Patent ID: 8701432

Claim:
A heat pump system capable of transferring heat with both a ground source and a surrounding ambient atmosphere, said system comprising: an air source heat pump unit, wherein air passes into said heat pump unit through an input port and exits said heat pump unit through an exit port, and wherein said air is changed in temperature by said heat pump unit; a ground heat exchanger thermally coupled to the ground source, wherein said ground heat exchanger has an input and an output; a first valve set coupled to said input port of said heat pump unit, said output of said ground heat exchanger and the ambient atmosphere, wherein said first valve set can selectively interconnect said input port of said heat pump to said output of said ground heat exchanger, said input port of said heat pump to the ambient atmosphere, and can interconnect said output of said ground heat exchanger to the ambient atmosphere, depending upon a selected mode of operation; a second valve set, separate and distinct from said first valve set, that is coupled to said output port of said heat pump unit, said input of said ground heat exchanger and the ambient atmosphere, wherein said second valve set can selectively interconnect said output port of said heat pump to said input of said ground heat exchanger, to the ambient atmosphere, or can interconnect said input of said ground heat exchanger to the ambient atmosphere depending upon said selected mode of operation.