Method, System and Apparatus for Heat Exchange

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[001] This application claims the priority of Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2021904177 in the name of Wallace Building Systems Pty Ltd, which was filed on 21 December 2021 , entitled “Method, System and Apparatus for Heat Exchange’’ and the specification thereof is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[002] The present invention relates to the field of heat exchange. In particular, the present invention relates to heat exchange suitable for use in residential, commercial and/or industrial building constructions and settings. In one form, it will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in relation to hydronic heating and/or cooling systems, however, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to that use, only. For example, the invention is also suitable for use and described herein in its application to utilising the cooling of computing systems devoted to cryptocurrency mining.

BACKGROUND ART

[003] Throughout this specification, the use of the word “inventor” in singular form may be taken as reference to one (singular) inventor or more than one (plural) inventor of the present invention.

[004] It is to be appreciated that any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this specification is included to explain the context of the present invention. Further, the discussion throughout this specification comes about due to the realisation of the inventor and/or the identification of certain related art problems by the inventor. Moreover, any discussion of material such as documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this specification is included to explain the context of the invention in terms of the inventor’s knowledge and experience and, accordingly, any such discussion should not be taken as an admission that any of the material forms part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Australia, or elsewhere, on or before the priority date of the disclosure and claims herein. [005] HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems are used to control the comfort environment of domestic premises. Essentially, there are two (2) types of HVAC systems in use for this. Firstly, packaged systems are useful in homes without crawlspace where all components of the HVAC system are integrally packaged or housed in one cabinet, usually located externally of the building. Secondly, split systems are used for premises with room for placing large cabinets or housings for some system components, such as evaporator coil etc., within internal building spaces whilst another cabinet or housing is located external of the building for housing other components such the condenser and compressor.

[006] The disclosure of the present application is directed to split system HVAC systems.

[007] Generally speaking, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) heat exchange systems have a number of inefficiencies. In this respect, it is recognised that internally installed heat exchange systems produce condensate, which needs to be removed, drained, or disposed of from the system. It is also appreciated that the condensate produced by internal heat exchangers and the energy used to produce it is lost to these systems as waste. Condensation is usually drained from a heat exchanger unit using a gravity fed pipe from the exchanger to an external area of the building or to an internal waste point such as a tundish. Typically, a rigid plastic condensation drain pipe is installed to connect from the internal heat exchanger of a HVAC system to remove condensate from the system. The need for installing such a tube or pipe limits or restricts the position of the internal unit. It may be difficult to run pipe from an internal unit to an external area. Pipe is often damaged during construction of the building resulting in water leaks when the air-conditioning is used. It is also expensive to run the drain pipe as it is labor intensive due to the need for having a dedicated condensate drain tube going from the interior unit through the wall to the outside either towards a drain (grey water) collection point or sometimes to the ground. It is considered that draining condensate with pipes in this way is the only practical option adopted for current HVAC designs. As a particular example, hydronic cooling systems installed in residential and commercial buildings usually discharge condensate to a drain.

[008] Condensate may also be managed by use of a solid gravity fed drain where no energy is required to move condensate out of the system but these can be difficult to install and they can also contribute to limitations in positioning the internal unit. Alternatively, a mechanical condensate draining pump may be used, which eliminates the need for gravity fed drainage but requires an additional pump and energy usage. This is not considered a robust solution for managing condensate.

[009] An example air conditioner attempting condensate water recycling and reuse in the prior art is disclosed in WO 2017/120811 (Peng). The system of Peng comprises an air conditioner main unit, a condensate water tank, a water tank, a hot water tank, and a heat dissipation pipe, where the condensate water tank is used for storing condensate water discharged by the air conditioner main unit, the hot water tank is provided with a heating apparatus and a water suction pump used for drawing water from the water tank. The condensate water tank, the hot water tank and the heat dissipation pipe are connected via a three-way pipe. The heat dissipation pipe is connected at one extremity to the three- way pipe and connected at the other extremity to the water tank. The elevation of the condensate water tank and that of the hot water tank is greater than the elevation of the heat dissipation pipe. The elevation of the heat dissipation pipe is higher than the elevation of the water tank. A hot water solenoid valve is provided at the extremity of the hot water tank connected to the three-way pipe, and a cold water solenoid valve is provided at the extremity of the condensate water tank connected to the three-way pipe, also comprising a control module, where the hot water solenoid valve, the cold water solenoid valve, the water suction pump, and the heating apparatus are electrically connected to the control module and controlled thereby. The system may recycle condensate but in order to do so it requires the addition of the powered water suction pump. The filtered condensate is selfreintroduced into the system for reuse without the need of having a dedicated pump. Peng’s approach utilises the condensate for grey water applications such as flushing toilets where the condensate will eventually be disposed as waste water.

[0010] CN202581606U in the name of Wuhan Iron and Steel Group Corp discloses a condensate water recovering and reusing device of a split-type air conditioner. The device comprises an indoor unit and an outdoor unit of the split-type air conditioner, wherein the installation position of the indoor unit is higher than that of the outdoor unit; a water pan arranged at the bottom of the indoor unit is connected with a funnel groove arranged at the top of the outdoor unit through a first condensate pipe; and a water absorption sponge layer is arranged between the funnel groove and the condenser warped fins of the outdoor unit and used for evenly spraying the condensate water flowing out from the indoor unit on the condenser warped fins of the outdoor unit. Presumably, a substantial amount of condensate will evaporate on its passage through the water pan and funnel groove given this approach makes external use of the condensate water with additional plumbing.

[0011] WO 2015/186143A2 (Gopinath et al) discloses a condensate reutilizing system provided for an automobile air conditioner. It includes a water storage container for storing waste water generated from an automobile air conditioner. A weight sensor and level sensor are provided with an airtight storage container which receives filtered water from the storage container. The sensors sense maximum and minimum level / weight of water in the air tight storage container and activate the pump automatically to fill respective reservoirs used for various purposes. Gopinath et al is reliant on complex hardware.

[0012] US patent No. 7,266,970 (Li) discloses a water cooling system with full heat recovery comprising a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor and an expansion valve; the evaporator connects with a cooling water recycling circuit; one side of the condenser is disposed in a position corresponding to a cooling air opening; the cooling air opening connects with an air pipe; the air pipe connects with an indoor air outlet and an outdoor air inlet through subsidiary pipes; the other side of the condenser is provided with an exhaust vent; and a cooling fan is disposed between the exhaust vent and the cooling air opening. The system utilizes low temperature, low humidity indoor exhaust air as cooling air for the evaporative condenser. It makes use of the sensible heat (temperature difference) of indoor exhaust air as well as the latent heat (humidity difference) of indoor exhaust air, thereby attaining a condensation effect. The system is reliant on using air as a heat exchange medium. However, air energy density is lower than that of water and requires higher volume / packaging with lower efficiency compared to using captured condensate for cooling. Accordingly, the veracity of efficiency involved in the system disclosed by Li is considered questionable.

[0013] CN2514260Y discloses an air conditioner with condensate water reused and has a condensate water collecting shell installed under an evaporator. The bottom of the condensate water collecting shell is connected with a drainpipe, the lower part of the drainpipe is connected with a water bottle, the water inlet of a mini-type water pump is connected directly or through a line into the water bottle, and the water outlet of the minitype water pump is connected with a water jet pipe installed beside a condenser through a line. The disclosed air conditioner also requires a water pump. It is therefore a reasonable assumption that this system is relatively costly, complex and efficiency is lower due to water pump energy usage.

[0014] CN203837147U discloses an air conditioner condensate water recycling and cooling device comprising a condenser, a water knockout drum, a condensate water pipe and a fan. A water guide grid mesh is arranged between the condenser and the fan. The water knockout drum is arranged above the water guide grid mesh. A port of the condensate water pipe is communicated with, and fixedly connected with, the water knockout drum. The water guide grid mesh comprises a plurality of water guide grids, an installation frame, a fixing frame and a plurality of water guide pipes. The water guide grid mesh is fixedly connected with a fan support in an outdoor unit through the installation frame. The water guide grids are provided with water guide grooves. The tail ends of the water guide grooves are provided with water fenders, and the upper portions of the water guide grooves and the side faces, close to the fan, of the water guide grooves are covered with condensate water adsorption layers. The approach adopted by CN203837147U is to externally collect the condensate and utilise a condensate distribution apparatus. This involves comparatively complex hardware.

[0015] CN201885358U in the name of Hefei Swan Refrigeration Technology Co Ltd discloses an air-conditioning device with condensate water reuse. A drain outlet of a water tank is connected with an inlet of a water pump by the aid of a pipeline. A water outlet of the water pump is connected with a spray pipe. A row of spray holes is arranged on the spray pipe; and the spray pipe penetrating through air cooling condenser fins is mounted at the top of a condenser. The condensate water reuse device not only can drain accumulated condensed water, but also can sufficiently use the condensed water for reducing the surface temperatures of heat exchanger fins and heat exchange pipes. However, this approach collects the condensate externally and needs a condensate distribution apparatus. This requires a degree of hardware complexity, and a lower efficiency by virtue of having additional pump requirements.

