`US008751186B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Steinberg et al.
`
`(IO) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,751,186 B2
`*Jun. 10, 2014
`
`(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING
`THE THERMAL MASS OF A BUILDING
`
`(56)
`
`(71) Applicant: EcoFactor, Inc., Millbrae, CA (US)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventors: John Douglas Steinberg, Millbrae, CA
`(US); Scott Douglas Hublou, Redwood
`City, CA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc., Millbrae, CA (US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by O days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis(cid:173)
`claimer.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 13/858,710
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Apr. 8, 2013
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2013/0231785 Al
`
`Sep. 5, 2013
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. 13/409,729, filed on
`Mar. 1, 2012, which is a continuation of application
`No. 12/959,225, filed on Dec. 2, 2010, now Pat. No.
`8,131,497, which is a continuation of application No.
`12/211,733, filed on Sep. 16, 2008, now Pat. No.
`7,848,900.
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/994,011, filed on Sep.
`17,2007.
`
`(51)
`
`(2006.01)
`
`Int. Cl.
`GOJDJ/00
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`USPC ........................................... 702/130; 702/182
`( 58) Field of Classification Search
`USPC .................. 702/130, 182; 700/276, 277, 278;
`236/91 D; 165/58, 200, 287
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
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`
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`U.S. Appl. No. 13/523,697, Jun. 14, 2012, Hublou, Scott Douglas et
`al.
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner - Elias Desta
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm - Knobbe, Martens, Olson &
`Bear, LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`The invention comprises a system for calculating a value for
`the effective thermal mass of a building. The climate control
`system obtains temperature measurements from at least a first
`location conditioned by the climate system. One or more
`processors receive measurements of outside temperatures
`from at least one source other than the control system and
`compare the temperature measurements from the first loca(cid:173)
`tion with expected temperature measurements. The expected
`temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past
`temperature measurements obtained by said HVAC control
`system and said outside temperature measurements. The pro(cid:173)
`cessors then calculate one or more rates of change in tem(cid:173)
`perature at said first location.
`
`13 Claims, 13 Drawing Sheets
`
`INPUT OUTSIDE
`CLIMATE DATA
`
`fHl2
`
`1104
`
`11/M
`
`f/178
`
`f/!0
`
`ECOBEE 1010
`
`001
`
`
`
`US 8,751,186 B2
`Page 2
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`
`US 8,751,186 B2
`Page 3
`
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`* cited by examiner
`
`003
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`
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun.10,2014
`Jun. 10, 2014
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`Sheet 1 of 13
`Sheet 1 of 13
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`US 8,751,186 B2
`US 8,751,186 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun.10,2014
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`Sheet 2 of 13
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`Jun.10,2014
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`Sheet 7 of 13
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`Jun.10,2014
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun.10,2014
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`Jun.10,2014
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`Jun.10,2014
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`Sheet 11 of 13
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`INPUT OUTSIDE vt /(l2
`CLIMATE DATA
`
`INPUT HVAC
`DUTY CYCLE DATA
`
`V lltN
`
`INSIDE
`INPUT PRIOR
`TEMPERATURE DATA
`
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`INPUT
`BUILDING/USER
`PROFILE
`
`vi
`108
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`INPUT CURRENT
`INSIDE
`TEMPERATURE
`
`vi //{}
`
`CALCULATE
`THERMAL MASS
`INDEX
`
`,,,,- I
`/12
`
`l END
`
`11/4
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`E'/C. _/ _/
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`014
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`Jun.10,2014
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`Sheet 12 of 13
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`INPUT OUTSIDE
`CLIMATE DATA
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`1202
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`INPUT HVAC
`DUTY CYCLE DATA
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`/204
`
`INPUT INSIDE
`TEMPERATURE DATA
`
`/205
`
`INPUT PROFILE DATA
`
`1208
`
`INPUT
`COMPARATIVE DATA
`
`1210
`
`CALCULATE
`RELATIVE
`EFFICIENCY
`
`!212
`
`1220
`REPORT
`CLOGGED
`FILTER
`
`/224
`REPORT
`COOLANT LEAK
`
`!228
`REPORT OPEN
`WINDOW/DOOR
`
`/232
`REPORT
`PROBLEM n
`
`NO
`
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`
`REPORT UNKNOWN
`PROBLEM
`
`/234
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`F.IC-
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`.12
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`Jun.10,2014
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`Sheet 13 of 13
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`US 8,751,186 B2
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`INPUT OUTSIDE
`CLIMATE DATA
`
`131.7.2
`
`INPUT HVAC
`DUTY CYCLE DATA
`
`/JtN
`
`INPUT INSIDE
`TEMPERATURE DATA
`
`/J06
`
`INPUT PROFILE DATA
`
`/Jl.78
`
`INPUT
`COMPARATIVE DATA
`
`/J/0
`
`CALCULATE EXPECTED
`INSIDE TEMPERATURE
`READING
`
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`
`INPUT HISTO"RICAL DATA
`
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`
`INPUT SOLAR
`PROGRESSION DATA
`
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`
`YES
`
`CALCULATE EXPECTED
`DURATION OF
`DISTORTION EVENT
`
`/J.26
`
`13.28
`SET TARGET TEMPERATURE BASED
`ON CALCULATED DATA FOR
`DURATION OF DISTORTION EVENT
`
`SEND MESSAGE TO
`HOMEOWNER RE: PROBLEM
`
`/JJO
`
`.F.IC.
