Patent Publication Number: US-6209335-B1

Title: Environmental distribution control module

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the heating ventilating and air condition controls of residential homes, in particular to provide a uniform comfort throughout the home utilizing conventional equipment without extensive or costly modification. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The environmental distribution control module invention maintains an acceptably uniform comfort throughout a residential home in an economically fashion. Current residential controls sense the environment at one location. Sun location and intensity with outside temperature heat the residential home in varying degree and location. Inconsistent heating yields various temperatures within the home. The hot second floor in two story homes demonstrates a common problem. Multiply sensing of temperature and or humidity relays information to a central module. The central module determines the heating or cooling mode and acceptable tolerance of environmental variation. The central module may contain the common functions as the standard thermostat combined with multiple sensing. The decision of heating, cooling, humidifying, and mixing activates common elements of burner, compressor, humidifier, and blower fan. Automatically controlling the fan independent of the other function allows mixing of the air to maintain a reasonably uniform environment. Utilizing the fan only when required saves energy. Minimum additional equipment and rework balanced against energy savings yields an economic advantage. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 Physical Layout And Control Routing 
     FIG. 2 Physical Layout Of Typical Two Story Home 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 relates the basic elements of this invention. Structure  8  contains a media  1  typically air. Sensors  3  and  4  located within a media at various locations determine conditions as example temperature and or humidity for air. Control module  2  compare conditions from a collection of sensors. Dashed line  7  illustrates signal and control routing. Difference comparison measure against preset limits activates an output signal on excessive deviation. Output signal initiates mixing of media  1  by running motor  5  to turn fan  6  causing mixing flow to occur. When media becomes acceptably homogenous, the control module  2  turns the motor  5  off discontinuing the media mixing. A single unit contained within housing of motor fan can sense local temperature and distance condition via as example infra red detection of remote object. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a typical household installation of this invention. A common two story home  9  contains a second floor media  17  and a first floor media  18 . Sensor  10  measures temperature and or humidity of second floor media or air  17 . Sensor  11  measures temperature and or humidity of first for air  18 . Sensor  11  may contain additional functions of a common household thermostat. Common function list contain programmable temperature set points, humidity set points, heating or cooling mode, and manual fan run switch. Detection of compressor activation initiates an enable timer. The timer enables automatic fan operation until the time limit expires. This timer disables winter cold fan run condition. Excessive comparison difference of sensor  10  and  11  sends a to mix signal to central furnace  22 . Central furnace  22  activates motor  14  to turn fan  19  when receiving a to mix signal. Air  17  from second floor enters return vent  12  and combines with air  18  from first floor entering return vent  13 . Central furnace fan  18  moves the combined air through heating elements  20  and cooling elements  21 . Preset conditions determine the addition or removal of heat requirements. Supply vents  15  returns air to the first floor  18  and supply vent  16  returns air to second floor  17 . When sensors  10  and  11  measure sufficiently uniform conditions the to mix signal terminates run of motor  14  and hence mixing stops.