[0016] CN206683199U discloses auxiliary air-conditioning equipment having condensate water recovery with an air conditioner including a condenser, an air filtration casing, a condensation water collection disk, a drainpipe, an ultraviolet sterilization device, a water-supply-pipe, a water pump, an atomising head and a tap. The condenser is arranged on the inside of an air filtration casing. A condenser is enclosed inside by the air filtration casing. The air filtration casing is cube shaped where a side is provided with a high-efficiency air filtering net. A condensation water collection disk is arranged immediately below the condenser and air filtration casing. One end of the drainpipe is arranged on the side of the condensation water collection disk. The device is provided with a high efficiency particle air filter, condenser and collection tray. Passage through the multistage filtering to air and condensed water realize the recovery of clean condensed water. The pipeline is provided internally with an antibacterial layer where the growth of microorganisms can effectively be suppressed. Provided with a small pump and atomizer, recycle-water can be used for air wetting and other purposes. This approach utilises external collection of the condensate. It needs comprehensive condensate collection and distribution as well as a multi stage filtering mechanism. This results also in hardware complexity and lower efficiency by virtue of having the additional pump.

[0017] CN201104000Y discloses a device which improves the refrigeration effect of an air conditioner by means of condensed water. The device comprises an indoor unit evaporator and an outdoor unit condenser, wherein the lower part of the evaporator is provided with a water collector which is connected with a water outlet pipe; the upper end of the backside of the condenser has a cooling fin which is provided with a water diversion device. The water outlet pipe is communicated with the water diversion device. The device evaporates condensed water by means of the temperature differential of the cooling fin; meanwhile, a fan arranged in front of the cooling fin can draw the condensed water to ensure that the condensed water comes into contact with a large surface area of the cooling fin. Moreover, the temperature of the cooling fin is reduced during evaporation of the condensed water, thereby improving the refrigeration effect of the air conditioner. This approach collects the condensate externally and needs a condensate distribution apparatus, which leads to hardware complexity.

[0018] CN202281361 U discloses a condensed water atomizer for an air conditioner that takes advantage of the air conditioner’s condensed water. The lower end of a filtering device is connected to the lower left end of an atomizing pump through a pipeline. A spray nozzle is connected to the lower right end of the atomizing pump through a pipeline. The left end of a controller is connected with the atomizing pump through an electric cable and the right end is connected with a compressor power line. The water atomizer takes advantage of air conditioner condensed water that is automatically sprayed onto a heat radiator. The process of moisture evaporation takes away a large amount of heat, causing a considerable decrease in condensing temperature and substantially improving the refrigerating effect. The water atomizer also automatically removes dust that is attached on radiator fins, therefore, achieving an improved heat radiating effect. Again, this approach utilises an external collection of the condensate and needs a condensate distribution apparatus resulting in hardware complexity and lower efficiency by virtue of having additional pump requirements.

[0019] Studies have indicated that it would be desirable to use condensate water as an intermittent additional cooling medium on split air conditioning condensers ¹ and to utilise a flash gas bypass technique on mobile air conditioning systems with a microchannel evaporator ²³ . Another study has conducted research into methods of cooling occupants without necessarily cooling air, which normally leads to unwanted condensation ⁴ .

[0020] There is also the problem of typical built environments, for example, residences and office buildings, having disparate heat exchange systems, for instance, HVAC systems and hot/cold water systems coexisting in the one building. These usually do not interact or connect with each other and have their own inefficiencies. In this respect, fresh tap water may be used for evaporative cooling but this results in high water usage and is not effective in humid ambient conditions due to its reliance on evaporation.

[0021] US 2011/0017678 (Anderson et al.) discloses a system that includes capturing water from rain, HVAC condensate and refrigeration blowdown/bleed blowdown that is recycled and reutilized in integrated mechanical processes. Water is monitored for volume, flow rate, and contaminants; and automatically cleaned through filtration and/or chemical and/or biological treatment techniques to meet acceptable health and safety standards for engineered end uses. The process components are integrated into an engineered system that includes: 1 ) water collection from air conditioning and refrigeration units and rain water; 2) custom design, engineering and implementation of a real time and/or scheduled water monitoring for water volume and water quality; 3) custom design,

¹ I N Ardita and I WA Subagia 2018 J. Phys : Conf. Ser. 953 012059: “The application of condensate water as an additional cooling media intermittently in condenser of a split air conditioning”

² Too, H., Bielskus, A., and Hrnjak, P., "Effect of Flash Gas Bypass on the Performance of R134a Mobile Air- Conditioning System with Microchannel Evaporator," SAE Int. J. Mater. Manuf. 4(1 ) :231 -239, 2011 , https://doi.Org/10.4271 /2011 -01 -0139

³ Tuo, Hanfei and Hrnjak, Predrag S., "Flash Gas Bypass Method for Improving Performance of an A/C System With a Microchannel Evaporator" (2012). International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference. Paper 1322, http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/iracc/1322

⁴ Teitelbaum et al., PNAS September 1 , 2020 1 17 (35) 21162-21169; first published August 18, 2020; https://doi.org/10 1073/pnas.2001678117; “Membrane-assisted radiant cooling for expanding thermal comfort zones globally without air conditioning’’ engineering and implementation of a real time and/or scheduled water treatment system to ensure water quality standards are met with respect to the end use of the recovered water; and, 4) utilization of the recovered water by an engineered water distribution system. Again, this utilises external collection of the condensate and needs a condensate collection and distribution. It also requires a comprehensive filtering and treatment mechanism. This all leads to hardware complexity and lower efficiency by virtue of having additional pump requirements.

[0022] Furthermore, it is also appreciated that there are inefficiencies associated with computer cooling systems. In particular, computing systems devoted to cryptocurrency mining expel large amounts of heat due to their power intensive operation. This is usually released into the environment as waste heat. However, there have been systems developed to make use of this ‘crypto heat’, for example, in agriculture, winery, spa heating, water boiling. These systems use heat collected from crypto mining as standalone applications, but lack useful integration with other household or building systems such as, for example, hot water units and conventional HVAC systems.

[0023] A rudimentary example of converting the heat by-product of cryptocurrency mining into space heating is disclosed in an online newsletter article to Smith ⁵ . Smith’s approach uses direct warm air generated from the crypto miner placed inside the house for its heating. Notably, the heat transfer may be limited due to the lower energy density of air. Furthermore, there are instances when heat is not required to condition habitable spaces, but it is still necessary to cool the crypto miner or a computing system in general. Smith’s approach cannot address this limitation. Furthermore, this approach will add cost in cooling the house due to the extra heat load from the crypto miner or computing system.

[0024] Further examples of prior art systems are discussed in the following paragraphs.

[0025] JP 2006336999A (Toyo Seisakusho KK) discloses a heat pump air conditioner and is directed to the problem of reducing operating power by lowering exhaust temperature by means of condensed water during cooling operation, and lowering condensation temperature. The air conditioner of JP 2006336999A has a supply air passage extending from a fresh air opening to an air supply opening and a return air passage extending from a return air opening to an exhaust opening. As disclosed, the

⁵ Thomas Smith, Medium.com, December 16, 2019 https://medium.com/swlh/heating-my-home-with-crypto-mining- 137d2a29b62a “Heating My Home with Crypto Mining” heat pump type air conditioner alternately carries out cooling and heating operations for a room to be air-conditioned, by causing refrigerant from a compressor to circulate through a supply side heat exchanger provided in the air supply passage and a return side heat exchanger provided in the return air passage, from the return side heat exchanger to the supply side heat exchanger, or in the reverse order. The air conditioner includes a drain pan provided under the supply side heat exchanger, a water supply means for supplying water around the return side heat exchanger, and a water feed means for feeding drain water collected in the drain pan to the water supply means. However, this system is a packaged system, which does not suffer the same drawbacks as split system HVAC systems.

[0026] CN 105605712A (Chen Yun) discloses refrigeration equipment and heat pumps, in particular, a “self-driven low-level-energy” heat pump with automatic condensate recovery. As disclosed in the abstract of CN 105605712A, the air conditioning system comprises a heat pump air conditioning system, a low-level-energy liquid system and a control system. The heat pump air conditioning system comprises a finned tube exchanger, a compressor, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger and a capillary in sequentially loop connection, and a low-level-energy liquid drive pump and a check valve are arranged between a tube pass of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger and a water supply pipeline. A four-way reversing valve is arranged between two ends of the compressor, and a fan is arranged on the lateral side of the finned tube exchanger along with a condensate collection tray and a condensate collection groove. The condensate collection groove is connectedly provided with a condensate delivery pump and a check valve through a condensate delivery pipeline. Operating efficiency uniformity in full-load operation and arbitrary low-load operation of the system is realized, the defect of failure in operation due to the fact that the lowest operation load of the system is higher than an actually demanded load is eliminated, and full-load operation and low-load operation are balanced. However, as with other prior systems, CN 105605712A requires pumping.

