Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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Drawings have been reviewed and accepted.
Specification
The specification filed on 06/14/24 has been entered. Specification has been reviewed and accepted.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted filed on 06/14/24 has been received. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sato et al. (US20170198932, herein Sato).
Regarding claim 1, Sato teaches A controller configured to control an air conditioner ([0027] air-conditioning central controller 23 that controls the air conditioners 21), the controller comprising: a communication unit configured to communicate with the air conditioner; and a control unit configured to control the air conditioner via the communication unit ([0031] the air-conditioning command unit 27 in the EMS 22 outputs control commands for the air conditioners 21 to the air-conditioning central controller 23 so that the air conditioners 1 will operate in accordance with the received control-schedule), wherein the control unit has an activation mode in which the air conditioner is activated before a set time so as to cause a temperature of an indoor space to reach a set temperature at the set time, in the activation mode ([0068] Pre-cooling time of the pre-cooling shift should be set prior to a start time of the power-suppression-time tp, and the pre-cooling should end at time before 12:00 in an increment of 30 minutes, which is a time unit set for calculation of the basic charge of electricity. Thus, it is necessary to calculate the time required for the pre-cooling, and to start the pre-cooling earlier by the calculated time required for the pre-cooling. In FIG. 9, the time from t21 to t22 is the time required for the pre-cooling; and the pre-cooling start time t21 and the pre-cooling time from t21 to t22 are calculated so as to set t22 before 12:00), for each of a plurality of performance suppression rates, the control unit calculates a power consumption amount of the air conditioner required from the activation of the air conditioner until the temperature of the indoor space reaches the set temperature, each of the performance suppression rates indicating a degree of suppression of air conditioning performance of the air conditioner (Fig. 4 & 6, [0040] The power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 calculates power-suppression-time for each consumer 19 using the time-series data of the demand power of each consumer 19 calculated by the power-demand calculation unit 10), and the control unit controls the air conditioner based on a performance suppression rate minimizing the power consumption amount in the plurality of performance suppression rates ([0079] the management system 1 generates control schedules for the air conditioners 21 on each of the floors A, B, and C. Returning to the change-time calculation, while repeating from the calculation to the control-schedule generation, a control-schedule is generated for each floor so as to minimize the power consumption of the overall consumer 19 including the floors A, B, and C).
Regarding claim 2, Sato teaches The controller according to claim 1, wherein for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates, the control unit infers a required period of time that is required for the temperature of the indoor space to reach the set temperature, and for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates, the control unit calculates the power consumption amount based on the required period of time for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates (Fig. 4, Fig. 6, [0068] Pre-cooling time of the pre-cooling shift should be set prior to a start time of the power-suppression-time tp, and the pre-cooling should end at time before 12:00 in an increment of 30 minutes, which is a time unit set for calculation of the basic charge of electricity. Thus, it is necessary to calculate the time required for the pre-cooling, and to start the pre-cooling earlier by the calculated time required for the pre-cooling. In FIG. 9, the time from t21 to t22 is the time required for the pre-cooling; and the pre-cooling start time t21 and the pre-cooling time from t21 to t22 are calculated so as to set t22 before 12:00, [0040] The power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 calculates power-suppression-time for each consumer 19 using the time-series data of the demand power of each consumer 19 calculated by the power-demand calculation unit 10) .
Regarding claim 3, Sato teaches The controller according to claim 2, wherein for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates, the control unit infers the required period of time using a trained model for inferring the required period of time based on the temperature of the indoor space, an outdoor air temperature, the set temperature, and the performance suppression rate (Fig. 4, and 6, [0006] change-time calculation unit to calculate, on the basis of collected weather information, an operation record of a device, a state value and an acceptable range set for an area where the device is installed, and power-suppression-time during which electric power is suppressed, change-time during which the state value of the area is changed in response to the power-suppression-time by operations of the device, a schedule generation unit to generate, using the time calculated by the change-time calculation unit, a control-schedule for controlling the device, and a transmission unit to transmit the control-schedule generated by the schedule generation unit, [0036] Floor-thermal-characteristics include influence of sunlight or outdoor temperature depending on a floor plan, the number of people on the floor, and influence of heat dissipation from terminal equipment. A thermal network method, for example, is used for calculation. The calculated floor-thermal-characteristics are outputted to the floor-thermal-load calculation unit 7 and the change-time calculation unit 13, [0053] the received-power storage 9, calculations to estimate demand power of each floor 29 after the present time (S3). The estimated demand power of each floor 29 is outputted to the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 and the air-conditioning-power calculation unit 14. In the demand power calculation, a highly accurate estimation is enabled by considering influence of weather referring to the information of the weather forecast 24 stored in the weather-information storage 3, [0062] To perform a pre-cooling shift, an air conditioner 21 is controlled so that a room temperature reaches a lower limit temperature before the power-suppression-time, then the air conditioner 21 is stopped by the power-suppression-time. The air conditioner 21 restarts after the power-suppression-period elapses. In this case, estimation of time required for pre-cooling is important. Inaccurate estimation of the pre-cooling time causes the air conditioner 21, which lowers the room temperature to the lower limit temperature, to stop after starting the power-suppression-time ).
