HVAC system configuration and zone management
First Claim
1. A method for constructing an HVAC system for a structure having distinct thermal zones, comprising the steps of:
- defining, by a device comprising a processor, the structure;
defining, by the device, an HVAC topology included in the structure;
identifying, by the device, common elements of the HVAC topology associated with a distinct thermal zone;
defining, by the device, a zone group comprising distinct zones sharing a common element;
modifying, by the device, membership of the zone group in response to a determination that a first zone of the zone group no longer shares the common element with a second zone of the zone group; and
determining, by the device, a different common element shared by the first zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for HVAC system design and zone group management are disclosed. A floor plan of a building is received, and an HVAC system configuration is selected from among a set of template HVAC configurations. HVAC components are selected from set of template HVAC components to customize the configuration. As components are selected, candidate positions for the HVAC component within the HVAC system configuration are determined and presented to a user to ensure compliance with engineering requirements. The floor plan includes a mapping of an HVAC system configuration to an HVAC zone group. If a change is made to the HVAC system configuration of a zone associated with a zone group, it is determined if another zone group shares the same properties as the changed HVAC configuration. If one exists, the changes]d zone is moved to the new zone group. If not, a new zone group is created and the changes zone is moved to the new zone group.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for constructing an HVAC system for a structure having distinct thermal zones, comprising the steps of:
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defining, by a device comprising a processor, the structure; defining, by the device, an HVAC topology included in the structure; identifying, by the device, common elements of the HVAC topology associated with a distinct thermal zone; defining, by the device, a zone group comprising distinct zones sharing a common element; modifying, by the device, membership of the zone group in response to a determination that a first zone of the zone group no longer shares the common element with a second zone of the zone group; and determining, by the device, a different common element shared by the first zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for constructing an HVAC system model of a structure having distinct thermal zones, comprising the steps of:
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defining, by a device comprising a processor, the structure; defining, by the device, a plurality of HVAC components included in the structure; defining, by the device, interconnections between two or more of the plurality of HVAC components included in the structure; identifying, by the device, a further HVAC component to be inserted into an interconnection of the structure; and identifying, by the device, a candidate interconnection into which the further HVAC component may be inserted. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method, comprising:
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displaying a plurality of HVAC system configurations in a viewer executing on an electronic device having a graphic display; receiving, at the electronic device, a user selection of HVAC system configuration; displaying the selected HVAC system configuration in the viewer; displaying a plurality of HVAC components in the viewer; receiving, at the electronic device, a user selection of a HVAC component; applying a rules-based engine to determine the possible locations within the HVAC system configuration at which the selected HVAC component may be placed; and displaying the possible locations the selected HVAC component may be placed on the HVAC system configuration in the viewer. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A computer-implemented method for configuring a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building, comprising:
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receiving, by a processor, a floor plan of the building; receiving, by the processor, an HVAC system configuration selected from among a set of template HVAC configurations; receiving, by the processor, an HVAC component selected from among a set of template HVAC components; determining, by the processor, a candidate position for the HVAC component within the HVAC system configuration; and displaying, on a visual display in communication with the processor;
the candidate position for the HVAC component on a schematic diagram of the HVAC system configuration.
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14. A computer-implemented method for configuring a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building, comprising:
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receiving, by a processor, a floor plan of the building, wherein the floor plan includes a mapping of an HVAC system configuration to a first HVAC zone group; receiving, by the processor, a change to the HVAC system configuration associated with a first HVAC zone of the first HVAC zone group; determining, by the processor, whether a second HVAC zone group is mapped to a system configuration having the same properties as the changed HVAC configuration of the first zone; responding to a determining that a second HVAC zone group is not mapped to a system configuration having the same properties as the changed HVAC configuration of the first zone by removing the first zone from the first HVAC zone group, creating a new HVAC zone group, and adding the first zone to the new HVAC zone group; and displaying, on a visual display in communication with the processor;
the zone of the new zone group using a different visual representation from that of the first zone group. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification