# US 2015/0089966 A1 · Using weather data in heat pump defrost control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0089966 A1 - Document ID: US20150089966A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/040,069 - Filed: 2013-09-27 - Published: 2015-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-27 - Assignees: Lennox Industries Inc. - Applicants: Lennox Industries Inc. - Inventors: Yi Qu; Pete Hrejsa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150089966A1 ## CPC - F25D 21/006: {with electronic control circuits} - F25B 30/02: of the compression type - F25B 47/025: {by reversing the cycle} - F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems - F25B 2313/0315: Temperature sensors near the outdoor heat exchanger - F25B 2700/172: of the condenser fan - F25B 2700/173: of the evaporator fan - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract A method of operating a heat pump system is provided, the heat pump system having at least a controller and configured to operate at least two defrost cycles. The method comprises receiving, at the controller, weather data for a defined geographic area proximate to an installed location of the heat pump system; and selecting, based on said weather data, one of the at least two defrost cycles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller for a heat pump system, the heat pump system configured to operate at least two defrost cycles, the controller configured to: receive weather data for a defined geographic area proximate to an installed location of the heat pump system; and select, based on said weather data, one of the at least two defrost cycles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller according to claim 1, further configured to communicate with data sources external to the heat pump system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The controller according to claim 1, further configured to communicate with components of the heat pump system via a data bus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The controller according to claim 1, further configured to communicate with sources external to the heat pump system via a wireless network protocol. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The controller according to claim 1, wherein the defrost cycle selected is a primary defrost cycle, said primary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein an evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the primary defrost cycle terminating upon achieving a first predetermined threshold temperature of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The controller according to claim 1, wherein the selected defrost cycle comprises a secondary defrost cycle, said secondary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein an evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the secondary defrost terminating upon achieving a second threshold temperature of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The controller according to claim 1, wherein the selected defrost cycle comprises a secondary defrost cycle, said secondary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein an evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the secondary defrost terminating after a predetermined period of time has passed. ### Claim 8 A method of operating a heat pump system, the heat pump system having at least a controller and configured to operate at least two defrost cycles, the method comprising: receiving, at said controller, weather data for a defined geographic area proximate to an installed location of the heat pump system; and selecting, based on said weather data, one of the at least two defrost cycles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein said method is performed during manufacturing or testing of said heat pump system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein said controller is further configured to communicate with data sources external to the heat pump system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the defrost cycle selected is a primary defrost cycle, said primary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein an evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the primary defrost cycle terminating upon achieving a first predetermined threshold temperature of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the selected defrost cycle comprises a secondary defrost cycle, said secondary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein an evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the secondary defrost terminating upon achieving a second threshold temperature of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the selected defrost cycle comprises a secondary defrost cycle, said secondary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein an evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the secondary defrost terminating after a predetermined period of time has passed. ### Claim 14 A heat pump system, comprising: an evaporating heat exchanger coil; an outdoor controller configured to initiate at least two defrost cycles; and an indoor controller, the indoor controller configured to: receive weather data for a defined geographic area proximate to an installed location of the heat pump system; select, based on said weather data, one of the at least two defrost cycles; and communicate the selected defrost cycle to the outdoor controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The heat pump system according to claim 14, wherein the indoor controller is further configured to communicate with data sources external to the heat pump system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The heat pump system according to claim 14, wherein the selected defrost cycle comprises a primary defrost cycle, said primary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein the evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the primary defrost cycle terminating upon achieving a first predetermined threshold temperature of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The heat pump system according to claim 14, wherein the selected defrost cycle comprises a secondary defrost cycle, said secondary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein the evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the secondary defrost terminating upon achieving a second threshold temperature of the heat exchanger or after a predetermined period of time has passed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The heat pump system according to claim 14, wherein the indoor controller is configured to communicate with sources external to the heat pump system via a wireless network protocol. ### Claim 19 A controller for a heat pump system, the heat pump system configured to operate at least two weather modes, the controller configured to: receive weather data for a defined geographic area proximate to an installed location of the heat pump system; and select, based on said weather data, one of the at least two weather modes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The controller according to claim 19, wherein the at least two weather modes comprises a severe weather mode and a non-severe weather mode. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The controller according to claim 20, wherein the severe weather mode comprises a de-icing cycle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The controller according to claim 21, wherein the de-icing cycle comprises running a heating strip on an orifice ring comprising an outdoor fan system of the heat pump system. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The controller according to claim 20, wherein the non-severe weather mode comprises at least a primary defrost cycle. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The controller according to claim 19, further configured to communicate with data sources external to the heat pump system. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The controller according to claim 19, further configured to communicate with components of the heat pump system via a data bus. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The controller according to claim 19, further configured to communicate with sources external to the heat pump system via a wireless network protocol. ### Claim 27 A method of operating a heat pump system, the heat pump system having at least one controller, the method comprising: configuring the heat pump system to operate in a severe weather mode and a non-severe weather mode; receiving, at the controller, weather data for a defined geographic area proximate to an installed location of the heat pump system; determining, based on said weather data, that severe weather conditions are present; and selecting the severe weather mode. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, wherein the severe weather mode comprises at least one de-icing cycle. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method according to claim 28, wherein the de-icing cycle comprises running a heating strip on an orifice ring comprising an outdoor fan system of the heat pump system. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, further comprising: determining, based on said weather data, that severe weather conditions are not present; and selecting the non-severe weather mode. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method according to claim 30, wherein the non-severe weather mode comprises a primary defrost cycle, said primary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein the evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the primary defrost cycle terminating upon achieving a first predetermined threshold temperature of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method according to claim 30, wherein the non-severe weather mode further comprises a secondary defrost cycle, the secondary defrost cycle comprising initiating a cooling cycle wherein the evaporating heat exchanger operates as a condenser thereby increasing a temperature proximate the heat exchanger, the secondary defrost terminating upon achieving a second threshold temperature of the heat exchanger or after a predetermined period of time has passed.