Regarding claim 4, Sato teaches The controller according to claim 3, wherein the trained model infers the required period of time based on a difference between the temperature of the indoor space and the outdoor air temperature, a difference between the temperature of the indoor space and the set temperature, and the performance suppression rate (Fig. 4, and 6, [0006] change-time calculation unit to calculate, on the basis of collected weather information, an operation record of a device, a state value and an acceptable range set for an area where the device is installed, and power-suppression-time during which electric power is suppressed, change-time during which the state value of the area is changed in response to the power-suppression-time by operations of the device, a schedule generation unit to generate, using the time calculated by the change-time calculation unit, a control-schedule for controlling the device, and a transmission unit to transmit the control-schedule generated by the schedule generation unit, [0036] Floor-thermal-characteristics include influence of sunlight or outdoor temperature depending on a floor plan, the number of people on the floor, and influence of heat dissipation from terminal equipment. A thermal network method, for example, is used for calculation. The calculated floor-thermal-characteristics are outputted to the floor-thermal-load calculation unit 7 and the change-time calculation unit 13, [0053] the received-power storage 9, calculations to estimate demand power of each floor 29 after the present time (S3). The estimated demand power of each floor 29 is outputted to the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 and the air-conditioning-power calculation unit 14. In the demand power calculation, a highly accurate estimation is enabled by considering influence of weather referring to the information of the weather forecast 24 stored in the weather-information storage 3, [0062] To perform a pre-cooling shift, an air conditioner 21 is controlled so that a room temperature reaches a lower limit temperature before the power-suppression-time, then the air conditioner 21 is stopped by the power-suppression-time. The air conditioner 21 restarts after the power-suppression-period elapses. In this case, estimation of time required for pre-cooling is important. Inaccurate estimation of the pre-cooling time causes the air conditioner 21, which lowers the room temperature to the lower limit temperature, to stop after starting the power-suppression-time ).
Regarding claim 5, Sato teaches The controller according to claim 2, wherein for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates, the control unit infers the required period of time using a trained model for inferring the required period of time based on the temperature of the indoor space, an outdoor air temperature, the set temperature, the performance suppression rate, and a specification of a building relating to the indoor space (Fig. 4, and 6, [0006] change-time calculation unit to calculate, on the basis of collected weather information, an operation record of a device, a state value and an acceptable range set for an area where the device is installed, and power-suppression-time during which electric power is suppressed, change-time during which the state value of the area is changed in response to the power-suppression-time by operations of the device, a schedule generation unit to generate, using the time calculated by the change-time calculation unit, a control-schedule for controlling the device, and a transmission unit to transmit the control-schedule generated by the schedule generation unit, [0036] Floor-thermal-characteristics include influence of sunlight or outdoor temperature depending on a floor plan, the number of people on the floor, and influence of heat dissipation from terminal equipment. A thermal network method, for example, is used for calculation. The calculated floor-thermal-characteristics are outputted to the floor-thermal-load calculation unit 7 and the change-time calculation unit 13, [0053] the received-power storage 9, calculations to estimate demand power of each floor 29 after the present time (S3). The estimated demand power of each floor 29 is outputted to the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 and the air-conditioning-power calculation unit 14. In the demand power calculation, a highly accurate estimation is enabled by considering influence of weather referring to the information of the weather forecast 24 stored in the weather-information storage 3, [0062] To perform a pre-cooling shift, an air conditioner 21 is controlled so that a room temperature reaches a lower limit temperature before the power-suppression-time, then the air conditioner 21 is stopped by the power-suppression-time. The air conditioner 21 restarts after the power-suppression-period elapses. In this case, estimation of time required for pre-cooling is important. Inaccurate estimation of the pre-cooling time causes the air conditioner 21, which lowers the room temperature to the lower limit temperature, to stop after starting the power-suppression-time ).