[0027] JP H0953841A (Sanyo Electric Co) discloses heat pump cooling/heating equipment. The disclosure is directed to obtaining a supply of hot water sufficiently without lowering the efficiency of a heat pump. As disclosed at paragraph [0009] of JP H0953841 A to attain this a solution is provided that comprises a system which has a hot gas engine which is operated by heat or power from the outside, and a heat source for absorbing heat of this hot gas engine. The system also includes a heat source for heat radiation of the hot gas engine, an outdoor heat exchanger provided in an outdoor unit, and an indoor heat exchanger provided in an indoor unit in a heat pump type cooling and heating device, in which a heat source for radiation is provided. A hot water supply heat exchanger is connected to the connected heat transfer circuit, and a hot water supply circuit for heating and supplying hot water through external supply water or circulating water is connected to this hot water supply heat exchanger, and a hot water circulation circuit is connected to this hot water supply circuit. The system is characterized in that a hot water storage tank is connected to the hot water circulation circuit.

[0028] US 2015/0159914A1 (Dennis assigned to Endless Solar Corporation Ltd) discloses a solar energy system which comprises a solar collector for providing energy generated from incident solar radiation. The system comprises a first heat exchange system comprising an ejector that is arranged to operate using at least a portion of the energy provided by the solar energy collector. Further, the system comprises a second heat exchange system arranged to operate using energy from an energy source other than a source of solar source. The solar energy system is arranged for direct or indirect transfer of thermal energy between the first heat exchange system and a region and between the second heat exchange system and the region. Further, the solar energy system is arranged for direct or indirect transfer of thermal energy from the second heat exchange system for use by at least one of: the first heat exchange system and a system for heating water. Again, this system is directed at integrating a HVAC system with a building’s hot water supply system.

[0029] US 2011/0259025A1 (Noh et al.) discloses a heat pump type speed heating apparatus in which apparatus is provided that may include a cooling cycle circuit (including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion apparatus, and an indoor heat exchanger), a hot water supply heat exchanger connected to the cooling cycle circuit through a hot water supply flow path for a refrigerant from the compressor to condense, expand, and evaporate in the cooling cycle circuit after being used for a hot water supply, a refrigerant controller to control a flow direction of the refrigerant from the compressor such that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the hot water supply heat exchanger or bypasses the hot water supply heat exchanger, and a heat exchanger bypass flow path to guide the refrigerant that has passed the hot water heat exchanger between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger to bypass either of the outdoor heat exchanger or the indoor heat exchanger. Again, this system is directed at integrating a HVAC system with a building’s hot water supply system.

[0030] The preceding discussion of background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0031] It is an object of the embodiments described herein to overcome or alleviate at least one of the above noted drawbacks of related art systems.

[0032] In general, the present invention provides a heat exchange system having an external heat exchanger operatively connected to an internal heat exchanger by a heat exchange fluid circuit, the heat exchange system comprising a low-pressure vacuum means introduced into the heat exchange fluid circuit to draw condensate from the internal heat exchanger toward the external heat exchanger.

[0033] Optionally, in a preferred embodiment, the low-pressure vacuum means is integral with a fluid circuit returning fluid to the external heat exchanger that is separate from the heat exchange fluid circuit.

[0034] Optionally, in another embodiment, the low-pressure vacuum means is integral with the heat exchange fluid circuit such that the condensate drawn from the internal heat exchanger forms part of a cooling loop for the external heat exchanger.

[0035] Preferably, the low-pressure vacuum means comprises a Venturi valve.

[0036] Embodiments of the invention may utilise a flexible line or conduit adapted for operative connection to the internal heat exchanger for conveying the vacuum drawn condensate.

[0037] Preferably, the internal heat exchanger comprises a fan coil. Furthermore, the vacuum drawn condensate may be applied to the external heat exchanger to assist evaporative cooling. In certain embodiments, the vacuum drawn condensate may be applied to the external heat exchanger by an atomiser. [0038] In alternative embodiments, a cooling loop for the external heat exchanger is a closed loop and the heat exchange system further comprises an expansion tank for collecting fluid for grey water use.

[0039] In preferred embodiments, the heat exchange system comprises a hydronic cooling system. The heat exchange system may comprise a HVAC system.

[0040] Furthermore, generally, the present invention provides a method of re-using condensate from a heat exchange system comprising one or a combination of the steps of: utilising a Venturi effect generated by water running through a cooling loop of the heat exchange system to integrate filtered condensate into the water of the cooling loop; utilising a Venturi effect generated by cooling fans on a heat pump of the heat exchange system to draw out condensate from an internal fan coil unit and transport the condensate through a dedicated condensate disposal line to an atomiser disposed at the cooling fans of the heat pump.

[0041] Generally, the present invention also provides an integrated HVAC system and building water supply system having modes of heat exchange circuit operation that utilises media of the respective systems to complement each respective system.

[0042] Generally, the present invention also provides an integrated HVAC system, building water supply system and computer data mining system comprising: an air-source heat pump with hydronic cooling and heating capability; a controlled fresh cold-water injection; an air-cooled computer data mining cooling loop interfacing the air-source heat pump via a water-to-water heat exchanger.

[0043] Generally, the present invention also provides a method of integrating a building heat exchange system with a water supply system comprising the steps of: selectively directing a cold-water supply via a controlled valve arrangement towards one or a combination of a heat pump inlet or an outlet branch of the building heat exchange system. An exemplary controlled valve arrangement may include 3-way valves or, alternatively, these can be exchanged for two 2-way valves.

[0044] Generally, the present invention also provides a method of heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and/or cooling a building by integrating a building heat exchange system with a water supply system and a data processor cooling system, the method comprising the steps of: using cold water from mains to cool the house when cold-water is in use; using a heat pump of the building heat exchange system to cool the house when there is no cold-water usage; using the heat from a heat exchanger of a data processing system to heat the building and at least a part of the building water supply; using ambient air to cool the data processing system when there is no heating demand.

[0045] Preferably, the invention utilises a data processing system that comprises, for example, a crypto miner. In this respect, any digital data processing apparatus that generates appreciable heat may be exploited for the purposes described herein.

[0046] The present invention also provides apparatus adapted to integrate the operation of a building heat exchange system with a water supply system, said apparatus including: processor means adapted to operate in accordance with a predetermined instruction set, said apparatus, in conjunction with said instruction set, being adapted to perform method steps as disclosed herein.

[0047] The present invention also provides apparatus adapted to integrate the operation of a building heat exchange system with a water supply system and a data processor cooling system, said apparatus including: processor means adapted to operate in accordance with a predetermined instruction set, said apparatus, in conjunction with said instruction set, being adapted to perform method steps as disclosed herein. [0048] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer program product including: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code and computer readable system code embodied on said medium adapted for operation within a first data processing system and operable to integrate the operation of a building heat exchange system with one or a combination of a water supply system and either the first or a second data processing system, said computer program product including: computer readable code within said computer usable medium for performing the method steps as disclosed herein. Preferably, either one or both of the first and second data processing systems in a crypto miner.

[0049] Embodiments of the present invention provide for an integration of heat harvesting from crypto mining into a house HVAC system reducing house / water heating and miner cooling costs.

[0050] In this respect, embodiments of the present invention may provide for the heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and cooling of a building by integrating a building heat exchange system with a water supply system and a data processor heat exchanger, by way of: regulating the operation of a compressor of the building heat exchange system when the temperature of the water of the water supply system is lower than ambient temperature for the water circulating in the integrated system to cool living spaces wherein the water flows as a result of usage of the water supply system; operating the heat exchange system to cool the water of the water supply system when the temperature of the water of the water supply system is higher than ambient temperature; utilising the heat generated by data processor heat exchanger to heat the building and at least a part of the building water supply by the operation of the building heat exchange system; and, using ambient air to cool the data processing system when there is no heating demand. [0051] Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention allows a user to both heat habitable space and heat water stored in a domestic hot water system (DHW). This may be achieved by utilising a control system that operates a valve arrangement which allows coolant to flow to either to the DHW or a fan coil unit (FCU). The control system can modulate coolant flow via use of the valve arrangement so that both DHW and FCU can receive heated coolant in their respective heat exchangers.

[0052] These embodiments utilise control strategies to stop a compressor working and exploit the lower-than-ambient temperature of fresh tap water in order to cool habitable spaces. The fresh water will circulate throughout the cooling circuit either due to the flow introduced through domestic water usage such as when the garden is being watered. Alternatively, the fresh water may exchange heat with the coolant via the use of a plate type heat exchanger through domestic water usage such as when the garden is being watered. When fresh water is not being used as described above, the heat pump of the building heat exchange system is used to chill the water circulating in the coolant circuit through the habitable space. The heat loss of a data processing system is also exploited to heat the building and at least a part of the building water supply via the use of a heat exchange system. Furthermore, use is made of ambient air to cool the data processing system when there is no heating demand.

[0053] Other aspects and preferred forms are disclosed in the specification and/or defined in the appended claims, forming a part of the description of the invention.

