Patent ID: 8794017

Claim:
A system for managing distribution of a cooling medium to multiple areas of a structure through a network of passages having a plurality of actuators positioned along the network of passages, said system comprising: a sensor to detect a condition; a first agent at a first hierarchical level, the first agent to receive the detected condition from the sensor and to determine whether a characteristic of the cooling medium controlled by a first actuator of the plurality of actuators is to be manipulated based upon the detected condition; and a second agent at a second hierarchical level that is higher than the first hierarchical level, wherein the second agent is to receive the characteristic manipulation determination of the first actuator made by the first agent and to determine whether a characteristic of the cooling medium controlled by a second actuator of the plurality of actuators is to be manipulated based upon the characteristic manipulation determination made by the first agent, wherein the second actuator is to control a characteristic of cooling medium flow supplied to a plurality of the first actuators; and a third agent at a third hierarchical level that is higher than the second hierarchical level, wherein the third agent is to receive data pertaining to at least one of the detected condition, the characteristic manipulation determination made by the first agent, and the characteristic manipulation determination made by the second agent, and to determine whether a characteristic of the cooling medium controlled by a third actuator to control a characteristic of cooling medium supplied to a plurality of second actuators is to be manipulated based upon the data received by the third agent.