Air conditioning equipment operation system and air conditioning ...
US006591620B2
(12) United States Patent
(10) Patent N0.:
Kikuchi et al.
(54)
(45) Date of Patent:
AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT
2002/0022991 A1
OPERATION SYSTEM AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT DESIGNING
2002/0072868 A1 2002/0080937 A1
SUPPORT SYSTEM
2002/0097150 2002/0103655 2002/0124992 2002/0128987
(75) Inventors: Hiroshige Kikuchi, Chiyoda (JP); Tadakatsu Nakajima, Chiyoda (JP); Keiji Sasao, Tsuchiura (JP)
A1 A1 A1 A1
Jul. 15, 2003
2/2002 Sharood et a1. ............. .. 705/14
*
6/2002 Bartone et a1. ............. .. 702/62 6/2002 Kawamura ........... .. 379/102.03 7/2002 8/2002 9/2002 9/2002
Sandelman et a1. ....... .. 340/506 Boies et a1. ...... .. Rainer et a1. ............ .. 165/11.1 Namba ..................... .. 705/412
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
(73) Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
JP JP
A-7-139761 A-8-86533
(*)
JP
9-026804
Notice:
US 6,591,620 B2
Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
* *
5/1995 4/1996
1/1997
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—William C. Doerrler
(21) Appl. No.: 10/066,667 (22) Filed: (65)
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP
Feb. 6, 2002 Prior Publication Data
(57)
A control server includes a device information database
US 2003/0070438 A1 Apr. 17, 2003
(30)
ABSTRACT
storing device characteristic data constituting the air condi tioning equipment, a fuel/power rate database storing price
Foreign Application Priority Data (JP) ..................................... .. 2001-317570
and rate data regarding gas, oil, poWer and the like, a device
(51)
Int. Cl.7 ....................... .. F25B 49/00; G05D 23/00;
characteristic and price database, an air conditioning equip ment simulator for calculating running costs by using the
(52)
US. Cl. ........................... .. 62/126; 62/132; 236/51;
(58)
Field of Search ................... .. 62/126, 132; 236/51,
agement controller for managing and controlling the air
236/47; 705/8; 700/276
conditioning equipment provided With the communication portion for performing communications through the
Oct. 16, 2001
G05D 13/00; G01M 1/38
700/276
(56)
References Cited *
5,598,349 A * 5,924,486 A * 6,160,993 A
2/1982 Kamejima et a1. ........... .. 62/98
controlling the air conditioning equipment through the
1/1997 Elliason et a1. 7/1999 Ehlers et a1.
netWork, and the air conditioning equipment is controlled and operated according to the operation plan.
700/295 165/238
* 12/2000 Wilson ....... ..
6,216,956 B1 * 2002/0013723 A1 *
network. The control server, and an air conditioning man
netWork, are connected to the netWork. An operation plan is made by the control server, the operation plan is transmitted to the air conditioning equipment management controller for
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,314,454 A
data stored in the fuel/power rate database, and communi cation portion for performing communications through a
4/2001 Ehlers et a1. .. 1/2002
455/121
236/47
8 Claims, 19 Drawing Sheets
Mise ........................... .. 705/8
START
SEI TIME TO PLAN START TIME READ PREDICTED VALUES OF TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY OF OUTSIDE AIR CALCULATE PREDICT ED VALUE OF COOLING LOAD
CALCLATE RUNNING COSTS BY AIR CHANGE OPERATION MEI'HOD
CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT SIMULATOR
804 ~
ARE ALL OPERATION METHODS CALCULATED? VES ADVANCE TIME
OUTPUT OPERATION METHOD OF LOWEST RUNNING COSTS PLAN END TIME?
VES CONSIDER nuuume COSTS DURING DEVICE START/STOP
END
~810
U.S. Patent
US 6,591,620 B2
Sheet 1 0f 19
Jul. 15,2003
FIG.1 SERVICE PROVIDER COMPANY 210 I
CONTROL SERVER
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION DATABASE
FUEUPOWER RATE DATABS E
RUNNING RECORD DATABASE
DEVICE INFORMATION DATABASE
OPERATION CONTR OL MEANS
41 AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT SIMULATOR
OPERATION METHOD OPTIMIZING MEANS
52
I
WEATHER IN FO RMATION DATABASE
RECORDING MEANS
f
DEVICE
43
CHARACTERISTIC CORRECTION MEANS
44
EQUIPMENT DESIGNING
I45
SUPPORT MEANS 54
~53 CALCULATION MEANS
COMMUNICATION MEANS
I
IN PUT/ OUTPUT MEANS
~51
1O WEATH ER
SERVER FORECAST COMPANY
1 /
COTRACT CONTRACT COMPANY
SERVER
1b AIR CONDITIONING
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT CONTROLLER
30
I 38 AIR /
CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT
SITE
--1 1
U.S. Patent
Jul. 15,2003
Sheet 2 0f 19
US 6,591,620 B2
30
I 67
68
OPERATION PLAN DATA
69
WEATHER FORECAST DATA
RUNNING RECORD DATA
AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT ~66 MANAGEMENT CONTROL MEANS
/ 62
STORAGE MEANS
CALCULATION f MEANS
l N
MEAN/‘SWEAT O
Q'IE‘U‘I’IPIZ‘DI'ITT'W'NG E COMMUNICATION
65 ,
I
63
61
\
INPUT/
MEANS
MEANS
64
OUTPUT
I
10
(12) United States Patent
(10) Patent N0.:
Kikuchi et al.
