# US 11,079,126 B2 · Climate smart fan ventilation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,126 B2 - Document ID: US11079126B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/426,733 - Filed: 2013-09-10 - Published: 2015-10-08 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-11 - Assignees: Ventamatic, Ltd. - Applicants: Ventamatic, Ltd. - Inventors: John Stephen Saunders - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079126B2 ## CPC - F24F 7/065: {fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct} - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/47: Responding to energy costs - F24F 11/62: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values - F24F 11/77: by controlling the speed of ventilators - F24F 2110/00: Control inputs relating to air properties - F24F 2110/12: of the outside air - F24F 2110/22: of the outside air - F24F 2120/20: Feedback from users - Y02B 30/70: Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating - 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) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A supply ventilation system controller for locating at an interior of a building. The controller comprises circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior air temperature and circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior relative humidity. The controller also comprises circuitry for establishing at least a first range of acceptable temperature and circuitry for establishing at least a first range of acceptable relative humidity. The circuitry for providing an enable/disable signal to a fan is responsive to at least one of: (i) the signal representative of exterior air temperature indicating satisfaction of the first range of acceptable temperature; or (ii) the signal representative of exterior relative humidity indicating satisfaction of the first range of acceptable relative humidity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A supply ventilation system controller for locating at an interior of a building, comprising: circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior air temperature from air exterior of the building; circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior relative humidity from relative humidity of air exterior of the building; circuitry for establishing at least a first range of acceptable temperature; circuitry for establishing at least a first range of acceptable relative humidity; circuitry for providing a first control signal to enable a ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan to a first speed in response to at least one of: the signal representative of exterior air temperature indicating dissatisfaction of the first range of acceptable temperature; or the signal representative of exterior relative humidity indicating dissatisfaction of the first range of acceptable relative humidity; and circuitry for providing a second control signal to enable the ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan to a second speed, greater than the first speed, in response to both: the signal representative of exterior air temperature indicating satisfaction of the first range of acceptable temperature; and the signal representative of exterior relative humidity indicating satisfaction of the first range of acceptable relative humidity; and wherein the circuitry for providing the first control signal and the circuitry for providing the second control signal provide the first control signal and the second control signal irrespective of air temperature interior to the building and irrespective of relative humidity of air interior to the building. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for providing a first control signal and the circuitry for providing a second control signal are further for providing the first control signal and the second control signal to a ventilation interior-to-exterior exhaust fan. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The controller of claim 2 wherein the exterior-to-interior supply fan and the interior-to-exterior exhaust fan are driven by a same motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 wherein the first speed is zero and the second speed is non-zero. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for providing the first control signal and the circuitry for providing the second control signal are further for providing the first control signal and the second control signal in response to an additional signal representative of an exterior air parameter other than air temperature or relative humidity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for providing the first control signal and the circuitry for providing the second control signal are further for providing the first control signal and the second control signal in response to a signal representative of an amount of exterior air pollen count. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for providing the first control signal and the circuitry for providing the second control signal are further for providing the first control signal and the second control signal in response to a signal representative of an amount of exterior air particulate count. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 and further comprising: circuitry for providing a first control signal to enable the ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan to a third speed, less than the first speed, in response to both of: the signal representative of exterior air temperature indicating dissatisfaction of the first range of acceptable temperature; and the signal representative of exterior relative humidity indicating dissatisfaction of the first range of acceptable relative humidity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 and further comprising circuitry for providing an enable-signal to the ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan periodically so as to draw exterior air for sampling by the circuitry for providing the signal representative of exterior air temperature and for sampling by the circuitry for providing the signal representative of exterior relative humidity irrespective of air temperature exterior to the building and irrespective of relative humidity of air exterior to the building. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 and further comprising a segment of duct, wherein the signal representative of exterior air temperature and the signal representative of exterior relative humidity are both responsive to air passing through the segment of duct. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1 and further comprising an in-wall volumetric enclosure, wherein the signal representative of exterior air temperature and the signal representative of exterior relative humidity are both responsive to air passing through the in-wall volumetric enclosure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The controller of claim 11 and further comprising a heating element for selectively adding heat to air located in an interior of the volumetric enclosure. ### Claim 13 A ventilation supply apparatus for affixing at a position relative to a building, comprising: a segment of duct having a length between 6 and 24 inches; a ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan located within an interior of the segment and for directing air through the interior; an electronic controller coupled to the segment, the controller comprising: circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior air temperature from air exterior of the building; and circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior relative humidity from relative humidity of air exterior of the building; circuitry for providing a first control signal to enable the ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan to a first speed in response to at least one of: the signal representative of exterior air temperature indicating dissatisfaction of a first range of acceptable temperature; or the signal representative of exterior relative humidity indicating dissatisfaction of a first range of acceptable relative humidity; and circuitry for providing a second control signal to enable the ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan to a second speed, greater than the first speed, in response to both: the signal representative of exterior air temperature indicating satisfaction of the first range of acceptable temperature; and the signal representative of exterior relative humidity indicating satisfaction of the first range of acceptable relative humidity; and wherein the circuitry for providing the first control signal and the circuitry for providing the second control signal provide the first control signal and the second control signal irrespective of air temperature interior to the building and irrespective of relative humidity of air interior to the building. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior air temperature and the circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior relative humidity both communicate with at least one sensor located within an interior of the segment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior air temperature and the circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior relative humidity both communicate with at least one sensor located apart from the segment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior air temperature and the circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior relative humidity both communicate with at least one sensor that communicates wirelessly with the circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior air temperature and the circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior relative humidity. ### Claim 17 A ventilation supply apparatus for installation into a building having a wall, comprising: a singular cabinet, comprising: a frame for attaching through the wall, wherein the frame comprises: a first inlet coupled to an exterior of the wall for receiving air sourced from an area exterior of the building; a second inlet for receiving air sourced from an area interior of the building; and an outlet coupled to an interior of the wall for providing an air mixture directly to the interior of the building, the mixture comprising the air sourced from an area exterior of the building and the air sourced from an area interior of the building a fan for drawing air into the first inlet and the second inlet; circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior air temperature from air exterior of the building; circuitry for receiving a signal representative of exterior relative humidity from relative humidity of air exterior of the building; circuitry for providing a first control signal to enable a ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan to a first speed in response to at least one of: the signal representative of exterior air temperature indicating dissatisfaction of the first range of acceptable temperature; or the signal representative of exterior relative humidity indicating dissatisfaction of the first range of acceptable relative humidity; and circuitry for providing a second control signal to enable the ventilation exterior-to-interior supply fan to a second speed, greater than the first speed, in response to both: the signal representative of exterior air temperature indicating satisfaction of the first range of acceptable temperature; and the signal representative of exterior relative humidity indicating satisfaction of the first range of acceptable relative humidity; and wherein the circuitry for providing the first control signal and the circuitry for providing the second control signal provide the first control signal and the second control signal irrespective of air temperature interior to the building and irrespective of relative humidity of air interior to the building. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 and further comprising an apparatus for adjusting a mixture ratio of the air sourced from an area exterior of the building and the air sourced from an area interior of the building. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the apparatus for adjusting comprises a mechanically adjustable member for adjusting an amount of air that passes through the second inlet. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the apparatus for adjusting comprises an electromechanical apparatus for adjusting an amount of air that passes through the second inlet. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the electromechanical apparatus is responsive to at least one of: a signal representative of exterior air temperature; or a signal representative of exterior relative humidity. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 and further comprising a chamber, the chamber comprising turbulence apparatus, for mixing the mixture. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 and further comprising a heating element for selectively adding heat to the air mixture.