# US 11,029,443 B2 · Air conditioning system obstruction detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,443 B2 - Document ID: US11029443B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/964,457 - Filed: 2018-04-27 - Published: 2018-08-30 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-28 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Ben Z. Akselrod; Anthony Di Loreto; Steve McDuff; Kyle D. Robeson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029443B2 ## CPC - G01V 8/12: using one transmitter and one receiver - F24F 1/58: Separate protective covers for outdoor units, e.g. solar guards, snow shields or camouflage - F24F 11/32: Responding to malfunctions or emergencies - F24F 11/52: Indication arrangements, e.g. displays - G01V 11/002: {Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant (means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B)} - F24F 2110/00: Control inputs relating to air properties - F24F 2130/00: Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00 - F25B 2500/04: Clogging - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - 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) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract Tools, methods and systems for detecting and reporting the presence of an obstruction to an AC system of the present disclosure are able to detect the presence of the obstruction using one or more sensors connected to the air conditioning unit and displaying an alert on the computer system of the AC system when the sensors detect the presence of the obstruction. By displaying an alert at the computer system's output device, the presence of the obstruction is brought to the user's attention, allowing the user to take remedial action as needed before initiating the air conditioning system into operation, preventing the obstruction from harming the components of AC system if the system was initiated while the obstruction was still present. Additionally, the AC system may further disable or prevent the operation and initiation of itself when the sensors of the air conditioning system detect the presence of an obstruction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for detecting and reporting a presence of an obstruction to an air conditioning system comprising the steps of: establishing, by a sensor device connected to the air conditioning system and a central processing unit (CPU) in response to a request to initialize a sensor of the sensor device, a baseline detection signal further establishing a detection zone; identifying, by the sensor device, an alteration to the baseline detection signal within the detection zone; and transmitting, by the sensor device, a reporting signal to the CPU, wherein the reporting signal switches a reporting state of an output device from unobstructed to obstructed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprises the steps of: receiving, by the sensor device, an initiation signal from the CPU, to initiate the air conditioning device; and preventing, by the sensor device, initiation of the air conditioning device in the obstructed reporting state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor, mechanical sensor, magnetic sensor and proximity sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the alteration of the detection signal occurs by blocking the detection signal of an optical sensor being emitted with an air conditioning device cover. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the alteration of the detection signal occurs due to a blockage within an exhaust vent of the air conditioning system blocking the detection signal of the sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the reporting signal produces an increased electrical voltage transmitted to the CPU that is greater than an electrical voltage of the baseline detection signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable program code in a computer system, where the computer-readable program code in combination with the computer system is configured to implement the steps of said establishing, said identifying, and said transmitting. ### Claim 8 A computer system, comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); a memory device coupled to the CPU; an air conditioning device having a sensor device coupled to the CPU and a computer readable storage device coupled to the CPU, wherein the storage device contains program code executable by the CPU via the memory device to implement a method for reporting a presence of an obstruction to the air conditioning device comprising the steps of: establishing, by a sensor device connected to the air conditioning system and the central processing unit (CPU) in response to a request to initialize a sensor of the sensor device, a baseline detection signal further establishing a detection zone; identifying, by the sensor device, an alteration to the baseline detection signal within the detection zone; and transmitting, by the sensor device, a reporting signal to the CPU, wherein the reporting signal switches a reporting state of an output device from unobstructed to obstructed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: receiving, by the sensor device, an initiation signal from the CPU, to initiate the air conditioning device; and preventing, by the sensor device, initiation of the air conditioning device in the obstructed reporting state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor, mechanical sensor, magnetic sensor and proximity sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the alteration of the baseline detection signal occurs by blocking the baseline detection signal of an optical sensor being emitted with an air conditioning device cover. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the alteration of the detection signal occurs due to a blockage within an exhaust vent of the air conditioning system blocking the baseline detection signal of the sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the reporting signal produces an increased electrical voltage transmitted to the CPU that is greater than an electrical voltage of the baseline detection signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the step of transmitting the reporting signal occurs via a wireless network connection. ### Claim 15 A computer program product comprising: a computer-readable storage device; and a computer-readable program code stored in the computer-readable storage device, the computer-readable program code containing instructions that are executed by a central processing unit (CPU) of an air conditioning system implementing a method for reporting a presence of an obstruction to an air conditioning device, the method comprising the steps of: establishing, by a sensor of the air conditioning system, in response to a request to initialize a sensor of a sensor device, a baseline detection signal further establishing a detection zone; identifying, by the air conditioning system, an alteration to the baseline detection signal within the detection zone; and transmitting, by the sensor device, a reporting signal to the CPU, wherein the reporting signal switches a reporting state of an output device from unobstructed to obstructed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: receiving, by the air conditioning system, an initiation signal to initiate the air conditioning device; and preventing, by the air conditioning system, initiation of the air conditioning device in the obstructed reporting state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor, mechanical sensor, magnetic sensor and proximity sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the alteration of the baseline detection signal occurs by blocking the detection signal of an optical sensor being emitted with an air conditioning device cover. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the alteration of the baseline detection signal occurs due to a blockage within an exhaust vent of the air conditioning system blocking the detection signal of the sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the step of switching occurs by transmitting a reporting signal having an increased electrical voltage transmitted to the CPU that is greater than an electrical voltage of the baseline detection signal.