A thermostat for a building zone includes at least one of a model predictive controller and an equipment controller. The model predictive controller is configured to obtain a cost function that accounts for a cost of operating HVAC equipment during each of a plurality of time steps, use a predictive model to predict a temperature of the building zone during each of the plurality of time steps, and generate temperature setpoints for the building zone for each of the plurality of time steps by optimizing the cost function subject to a constraint on the predicted temperature. The equipment controller is configured to receive the temperature setpoints generated by the model predictive controller and drive the temperature of the building zone toward the temperature setpoints during each of the plurality of time steps by operating the HVAC equipment to provide heating or cooling to the building zone.

A thermostat for a building zone includes at least one of a model predictive controller and an equipment controller. The model predictive controller is configured to obtain a cost function that accounts for a cost of operating HVAC equipment during each of a plurality of time steps, use a predictive model to predict a temperature of the building zone during each of the plurality of time steps, and generate temperature setpoints for the building zone for each of the plurality of time steps by optimizing the cost function subject to a constraint on the predicted temperature. The equipment controller is configured to receive the temperature setpoints generated by the model predictive controller and drive the temperature of the building zone toward the temperature setpoints during each of the plurality of time steps by operating the HVAC equipment to provide heating or cooling to the building zone.

Air conditioner units and methods of operating the same are provided. A method of operating an air conditioner unit includes activating a makeup air system of the air conditioner unit. The makeup air system directs a flow of outside air from the makeup air system to an indoor portion of a housing of the air conditioner unit. The method also includes activating an indoor fan disposed in the indoor portion of the air conditioner unit at a fan speed at least equal to a minimum circulation threshold speed in response to the makeup air system being activated. Activating the indoor fan causes the flow of outside air from the makeup air system to be urged through the indoor portion of the housing. An air conditioner unit may include a controller, and the controller may be configured for performing the method.

An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes a heat exchange module, at least one humidity sensor, and a controller. The heat exchange module includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a second heat exchanger, and an absorbent disposed on an outer surface of the first and second heat exchangers. The controller is configured to control to stop a normal operation and perform a drying operation for supplying air to any one of the first and second heat exchangers serving as an evaporator when it is determined that a predetermined drying operation condition is satisfied based on humidity information of air passed through the any one of the first and second heat exchangers serving as the evaporator, during the normal operation in which the any one of the first and second heat exchangers serves as an evaporator and the other serves as a condenser.

An apparatus and method to selectively create a heat transfer effect and sensation of cooling within bedding on a mattress. A programmable application is accessible on a wireless network and is programmed to provide appropriate settings to attain changes over time of a space within bedding that pertain to at least one of heating the space and realizing a cooling sensation within the space. A wireless receiver is configured to receive commands in a wireless manner that are indicative of the appropriate settings provided by the programmable application to effect changes over time of the space within the bedding attributed to heat transfer with respect to the at least one of heating the space and realizing a cooling sensation within the space. The heat transfer occurs as a result of fluid flow either within a mattress or within space in bedding over the mattress.

A ventilation system with automatic flow balancing derived from a neural network to consistently achieve a desired flow rate for inlet flow and/or outlet flow in various operating environments to optimize system performance. The system includes a ventilation device that includes an exhaust blower assembly with a blower motor and a control circuit having a mathematical equation that determines an estimated exhaust blower flow based upon select inputs. The ventilation device also includes a supply blower assembly with a blower motor and control circuit having a mathematical equation that determines an estimated supply blower flow based upon select inputs. When the estimated exhaust blower flow is different than an exhaust flow set point, the exhaust control circuit selectively alters power supplied to the exhaust motor. When the estimated supply blower flow is different than a supply flow set point, the supply control circuit selectively alters power supplied to the supply motor.

A humidifier has a base and a housing. The housing has a steam exhaust vent and a vaporizer. The vaporizer includes a heating element surrounded by a removable porous sleeve that protrudes downwardly into water within a reservoir of the base. The sleeve wicks the water including its minerals and impurities into contact with the heating element wherein energization of the heating element causes the wicked water to convert to steam that rises through the exhaust vent and from the housing during a humidification mode.

A ventilation unit is for ventilating an indoor space, and incorporates an air cleaning device and mechanical restrictor for controlling a restriction to a flow resulting from a pressure differential across the unit. There is determination of the inside and outside air pressures in the vicinity of the unit and of air quality parameters inside and outside. The air cleaning device and the mechanical restrictor are controlled in dependence on the determined air pressures and air quality parameters. This provides a fan-less, and hence low-power ventilation unit, which relies on throttling the natural air flow across the unit to provide flow control, and hence enable control of air quality. The air cleaning device may be operated only when the flow is into the inside space, saving power.

Methods and apparatus for an exhaust demand control system for measuring one or more contaminants at one or more exhaust locations within one or a plurality of exhaust ducts or plenums served by an exhaust fan system. Example systems and methods can include sensing the one or more contaminants within the one or more exhaust duct locations using a multipoint air sampling system having one or more sensors and comparing contaminant concentration measurements from the one or more of said exhaust duct or plenum locations against an action level to create a fan setback signal.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes multiple circuit components that enable determining that a refrigerant leak is present in the HVAC system based on a signal. The circuit components then send a first set of instructions to a first set of control systems associated with one or more fans in response to the refrigerant leak being present. The first set of instructions causes the one or more fans to activate. The system then determines that the refrigerant leak signal is no longer present, and initiates a counter to detect when a period of time has passed in response to determining that the refrigerant leak signal is no longer present. The system then sends a second set of instructions to the first control system to cause the fans to return to base operating conditions in response to the counter indicating the period of time has passed.