[0054] In essence, embodiments of the present invention stem from the realization that, in contrast to prior art attempts, in heat exchange systems it can be more efficient to utilise hitherto unused heat sources and fluid media associated with domestic residential and/or commercial buildings, such as for example, fresh water for cooling a habitable space and utilise heat rejected from otherwise unused heat sources such as crypto mining/computing equipment to heat water for the purposes of domestic usage and to heat habitable spaces. The key benefit of this realisation is a significant reduction in heat pump run time, thus providing significant energy savings.

[0055] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may find use in any one or more of air source hydronic heat pump split systems, heat pump and air conditioning systems that produce condensate, house or building heating and cooling systems in which domestic water supply may be accessible and, house or building heating and cooling systems in which domestic water supply may be accessible together with accessible heat producing data processing systems associated with computing and/or computer data network systems and apparatus. Advantages of embodiments including those stemming from the aforementioned uses follows.

[0056] Advantages provided by the present invention comprise the following:

• Condensate that is usually discharged to drainage may be recycled;

• The need to run a condensation pipe/tube from internal heat exchangers to either an external or internal (e.g., tundish) discharge point may be removed;

• May obviate the need to have a pass through for condensate to drain;

• May remove a labour-intensive step of HVAC installation;

• May eliminate the risk of having a leaking drain pipe;

• Allows for unique placement of internal heat exchanger unit;

• The removal of the condensation is completed using a small flexible tube and can be run in any orientation;

• Combined efficiency improvement in both HVAC and hot water systems;

• Combined efficiency improvement in each of HVAC, hot water and computer cooling systems;

• The key advantage in our invention is that the heat being harvested through a watercooling method is more efficient and quieter with the rig being placed outside the house and integrated into the house HVAC system.

• Improves house aesthetics by obviating need for external drain pipe

• Less likely to need structural changes to the building for the purpose of condensate disposal.

• Supplying cool, fresh, tap water to a fan coil unit of a heat pump system minimises or eliminates the need for heat pump intervention to chill water.

• Heat rejected to water by internal fan coils of a heat pump system can be utilised by the heat pump to significantly increase the efficiency of the process of heating water.

• Less work is done by the heat pump and thus less energy consumption.

[0057] Further scope of applicability of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the disclosure herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Further disclosure, objects, advantages and aspects of preferred and other embodiments of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the relevant art by reference to the following description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings comprising Figures 1 to 17, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the disclosure herein, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG 1 a shows a functional open expansion tank as utilised in the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an expanded view of the insert ‘A’ of FIG. 1 that illustrates a sectional portion of a fluid return circuit in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG 3a shows an exemplary atomising mesh outlet as utilised in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a first house and water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a second house heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; FIG. 6 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a third house cooling and water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a fourth house cooling mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a fifth water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a sixth mode for house cooling only and with cold water supply usage in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a seventh mode for house cooling, water supply heating and cold-water usage in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1 1 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a first house and water supply heating mode in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a second house heating mode in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a third house cooling and water supply heating mode in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a fourth house cooling mode in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a fifth water supply heating mode in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention; FIG. 16 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a sixth mode for house cooling with cold water supply usage in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a seventh mode for house cooling, water supply heating and cold-water usage in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 18 is a table describing mode settings of a heat pump system operating as illustrated in the schematic diagrams of FIG.’s 19 to 25 which include alternate states of operational modes 1 to 7 illustrated in FIG.’s 4 to 10 and further operational modes 8, 9 and 10 illustrated in FIG.’s 26, 27 and 28;

FIG. 19 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a first house and water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 20 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a second house heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 21 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a third house cooling and water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 22 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a fourth house cooling mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 23 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a fifth water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 8; FIG. 24 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a sixth mode for house cooling only and with cold water supply usage in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 25 is a schematic system diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a seventh mode for house cooling, water supply heating and cold-water usage in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 26 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in an eighth mode for house heating in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a ninth mode for house cooling in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary heat pump system operating in a tenth mode for house heating and water heating in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] With reference to FIG.’s 1 and 2, in a first embodiment, the present invention provides a means for recycling condensate that is usually discharged to drainage. In this respect, and by way of example, a flexible plastic tube 1 is connected to the existing drain plug of an internal heat exchanger 2 and is joined to the main water circulation circuit 100. Referring to FIG. 1 a hard plastic gravity condensation drain from the internal heat exchanger unit 2 is replaced with a flexible condensation tube 1 , where the internal heat exchanger 2 as illustrated (or its equivalent being a fan coil unit) in the accompanying drawings. The flexible condensate drain tube 1 stems from each fan coil 2 connected to the drain tray 3 via a drain plug. The flexible condensation tube 1 connects the fan coil 2 of FIG. 1 to a Venturi valve A, which in turn allows the discharge of condensate 6 into the heat pump return line 7. In this embodiment, it is necessary to include an expansion tank 8 in the system as water is being added (see 12) to a closed loop system. The open expansion tank 8 is connected to the coolant circuit 100 allowing coolant volume adjustment and trapped air to escape. This is illustrated in FIG 1 a. The contents of the

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU expansion tank 8 can then be utilised for applications suitable for grey water 9 such as, for example, garden use. As shown in more detail in FIG. 2, this embodiment employs a Venturi valve arrangement A as shown, which characteristically employs a mechanism to restrict the flow of fluid, thus increasing its velocity and in turn creating a partial vacuum to draw the condensate 6 into the coolant return flow 7. The partial vacuum so produced is exploited to draw condensate 6 away from the internal heat exchanger 2, i.e., fan coil.

[0060] In this embodiment, when in heat mode, the external heat pump 1 1 produces condensation rather than the internal heat exchanger or fan coil 2. In this instance, condensation produced by the heat pump 11 in heating mode is simply drained to an external location, as per approved or regulated conventional heat pump condensation management methodologies. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the overall system is not utilised for any water heating other than for the purpose of air conditioning habitable spaces as condensate must not enter the dwelling’s water supply.

[0061 ] It is also envisaged that a condensate tube 1 from each fan coil 2 may be joined into a common flexible condensate drain tube where the common flexible condensate drain tube is subjected to vacuum which draws the condensation from the fan coils 2 to the external heat exchanger 1 1 .

[0062] With reference to FIG 3, a second embodiment provides atomized condensate to the condenser 12a of an external heat exchanger 1 1 to improve the condensing performance of the heat exchanger 11 . The condensate is injected into a dedicated, flexible condensate return circuit 7a separate from the cooling loop through a Venturi valve A at the source of the condensation, namely, the internal heat exchanger 2. It is then sprayed onto the external heat exchanger 11 to improve the heat pump's efficiency. In this respect, the condensate line 7a terminates with an atomizing mesh 13 placed at the external heat exchanger 1 1 air inlet. FIG 3a shows an exemplary atomising mesh outlet 13. The condensation is then sprayed onto the heat exchanger 1 1 as evaporative cooling assistance in cooling mode improving total system performance. Advantageously, this provides for a significant increase in heat pump efficiency and cost savings in eliminating the need to run rigid condensate line from internal heat exchangers 2 to outside the building or to a tundish. There are also cost savings to the end customer as a result of reduced labour cost/complexity and the added flexibility of a system which is not reliant on gravity to dispose of condensate.

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU [0063] A dedicated drain tube routes condensate to a regulation approved external location where the condensate drain tube may be integrated into internal plumbing design.

[0064] Complete elimination of the condensate drain to exterior is possible only on packaged air-conditioning units (window box unit, portable unit) where the evaporator and condenser are within close proximity. This is because it is necessary to drain condensation away from a fan coil unit 2 in cooling mode. Packaged units do not require a separate drain from the fan coil 2 because the fan coil 2 and compressor are integrated in the same package, hence there is no separate fan coil inside the conditioned space. The condensate can be atomized and applied to the condenser improving condensing performance. This method of directing condensate may be applicable to a compact refrigerative cooling system. As noted above, in this case the net physical distance between the two heat exchangers is negligible and all condensate management can be done inside the heat pump.

[0065] With reference to FIG.’s 4 to 10, in a third embodiment, the present invention improves HVAC and hot water system efficiency by additional modes added to a heat pump cycle including cold fresh water injection and the integration of a hot water service. In this respect, the fresh cold tap water of a building supply 14 is injected into an open cooling loop where water is coming in and out of the HVAC system and its coldness in respect of its thermal inertia is used for house cooling first before being used for multiple purposes and dispensed to hot or cold-water usage via control valves 16. This water is used to cool the house while other household hot, warm or cold water is being used, thus minimizing compressor power and hot air rejection to the ambient environment. As shown in FIG. 4 the cold tap water 14 is injected into the coolant return line 7, indicated by the heat pump return line between fan coil outlet and heat pump inlet to compensate for the loss of water from hot water usage.

[0066] The open loop system has a valve arrangement 16 added to change the fresh tap water injection direction that allows its usage during cooling mode as well as hot water heating mode. By way of example of a controlled valve arrangement 16, 3-way valves can be exchanged for 2 x 2-way valves. For example, a 3-way valve allows coolant flow going in either direction, both directions or no flow when fully closed.

