Heat pump system having an enhanced comfort mode

Abstract

One aspect presents an enhanced comfort controller that comprises a control board, a microprocessor located on and electrically coupled to the control board, and a memory coupled to the microprocessor and located on and electrically coupled to the control board. The enhanced comfort controller has an enhanced comfort program stored thereon that is configured to cause an indoor blower/heat exchange (ID) system of a heat pump to output an enhanced airflow rate of the ID system in response to an outdoor ambient temperature data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat pump system, comprising:
 an indoor blower/heat exchanger system (ID) system;   an outdoor fan/heat exchanger and compressor (OD) system;   said ID system and said OD system being fluidly coupled together by refrigerant tubing;   an outdoor temperature data source coupled to said heat pump system and configured to provide outdoor ambient temperature data to said heat pump system;   an enhanced comfort controller coupled to said outdoor temperature data source, and being configured to cause said ID system to deliver an enhanced airflow rate in response to said outdoor ambient temperature data.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said enhanced comfort controller is coupled to a primary controller coupled to said ID system, said primary controller configured to control an operation of said heat pump system according to a temperature set-point. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said primary controller is a thermostat and said thermostat includes said enhanced comfort controller. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said indoor blower includes a variable speed motor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said enhanced comfort controller determines said enhanced airflow rate as follows:
   Enhanced Comfort Airflow Rate= A+{B *(( ODT+C )/(70+ D ))̂ N }×Comfort Airflow Rate,
   
       wherein:
 ODT is the outdoor ambient temperature in degrees Fahrenheit,
   Comfort Airflow Rate=Airflow Rate at 100% demand*(% heating demand/100), 
 
 
       and where
 A, B, C, D, and N are real numbers that correspond to a predetermined high pressure limit of a given system. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said enhanced comfort controller is further configured to determine said Comfort Airflow Rate. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an outdoor controller, wherein said outdoor controller is coupled to said enhanced comfort controller. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an indoor controller, wherein said indoor controller is coupled to said enhanced comfort controller. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said outdoor temperature data source is an outdoor temperature sensor coupled to said OD system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said outdoor temperature data source is an internet based source wirelessly connected to said enhanced comfort controller. 
     
     
         11 . An enhanced comfort controller, comprising:
 a control board;   a microprocessor located on and electrically coupled to said control board; and   a memory coupled to said microprocessor and located on and electrically coupled to said control board and having an enhanced comfort program stored thereon, said enhanced comfort program configured to cause an indoor blower/heat exchange (ID) system of a heat pump to output an enhanced airflow rate of said ID system in response to an outdoor ambient temperature data.   
     
     
         12 . The controller of  claim 11 , wherein said enhanced comfort controller is coupleable to a primary controller of a heat pump system, said primary controller configured to control an operation of said heat pump system according to a temperature set-point. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said primary controller is a thermostat and said thermostat includes said enhanced comfort controller. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said enhanced comfort controller is configured to send commands to a variable speed motor of said ID system. 
     
     
         15 . The controller of  claim 11 , wherein said program determines said enhanced CFM demand as follows:
   Enhanced Comfort Airflow Rate= A+{B *(( ODT+C )/(70+ D ))̂ N }×Comfort Airflow Rate,
   
       wherein:
 ODT is the outdoor ambient temperature in degrees Fahrenheit,
   Comfort Airflow Rate=Airflow Rate at 100% demand*(% heating demand/100), 
 
 
       and where
 A, B, C, D, and N are real numbers that correspond to a predetermined high pressure limit of a given system. 
 
     
     
         16 . The controller of  claim 15 , wherein said enhanced comfort controller is further configured to determine said Comfort Airflow Rate. 
     
     
         17 . The controller of  claim 11 , wherein said microprocessor includes said memory. 
     
     
         18 . The controller of  claim 11  being configured to communicate with one or more of a compressor controller, an indoor system controller, or a primary indoor controller of a heat pump system. 
     
     
         19 . The controller of  claim 11 , further including communication circuitry capable of communicating with an outdoor temperature sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The controller of  claim 19 , wherein said communication circuitry is configured to wirelessly communicate with an internet based outdoor temperature data source. 
     
     
         21 . A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method of measuring and managing indoor airflow rate of a heat pump system, said method comprising:
 causing an indoor blower/heat exchange (ID) system of a heat pump to output an enhanced airflow rate of said ID system in response to an outdoor ambient temperature data.