(54)
(45) Date of Patent:
AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT
2002/0022991 A1
OPERATION SYSTEM AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT DESIGNING
2002/0072868 A1 2002/0080937 A1
SUPPORT SYSTEM
2002/0097150 2002/0103655 2002/0124992 2002/0128987
(75) Inventors: Hiroshige Kikuchi, Chiyoda (JP); Tadakatsu Nakajima, Chiyoda (JP); Keiji Sasao, Tsuchiura (JP)
A1 A1 A1 A1
Jul. 15, 2003
2/2002 Sharood et a1. ............. .. 705/14
*
6/2002 Bartone et a1. ............. .. 702/62 6/2002 Kawamura ........... .. 379/102.03 7/2002 8/2002 9/2002 9/2002
Sandelman et a1. ....... .. 340/506 Boies et a1. ...... .. Rainer et a1. ............ .. 165/11.1 Namba ..................... .. 705/412
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
(73) Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
JP JP
A-7-139761 A-8-86533
(*)
JP
9-026804
Notice:
US 6,591,620 B2
Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
* *
5/1995 4/1996
1/1997
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—William C. Doerrler
(21) Appl. No.: 10/066,667 (22) Filed: (65)
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP
Feb. 6, 2002 Prior Publication Data
(57)
A control server includes a device information database
US 2003/0070438 A1 Apr. 17, 2003
(30)
ABSTRACT
storing device characteristic data constituting the air condi tioning equipment, a fuel/power rate database storing price
Foreign Application Priority Data (JP) ..................................... .. 2001-317570
and rate data regarding gas, oil, poWer and the like, a device
(51)
Int. Cl.7 ....................... .. F25B 49/00; G05D 23/00;
characteristic and price database, an air conditioning equip ment simulator for calculating running costs by using the
(52)
US. Cl. ........................... .. 62/126; 62/132; 236/51;
(58)
Field of Search ................... .. 62/126, 132; 236/51,
agement controller for managing and controlling the air
236/47; 705/8; 700/276
conditioning equipment provided With the communication portion for performing communications through the
Oct. 16, 2001
G05D 13/00; G01M 1/38
700/276
(56)
References Cited *
5,598,349 A * 5,924,486 A * 6,160,993 A
2/1982 Kamejima et a1. ........... .. 62/98
controlling the air conditioning equipment through the
1/1997 Elliason et a1. 7/1999 Ehlers et a1.
netWork, and the air conditioning equipment is controlled and operated according to the operation plan.
700/295 165/238
* 12/2000 Wilson ....... ..
6,216,956 B1 * 2002/0013723 A1 *
network. The control server, and an air conditioning man
netWork, are connected to the netWork. An operation plan is made by the control server, the operation plan is transmitted to the air conditioning equipment management controller for
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,314,454 A
data stored in the fuel/power rate database, and communi cation portion for performing communications through a
4/2001 Ehlers et a1. .. 1/2002
455/121
236/47
8 Claims, 19 Drawing Sheets
Mise ........................... .. 705/8
START
SEI TIME TO PLAN START TIME READ PREDICTED VALUES OF TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY OF OUTSIDE AIR CALCULATE PREDICT ED VALUE OF COOLING LOAD
CALCLATE RUNNING COSTS BY AIR CHANGE OPERATION MEI'HOD
CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT SIMULATOR
804 ~
ARE ALL OPERATION METHODS CALCULATED? VES ADVANCE TIME
OUTPUT OPERATION METHOD OF LOWEST RUNNING COSTS PLAN END TIME?
VES CONSIDER nuuume COSTS DURING DEVICE START/STOP
END
~810
U.S. Patent
US 6,591,620 B2
Sheet 1 0f 19
Jul. 15,2003
FIG.1 SERVICE PROVIDER COMPANY 210 I
CONTROL SERVER
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION DATABASE
FUEUPOWER RATE DATABS E
RUNNING RECORD DATABASE
DEVICE INFORMATION DATABASE
OPERATION CONTR OL MEANS
41 AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT SIMULATOR
OPERATION METHOD OPTIMIZING MEANS
52
I
WEATHER IN FO RMATION DATABASE
RECORDING MEANS
f
DEVICE
43
CHARACTERISTIC CORRECTION MEANS
44
EQUIPMENT DESIGNING
I45
SUPPORT MEANS 54
~53 CALCULATION MEANS
COMMUNICATION MEANS
I
IN PUT/ OUTPUT MEANS
~51
1O WEATH ER
SERVER FORECAST COMPANY
1 /
COTRACT CONTRACT COMPANY
SERVER
1b AIR CONDITIONING
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT CONTROLLER
30
I 38 AIR /
CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT
SITE
--1 1
U.S. Patent
Jul. 15,2003
Sheet 2 0f 19
US 6,591,620 B2
30
I 67
68
OPERATION PLAN DATA
69
WEATHER FORECAST DATA
RUNNING RECORD DATA
AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT ~66 MANAGEMENT CONTROL MEANS
/ 62
STORAGE MEANS
CALCULATION f MEANS
l N
MEAN/‘SWEAT O
Q'IE‘U‘I’IPIZ‘DI'ITT'W'NG E COMMUNICATION
65 ,
I
63
61
\
INPUT/
MEANS
MEANS
64
OUTPUT
I
10