[0067] The design is simple in that it has conventional valving control that allows house cooling purely from cold fresh tap water instead of compressor power. System efficiency

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU may be improved by approximately 30%. Under experimental testing initial estimates are as follows:

[0068] In Cooling Mode, and, taking account of average Australian household water consumption:

• An average household (4 persons) would use a 4kW cooling / heating system (or 4 x 1 kW fan coils)

• A 1 kW hydronic fan coil water flow rate ranged from 67-134l/h, or average 1001/h

• With 16 hours running in pure cooling mode, the total volume of water circulated is 16 x 100 = 1 ,6001

• Using 3401 of water for cooling would save 340/1 ,600 = 21% energy

• This is without considering the power saving when cooling a house and heating the prewarmed water (from picking up ambient heat)

• Increased water usage would further increase the power saving

[0069] In Heating Mode, the expected energy saving is greater than 10%. The reason for this energy saving is due to the exchange of heat from the room to the circulating water via the internal heat exchanger 2. It is expected that the water returning to the heat pump 1 1 will increase in temperature from about 17°C to about 22°C. Accordingly, the water to be heated has a higher starting temperature.

[0070] Hot water and HVAC system are combined into one unit. This can be done as follows where a description of each mode of operation of the integrated system is set out.

Mode 1 - House and Water Heating

[0071 ] FIG. 4 shows a conventional heat pump 11 functioning in a heating mode and will have the following operational settings.

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU Mode 2 - House Heating

[0072] FIG. 5 shows a conventional heat pump 11 functioning in a heating mode and will have the following operational settings.

Mode 3 - House Cooling and Water Heating

[0073] FIG. 6 shows the heat pump 11 again functioning in a heating mode with the following operational settings.

[0074] As depicted in FIG. 6 the house is being naturally cooled by cold water. As such the water exiting the fan coils 2 is pre-warmed and then heated by the heat pump 11 with a significant reduction in compressor power consumption. The heat pump 11 runs in heating mode not rejecting hot air to the ambient. This mode is a very common mode and would give a substantial energy saving to customers due to:

1 . Occurrence in mild and warm ambient

2. High heating efficiency. Minimum compressor power needed

3. No compressor power required for house cooling except some pump power

4. Minimum heat rejection to the ambient

Mode 4 - Housing cooling only

[0075] FIG. 7 shows the heat pump 11 operating in a cooling mode. While operating in this cooling mode, the heat pump 11 will change to the house cooling and water heating operations of Mode 3 (as described above) when only hot water is used. If only cold water is used, then the heat pump will change to the house cooling operation of Mode 6, described below. If both hot and cold water is used, then the heat pump will change to the house cooling, water heating and cold-water usage operations of Mode 7, described below. In either Mode 3, 6 or 7, fresh cold water 14 is used for cooling the house instead of heat pump power, which provides the energy saving.

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU Mode 5 - Water heating only

[0076] FIG. 8 shows the heat pump 11 operating in a heating mode with the following operational settings.

Mode 6 - House cooling only with Cold Water Usage

[0077] FIG. 9 shows the heat pump 11 operating in a cooling mode in which the only power consumption is fan power within the fan coils 2. No compressor power is needed for cooling in this mode. As such, it features:

1 . House cooling water outlet is used for cold water usage

2. Minimum power consumption

Mode 7 - House Cooling, Water Heating and Cold-Water usage

[0078] FIG. 10 shows the heat pump 11 operating in a heating mode with the following operational settings.

[0079] The benefits are similar to Mode 5 (with the only difference being that both hot and cold-water usage are active), the house is being naturally cooled by cold water. The water exiting the fan coils 2 is pre-warmed and then heated by the heat pump 11 with much less needed compressor power. The heat pump 11 is running in heating mode not rejecting hot air to the ambient. This mode is a very common mode and would give a substantial energy saving to the customers due to:

1 . Occurrence in mild and warm ambient

2. High heating efficiency. Minimum compressor power needed

3. No compressor power required for house cooling except some pump power

4. Not rejecting heat to the ambient

[0080] With reference to FIG.’s 11 to 17, in a fourth embodiment, the present invention provides further efficiency improvements with a combination of HVAC and hot water systems with the cooling system 17 of a computer data network system 18. The specific example

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU described here is a crypto mining data processing system 18. Additional modes are added to a heat pump cycle including cold fresh water injection and integration of hot water service. To complement this cycle, heat rejection from the crypto mining system 18 is used for house and water heating. This is achieved by not running the heat pump 1 1 in heating mode and the heat harvested from crypto mining is used for heating instead via the use of a heat exchanger 19. The fresh cold tap water 14 is injected into an open cooling loop via control valves 16. This water is used to cool the house while other household hot, warm or cold water is being used, thus minimizing compressor power and hot air rejection to the ambient environment. Heat rejection from crypto mining is used for house and water heating by utilising the rejected crypto miner heat, we vastly reduce the need to run the heat pump, thus significantly reducing energy consumption.

[0081 ] An add-on crypto mining cooling circuit is provided to an open loop system with 3-way valves 16 and water pump 20 to change the fresh tap water injection direction that allows its usage during cooling mode as well as hot water & house heating mode by the heat harvested from crypto mining. Using the illustration of FIG. 1 1 as an example, this is achieved in the following manner. The heat pump coolant outlet is connected to a water- to-water type heat exchanger 19 that allows heat harvested from crypto mining to be used for heating purposes.

[0082] One key benefit arising from the design of the invention is the ability to utilise simple, off the shelf valve controls that allow the use of fresh, cold tap water to cool habitable spaces. A key benefit of this strategy is the significant reduction of compressor runtime, thus increasing energy efficiency. Another key benefit of this invention is the ability to utilise rejected heat from a connected crypto miner system 18, where, via valve control strategies, the invention will significantly reduce the required compressor runtime for water and space heating applications. Projected system efficiency indicates an energy efficiency improvement of approximately 50% over heat pump implementations currently on the market.

[0083] Hot water, crypto mining and HVAC system are combined into one unit by way of simple design with conventional valving control that allows house cooling purely from cold fresh tap water instead of compressor power, house & water heating from crypto mining heat instead of heat pump function. System efficiency improves by at least 50%.

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU Hot water, crypto mining and HVAC system are combined into one integrated system with crypto mining circuit being a plug-in loop allowing an upgradability to existing heat pump.

[0084] Building water supply, HVAC systems and a crypto mining cooling system are integrated for operation and this can be done as follows where a description of each mode of operation of the integrated system is set out.

Mode 1 - House and Water Heating

[0085] FIG. 1 1 shows a conventional heat pump 11 turned off except water pumps 20 are running and the following operational settings are in place.

Mode 2 - House Heating

[0086] FIG. 12 shows a conventional heat pump 11 turned off except water pumps 20 are running with the following operational settings in place.

Mode 3 - House Cooling and Water Heating

[0087] FIG. 13 shows the heat pump again 1 1 turned off except for water pumps 20 are running with the following operational settings in place.

Mode 4 - Housing cooling only

[0088] FIG. 14 shows the heat pump 1 1 operating in a cooling mode. While operating in this cooling mode, a bitcoin crypto data miner 18 is air cooled 17. Since the heat generated from crypto mining could not be used for heating purposes, it needs to be dissipated by its own radiator and fan 17 as a conventional standalone crypto mining rig or system. The heat

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU exchange system will change to the house cooling and water heating operations of Mode 3 shown in FIG. 13 when only hot water is used. If only cold water is used, then the heat exchange system will change to the house cooling operation of Mode 6 as shown in FIG. 16 and described below. If both hot and cold water is used, then the heat exchange system will change to the house cooling, water heating and cold-water usage operations of Mode 7 as shown in FIG. 17 and described with the below operational settings.

Mode 5 - Water heating only

[0089] FIG. 15 shows the heat pump 11 again turned off except for water pumps 20 are running with the following operational settings in place.

Mode 6 - House Cooling only with Cold Water Usage

[0090] FIG. 16 shows the heat pump 1 1 turned off with the bitcoin crypto data miner 18 being air cooled 17 with the following operational settings in place.

Mode 7 - House Cooling, Water Heating and Cold Water usage

[0091 ] FIG. 17 shows the heat pump 1 1 again turned off. In this mode, no compressor power is required for house cooling except some pump power. The only electrical power consumption from the thermal system is from the water pump 20 within the crypto mining cooling loop. The cooling circuit of the crypto miner does not reject heat to ambient. The following operational settings are in place for this mode of operation.

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU [0092] Mode settings for alternative states of the operating modes 1 to 7 shown in the schematic diagrams of FIG.’s 19 to 25 are set out in the table of FIG. 18.