Regarding claim 6, Sato teaches The controller according to claim 5, wherein the trained model infers the required period of time based on a difference between the temperature of the indoor space and the outdoor air temperature, a difference between the temperature of the indoor space and the set temperature, the performance suppression rate, and the specification of the building (Fig. 4, and 6, [0006] change-time calculation unit to calculate, on the basis of collected weather information, an operation record of a device, a state value and an acceptable range set for an area where the device is installed, and power-suppression-time during which electric power is suppressed, change-time during which the state value of the area is changed in response to the power-suppression-time by operations of the device, a schedule generation unit to generate, using the time calculated by the change-time calculation unit, a control-schedule for controlling the device, and a transmission unit to transmit the control-schedule generated by the schedule generation unit, [0036] Floor-thermal-characteristics include influence of sunlight or outdoor temperature depending on a floor plan, the number of people on the floor, and influence of heat dissipation from terminal equipment. A thermal network method, for example, is used for calculation. The calculated floor-thermal-characteristics are outputted to the floor-thermal-load calculation unit 7 and the change-time calculation unit 13, [0053] the received-power storage 9, calculations to estimate demand power of each floor 29 after the present time (S3). The estimated demand power of each floor 29 is outputted to the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 and the air-conditioning-power calculation unit 14. In the demand power calculation, a highly accurate estimation is enabled by considering influence of weather referring to the information of the weather forecast 24 stored in the weather-information storage 3, [0062] To perform a pre-cooling shift, an air conditioner 21 is controlled so that a room temperature reaches a lower limit temperature before the power-suppression-time, then the air conditioner 21 is stopped by the power-suppression-time. The air conditioner 21 restarts after the power-suppression-period elapses. In this case, estimation of time required for pre-cooling is important. Inaccurate estimation of the pre-cooling time causes the air conditioner 21, which lowers the room temperature to the lower limit temperature, to stop after starting the power-suppression-time ).
Regarding claim 7, Sato teaches The controller according to claim 1, wherein for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates, the control unit infers an air conditioning load of the indoor space, for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates (Fig. 4 & 6, [0053] The power-demand calculation unit 10 performs, on the basis of the received-power up to the present time received from the received-power storage 9, calculations to estimate demand power of each floor 29 after the present time (S3). The estimated demand power of each floor 29 is outputted to the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 and the air-conditioning-power calculation unit 14. In the demand power calculation, a highly accurate estimation is enabled by considering influence of weather referring to the information of the weather forecast 24 stored in the weather-information storage 3, [0040] The power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 calculates power-suppression-time for each consumer 19 using the time-series data of the demand power of each consumer 19 calculated by the power-demand calculation unit 10), the control unit calculates a required period of time that is required for the temperature of the indoor space to reach the set temperature based on the air conditioning load for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates, and for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates ( [0006] change-time calculation unit to calculate, on the basis of collected weather information, an operation record of a device, a state value and an acceptable range set for an area where the device is installed, and power-suppression-time during which electric power is suppressed, change-time during which the state value of the area is changed in response to the power-suppression-time by operations of the device, a schedule generation unit to generate, using the time calculated by the change-time calculation unit, a control-schedule for controlling the device, and a transmission unit to transmit the control-schedule generated by the schedule generation unit, [0062] To perform a pre-cooling shift, an air conditioner 21 is controlled so that a room temperature reaches a lower limit temperature before the power-suppression-time, then the air conditioner 21 is stopped by the power-suppression-time. The air conditioner 21 restarts after the power-suppression-period elapses. In this case, estimation of time required for pre-cooling is important. Inaccurate estimation of the pre-cooling time causes the air conditioner 21, which lowers the room temperature to the lower limit temperature, to stop after starting the power-suppression-time), the control unit calculates the power consumption amount based on the required period of time for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates, ([0053] the received-power storage 9, calculations to estimate demand power of each floor 29 after the present time (S3). The estimated demand power of each floor 29 is outputted to the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 and the air-conditioning-power calculation unit 14. In the demand power calculation, a highly accurate estimation is enabled by considering influence of weather referring to the information of the weather forecast 24 stored in the weather-information storage 3, [0040] The power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 calculates power-suppression-time for each consumer 19 using the time-series data of the demand power of each consumer 19 calculated by the power-demand calculation unit 10).
