초록 ▼

A method of controlling energy usage of a multi-state heat pump system in which the system includes a preprogrammed microprocessor-based controller which places and maintains the system in the most energy efficient mode of operation consistent with achieving a desired room temperature level within a

A method of controlling energy usage of a multi-state heat pump system in which the system includes a preprogrammed microprocessor-based controller which places and maintains the system in the most energy efficient mode of operation consistent with achieving a desired room temperature level within a reasonable period of time. The controller responds to actual room temperature and a user-inserted temperature setting to place the heat pump system into an operating state indicated by a predetermined set of operating state criteria which establishes the required operating state and the timing of state changes. Changing to higher (less energy efficient) operating states is enabled only when periodic checks of the rate of change of room temperature indicate the desired temperature will not be achieved in a selected time period. The user-inserted temperature setting is modified as a function of outside temperature extremes to modify the target temperature to which the heat pump system operates to further improve energy efficiency of the system.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of controlling a multi-state heat pump system to minimize energy usage while the system is being operated to bring the temperature of an enclosed space to a desired temperature level, the method comprising: establishing a target temperature value representative of the desired temperature; s

A method of controlling a multi-state heat pump system to minimize energy usage while the system is being operated to bring the temperature of an enclosed space to a desired temperature level, the method comprising: establishing a target temperature value representative of the desired temperature; sensing actual temperature of the enclosed space; initiating operation of the heat pump system in response to a differential between the actual and target temperatures; measuring the time rate of change in the actual temperature at the expiration of preselected time intervals during which an increase in operating state of the heat pump system to a higher level of energy usage is inhibited; and increasing the heat pump system to only the next higher operating state upon expiration of said preselected time intervals only when the time rate of change of actual temperature is less than a value required to substantially reach the target temperature within a predetermined time period.