Patent ID: 8903553

Claim:
A unitary air conditioner system comprising: a central controller coupled to a plurality of unitary air conditioners via a communications network, the central controller issuing commands that coordinate powering of each unitary air conditioner; the plurality of unitary air conditioners coupled to a communications network, each unitary air conditioner coupled to the communications network by a communications device, each communications device relaying the commands from the central controller for controlling power to a respective compressor of a respective unitary air conditioner, the commands from the central controller of a respective unitary air conditioner being coordinated with the plurality of unitary air conditioners by the central controller in order to reduce energy consumption during peak loads or reduce demand during a time period; each unitary air conditioner comprising: a housing comprising an interior wall that separates the housing into a first side facing an exterior of climate controlled space and second side facing an interior of the climate controlled space; a communications device disposed within the housing and on the first side of the interior wall, the communications device comprising a programmable module that supports a communications protocol for sending and receiving messages over the communications network; control logic disposed within the housing and coupled to the communications device, a first switching device, and a second switching device, the control logic processing the commands received from the central controller via the communications device; a memory coupled to the control logic and on the first side of the interior wall; a compressor disposed within the housing and on the second side of the interior wall; an evaporator disposed within the housing and on the first side of the interior wall and coupled to the compressor; the first switching device coupled between the compressor and a power supply, for interrupting power to the compressor in response to commands received from the control logic; a first fan disposed within the housing and on the first side of the interior wall and for circulating air across the evaporator; the fan being coupled to the power supply and circulating air across the evaporator even when the first switching device is interrupting power to the compressor; a condenser disposed within the housing and on the second side of the interior wall and coupled to the compressor; a second fan disposed within the housing and on the second side of the interior wall and for circulating air across the condenser; a second switching device coupled between the second fan and a power supply, for interrupting power to the second fan in response to commands received from the control logic.