Extensible networked multi-modal environment conditioning system

{
  "publication_number": "US10323849B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Extensible networked multi-modal environment conditioning system",
  "abstract": "A distributed, self-organizing environment conditioning system with adaptive and learning behaviors that provide localized and targeted climate conditioning such as, but not limited to, temperature and humidity control in indoor and outdoor settings and more particularly, to extensible networked multi-modal autonomous systems of heating units working together to efficiently target objects for selective environmental control.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors, comprising: a plurality of robotic targeting platforms; a plurality of effectors configured to effect climate conditions within an environment, the effectors movable with the robotic targeting platforms; a plurality of controllers configured to self-organize the locations of the plurality of robotic targeting platforms to enhance functionality through the sharing of information directly between each of the plurality of controllers using at least one of sensor data, functional capabilities, user preferences, location, and mapping of the plurality of robotic targeting platforms, the plurality of effectors, and the plurality of controllers to move at least one of the plurality of the robotic targeting platforms towards an animate object and control at least one of the plurality of effectors to focus climate conditioning towards the animate object only at a desired point of need.",
    "2. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 comprising a plurality of sensors selected from a group consisting of temperature sensors, humidity measurement sensors, range finders, proximity sensors, and cliff sensors.",
    "3. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 comprising a portable heater configured to project focused radiant heat at a distance greater than seven feet towards the animate object to focus climate conditioning only at a desired point of need.",
    "4. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 comprising a tilt swivel tray affixed to the robotic targeting platform.",
    "5. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 comprising a video camera.",
    "6. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 5 comprising a human detection and tracking module using sequential video frames to identify motion of the animate object and predict the locus of motion of the animate object and move one of the plurality of robotic targeting platforms towards the moving animate object to target climate conditioning at the point of need of the moving animate object.",
    "7. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 5 comprising a human detection and tracking module using sequential video frames to identify gestures that control the effectors to increase and decrease heating and cooling of the animate object.",
    "8. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising a heating element having optical elements that focus electromagnetic radiation emitted by the heating element in a collimated beam and having a band stop filter that absorbs visible light and passes through infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.",
    "9. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising a laser producing wavelengths from 1,000 nm to 1,400 nm range to be absorbed by human tissue and produce a strong sensation of warmth.",
    "10. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising halogen bulbs having optical elements selected from a group consisting of parabolic reflectors, lenses, Fresnel lenses, and band-stop filters to culminate the electromagnetic radiation produced.",
    "11. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising a high resistance coil having optical elements selected from a group consisting of parabolic reflectors, lenses, Fresnel lenses, and band-stop filters to culminate the electromagnetic radiation produced.",
    "12. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising an infrared light emitting diode having optical elements selected from a group consisting of parabolic reflectors and lenses to culminate the electromagnetic radiation produced.",
    "13. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising a microwave source emitting unit having a waveguide to target electromagnetic radiation in a narrow beam.",
    "14. The self-organizing environment conditioning system providing localized and targeted climate conditioning with adaptive learning behaviors of claim 1 wherein an effector comprising at least one thermal store unit movable with one of the plurality robotic targeting platforms."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention is in the technical field of distributed, self-organizing environment conditioning systems with adaptive and learning behaviors that provide localized and targeted climate conditioning such as, but not limited to, temperature and humidity control in indoor and outdoor settings and more particularly, to extensible networked multi-modal autonomous systems of heating units working together to efficiently target objects for selective environmental control.\n\nCurrent indoor heating systems are inefficient and expensive, heating the whole room in order to heat the people inside it, so that a person can move around freely within that space. Both forced hot air and hydronic systems (circulating hot water or steam, such as baseboard heaters, used extensively in the northern United States) heat mostly via convection, which is very inefficient. They heat the air, which circulates and eventually heats up points of need (PONs) and all objects in the room. Hot air rises, so the warmest part is usually the ceiling, the most unutilized part of the environment. Hydronic systems are often called radiators however they are principally convection devices with only a small portion of the energy being transferred by radiation. This radiation component heats objects directly without warming the air in between, such as electric oil-filled heaters where the oil is heated and circulated within a device that has fins to distribute heat from the device.",
  "cpc": [
    "F24D 19/1084",
    "B25J 9/1697",
    "F24C 1/00",
    "F24C 1/08",
    "F24D 13/00",
    "F24F 1/00",
    "F24F 5/00",
    "G05B 15/02",
    "G05B 2219/2642"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 9/16",
    "F24C 1/00",
    "F24D 13/00",
    "F24D 19/10",
    "F24F 1/00",
    "F24F 5/00",
    "G05B 15/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "VISWANATHAN MAHESH"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "VISWANATHAN MAHESH"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-10-13",
  "publication_date": "2019-06-18",
  "grant_date": "2019-06-18",
  "priority_date": "2012-04-01",
  "application_number": "US-201615292665-A",
  "family_id": "49235161",
  "citations": [
    "US2004210344A1",
    "US2008009964A1",
    "US2011106627A1",
    "US2012316693A1",
    "US3789853A",
    "US4815657A",
    "US6408226B1",
    "US7957837B2"
  ]
}