[0093] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 19, a heat pump system operates in a first house and water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 19 a conventional heat pump 1 1 functions in a heating mode for house and water heating utilising a buffer tank 21 as follows. In this mode, the heat pump 1 1 heats the coolant which is allowed to flow to both the DHW 22 and FCU heat exchangers 2. This is realised by means of modulating coolant flow via the use of the valving arrangement 16 to facilitate coolant flow in both circuits. As shown, its operation is as follows:

Mode 1 House and Water Heating (with buffer)

[0094] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 20 a heat pump system operates in a second house heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 20 a conventional heat pump 1 1 functions in a heating mode for house space heating only utilising a buffer tank 21 as follows. In this mode, the heated coolant is allowed to flow only to the heat exchangers within the FCUs 2. As shown, its operation is as follows:

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU Mode 2 House Heating only (with buffer)

[0095] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 21 a heat pump system operates in a third house cooling and water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 21 the heat pump 11 operates to cool a house and heat water utilising a buffer tank 21 as follows. In this mode, the heat pump work is directed in the form of heated coolant to the heat exchanger within the DHW 22. The buffer 21 is not connected to the heat pump 1 1 by means of use of valving arrangements 16 as shown by valve 1 and valve 7, for instance. The chilled water within the heat pump 1 1 is circulated to the FCUs 2. Heat rejected from the FCUs’ heat exchangers 2 slowly warms the buffer 21 . A control system monitors the temperature of the buffer fluid to ensure selected temperature on demand is maintained in the habitable space. In this respect, the control system comprises the arrangement of valves 16, their associated switches and computing equipment containing the necessary logic which allows the system to function intelligently. Once the temperature of the habitable space reaches a predefined value, heat pump work is managed or regulated between the DWH and FCU/FCU’s to ensure demands are met. This mode of operation is suitable in mild and warm ambient conditions. It has a high heating efficiency and requires minimal power for the compressor. No

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU compressor power is required for house cooling but some power is required for the pump.

There is a minimum of heat rejected to ambient. As shown, its operation is as follows:

Mode 3 House Cooling and Water Heating (with buffer)

0096] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 22 a heat pump system operates in a fourth house cooling mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 22 the heat pump 11 operates to house cool, only, utilising a buffer tank 21 as follows. In this mode, the heat pump 11 works to chill the coolant which flows to the buffer tank 21. Coolant is circulated from the buffer 21 to the heat exchangers 2 in FCUs to cool the habitable space. In this mode, the heat pump system functions in cooling mode and it can change modes as follows; to mode 3 upon only hot water being used; to mode 6 if only cold water is used, and; to mode 7 if both hot and cold water is used. As shown, its operation is as follows:

Mode 4 House Cooling Only (with buffer)

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA/AU [0097] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 23 a heat pump system operates in a fifth water supply heating mode in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 23 the heat pump 11 operates in a heating mode to heat domestic hot water 22 supply as follows. In this mode the heat pump 1 1 works to heat the coolant which is directed to the DHW 22. Valves 16 are arranged in a manner so as to ensure coolant can only flow to the DHW heat exchanger 22. In this respect, as shown, valve 7 is open and pump 2 is in operation. As shown, its operation is as follows:

Mode 5 Domestic Hot Water Heating Only

[0098] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 24 a heat pump system operates in a sixth mode for house cooling only and with cold water supply usage in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 24 the heat exchange circuit operates as follows. The house cooling water outlet 14 is used for cold water usage and minimum power consumption is required. In this mode, the geothermal heat found in mains water is exploited to eliminate the need for work from the heat pump 11 in order to cool habitable space. Pump 1 works to circulate coolant within the FCU coolant circuit which then exchanges heat with the mains water 14 via a plate type heat exchanger 23. The valves are arranged such that all other coolant flow circuits may be closed off. As shown, for this mode, valve 3 is open and pump one is operating to ensure the coolant in the FCU circuit remains flowing. Exploiting a plate type heat exchanger 23 allows the treated coolant and mains water to remain separate thus ensuring the potability of mains water supply to the dwelling. As shown, its operation is as follows:

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU Mode 6 House Cooling by Cold Water Usage

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA/AU [0099] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 25 a heat pump system operates in a seventh mode for house cooling, water supply heating and cold-water usage in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention which is an alternative to that shown in FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 25 the heat exchange circuit operates as follows. In this mode, the geothermal heat found in mains water is exploited to eliminate the need for work from the heat pump 1 1 in order to cool habitable space. Pump 1 works to circulate coolant within the FCU coolant circuit which then exchanges heat with the mains water 14 via a plate type heat exchanger 23. Exploiting a plate type heat exchanger 23 allows the treated coolant and mains water to remain separate thus ensuring the potability of mains water supply to the dwelling. Whilst the heat pump 1 1 does not need to work to cool, it is used in this mode to heat coolant that is directed to the heat exchanger in the DHW system 22. This is realised by way of valve arrangement 16. As shown, in this mode, valve 7 is open and pump 2 is in operation. This ensures that heated coolant flows to the heat exchanger in the DHW 22. Valve 6 is closed, ensuring that hot coolant cannot flow to the FCU circuit. Valve 3 is open and pump 1 is in operation to ensure coolant can exchange heat with fresh water in the plate exchanger 23. This mode of operation is suitable in mild and warm ambient conditions. It has a high heating efficiency and requires minimal power for the compressor. No compressor power is required for house cooling but some power is required for the pump. There is a minimum of heat rejected to ambient. As shown, its operation is as follows:

Mode 7 Water Heating & House Cooling by Fresh Water

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU [00100] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 26 a heat pump system operates in an eighth mode for house heating in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 26 the heat exchange circuit operates as follows. In this mode, by way of valve arrangement 16, the buffer 21 is closed off from the FCU circuit so that all the heat generated by the heat pump 1 1 can be directed to the FCU heat exchangers 2. As shown, in this mode, valve 1 , valve 4 and valve 5 are closed to remove the buffer from the coolant circuit. Valve 7 is open to ensure coolant reaches the DHW 22. The fluid in the buffer 21 is allowed to warm up by way of conduction and in the event that the cold ambient is prolonged, the heat pump 11 will need less work to warm the buffer 21 if required. In this embodiment, a conventional heat pump operates in heat mode. Its main usage is applicable in a shoulder season where heating may be required with a chilled buffer being utilised. In this respect, a shoulder season refers to the circumstance where there may be a week of heat requiring the heat pump system to chill a buffer and then follows a cold day where heating is needed. However, in this mode there is no need to utilise a buffer 21 in order to heat habitable space. Operation without need of a buffer 21 means that the system will not waste energy heating

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU an already chilled body of water in the buffer tank 21 for what may be a one-off cold day in an otherwise warm period. As shown, its operation is as follows:

Mode 8 House Heating with No Buffer

[00101 ] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 27 a heat pump system operates in a ninth mode for house cooling in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 27 the heat exchange circuit operates as follows. In this mode, by way of valve arrangement 16, the buffer 21 is closed off from the FCU circuit so that all the heat generated by the heat pump 11 can be directed to the FCU heat exchangers 2 in order to cool habitable space. As shown, in this mode, valve 1 , valve 4 and valve 5 are closed to remove the buffer 21 from the coolant circuit. Valve 7 is also closed to ensure no coolant reaches the DHW 22. The fluid in the buffer 21 is allowed to cool via heat loss and in the event that the warm ambient is prolonged, the heat pump 11 will need less work to chill the buffer 21 if required. In this embodiment, a conventional heat pump 1 1 operates in cooling mode. Its main usage is applicable in a shoulder season where cooling may be required with a warmed buffer being utilised. In this ninth mode of operation the need to utilise a buffer in order to cool habitable space is obviated. The reference to shoulder season in this case refers to a circumstance in which there may be a week of cold weather requiring the system to heat the buffer and then follows a warm day where cooling is needed. Operation without use of a buffer tank means that the system will not waste energy chilling an already heated body of water in the buffer tank 21 for what may be a one-off warm day in an otherwise cold period. As shown, its operation is as follows:

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU Mode 9 House Cooling with No Buffer

[00102] In the schematic diagram of FIG. 28 a heat pump system operates in a tenth mode for house heating and water heating in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 28 the heat exchange circuit operates as follows. In this mode, by way of valve arrangement 16, the buffer 21 is closed off from the FCU circuit so that all the heat generated by the heat pump 1 1 can be directed to the FCU heat exchangers 2. As shown, in this mode, valve 7, valve 6 and valve 2 is open and valve 1 is closed. The fluid in the buffer 21 is allowed to warm up by way of conduction and in the event that the cold ambient is prolonged, the heat pump 1 1 will need less work to warm the buffer 21 if required. In addition, similar to mode 1 above, the heat pump 1 1 heats the coolant which is allowed to flow to both the DHW and FCU heat exchangers 2. This is realised by means of modulating coolant flow via the use of the valving arrangement 16 to facilitate coolant flow in both circuits. In this embodiment, a conventional heat pump 11 operates in cooling mode. Its main usage is applicable in a shoulder season where heating may be required with a chilled buffer being utilised and there is a demand for hot water. In this tenth mode of operation the

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU need to utilise a buffer in order to heat habitable space is obviated. The reference to shoulder season in this case refers to a circumstance in which there may be a week of warm weather requiring the system to chill the buffer 21 and then follows a cool day where heating is needed. Operation without use of a buffer tank 21 means that the system will not waste energy heating an already chilled body of water in the buffer tank 21 for what may be a one-off cold day in an otherwise warm period. In this tenth mode of operation valves 6 and 7 are balanced allowing warm coolant to enter both circuits. As shown, its operation is as follows:

Mode 10 House Heating and Water Heating with No Buffer

[00103] While this invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification(s). This application is intended to cover any variations uses or adaptations of the invention following in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth.