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`.l:J
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`016
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`US 8,751,186 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING
`THE THERMAL MASS OF A BUILDING
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`2
`thermostats, they only have two input signals-ambient tem(cid:173)
`perature and the preset desired temperature. The entire
`advance with programmable thermostats is that they can shift
`between multiple present temperatures at different times.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applica(cid:173)
`tion Ser. No. 13/409,729, filed Mar. 1, 2012, which is a
`continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/959,225,
`filed Dec. 2, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,131,497, issued on 10
`Mar. 6, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applica(cid:173)
`tion Ser. No. 12/211,733, filed Sep. 16, 2008, now U.S. Pat.
`No. 7,848,900, issued on Dec. 7,2010, which claims priority
`under35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No.
`60/994,011, filed Sep. 17, 2007, the entirety of each of which 15
`is hereby incorporated herein by reference and is to be con(cid:173)
`sidered part of this specification.
`
`There are many other sources of information that could be
`used to increase comfort, decrease energy use, or both. For
`example, outside temperature and humidity strongly affect
`subjective comfort. On a 95 degree, 90 percent humidity day
`in August, when people tend to dress in lightweight clothing,
`a house cooled to 70 degrees will feel cool or even uncom(cid:173)
`fortably cold. On a below-freezing day in January, when
`people tend to wear sweaters and heavier clothes, that same
`70 degree home will feel too warm. It would therefore be
`advantageous for a thermostat system to automatically incor(cid:173)
`porate information about external weather conditions when
`setting the desired temperature.
`Thermostats are used to regulate temperature for the ben-
`efit of the occupants in a given space. (Usually this means
`people, but it can of course also mean critical equipment, such
`as in a room filled with computer equipment.) In general,
`thermostats read temperature from the sensor located within
`25 the "four comers" of the thermostat. With a properly designed
`system, the thermostat may well be located such that the
`temperature read at the precise location of the thermostat
`accurately reflects the conditions where the human ( or other)
`occupants tend to be. But there are many reasons and circum-
`30 stances in which that will not be the case. A single thermostat
`may produce accurate readings in some circumstances but not
`others; it may be located in a place far from the occupants, or
`too far from the ductwork controlled by the thermostat, etc. In
`one house, for example, the thermostat may be located in a
`35 spot that receives direct sunlight on hot afternoons. This could
`cause the thermostat to sense that the local ambient tempera(cid:173)
`ture is extremely high, and as a result signal the A/C to run too
`long, making the rest of the home too cold, and wasting
`considerable energy. In another house, the thermostat may be
`40 located in a hallway without ductwork or where the nearby
`ducts have been closed. In such a scenario, the thermostat is
`likely to (correctly) report cold temperatures in the winter,
`leading the heating system to overheat the rest of the house
`and waste considerable energy.
`These problems can be reduced or eliminated through use
`of additional remote temperature sensors connected to the
`thermostat's control circuitry. However, such systems require
`additional hardware, additional thermostat complexity, and
`skilled installation and configuration.
`It would therefore be desirable for a thermostat system
`using only a single temperature sensor to take such sub(cid:173)
`optimal installations into account and to correct for the erro(cid:173)
`neous readings generated by such thermostats.
`Different structures will respond to changes in conditions
`55 such as external temperature in different ways. For example,
`houses built 50 or more years ago will generally have little or
`no insulation, be poorly sealed, and have simple single-glazed
`windows. Such houses will do a very poor job of retaining
`internal heat in the winter and rejecting external heat in the
`60 sUllliller. In the absence of applications of thermal measures
`such as heating and air conditioning, the inside temperature in
`such houses will trend to track outside temperatures very
`closely. Such houses may be said to have low thermal mass. A
`house built in recent years, using contemporary techniques
`65 for energy efficiency such as high levels ofinsulation, double(cid:173)
`glazed windows and other techniques, will, in the absence of
`intervention, tend to absorb external heat and release internal
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`20
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`This invention relates to the use of thermostatic HVAC
`controls that are connected to a computer network. More
`specifically, communicating thermostats are combined with a
`computer network to calculate the thermal mass of a struc(cid:173)
`ture.