Regarding claim 8, Sato teaches The controller according to claim 7, wherein for each of the plurality of performance suppression rates, the control unit infers the air conditioning load using a trained model for inferring the air conditioning load based on the temperature of the indoor space, an outdoor air temperature, the set temperature, and the performance suppression rate (Fig. 4, and 6, [0036] Floor-thermal-characteristics include influence of sunlight or outdoor temperature depending on a floor plan, the number of people on the floor, and influence of heat dissipation from terminal equipment. A thermal network method, for example, is used for calculation. The calculated floor-thermal-characteristics are outputted to the floor-thermal-load calculation unit 7 and the change-time calculation unit 13, [0053] the received-power storage 9, calculations to estimate demand power of each floor 29 after the present time (S3). The estimated demand power of each floor 29 is outputted to the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 and the air-conditioning-power calculation unit 14. In the demand power calculation, a highly accurate estimation is enabled by considering influence of weather referring to the information of the weather forecast 24 stored in the weather-information storage 3, [0055] The change-time calculation unit 13 acquires the thermal characteristics of each floor from the floor-thermal-characteristic calculation unit 6, acquires the time-series data of the floor-thermal-load of each floor from the floor-thermal-characteristic calculation unit 7, acquires a temperature and an acceptable range set for each floor from the floor-temperature setting unit 12, and acquires the power-suppression-time from the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 ).
Regarding claim 9, Sato teaches The controller according to claim 8, wherein the trained model infers the air conditioning load based on a difference between the temperature of the indoor space and the outdoor air temperature, a difference between the temperature of the indoor space and the set temperature, and the performance suppression rate (Fig. 4, and 6 room temperature, set temperature, [0036] Floor-thermal-characteristics include influence of sunlight or outdoor temperature depending on a floor plan, the number of people on the floor, and influence of heat dissipation from terminal equipment. A thermal network method, for example, is used for calculation. The calculated floor-thermal-characteristics are outputted to the floor-thermal-load calculation unit 7 and the change-time calculation unit 13, [0053] the received-power storage 9, calculations to estimate demand power of each floor 29 after the present time (S3). The estimated demand power of each floor 29 is outputted to the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 and the air-conditioning-power calculation unit 14. In the demand power calculation, a highly accurate estimation is enabled by considering influence of weather referring to the information of the weather forecast 24 stored in the weather-information storage 3, [0055] The change-time calculation unit 13 acquires the thermal characteristics of each floor from the floor-thermal-characteristic calculation unit 6, acquires the time-series data of the floor-thermal-load of each floor from the floor-thermal-characteristic calculation unit 7, acquires a temperature and an acceptable range set for each floor from the floor-temperature setting unit 12, and acquires the power-suppression-time from the power-suppression-time calculation unit 11, [0034] weather-information storage 3 stores the weather forecast 24 and the weather record 25 as the weather information inputted from the weather-information collection unit 2. The weather record 25 is referred to from the floor-thermal-characteristic calculation unit 6, and the weather forecast 24 is referred to from the floor-thermal-load calculation unit 8. The weather forecast 24 and the weather record 25 are also referred to from the power-demand calculation unit 10).
.
Regarding claim 10, Sato teaches A control method for a controller configured to control an air conditioner ([0027] air-conditioning central controller 23 that controls the air conditioners 21), the control method comprising: in an activation mode in which the air conditioner is activated before a set time so as to cause a temperature of an indoor space to reach a set temperature at the set time ([0068] Pre-cooling time of the pre-cooling shift should be set prior to a start time of the power-suppression-time tp, and the pre-cooling should end at time before 12:00 in an increment of 30 minutes, which is a time unit set for calculation of the basic charge of electricity. Thus, it is necessary to calculate the time required for the pre-cooling, and to start the pre-cooling earlier by the calculated time required for the pre-cooling. In FIG. 9, the time from t21 to t22 is the time required for the pre-cooling; and the pre-cooling start time t21 and the pre-cooling time from t21 to t22 are calculated so as to set t22 before 12:00), for each of a plurality of performance suppression rates, calculating a power consumption amount of the air conditioner required from the activation of the air conditioner until the temperature of the indoor space reaches the set temperature, each of the plurality of performance suppression rates indicating a degree of suppression of air conditioning performance of the air conditioner (Fig. 4, Fig. 6, [0040] The power-suppression-time calculation unit 11 calculates power-suppression-time for each consumer 19 using the time-series data of the demand power of each consumer 19 calculated by the power-demand calculation unit 10); and controlling the air conditioner based on a performance suppression rate minimizing the power consumption amount in the plurality of performance suppression rates ([0079] the management system 1 generates control schedules for the air conditioners 21 on each of the floors A, B, and C. Returning to the change-time calculation, while repeating from the calculation to the control-schedule generation, a control-schedule is generated for each floor so as to minimize the power consumption of the overall consumer 19 including the floors A, B, and C).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Notaro (US20210123621) discloses systems and methods for air temperature control using a target time based control plan.
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/YVONNE TRANG FOLLANSBEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2117
/ROBERT E FENNEMA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2117
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