# US 12,000,637 B2 · Mode-based control of a refrigeration climate control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,637 B2 - Document ID: US12000637B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/950,905 - Filed: 2022-09-22 - Published: 2024-03-28 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-09-22 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Nicholas A. Gregorich - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000637B2 ## CPC - F25B 49/022: {Compressor control arrangements} - F24F 11/47: Responding to energy costs - F24F 11/48: prior to normal operation, e.g. pre-heating or pre-cooling - F24F 11/58: using Internet communication - F24F 11/65: for selecting an operating mode - F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems - F24F 11/46: Improving electric energy efficiency or saving - F25B 2400/16: Receivers - F25B 2400/19: Pumping down refrigerant from one part of the cycle to another part of the cycle, e.g. when the cycle is changed from cooling to heating, or before a defrost cycle is started - F25B 2500/05: Cost reduction - F25B 2500/18: Optimization, e.g. high integration of refrigeration components - F25B 2600/02: Compressor control - F25B 2600/05: Refrigerant levels - F25B 2600/2513: Expansion valves - F25B 2700/04: Refrigerant level - F25B 2700/21: Temperatures - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - 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 The present application relates to techniques for operating a refrigerant climate control system in one of a plurality of operating modes. In an example process, sensor data is received. The sensor data may correspond to a current state of a refrigerant in a receiver of the refrigerant climate control system. The process may also include receiving an energy control signal requesting operation of the refrigerant climate control system. The process may also include determining an operating mode of the refrigerant climate control system based on a signal type of the energy control signal and the current state of the refrigerant in the receiver. The process may also include instructing the refrigerant climate control system to operate in the determined operating mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving sensor data corresponding to a current state of a refrigerant in a receiver of a refrigerant climate control system; receiving a pre-compress control signal requesting operation of the refrigerant climate control system without a call for heating or cooling; determining an operating mode of the refrigerant climate control system based on the pre-compress control signal and the current state of the refrigerant in the receiver; and instructing the refrigerant climate control system to operate in the determined operating mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operating mode comprises one of a plurality of operating modes corresponding to selective operation of a compressor of the refrigerant climate control system and selective operation of an expansion valve of the refrigerant climate control system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining the operating mode comprises determining the operating mode as a first operating mode of the plurality of operating modes when the sensor data indicates that the current state is below a minimum value of refrigerant in the receiver and the signal type of energy control signal comprises a temperature control signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein, in the first operating mode, the refrigerant climate control system operates the compressor of the refrigerant climate control system and opens the expansion valve of the refrigerant climate control system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining the operating mode comprises determining the operating mode as a second operating mode of the plurality of operating modes when the sensor data indicates that the current state is below a minimum value of refrigerant in the receiver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein, in the second operating mode, the refrigerant climate control system operates the compressor of the refrigerant climate control system and closes the expansion valve of the refrigerant climate control system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a temperature control signal, and wherein determining the operating mode comprises determining the operating mode as a third operating mode of the plurality of operating modes when the sensor data indicates that the current state is between a minimum value and maximum value of refrigerant in the receiver and the temperature control signal has been received. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein, in the third operating mode, the refrigerant climate control system refrains from operating the compressor of the refrigerant climate control system and opens the expansion valve of the refrigerant climate control system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining the operating mode comprises determining the operating mode as a fourth operating mode of the plurality of operating modes when the sensor data indicates that the current state is between a minimum value and maximum value of refrigerant in the receiver. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein, in the fourth operating mode, the refrigerant climate control system operates the compressor of the refrigerant climate control system and closes the expansion valve of the refrigerant climate control system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a temperature control signal, wherein determining the operating mode comprises determining the operating mode as a fifth operating mode of the plurality of operating modes when the sensor data indicates that the current state exceeds a maximum value of refrigerant in the receiver and the temperature control signal has been received. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining the operating mode comprises determining the operating mode as a sixth operating mode of the plurality of operating modes when the sensor data indicates that the current state exceeds a maximum value of refrigerant in the receiver. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein, in the sixth operating mode, the refrigerant climate control system refrains from operating the compressor of the refrigerant climate control system and refrains from operating the expansion valve of the refrigerant climate control system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the pre-compress control signal includes an energy optimization signal that indicates a current price of an energy source, current emissions of the energy source, a forecasted price of the energy source, or forecasted emissions of the energy source. ### Claim 15 An electronic device, comprising: a memory comprising computer-executable instructions; and a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to at least: receive sensor data corresponding to a current state of a refrigerant in a receiver of a refrigerant climate control system; receive a pre-compress control signal requesting operation of the refrigerant climate control system without a call for heating or cooling; determine an operating mode of the refrigerant climate control system based on the pre-compress control signal and the current state of the refrigerant in the receiver; and instruct the refrigerant climate control system to operate in the determined operating mode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the pre-compress control signal comprises an energy optimization signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the energy optimization signal comprises at least one of a marginal emissions signal, an average emissions signal, a price signal, or a time signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The electronic device of claim 15, wherein instructing the refrigerant climate control system to operate in the determined operating mode comprises: generating a plurality of control signals; and providing individual control signals of the plurality of control signals to components of the refrigerant climate control system comprising at least a compressor and expansion valve. ### Claim 19 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising: receiving sensor data corresponding to a current state of a refrigerant in a receiver of a refrigerant climate control system; receiving a pre-compress control signal requesting operation of the refrigerant climate control system without a call for heating or cooling; determining an operating mode of the refrigerant climate control system based on the pre-compress control signal and the current state of the refrigerant in the receiver; and instructing the refrigerant climate control system to operate in the determined operating mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the electronic device comprises an energy management device that is separate from the refrigerant climate control system.