Air control system

Abstract

An air control system includes a sensor, a single controller, and a device for affecting an environmental characteristic of an enclosed environment. The sensor detects the environmental characteristic and produces a signal that is representative of the detected characteristic. The single controller receives the produced signal and uses that signal to determine whether the detected characteristic is within a predetermined operating range. Upon detecting that the characteristic is outside the operating range, the single controller produces an output signal. The output signal is received by the device wherein, in response thereto, the device maxes out its operation to affect the environmental characteristic and quickly brings the characteristic within the predetermined operating range. The device may comprise a single device such as a vent air actuator, or a duct air actuator, or may comprise two devices, i.e. both a vent air actuator and duct air actuator.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . 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; and,    a single controller, wherein said single controller receives said signal and wherein said single controller utilizes said signal to determine if the detected environmental characteristic is within a predetermined operating range, and wherein upon said detected environmental characteristic being outside said desired operating range said single controller produces an output signal;    wherein said output signal provides instruction to max out the operation of a device capable of affecting said environmental characteristic until said environmental characteristic is within said predetermined operating range, and wherein said device is selected from a group consisting of: a vent air actuator, a combustion air actuator, and the combination of a vent air actuator and combustion air actuator.    
     
     
         2 . The air control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of appliances, wherein the operation of said plurality of appliances affects said environmental characteristic, and 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.  
     
     
         3 . The air control system of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor is selected from a group consisting of: a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a particulate sensor, and a density sensor.  
     
     
         4 . The air control system of  claim 1 , wherein said single controller includes an interface for communicating with an external electronic management system.  
     
     
         5 . The air control system of  claim 1 , wherein said single controller includes memory for retaining historical data regarding operation of said sensor, said vent air actuator or said combustion air actuator.  
     
     
         6 . The air control system of  claim 1 , wherein said vent air actuator is selected from a group consisting of: a variable speed fan, a fixed speed fan and modulating damper, a variable speed fan and modulating damper, and a modulating damper.  
     
     
         7 . The air control system of  claim 1 , wherein said combustion air actuator is selected from a group consisting of: a variable speed fan, a fixed speed fan and modulating damper, a variable speed fan and modulating damper, and a modulating damper.  
     
     
         8 . A method for controlling 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 predetermined operating range;    producing an output signal with said single controller upon determining that said signal is outside said predetermined operating range; and    maxing out operation of a device to affect said environmental characteristic, in accordance with said output signal, until said environmental characteristic is sensed to be within said predetermined operating range, wherein said device is selected from a group consisting of: a vent air actuator, a combustion air actuator, and the combination of a vent air actuator and a combustion air actuator.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of interfacing said single controller to a plurality of appliances and individually controlling the operation of each of said plurality of appliances with said single controller to affect said environmental characteristic of said enclosed environment.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of sensing is performed with a sensor selected from a group consisting of: a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a particulate sensor, and a density sensor.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of communicating, via said single controller, with an external electronic management system.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of retaining historical data regarding said steps of sensing and adjusting.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of adjusting is performed by: a variable speed fan, the combination of a fixed speed fan and modulating damper, the combination of a variable speed fan and modulating damper, or a modulating damper.  
     
     
         14 . An air control system for an enclosed environment, comprising: 
 means for sensing an environmental characteristic of said enclosed environment;    means for producing a signal representative of the sensed environmental characteristic;    single control means for receiving said signal, for determining whether said signal is within a predetermined operating range, and for producing an output signal upon determining that said signal is outside said predetermined operating range; and    means for affecting said environmental characteristic, wherein said means for affecting receives said output signal and in response thereto maxes out its operation until said single control means determines that said signal is within said predetermined operating range.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said single control means additionally for interfacing to a plurality of appliances and individually controlling the operation of each of said plurality of appliances to affect said environmental characteristic of said enclosed environment.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said means for sensing is selected from a group consisting of: a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a particulate sensor, and a density sensor.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said single control means additionally for communicating with an external electronic management system.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said single control means additionally for retaining historical data regarding the sensed environmental characteristic.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said means for affecting is selected from a group consisting of: a variable speed fan, the combination of a fixed speed fan and modulating damper, the combination of a variable speed fan and modulating damper, and a modulating damper.