# US 10,768,645 B2 · Devices, systems and methods relating to HVAC systems that provide an implicit partition between at least two abutting environments in a defined large open space > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,645 B2 - Document ID: US10768645B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/677,928 - Filed: 2017-08-15 - Published: 2018-03-08 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-15 - Assignees: Roberts-Gordon LLC - Applicants: Roberts-Gordon LLC - Inventors: Charles M. Brown - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768645B2 ## CPC - G05D 23/1934: {each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means} - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/46: Improving electric energy efficiency or saving - F24F 11/54: using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers - F24F 2110/10: Temperature - F24F 2221/50: HVAC for high buildings, e.g. thermal or pressure differences - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) ## Abstract Systems, devices and methods, etc., comprising at least two separate and distinct environmental climate control devices that both serve the mixed use open space, and which environmental climate control devices are centrally controlled to provide at least two different HVAC-controlled zones, for example to differentiate between the zones according to at least one of temperature, humidity, pressure or contaminant level. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system comprising: at least two separate and distinct environmental climate control devices, the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices both serving a single mixed use open space consisting essentially of a large open space having at least a first selected temperature zone abutting a second selected temperature zone; a central uniform control unit operably connected to the at least two environmental climate control devices to control combined operation of the distinct environmental climate control devices, the central uniform control unit also operably connected to at least a first temperature sensor located in the first selected temperature zone and to a second temperature sensor located in the second selected temperature zone; wherein, the central uniform control unit is further configured such that, based on a first selected temperature set point for the first selected temperature zone, a second selected temperature set point for the second selected temperature zone, wherein the second selected temperature set point is different from the first selected temperature set point, and on information from the first and second temperature sensors, the central uniform control unit controls combined operation of the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices to establish substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones, wherein the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices further comprise at least one ventilation device, and the central uniform control unit controls, via the ventilation device, ventilation in the single mixed use open space to support the substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices comprise at least one radiant heater and at least one direct fired heater. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 2 wherein the central uniform control unit controls equipment staging for the direct fired heater based on information from a pressure sensor centrally located in the in single mixed use open space and operably connected to the central uniform control unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices comprise at least one climate control heating device and at least one climate control cooling device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices comprise at least two climate control heating devices and at least one climate control cooling device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the system further comprises at least one pressure sensor operably connected to the central uniform control unit such that the central uniform control unit selectively controls air pressure in the single mixed use open space to support the substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the system further comprises at least one contaminant sensor operably connected to the central uniform control unit such that the central uniform control unit selectively controls HVAC in the single mixed use open space based on information provided by the contaminant sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 7 wherein the contaminant comprises at least one of carbon monoxide (CO) or nitrous oxide (NOX). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the first selected temperature zone having the first temperature is configured to be occupied by people and the second selected temperature zone having the second, substantially different temperature is configured to not be occupied by people. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 9 wherein the system further comprises at least one occupancy sensor operably connected to the central uniform control unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 10 wherein the central uniform control unit is configured to adjust the temperature in the first selected temperature zone when the occupancy sensor senses people in the first selected temperature zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the large open space is at least one of a factory, a warehouse, or a distribution center. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein each separate and distinct environmental climate control device of the HVAC equipment operates in stand-alone mode according to its stand-alone sequence of operations in the absence of instructions from the central uniform control unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the central uniform control unit controls the distinct environmental climate control devices to provide outside air in quantities greater than needed solely for heating of the first and second selected temperature zones. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1 wherein the central uniform control unit controls equipment staging for the direct fired heaters based on a centralized pressure control. ### Claim 16 A heating ventilation cooling (HV AC) system comprising: at least two separate environmental climate control devices, the at least two separate and distinct environmental climate control devices both serving a single mixed use open space consisting essentially of a large open space having at least a first selected HVAC-controlled zone abutting a second selected HV AC-controlled zone; a central uniform control unit operably connected to the at least two environmental climate control devices, the central uniform control unit operably connected to at least one detection device providing information about at least one HVAC-conditioned quality in the single mixed use open space; wherein, the central uniform control unit is further configured such that, based on a first selected HVAC set point for the first selected HVAC-controlled zone, a second selected HVAC set point for the second selected HVAC-controlled zone, wherein the second selected HVAC set point is different from the first selected HV AC set point, and on information from detection device, the central uniform control unit controls combined operation of the at least two separate environmental climate control devices to establish substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected HV AC-controlled zones, wherein the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices further comprise at least one ventilation device, and the central uniform control unit controls, via the ventilation device, ventilation in the single mixed use open space to support the substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the HVAC-conditioned quality is temperature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the HVAC-conditioned quality is contaminant level. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the at least two separate environmental climate control devices are at least two separate and distinct environmental climate control devices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the at least two separate environmental climate control devices comprise at least one radiant heater and at least one of a direct fired heater and an indirect fired heater. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 20 wherein the central uniform control unit controls equipment staging for the direct fired heater or the indirect fired heater based on information from a pressure detection device centrally located in the single mixed use open space and operably connected to the central uniform control unit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the at least two separate environmental climate control devices comprise at least one climate control heating device and at least one climate control cooling device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the at least two separate environmental climate control devices comprise at least two climate control heating devices and at least one climate control cooling device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the system further comprises at least one pressure detection device operably connected to the central uniform control unit such that the central uniform control unit selectively controls air pressure in the single mixed use open space to support the substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected HVAC-controlled zones. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the system further comprises at least one contaminant detection device operably connected to the central uniform control unit such that the central uniform control unit selectively controls HVAC in the single mixed use open space based on information provided by the contaminant detection device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 25 wherein the contaminant comprises at least one of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (NOX), or hydrogen. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the first selected HVAC-controlled zone has a first HVAC-conditioned quality configured to be occupied by people and the second selected HVAC-controlled zone has a second, substantially different HVAC-conditioned quality that is configured to not be occupied by people. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 20 wherein the first selected HVAC-controlled zone has a first HVAC-conditioned quality configured to be occupied by people and the second selected HVAC-controlled zone has a second, substantially different HVAC-conditioned quality that is configured to not be occupied by people. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 28 wherein the system further comprises at least one occupancy detection device operably connected to the central uniform control unit. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 29 wherein the central uniform control unit is configured to adjust the temperature in the first selected HVAC-controlled zone when the occupancy detection device senses people in the first selected HVAC-controlled zone. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 30 wherein the large open space is at least one of a warehouse, a shopping mall, storage facility, a distribution center, a factory or an ice rink. ### Claim 32 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein each separate environmental climate control device of the HVAC equipment operates in stand-alone mode according to its stand-alone sequence of operations in the absence of instructions from the central uniform control unit. ### Claim 33 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the central uniform control unit controls the separate environmental climate control devices to provide outside air in quantities greater than needed solely for heating of the first and second selected HVAC-controlled zones. ### Claim 34 (depends on 16) The heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16 wherein the central uniform control unit controls equipment staging for the direct fired heaters based on a centralized pressure control. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) A building comprising the heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 1. ### Claim 36 A method comprising manufacturing an HVAC system, the method comprising: In a single mixed use open space consisting essentially of large open space, providing at least two separate and distinct environmental climate control devices, the two distinct environmental climate control devices configured to serve the single mixed use open space to create within the large open space of the single mixed use open space at least a first selected temperature zone abutting a second selected temperature zone; operably connecting a central uniform control unit to the at least two environmental climate control devices, the central uniform control unit configured to control combined operation of the distinct environmental climate control devices, the central uniform control unit also operably connected to at least a first temperature sensor located in the first selected temperature zone and to a second temperature sensor located in the second selected temperature zone; wherein, configuring the central uniform control unit such that, based on a first selected temperature set point for the first selected temperature zone, a second selected temperature set point for the second selected temperature zone, wherein the second selected temperature set point is different from the first selected temperature set point, and on information from the first and second temperature sensors, the central uniform control unit controls combined operation of the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices to establish substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones, wherein the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices further comprise at least one ventilation device, and the central uniform control unit controls, via the ventilation device, ventilation in the single mixed use open space to support the substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones. ### Claim 37 A method comprising using an HVAC system comprising: in a single mixed use open space consisting essentially of a large open space, providing the HVAC system comprising at least two separate and distinct environmental climate control devices, the two distinct environmental climate control devices configured to serve the single mixed use open space to create within the large open space of the single mixed use open space at least a first selected temperature zone abutting a second selected temperature zone, the HVAC system also comprising a central uniform control unit operably connected to at least a first temperature sensor located in the first selected temperature zone and to a second temperature sensor located in the second selected temperature zone; wherein, configuring the central uniform control unit such that, based on a first selected temperature set point for the first selected temperature zone, a second selected temperature set point for the second selected temperature zone, wherein the second selected temperature set point is different from the first selected temperature set point, and on information from the first and second temperature sensors, the central uniform control unit controls combined operation of the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices to establish substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones, wherein the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices further comprise at least one ventilation device, and the central uniform control unit controls, via the ventilation device, ventilation in the single mixed use open space to support the substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones. ### Claim 38 A method comprising establishing substantially different temperatures between a first selected temperature zone and a second selected temperature zone both located in a single mixed use open space consisting essentially of a large open space using at least two separate and distinct environmental climate control devices, the method comprising: in the single mixed use open space, providing an HVAC system comprising at least two separate and distinct environmental climate control devices, the two distinct environmental climate control devices configured to serve the single mixed use open space to create within the large open space of the single mixed use open space the first selected temperature zone abutting the second selected temperature zone, the HVAC system also comprising a central uniform control unit operably connected to at least a first temperature sensor located in the first selected temperature zone and to a second temperature sensor located in the second selected temperature zone; wherein, configuring the central uniform control unit such that, based on a first selected temperature set point for the first selected temperature zone, a second selected temperature set point for the second selected temperature zone, wherein the second selected temperature set point is different from the first selected temperature set point, and on information from the first and second temperature sensors, the central uniform control unit controls combined operation of the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices to establish the substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones, wherein the at least two distinct environmental climate control devices further comprise at least one ventilation device, and the central uniform control unit controls, via the ventilation device, ventilation in the single mixed use open space to support the substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones. ### Claim 39 (depends on 16) A building comprising the heating ventilation cooling (HVAC) system of claim 16. ### Claim 40 (depends on 16) A method comprising manufacturing a system according to claim 16. ### Claim 41 (depends on 16) A method comprising using a system according to claim 16. ### Claim 42 (depends on 16) A method comprising establishing substantially different temperatures between the first and second selected temperature zones using at least two separate environmental climate control devices according to claim 16.