increase the comfort level for the occupant.

[0062] The system may further include a controller in communication with the HVAC device, the electric heater, the fan / AHU, the occupancy sensor, the thermostat, the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor. In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to receive data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI. The controller may further monitor the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI and also detect the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI using the occupancy sensor. Thus, upon detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI, the controller may operate the HVAC device and / or the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature. In addition, the controller may stop the operation of the electric heater upon detecting the absence of an occupant within the AOI.

[0063] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below a first predefined temperature and an occupant is detected within the AOI, the controller may be configured to operate the HVAC device in a heating mode and / or further operate the electric heater at a predefined heating capacity to increase the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

[0064] In one or more embodiments, when the monitored real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be above a first predefined temperature and an occupant is detected within the AOI, the controller may be configured to stop or reduce operation of the electric heater and further operate the HVAC device in a cooling mode to reduce the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

[0065] Thus, the present invention provides a simple, automatic, efficient and cost-effective system and method for controlling the operation of a heat pump (or HVAC device) configured in conjunction with an electric heater to control the temperature of air supplied to an AOI.

[0066] Figure 4 is an exemplary schematic block diagram of a hardware system for implementing a processing device. Figure 4As shown in FIG. 4 , the processing device may include an external storage device 410, a bus 420, a main memory 430, a read-only memory 440, a mass storage device 450, a communication port 460, and a processor 470. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processing device may include more than one processor and communication port. Examples of processor 470 include, but are not limited to, (one or more) or Itanium 2 processor, or (one or more) or Athlon processor, Series processors, FortiSOC TM The processor 470 may include various modules. The communication port 460 may be an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dial-up connection, a 10 / 100 Ethernet port, a gigabit or 10 gigabit port using copper or optical fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or any other existing or future port. The communication port 460 may be selected depending on a network such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any network to which the processing device is connected. The memory 430 may be a random access memory (RAM) or any other dynamic storage device known in the art. The read-only memory 440 may be any (one or more) static storage device, such as, but not limited to, a programmable read-only memory (PROM) chip for storing static information (e.g., for startup or BIOS instructions for the processor 470). The mass storage device 450 may be any current or future mass storage solution that can be used to store information and / or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to: Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., with Universal Serial Bus (USB) and / or Firewire interfaces), such as those available from Seagate (e.g., the Seagate Barracuda 7102 series) or those available from Hitachi (e.g., the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000); one or more optical disks; redundant array of independent disks (RAID) storage devices, such as disk arrays (e.g., SATA arrays) available from various vendors including Dot Hill Systems Corp., LaCie, Nexsan Technologies, Inc., and Enhance Technology, Inc.

[0067] The bus 420 communicatively couples the processor(s) 470 with other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus 420 may be, for example, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) / PCI expansion (PCI-X) bus, a small computer system interface (SCSI), a USB, etc., for connecting expansion cards, drives, and other subsystems, and other buses, such as a front-side bus (FSB), which connects the processor 470 to a software system.

[0068] Optionally, operator and management interfaces (e.g., display, keyboard, and cursor control device) may also be coupled to bus 420 to enable an operator to interact directly with the processing device. Other operator and management interfaces may be provided via a network connection connected via communication port 460. External storage device 410 may be any type of external hard drive, floppy drive, Zip drive, compact disk - read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk rewritable (CD-RW), digital video disk - read only memory (DVD-ROM). The components described above are only intended to illustrate various possibilities. The aforementioned exemplary processing device should in no way limit the scope of the subject disclosure.

