US 11,903,499 B2Granted

Systems and methods for display case turndown

AssigneeHill Phoenix, Inc.

InventorsPedro Greiner, Wendy Dinch, Nate Kaemingk

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Abstract

A controller for a refrigerated display case includes processing circuitry configured to receive operational data from multiple refrigerated display cases and an ambient temperature reading from an ambient temperature sensor. The processing circuitry is configured to determine a limp level for a rack that includes the multiple refrigerated display cases based on the operational data and the ambient temperature reading. The processing circuitry is configured to determine an operational cooling parameter for each of the multiple refrigerated display cases based on the limp level. The operational cooling parameter indicates an amount of cooling or a corresponding cooling operation for each refrigerated display case. The processing circuitry is configured to operate each of the multiple refrigerated display cases using the operational cooling parameter.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A display case management system for a plurality of display cases, the display case management system comprising:

a rack configured to serve the plurality of display cases;
a plurality of local controllers positioned at the plurality of display cases;
a controller comprising processing circuitry configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving operational data from the plurality of local controllers, the operational data comprising an operational status of components of one or more of the plurality of display cases;
receiving an ambient temperature reading from an ambient temperature sensor proximal the plurality of display cases;
determining a limp level based on the operational data received from the plurality of display cases, the limp level defining a cooling status of each of the plurality of display cases, the limp level based on:
i) an operational capability of each of the plurality of display cases to achieve a desired cooling, and ii) an assigned priority level for each of the plurality of display cases, the assigned priority level comprising a degree of criticality of the respective display case;
identifying, based on the limp level and the ambient temperature, a first set of the plurality of display cases to be operated in a reduced cooling mode, a second set of the plurality of display cases to be operated in a maximum cooling mode, and a third set of the plurality of display cases to be adjusted to a shut off mode;
and
operating, based on the limp level and the ambient temperature, the first set of display cases in the reduced cooling mode, the second set of display cases in the maximum cooling mode, and the third set of display cases in the shut off mode.

7 more elements

A method for managing a plurality of refrigerated display cases, the method comprising:

receiving operational data comprising an operational status of components of the plurality of refrigerated display cases;
receiving an ambient temperature reading from an ambient temperature sensor proximal the plurality of refrigerated display cases;
determining a limp level based on the operational data received from the plurality of refrigerated display cases, the limp level defining a cooling status of each of the plurality of refrigerated display cases, the limp level based on:
i) an operational capability of each of plurality of refrigerated display cases to achieve a desired cooling and ii) an assigned priority level for each of the plurality of refrigerated display cases, the assigned priority level comprising a degree of criticality of the respective refrigerated display case;
identifying, based on the limp level and the ambient temperature, one or more of the plurality of refrigerated display cases to be operated to provide reduced cooling, one or more of the plurality of refrigerated display cases to be operated to maintain maximum cooling, and one or more of the plurality of refrigerated display cases to be shut off;
and
operating, based on the limp level and the ambient temperature, the plurality of refrigerated display cases to provide reduced cooling, the one or more of the plurality of refrigerated display cases to maintain maximum cooling, and shut off the one or more of the plurality of refrigerated display cases that should be shut off.

4 more elements

A controller for a refrigerated display case, the controller comprising processing circuitry configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving operational data comprising an operational status of components of a plurality of refrigerated display cases and an ambient temperature reading from an ambient temperature sensor proximal the plurality of refrigerated display cases;
determining a limp level based on the operational data received from the plurality of refrigerated display cases, the limp level defining a cooling status of each of the plurality of refrigerated display cases, the limp level based on:
i) an operational capability of each of plurality of refrigerated display cases to achieve a desired cooling and ii) an assigned priority level for each of the plurality of refrigerated display cases, the assigned priority level comprising a degree of criticality of the respective refrigerated display case;
identifying, based on the limp level and the ambient temperature, an operational cooling parameter for each of the plurality of refrigerated display cases, wherein the operational cooling parameter indicates an amount of cooling or a corresponding cooling operation for each refrigerated display case;
and
operating each of the plurality of the refrigerated display cases using the operational cooling parameter.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.