[00104] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit of the essential characteristics of the invention, it should be understood that the above described embodiments are not to limit the present invention unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative only and not restrictive.

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU [00105] Various modifications and equivalent arrangements are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention and appended claims. Therefore, the specific embodiments are to be understood to be illustrative of the many ways in which the principles of the present invention may be practiced. In the following claims, any means- plus-function clauses are intended to cover structures as performing the defined function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. For example, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface to secure wooden parts together, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw are equivalent structures.

The following sections I - VII provide a guide to interpreting the present specification.

I. Terms

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/AU 34

[00106] The term “product” means any machine, manufacture and/or composition of matter, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00107] The term “process” means any process, algorithm, method or the like, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00108] Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise) inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a “step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in the mere recitation of the term ‘process’ or a like term. Accordingly, any reference in a claim to a ‘step’ or ‘steps’ of a process has sufficient antecedent basis.

[00109] The term “invention” and the like mean “the one or more inventions disclosed in this specification”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00110] The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “the embodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “some embodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “another embodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments of the disclosed invention(s)”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00111] The term “variation” of an invention means an embodiment of the invention, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00112] A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does not imply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with another embodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00113] The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00114] The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00115] The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 35

[00116] The term “herein” means “in the present specification, including anything which may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00117] The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality of things (such as an enumerated list of things), means any combination of one or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the phrase “at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel” means either (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car, (v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, a car and a wheel. The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality of things, does not mean “one of each of” the plurality of things.

[00118] Numerical terms such as “one”, “two”, etc. when used as cardinal numbers to indicate quantity of something (e.g., one widget, two widgets), mean the quantity indicated by that numerical term, but do not mean at least the quantity indicated by that numerical term. For example, the phrase “one widget” does not mean “at least one widget”, and therefore the phrase “one widget” does not cover, e.g., two widgets.

[00119] The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describes both “based only on” and “based at least on”. The phrase “based at least on” is equivalent to the phrase “based at least in part on”.

[00120] The term “represent” and like terms are not exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the term “represents” do not mean “represents only”, unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “the data represents a credit card number” describes both “the data represents only a credit card number” and “the data represents a credit card number and the data also represents something else”.

[00121] The term “whereby” is used herein only to precede a clause or other set of words that express only the intended result, objective or consequence of something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when the term “whereby” is used in a claim, the clause or other words that the term “whereby” modifies do not establish specific further limitations of the claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.

[00122] The term “e.g.,” and like terms mean “for example”, and thus does not limit the term or phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “the computer sends data (e.g., instructions, a data structure) over the Internet”, the term “e.g.” explains that “instructions” 36 are an example of “data” that the computer may send over the Internet, and also explains that “a data structure” is an example of “data” that the computer may send over the Internet. However, both “instructions” and “a data structure” are merely examples of “data”, and other things besides “instructions” and “a data structure” can be “data”.

[00123] The term “i.e.” and like terms mean “that is”, and thus limits the term or phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “the computer sends data (i.e., instructions) over the Internet”, the term “i.e.” explains that “instructions” are the “data” that the computer sends over the Internet.

[00124] Any given numerical range shall include whole and fractions of numbers within the range. For example, the range “1 to 10” shall be interpreted to specifically include whole numbers between 1 and 10 (e.g., 2, 3, 4, . . . 9) and non-whole numbers (e.g., 1.1 ,

I .2, . . . 1.9).

II. Determining

[00125] The term “determining” and grammatical variants thereof (e.g., to determine a price, determining a value, determine an object which meets a certain criterion) is used in an extremely broad sense. The term “determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions and therefore “determining” can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database or another data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, “determining” can include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also, “determining” can include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.

[00126] The term “determining” does not imply certainty or absolute precision, and therefore “determining” can include estimating, extrapolating, predicting, guessing and the like.

[00127] The term “determining” does not imply that mathematical processing must be performed, and does not imply that numerical methods must be used, and does not imply that an algorithm or process is used.

[00128] The term “determining” does not imply that any particular device must be used. For example, a computer need not necessarily perform the determining. 37

III. Indication

[00129] The term “indication” is used in an extremely broad sense. The term “indication” may, among other things, encompass a sign, symptom, or token of something else.

[00130] The term “indication” may be used to refer to any indicia and/or other information indicative of or associated with a subject, item, entity, and/or other object and/or idea.

[00131 ] As used herein, the phrases “information indicative of” and “indicia” may be used to refer to any information that represents, describes, and/or is otherwise associated with a related entity, subject, or object.

[00132] Indicia of information may include, for example, a symbol, a code, a reference, a link, a signal, an identifier, and/or any combination thereof and/or any other informative representation associated with the information.

[00133] In some embodiments, indicia of information (or indicative of the information) may be or include the information itself and/or any portion or component of the information. In some embodiments, an indication may include a request, a solicitation, a broadcast, and/or any other form of information gathering and/or dissemination.

IV. Forms of Sentences

[00134] Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as well as more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation such as “at least one widget” covers one widget as well as more than one widget), and where in a second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim uses a definite article “the” to refer to the limitation (e.g., “the widget”), this does not imply that the first claim covers only one of the feature, and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of the feature (e.g., “the widget” can cover both one widget and more than one widget).

[00135] When an ordinal number (such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on) is used as an adjective before a term, that ordinal number is used (unless expressly specified otherwise) merely to indicate a particular feature, such as to distinguish that particular feature from another feature that is described by the same term or by a similar term. For example, a “first widget” may be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a “second widget”. Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term 38

“widget” does not indicate any other relationship between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate any other characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term “widget” (1 ) does not indicate that either widget comes before or after any other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widget occurs or acts before or after any other in time; and (3) does not indicate that either widget ranks above or below any other, as in importance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbers does not define a numerical limit to the features identified with the ordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate that there must be no more than two widgets.

[00136] When a single device or article is described herein, more than one device/article (whether or not they cooperate) may alternatively be used in place of the single device/article that is described. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as being possessed by a device may alternatively be possessed by more than one device/article (whether or not they cooperate).

[00137] Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein (whether or not they cooperate), a single device/article may alternatively be used in place of the more than one device or article that is described. For example, a plurality of computer-based devices may be substituted with a single computer-based device. Accordingly, the various functionality that is described as being possessed by more than one device or article may alternatively be possessed by a single device/article.

[00138] The functionality and/or the features of a single device that is described may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are described but are not explicitly described as having such functionality/features. Thus, other embodiments need not include the described device itself, but rather can include the one or more other devices which would, in those other embodiments, have such functionality/features.

V. Disclosed Examples and Terminology Are Not Limiting

[00139] Neither the Title nor the Abstract in this specification is intended to be taken as limiting in any way as the scope of the disclosed invention(s). The title and headings of sections provided in the specification are for convenience only, and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way. 39

[00140] Numerous embodiments are described in the present application, and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognise that the disclosed invention(s) may be practised with various modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical, software, and electrical modifications. Although particular features of the disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they are described, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[00141] The present disclosure is not a literal description of all embodiments of the invention(s). Also, the present disclosure is not a listing of features of the invention(s) which must be present in all embodiments.

[00142] Devices that are described as in communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit to each other as necessary or desirable, and may actually refrain from exchanging data most of the time. For example, a machine in communication with another machine via the Internet may not transmit data to the other machine for long period of time (e.g. weeks at a time). In addition, devices that are in communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

[00143] A description of an embodiment with several components or features does not imply that all or even any of such components/features are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present invention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no component/feature is essential or required.

[00144] Although process steps, operations, algorithms or the like may be described in a particular sequential order, such processes may be configured to work in different orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be explicitly described does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processes described herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps 40 may be performed simultaneously despite being described or implied as occurring non- simultaneously (e.g., because one step is described after the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by its depiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated process is exclusive of other variations and modifications thereto, does not imply that the illustrated process or any of its steps are necessary to the invention(s), and does not imply that the illustrated process is preferred.

[00145] Although a process may be described as including a plurality of steps, that does not imply that all or any of the steps are preferred, essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the described invention(s) include other processes that omit some or all of the described steps. Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no step is essential or required.

[00146] Although a process may be described singly or without reference to other products or methods, in an embodiment the process may interact with other products or methods. For example, such interaction may include linking one business model to another business model. Such interaction may be provided to enhance the flexibility or desirability of the process.

