Patent ID: 6401468
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: B63B,B63G

Abstract:
A heat pump assemblage including an independent controller capable of operation in conjunction with a plurality of such heat pump assemblages and in the presence of a network linking said heat pump assemblages, said heat pump assemblage comprising:a powered heat pump for pumping heat from one of a controlled environment and a heat sink to the other one of a controlled environment and a heat sink, the power for said powered heat pump being controllable in response to a control signal; a controller unique to the heat pump assemblage, for generating said control signal for controlling said powered heat pump, said controller including a memory flag indicative of the primary or secondary status of that heat pump assemblage with which it is associated, said controller also including a communication port and memory for receiving and at least temporarily storing at least one of (a) a temperature indication signal indicative of temperature of said controlled environment and (b) a humidity indication signal indicative of humidity of said controlled environment, said controller being for determining said primary or secondary status of the associated heat pump assemblage by examining said memory flag and for, if said status is primary, starting the associated powered heat pump in response to a comparison of one of (a) said temperature of said controlled environment as represented by said temperature indication signal and (b) said humidity of said controlled environment and a predetermined set point received by way of said communication port, and for, if said status is secondary, starting the associated powered heat pump in response to a comparison of said one of (a) said temperature of said controlled environment as represented by said temperature indication signal and (b) said humidity of said controlled environment as represented by said humidity indication signal with another set point received by way of said communication port, where the values of said first and second set points may be equal.