# US 2019/0170375 A1 · Environmental Control and Air Distribution System and Method of Using the Same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170375 A1 - Document ID: US20190170375A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/313,643 - Filed: 2017-04-04 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-28 - Assignees: IBACOS, Inc. - Applicants: IBACOS, Inc. - Inventors: Andrew Poerschke; Robert Beach; Anthony Grisolia - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170375A1 ## CPC - F24F 3/044: Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems - F24F 11/0001: {for ventilation (F24F11/30 takes precedence)} - F24F 13/10: movable, e.g. dampers - F24F 13/105: {composed of diaphragms or segments} - F24F 13/14: built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre - F24F 2110/10: Temperature - F24F 2110/40: Pressure, e.g. wind pressure - 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 An indoor environmental control and air distribution system for a building includes: an air handling unit; a manifold connected to the air handling unit having a chamber formed by a plurality of walls and a plurality of orifices formed through at least one of the walls; air distribution conduits each independently having a first end connected to the orifices of the manifold and a second end extending out from the manifold into different zones throughout the building; and an airflow modulating device having one or more airflow regulating dampers independently configured to move into at least two positions in which each position provides a different percentage of total air volume to each air distribution conduit. A method of using the indoor environmental control and air distribution system is also included. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An indoor environmental control and air distribution system for a building comprising: an air handling unit; a manifold connected to the air handling unit, said manifold comprising a chamber formed by a plurality of walls and a plurality of orifices formed through at least one of the walls; air distribution conduits each independently having a first end connected to the orifices of the manifold and a second end extending out from the manifold into different zones throughout the building; and an airflow modulating device comprising one or more airflow regulating dampers independently configured to move into at least two positions in which each position provides a different percentage of total air volume to each air distribution conduit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising sensor devices positioned in at least one of the zones of the building, the sensor devices configured to determine temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, further comprising a controller in operable communication with the sensor devices and wherein the controller is configured to automatically control at least the air handling unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, further comprising one or more computer-readable storage mediums in operable communication with the controller and containing programming instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to adjust a positioning of the modular airflow regulating device when at least a temperature set-point is exceeded. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow regulating dampers are adjusted in concert such that each air distribution conduit receives a desired percentage of air flow based on a total volume of air supplied by the air handling unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the manifold comprises ports formed through at least a second wall of the chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the manifold comprises a firestop mechanism formed within the chamber that is configured to prevent spread of combustion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the air distribution conduits have a diameter of 3.5 inches or less. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the air distribution conduits are made of a plastic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow regulating dampers comprise pressure sensors configured to determine volumetric airflow rate, and wherein the pressure sensors are in operable communication with the controller. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the airflow regulating dampers is a firestop damper that is configured to close in response to a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising air terminals positioned within the different zones of the buildings that are configured to mix and diffuse air exiting the second end of the airflow regulating dampers while minimizing pressure loss and noise transmission, wherein the air terminals comprise sensors that are configured to determine temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the sensors are further configured to determine at least one of relative humidity, organism occupancy, carbon dioxide, infrared light intensity, and visible light intensity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow modulating device is a separate container that is inserted into the manifold through a slot. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the container comprises a plurality of holes with the airflow regulating dampers positioned within each of the holes, and wherein each hole of the container is aligned with each orifice formed through the wall of the manifold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the manifold comprises an additional slot that receives a cleaning device. ### Claim 17 A method for controlling an indoor environment of a building comprising: a) measuring at least temperature with sensors positioned throughout a building; and b) adjusting an amount of airflow into each room of the building when the measured temperature exceeds or drops below a temperature set-point or range, wherein the amount of airflow is controlled by adjusting a position of one or more airflow regulating dampers of an airflow modulating device, and wherein the airflow regulating dampers are independently configured to move into at least two positions in which each position provides a different percentage of total air volume to each air distribution conduit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein at least one temperature sensor value is predicted by a model designed to accept as an input additional sensors positioned throughout the building, and wherein the predicted temperature is used as the temperature set-point or range. ### Claim 19 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the position of the airflow regulating dampers are automatically adjusted by a controller in operable communication with one or more computer-readable storage mediums. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising automatically regulating air from the air handling unit with the controller in operable communication with the one or more computer-readable storage mediums. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the controller determines an operative temperature in each zone of the building based on sensor measurements taken from a perimeter of each zone that are correlated to expected average zone conditions. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the sensors are further configured to determine an additional condition of each zone to adjust the amount of airflow, and wherein the additional condition is selected from relative humidity, organism occupancy, carbon dioxide, infrared light intensity, visible light intensity, or a combination thereof.