`2. Background
`Climate control systems such as heating and cooling sys(cid:173)
`tems for buildings (heating, ventilation and cooling, or HVAC
`systems) have been controlled for decades by thermostats. At
`the most basic level, a thermostat includes a means to allow a
`user to set a desired temperature, a means to sense actual
`temperature, and a means to signal the heating and/or cooling
`devices to tum on or off in order to try to change the actual
`temperature to equal the desired temperature. The most basic
`versions of thermostats use components such as a coiled
`bi-metallic spring to measure actual temperature and a mer(cid:173)
`cury switch that opens or completes a circuit when the spring
`coils or uncoils with temperature changes. More recently,
`electronic digital thermostats have become prevalent. These
`thermostats use solid-state devices such as thermistors or
`thermal diodes to measure temperature, and microprocessor(cid:173)
`based circuitry to control the switch and to store and operate
`based upon user-determined protocols for temperature vs.
`time.
`These programmable thermostats generally offer a very
`restrictive user interface, limited by the cost of the devices,
`the limited real estate of the small wall-mounted boxes, and
`the inability to take into account more than two variables: the
`desired temperature set by the user, and the ambient tempera- 50
`ture sensed by the thermostat. Users can generally only set
`one series of commands per day, and in order to change one
`parameter ( e.g., to change the late-night temperature) the user
`often has to cycle through several other parameters by repeat(cid:173)
`edly pressing one or two buttons.
`Because the interface of programmable thermostats is so
`poor, the significant theoretical savings that are possible with
`them ( sometimes cited as 25% of heating and cooling costs)
`are rarely realized. In practice, studies have fund that more
`than 50% of users never program their thermostats at all.
`Significant percentages of the thermostats that are pro(cid:173)
`grammed are programmed sub-optimally, in part because,
`once progranimed, people tend to not to re-invest the time
`needed to change the settings very often.
`A second problem with standard programmable thermo(cid:173)
`stats is that they represent only a small evolutionary step
`beyond the first, purely mechanical thermostats. Like the first
`
`45
`
`017
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`US 8,751,186 B2
`
`3
`heat very slowly. The newer house can be thought ofas having
`higher thermal mass than the older house.
`A conventional thermostat has no mechanism by which it
`might take the thermal mass of the structure into account, but
`thermal mass significantly affects many parameters relating
`to energy efficiency.
`The cost to an electric utility to produce power varies over
`time. Indeed, the cost of production between low demand and
`peak demand periods can vary by as much as an order of
`magnitude. Traditionally, residential customers paid the same
`price regardless of time or the cost to produce. Thus consum(cid:173)
`ers have had little financial incentive to reduce consumption
`during periods of high demand and high production cost.
`Many electric utilities are now seeking to bring various forms
`of variable rates to the retail energy markets. Under such 15
`schemes, consumers can reduce costs by taking into account
`not just how much energy they use, but when they use it.
`Thus many consumers now can see real benefits from opti(cid:173)
`mizing not just the total number of kilowatt-hours of electric-
`ity consumed, but also optimizing when it is used. The opti- 20
`mum strategy for energy use over time will vary based upon
`many variables, one of which is the thermal mass of the
`structure being heated or cooled. In a structure with high
`thermal mass, heating and cooling can effectively be shifted
`away from high cost periods to lower cost "shoulder" periods 25
`with little or no effect on comfort. If, for example, a utility
`charges much higher rates on hot summer afternoons, it is
`likely that pre-cooling a high-thermal mass structure just
`before the high-cost period and then shutting down the air
`conditioning during the peak will allow the house to remain 30
`comfortable. But in a house with low thermal mass, the ben(cid:173)
`efits of pre-cooling will quickly dissipate, and the house will
`rapidly become uncomfortable if the air conditioning is shut
`off. Thus it would be advantageous for a temperature control
`system to take thermal mass into account when setting desired 35
`temperatures.
`Many factors affect the efficiency of HVAC systems. Some
`may be thought of as essentially fixed, such as the theoretical
`efficiency of a central air conditioner ( often expressed as its
`SEER rating), the matching of a given system to the charac- 40
`teristics of a given home, the location and size of forced-air
`ductwork, etc. Other contributors to efficiency are more
`dynamic, such as clogged filters, refrigerant leaks, duct leak(cid:173)
`age and "pop-offs," and the like.
