Method and apparatus for centrally controlling environmental characteristics of multiple air systems

A method for controlling both vent air and combustion air in an enclosed environment, the method comprising the steps of:

• sensing an environmental characteristic of said enclosed environment;
• producing a signal representative of the sensed environmental characteristic;
• receiving said signal via a single controller;
• determining with said single controller whether said signal is within a desired operating range;
• producing with said single controller a vent air output signal and a combustion air output signal upon determining said signal has fallen outside said desired operating range;
• and
• adjusting said environmental characteristic of said enclosed environment in pursuit of said desired operating range and in accordance with said vent air output signal and said combustion air output signal.

An air control system, comprising:

• a sensor, wherein said sensor detects an environmental characteristic of an enclosed environment and wherein said sensor produces a signal representative of the detected environmental characteristic;
• a plurality of appliances, wherein the operation of at least one of said plurality of appliances affects said environmental characteristic;
• a single controller, wherein said single controller individually interfaces with each of said plurality of appliances to individually control the operation of each of said plurality of appliances, wherein said single controller receives said signal, and wherein said single controller utilizes said first output signal to determine if the detected environmental characteristic is within a desired operating range, and wherein upon said detected environmental characteristic being outside said desired operating range said single controller produces:
• a vent air output signal to a vent air actuator, wherein said vent air actuator receives said vent air output signal from said single controller and responds thereto by operating to adjust said environmental characteristic in pursuit of said desired operating range;
• a combustion air output signal to a combustion air actuator, wherein said combustion air actuator receives said combustion air output signal from said single controller and responds thereto by operating to adjust said environmental characteristic in pursuit of said desired operating range;
• or
• both a vent air output signal to a vent air actuator and a combustion air output signal to a combustion air actuator, wherein said vent air actuator receives said vent air output signal from said single controller and responds thereto by operating to adjust said environmental characteristic in pursuit of said desired operating range, and wherein said combustion air actuator receives said combustion air output signal from said single controller and responds thereto by operating to adjust said environmental characteristic in pursuit of said desired operating range.

A method for controlling air flow in an enclosed environment, the method comprising the steps of:

• sensing an environmental characteristic of said enclosed environment;
• producing a signal representative of the sensed environmental characteristic;
• receiving said signal via a single controller;
• determining with said single controller whether said signal is within a desired operating range;
• interfacing said single controller to a plurality of appliances;
• individually controlling the operation of each of said plurality of appliances with said single controller to affect said environmental characteristic of said enclosed environment:
• producing with said single controller an output signal selected from the following:
• a vent air output signal upon determining said signal has fallen outside said desired operating range;
• a combustion air output signal upon determining said signal has fallen outside said desired operating range;
• or
• both a vent air output signal and a combustion air output signal upon determining said signal has fallen outside said desired operating range;
• and
• adjusting said environmental characteristic of said enclosed environment in pursuit of said desired operating range and in accordance with said output signal.