1. Walden’s 1980 Patent #4,228,364 — Energy Management System United States Patent 4228364: ABSTRACT: An energy management system for reducing the power consumption of a plurality of loads and including a seven-day timer, a 24-hour timer and a fractional day timer such as a 30-minute timer, each controlling a plurality of subcircuits such that each subcircuit is operative to interrupt the flow of energy to it’s associative load at selected times on weekends, in the evening and at synchronized periods throughout the day, the latter periods being synchronized with the other subcircuits, so as to reduce the peak energy demand and to improve the efficiency of the loads. The energy management system further includes circuitry for sequentially shutting down selected loads when the peak energy demand exceeds predetermined levels and circuitry for sequentially energizing the loads following a power failure. Source: USPTO.gov
2. Modutrol Motor: Dec. 29, 1953 E. M. MILLER 2,664,244. AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1950 p K as ’26 T INVENTOR. E.M. MILLER A TTORNE Y5 Patented Dec. 29, 1953 OFFICE AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL APPARATUS Enoch Merle Miller, Bartlesville, Okla., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Application May 16, 1950, Serial No. 162,308. 7 Claims. This invention relates to air conditioning systems and a means of control therefor. In one of its aspects, it relates to modutrol motors adaptable to be employed in an air conditioning system and to a means for remotely controlling such motors. In another of its aspects, this invention relates to a means for controlling a plurality of modutrol motors from a single remote control unit. In still another of its aspects, this invention relates to a snap-acting switch especially adapted to be employed in a modutrol motor control system. Modutrol motors for controlling the opening or closing of dampers, refrigerant control valves, heating medium control valves and the like during the heating or cooling cycle of an air conditioning system, are well-known in the art. In such an air conditioning system which is adapted to function the year round to provide suitable heating during the winter months there must be provided a means for converting the modutrol motors from winter operation to summer operation. Source: Google Patent Information
3. EcoFactor Broadens Patent Portfolio for Home Energy Services. New patent leverages the mobile device to further improve automated energy savings. Redwood City, Calif. — October 30, 2013 — EcoFactor®, the leader in cloud-based home energy services, was awarded a United States patent (No. 8,556,188) for the use of geolocation data from smart phones and other mobile devices to optimize home energy management services. This is the 14th patent for EcoFactor, boosting its patent portfolio in the residential energy management sector. The patented technology will enable EcoFactor to add significant new capabilities to its award-winning service. It covers a unique method for using location-based information, such as whether a consumer is on their way home, to optimize the temperature in the home for comfort to coincide with arrival, or to move to a more energy efficient setting when driving away – all without requiring the consumer to remember to change settings.
“We believe the winning energy management system will be the one that does the best job of seamlessly adapting to people’s lives and preferences without requiring them to constantly make adjustments to their thermostats,” said John Steinberg, executive vice president and co-founder at EcoFactor. ”Soon geolocation data from mobile devices will help increase both savings and user comfort while letting consumers get on with their lives.” Source: EcoFactor
4. US Patent 3644864A COMPOSITE THERMISTOR TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAVING STEP-FUNCTION RESPONSE: Abstract: A temperature sensor including first and second PTC thermistor elements each having a well-defined transition temperature above which the resistance of the element rises relatively abruptly and below which it changes relatively little, the transition temperature of the second element being substantially greater than that of the first element. The thermistor elements are adapted to be substantially identically thermally responsive to a body whose temperature is sensed by the sensor. The elements are connected in series-circuit relationship to cause the sensor resistance to be a series-equivalent resistance which varies as a function of the resistance of the elements and changes relatively abruptly at temperatures determined by the transition temperatures of the elements thereby providing the sensor with a step-function R vs. T characteristic. Inventors: Hirsbrunner; Hans G. (Attleboro, MA), McBride, Jr.; Lyle E. (Norton, MA) Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated (Dallas, TX) Appl. No.: 04/882,567 Filed: December 5, 1969 Source: USPTO.gov
5. JOHN WARREN, OF WESTON, ASSIGNOR TO HISELF AND JOHN C. CHAPMAN, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS. IMPROVEMENT IN VALVES. Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,704, dated August 1, 1871. To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN WARREN, of Weston, Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Valve or Stop-Cocks, 0f which the following is a clear, full, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 2 is a cross vertical section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the line y y. Y. My invention has reference to that class of valve or stop-cocks subjected to the influence of heat or steam whereby the plug becomes eX- panded, and it consists in the use of a ball-valve and seat so constructed that its working cannot be interrupted or inuenced by steam or heat. Source: USPTO.gov