`Most of these problems are likely to manifest themselves in 45
`the form of higher energy bills. But the "signature" of each
`different problem can be discerned from the way in which
`each such problem affects the cycle times of a given HVAC
`system over time and relative to weather conditions and the
`performance of other HVAC systems in other houses. If two 50
`otherwise identical houses are located next door to each other
`and have gas furnaces, but one is rated at 50,000 BTU sand the
`other is rated at 100,000 BTU s, the cycle times for the higher(cid:173)
`capacity furnace should be shorter than for the lower-capacity
`unit. If both of those same houses have identical furnaces, but
`one has a clogged filter, the cycle times should be longer in the
`house with the clogged filter. Because cycling of the HVAC
`system is controlled by the thermostat, those differences in
`cycle time would be reflected in the data sensed by and
`control signals generated by the thermostat. It would be
`advantageous for a thermostat system to be able to use that
`information to diagnose problems and make recommenda(cid:173)
`tions based upon that data.
`These needs are satisfied by at least one embodiment of the
`invention that includes a system for calculating a value for the
`effective thermal mass of a building comprising: at least one
`HVAC control system that measures temperature at at least a
`
`4
`first location conditioned by said HVAC system, and report(cid:173)
`ing said temperature measurements as well as the status of
`said HVAC control system; one or more processors that
`receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least
`5 one source other than said HVAC control systems and com(cid:173)
`pare said temperature measurements from said first location
`with expected temperature measurements wherein the
`expected temperature measurements are based at least in part
`upon past temperature measurements obtained by said HVAC
`10 control system and said outside temperature measurements;
`and one or more databases that store at least said temperatures
`measured at said first location over time; calculating one or
`more rates of change in temperature at said first location; and
`relating said calculated rates of change to said outside tem(cid:173)
`perature measurements.
`Another embodiment includes a system for calculating a
`value for the operational efficiency of an HVAC system com(cid:173)
`prising at least one HVAC control system that measures tem(cid:173)
`perature at at least a first location conditioned by said HVAC
`system, and reporting said temperature measurements as well
`as the status of said HVAC control system; one or more
`processors that receive measurements of outside tempera(cid:173)
`tures from at least one source other than said HVAC control
`systems and compare said temperature measurements from
`said first location with expected temperature measurements
`wherein the expected temperature measurements are based at
`least in part upon past temperature measurements obtained by
`said HVAC control system and said outside temperature mea(cid:173)
`surements; and one or more databases that store at least said
`temperatures measured at said first location over time; calcu(cid:173)
`lating one or more rates of change in temperature at said first
`location for periods during which the status of the HVAC
`system is "on"; calculating one or more rates of change in
`temperature at said first location for periods during which the
`status of the HVAC system is "off'; and relating said calcu(cid:173)
`lated rates of change to said outside temperature measure-
`ments.
`A further embodiment includes a system for evaluating
`changes in the operational efficiency of an HVAC system over
`time comprising at least one HVAC control system that mea(cid:173)
`sures temperature at at least a first location conditioned by
`said HVAC system, and reporting said temperature measure(cid:173)
`ments as well as the status of said HVAC control system; one
`or more processors that receive measurements of outside
`temperatures from at least one source other than said HVAC
`control systems and compare said temperature measurements
`from said first location with expected temperature measure(cid:173)
`ments wherein the expected temperature measurements are
`based at least in part upon past temperature measurements
`obtained by said HVAC control system and said outside tem(cid:173)
`perature measurements; and one or more databases that store
`at least said temperatures measured at said first location over
`time.
`A further embodiment includes a system for detecting and
`55 correcting for anomalous behavior in HVAC control systems
`comprising a first HVAC control system that measures tem(cid:173)
`perature at at least a first location conditioned by said first
`HVAC system, and reporting said temperature measurements
`as well as the status of said first HVAC control system; at least
`60 a second HVAC control system that measures temperature at
`at least a second location conditioned by said second HVAC
`system, and reporting said temperature measurements as well
`as the status of said second HVAC control system; one or
`more processors that receive measurements of outside tem-
`65 peratures from at least one source other than said first and
`second HVAC control systems and compare said temperature
`measurements from said first HVAC controls system and said
`
`018
`
`
`
`US 8,751,186 B2
`
`6
`FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the steps involved in
`calculating the effective thermal mass of a home using the
`subject invention.
`FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the steps involved in
`5 determining whether an HVAC system has developed a prob(cid:173)
`lem that impairs efficiency using the subject invention.
`FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the steps involved in
`correcting for erroneous readings in one house by referencing
`readings in another using the subject invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`5
`second HVAC control system and said outside temperature
`measurements; and one or more databases that store said
`temperatures measurem