[0069] Although the subject disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The teachings of the subject disclosure may be modified to accommodate specific circumstances or materials without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the subject disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but rather that the subject disclosure encompasses all embodiments that fall within the scope of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0070] In interpreting the specification, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the elements, components, or steps mentioned may exist, be utilized, or be combined with other elements, components, or steps not explicitly mentioned. In the case where the specification and claims refer to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C, ..., and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, rather than A plus N, or B plus N, etc.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater, the system comprising: an occupancy sensor located in an area of ​​interest (AOI) and operable to detect the presence or absence of one or more occupants within the AOI, wherein the system is configured to supply air to the AOI while enabling the air to flow through the heat pump and the electric heater; and a controller in communication with the occupancy sensor, the heat pump, and the electric heater, wherein the controller comprises one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors and configured to: receiving data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI; monitoring the real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI; detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI using the occupancy sensor; and Upon detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI, the heat pump and / or the electric heater are operated to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is configured to stop or reduce operation of the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature upon detecting the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI or when the one or more occupants operate the electric heater and the heat pump in a fallback mode.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below the first predefined temperature, and when the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the controller is configured to operate both the heat pump and the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below the first predefined temperature, and when the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the controller is configured to cease operation of the electric heater and operate the heat pump to increase the temperature of the air within the AOI.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be above the first predefined temperature, the controller is configured to reduce or stop operation of the electric heater while allowing air to be supplied into the AOI.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The system includes a variable speed fan configured with the electric heater or the heat pump, wherein the fan is in communication with the controller and is configured to adjust the speed of the fan based on a temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The system includes a thermostat located within the AOI, wherein the thermostat is configured to enable the one or more occupants to set one or more of the first predefined temperature of the air to be supplied into the AOI and a second temperature to be maintained within the AOI.

8. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The controller is configured to adjust a heating capacity of the heat pump and / or the electric heater based on the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI and the first predefined temperature of the air to be supplied to the AOI.

9. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The electric heater is arranged downstream of the heating coil of the heat pump.

10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature within the AOI is detected to be above the second predefined temperature, the controller is configured to stop the operation of the heat pump and the electric heater.

11. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The system includes a temperature sensor located in the AOI or at an air outlet of a duct system, wherein the heat pump and the electric heater are installed in the duct system, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to monitor the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI through the duct system.

12. A system for controlling the operation of an HVAC device configured with an electric heater, the system comprising: an occupancy sensor located in an area of ​​interest (AOI) and operable to detect the presence or absence of one or more occupants within the AOI, wherein the system is configured to supply air to the AOI while flowing the air through the HVAC device and the electric heater; and a controller in communication with the occupancy sensor, the HVAC device, and the electric heater, wherein the controller includes one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors and configured to: receiving data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI; monitoring the real-time temperature of air being supplied to the AOI; detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI using the occupancy sensor; upon detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI, operating the HVAC device and / or the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature; and Upon detecting the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI, operation of the electric heater is stopped.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below the first predefined temperature, and when the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the controller is configured to operate the HVAC device in a heating mode and / or further operate the electric heater at a first predefined heating capacity to increase the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be above the first predefined temperature, and when the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the controller is configured to stop or reduce operation of the electric heater, and further operate the HVAC device in a cooling mode to reduce the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

15. A method for controlling the operation of a heat pump configured with an electric heater, the method comprising the steps of: An occupancy sensor detects the presence or absence of one or more occupants within an area of ​​interest (AOI); receiving, by a controller, data related to a first predefined temperature of air to be supplied to the AOI when air is caused to flow through the heat pump and the electric heater; monitoring, by the controller, the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI; upon detecting the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI, operating, by the controller, the heat pump and / or the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature; as well as Operation of the electric heater is stopped by the controller upon detecting the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below the first predefined temperature, and when the presence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the method includes the steps of operating the heat pump and the electric heater to adjust the temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI to the first predefined temperature.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be below the first predefined temperature, and when the absence of one or more occupants within the AOI is detected, the method includes the steps of stopping operation of the electric heater and operating the heat pump to increase the temperature of the air being supplied within the AOI.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein: When the monitored real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI is detected to be above the first predefined temperature, the method comprises the step of stopping or reducing the operation of the heat pump and / or the electric heater.

19. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein: The method includes the steps of adjusting the speed of a fan disposed upstream or downstream of the heat pump or the electric heater to control the flow rate of the air being supplied to the AOI based on a temperature to be maintained within the AOI.

20. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein: The method comprises the step of adjusting a heating capacity of the heat pump and / or the electric heater based on the real-time temperature of the air being supplied to the AOI and the first predefined temperature of the air to be supplied to the AOI.

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