[00147] Although a product may be described as including a plurality of components, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features, that does not indicate that any or all of the plurality are preferred, essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the described invention(s) include other products that omit some or all of the described plurality.

[00148] An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of the items are comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the enumerated list “a computer, a laptop, a PDA” does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list are mutually exclusive and does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list are comprehensive of any category.

[00149] An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of the items are equivalent to each other or readily substituted for each other. 41

[00150] All embodiments are illustrative, and do not imply that the invention or any embodiments were made or performed, as the case may be.

VI. Computing

[00151] It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the various processes described herein may be implemented by, e.g., appropriately programmed general purpose computers, special purpose computers and computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one or more microprocessors, one or more micro-controllers, one or more digital signal processors) will receive instructions (e.g., from a memory or like device), and execute those instructions, thereby performing one or more processes defined by those instructions.

[00152] A “processor” means one or more microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), computing devices, micro-controllers, digital signal processors, or like devices or any combination thereof.

[00153] Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of an apparatus for performing the process. The apparatus that performs the process can include, e.g., a processor and those input devices and output devices that are appropriate to perform the process.

[00154] Further, programs that implement such methods (as well as other types of data) may be stored and transmitted using a variety of media (e.g., computer readable media) in a number of manners. In some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware may be used in place of, or in combination with, some or all of the software instructions that can implement the processes of various embodiments. Thus, various combinations of hardware and software may be used instead of software only.

[00155] The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium, a plurality of the same, or a combination of different media, that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions, data structures) which may be read by a computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes the main memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire and fibre optics, including the 42 wires that comprise a system bus coupled to the processor. Transmission media may include or convey acoustic waves, light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infra-red (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

[00156] Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying data (e.g. sequences of instructions) to a processor. For example, data may be (i) delivered from RAM to a processor; (ii) carried over a wireless transmission medium; (iii) formatted and/or transmitted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols, such as Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), SAP, ATP, Bluetooth™, and TCP/IP, TDMA, CDMA, and 3G; and/or (iv) encrypted to ensure privacy or prevent fraud in any of a variety of ways well known in the art.

[00157] Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of a computer-readable medium storing a program for performing the process. The computer-readable medium can store (in any appropriate format) those program elements which are appropriate to perform the method.

[00158] Just as the description of various steps in a process does not indicate that all the described steps are required, embodiments of an apparatus include a computer/computing device operable to perform some (but not necessarily all) of the described process.

[00159] Likewise, just as the description of various steps in a process does not indicate that all the described steps are required, embodiments of a computer-readable medium storing a program or data structure include a computer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed, can cause a processor to perform some (but not necessarily all) of the described process.

[00160] Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to those described may be readily employed, 43 and (ii) other memory structures besides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations or descriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrative arrangements for stored representations of information. Any number of other arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g., tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustrated entries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content of the entries can be different from those described herein. Further, despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats (including relational databases, object-based models and/or distributed databases) could be used to store and manipulate the data types described herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviours of a database can be used to implement various processes, such as the described herein. In addition, the databases may, in a known manner, be stored locally or remotely from a device which accesses data in such a database.

[00161] Various embodiments can be configured to work in a network environment including a computer that is in communication (e.g., via a communications network) with one or more devices. The computer may communicate with the devices directly or indirectly, via any wired or wireless medium (e.g. the Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token Ring, a telephone line, a cable line, a radio channel, an optical communications line, commercial on-line service providers, bulletin board systems, a satellite communications link, a combination of any of the above). Each of the devices may themselves comprise computers or other computing devices that are adapted to communicate with the computer. Any number and type of devices may be in communication with the computer.

[00162] In an embodiment, a server computer or centralised authority may not be necessary or desirable. For example, the present invention may, in an embodiment, be practised on one or more devices without a central authority. In such an embodiment, any functions described herein as performed by the server computer or data described as stored on the server computer may instead be performed by or stored on one or more such devices.

[00163] Where a process is described, in an embodiment the process may operate without any user intervention. In another embodiment, the process includes some human intervention (e.g., a step is performed by or with the assistance of a human). 44

[00164] It should be noted that where the terms “server”, “secure server” or similar terms are used herein, a communication device is described that may be used in a communication system, unless the context otherwise requires, and should not be construed to limit the present invention to any particular communication device type. Thus, a communication device may include, without limitation, a bridge, router, bridge-router (router), switch, node, or other communication device, which may or may not be secure.

[00165] It should also be noted that where a flowchart is used herein to demonstrate various aspects of the invention, it should not be construed to limit the present invention to any particular logic flow or logic implementation. The described logic may be partitioned into different logic blocks (e.g., programs, modules, functions, or subroutines) without changing the overall results or otherwise departing from the true scope of the invention. Often, logic elements may be added, modified, omitted, performed in a different order, or implemented using different logic constructs (e.g., logic gates, looping primitives, conditional logic, and other logic constructs) without changing the overall results or otherwise departing from the true scope of the invention.

[00166] Various embodiments of the invention may be embodied in many different forms, including computer program logic for use with a processor (e.g., a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, or general purpose computer and for that matter, any commercial processor may be used to implement the embodiments of the invention either as a single processor, serial or parallel set of processors in the system and, as such, examples of commercial processors include, but are not limited to Merced™, Pentium™, Pentium II™, Xeon™, Celeron™, Pentium Pro™, Efficeon™, Athlon™, AMD™ and the like), programmable logic for use with a programmable logic device (e.g., a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other PLD), discrete components, integrated circuitry (e.g., an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC)), or any other means including any combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, predominantly all of the communication between users and the server is implemented as a set of computer program instructions that is converted into a computer executable form, stored as such in a computer readable medium, and executed by a microprocessor under the control of an operating system.

[00167] Computer program logic implementing all or part of the functionality where described herein may be embodied in various forms, including a source code form, a 45 computer executable form, and various intermediate forms (e.g., forms generated by an assembler, compiler, linker, or locator). Source code may include a series of computer program instructions implemented in any of various programming languages (e.g., an object code, an assembly language, or a high-level language such as Fortran, C, C++, JAVA, or HTML. Moreover, there are hundreds of available computer languages that may be used to implement embodiments of the invention, among the more common being Ada; Algol; APL; awk; Basic; C; C++; Conol; Delphi; Eiffel; Euphoria; Forth; Fortran; HTML; Icon; Java; Javascript; Lisp; Logo; Mathematica; MatLab; Miranda; Modula-2; Oberon; Pascal; Perl; PL/I; Prolog; Python; Rexx; SAS; Scheme; sed; Simula; Smalltalk; Snobol; SQL; Visual Basic; Visual C++; Linux and XML.) for use with various operating systems or operating environments. The source code may define and use various data structures and communication messages. The source code may be in a computer executable form (e.g., via an interpreter), or the source code may be converted (e.g., via a translator, assembler, or compiler) into a computer executable form.

[00168] The computer program may be fixed in any form (e.g., source code form, computer executable form, or an intermediate form) either permanently or transitorily in a tangible storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory device (e.g, a RAM, ROM, PROM, EEPROM, or Flash-Programmable RAM), a magnetic memory device (e.g., a diskette or fixed disk), an optical memory device (e.g., a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM), a PC card (e.g., PCMCIA card), or other memory device. The computer program may be fixed in any form in a signal that is transmittable to a computer using any of various communication technologies, including, but in no way limited to, analog technologies, digital technologies, optical technologies, wireless technologies (e.g., Bluetooth), networking technologies, and inter-networking technologies. The computer program may be distributed in any form as a removable storage medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation (e.g., shrink wrapped software), preloaded with a computer system (e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk), or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over the communication system (e.g., the Internet or World Wide Web).

[00169] Hardware logic (including programmable logic for use with a programmable logic device) implementing all or part of the functionality where described herein may be designed using traditional manual methods, or may be designed, captured, simulated, or documented electronically using various tools, such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), a hardware description language (e.g., VHDL or AHDL), or a PLD programming language 46

(e.g., PALASM, ABEL, or CUPL). Hardware logic may also be incorporated into display screens for implementing embodiments of the invention and which may be segmented display screens, analogue display screens, digital display screens, CRTs, LED screens, Plasma screens, liquid crystal diode screen, and the like.

[00170] Programmable logic may be fixed either permanently or transitorily in a tangible storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory device (e.g., a RAM, ROM, PROM, EEPROM, or Flash-Programmable RAM), a magnetic memory device (e.g., a diskette or fixed disk), an optical memory device (e.g., a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM), or other memory device. The programmable logic may be fixed in a signal that is transmittable to a computer using any of various communication technologies, including, but in no way limited to, analog technologies, digital technologies, optical technologies, wireless technologies (e.g., Bluetooth), networking technologies, and internetworking technologies. The programmable logic may be distributed as a removable storage medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation (e.g., shrink wrapped software), preloaded with a computer system (e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk), or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over the communication system (e.g., the Internet or World Wide Web).

[00171] “Comprises/comprising” and “includes/including” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. Thus, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words ‘comprise’, ‘comprising’, ‘includes’, ‘including’ and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.