HVAC controller with checkout utility
First Claim
1. A zone control panel for controlling a zoned HVAC system that includes two or more zones, an HVAC unit for delivering conditioned air to the two or more zones, two or more zone dampers for controlling delivery of conditioned air to the two or more zones, and a thermostat in each of the two or more zones, the zone control panel comprising:
- a first set of two or more wiring terminals, each of the first set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a first thermostat in a first one of the two or more zones;
a second set of two or more wiring terminals, separate from the first set of two or more wiring terminals, each of the second set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a second thermostat in a second one of the two or more zones;
an output for providing control signals to the HVAC unit and to each of the two or more zone dampers, wherein the output includes two or more wiring terminals, wherein each of the two or more wiring terminals of the output provide a connection point for a corresponding wire from the HVAC unit or a corresponding one of the two or more zone dampers;
a user interface, the user interface includes;
a display;
a bank of HVAC status indicators remote from the display that each indicate an operational status of at least one of two or more pieces of HVAC equipment of the HVAC unit;
a bank of zone indicators remote from the display that each indicate an operational status of at least one of the two or more zones dampers; and
a controller operatively coupled to the first set of two or more wiring terminals, the second set of two or more wiring terminals, the output and the user interface, the controller configured to receive calls from the first thermostat in the first one of the two or more zones and calls from the second thermostat in the second one of the two or more zones, and in response, provide control signals to the HVAC unit and to the two or more zone dampers via the output; and
the controller further configured to display two or more configuration menu screens on the display of the user interface that facilitate a user in setting two or more configuration parameters for configuring the zone control panel, wherein the two or more configuration parameters comprise one or more of a number of heating stages, a number of cooling stages, a heat fan control parameter, a purge time parameter, a fan control in purge parameter, a number of zones in the zoned HVAC system, a DAT parameter that indicates if a discharge air temperature sensor is present or not, a discharge air temperature low limit, and a discharge air temperature high limit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A zone control panel that is easy and intuitive to use and to program. In some embodiments, a zone control panel may be configured to have an easy to use, single level menu structure with, for example, a configuration mode and/or a checkout mode. The configuration mode may, if present, include a number of menu screens sometimes without any sub-menu levels. Likewise, the checkout mode may, if present, include a number of menu screens sometimes without any sub-menu levels. A mode selector may be provided to select a particular mode, after which, the menu screens that correspond to the selected mode may be sequentially displayed to the user. Other features and aspects are also disclosed.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A zone control panel for controlling a zoned HVAC system that includes two or more zones, an HVAC unit for delivering conditioned air to the two or more zones, two or more zone dampers for controlling delivery of conditioned air to the two or more zones, and a thermostat in each of the two or more zones, the zone control panel comprising:
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a first set of two or more wiring terminals, each of the first set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a first thermostat in a first one of the two or more zones; a second set of two or more wiring terminals, separate from the first set of two or more wiring terminals, each of the second set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a second thermostat in a second one of the two or more zones; an output for providing control signals to the HVAC unit and to each of the two or more zone dampers, wherein the output includes two or more wiring terminals, wherein each of the two or more wiring terminals of the output provide a connection point for a corresponding wire from the HVAC unit or a corresponding one of the two or more zone dampers; a user interface, the user interface includes; a display; a bank of HVAC status indicators remote from the display that each indicate an operational status of at least one of two or more pieces of HVAC equipment of the HVAC unit; a bank of zone indicators remote from the display that each indicate an operational status of at least one of the two or more zones dampers; and a controller operatively coupled to the first set of two or more wiring terminals, the second set of two or more wiring terminals, the output and the user interface, the controller configured to receive calls from the first thermostat in the first one of the two or more zones and calls from the second thermostat in the second one of the two or more zones, and in response, provide control signals to the HVAC unit and to the two or more zone dampers via the output; and the controller further configured to display two or more configuration menu screens on the display of the user interface that facilitate a user in setting two or more configuration parameters for configuring the zone control panel, wherein the two or more configuration parameters comprise one or more of a number of heating stages, a number of cooling stages, a heat fan control parameter, a purge time parameter, a fan control in purge parameter, a number of zones in the zoned HVAC system, a DAT parameter that indicates if a discharge air temperature sensor is present or not, a discharge air temperature low limit, and a discharge air temperature high limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A zone control panel for controlling a zoned HVAC system that includes two or more zones, an HVAC unit for delivering conditioned air to the two or more zones, two or more zone dampers for controlling delivery of conditioned air to the two or more zones, and a thermostat in each of the two or more zones, the zone control panel comprising:
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a first set of two or more wiring terminals adjacent a first side of the zone control panel, each of the first set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a first thermostat in a first one of the two or more zones; a second set of two or more wiring terminals adjacent a second side of the zone control panel opposite the first side with an intervening region between the first side and the second side of the zone control panel and extending between the first set of two or more wiring terminals and the second set of two or more wiring terminals, each of the second set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a second thermostat in a second one of the two or more zones; a third set of two or more wiring terminals, each of the third set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a third thermostat in a third one of the two or more zones if present; an output for providing control signals to the HVAC unit and to each of the two or more zone dampers, wherein the output includes two or more wiring terminals, wherein each of the two or more wiring terminals of the output provide a connection point for a corresponding wire from the HVAC unit or a corresponding one of the two or more zone dampers; a user interface, the user interface includes a display; and a controller operatively coupled to the first set of two or more wiring terminals, the second set of two or more wiring terminals, the third set of two or more wiring terminals, the output and the user interface, the controller configured to receive calls from the first thermostat in the first one of the two or more zones, calls from the second thermostat in the second one of the two or more zones, and calls from the third thermostat in the third one of the two or more zones if present, and in response, provide control signals to the HVAC unit and to the two or more zone dampers via the output; a housing that includes one or more first side apertures along the first side of the housing to provide a path for wires to enter the housing and access the first set of two or more wiring terminals, and one or more second side apertures along the second side of the housing to provide a path for wires to enter the housing and access the second set of two or more wiring terminals; and the controller further configured to display two or more configuration menu screens on the display of the user interface that facilitate a user in setting two or more configuration parameters for configuring the zone control panel, wherein the two or more configuration parameters comprise one or more of a number of heating stages, a number of cooling stages, a heat fan control parameter, a purge time parameter, a fan control in purge parameter, a number of zones in the zoned HVAC system, a DAT parameter that indicates if a discharge air temperature sensor is present or not, a discharge air temperature low limit, and a discharge air temperature high limit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A zone control panel for controlling a zoned HVAC system that includes two or more zones, an HVAC unit for delivering conditioned air to the two or more zones, two or more zone dampers for controlling delivery of conditioned air to the two or more zones, and a thermostat in each of the two or more zones, the zone control panel comprising:
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a first set of two or more wiring terminals, each of the first set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a first thermostat in a first one of the two or more zones; a second set of two or more wiring terminals, separate from the first set of two or more wiring terminals, each of the second set of two or more wiring terminals providing a connection point for a corresponding wire from a second thermostat in a second one of the two or more zones; an output for providing control signals to the HVAC unit and to each of the two or more zone dampers, wherein the output includes two or more wiring terminals, wherein each of the two or more wiring terminals of the output provide a connection point for a corresponding wire from the HVAC unit or a corresponding one of the two or more zone dampers; a user interface, the user interface includes; a display; a bank of HVAC status indicators remote from the display that each indicate an operational status of at least one of two or more pieces of HVAC equipment of the HVAC unit; a bank of zone indicators remote from the display that each indicate an operational status of at least one of the two or more zones dampers; a plurality of mechanical buttons; and a controller operatively coupled to the first set of two or more wiring terminals, the second set of two or more wiring terminals, the output and the user interface, the controller configured to receive calls from the first thermostat in the first one of the two or more zones and calls from the second thermostat in the second one of the two or more zones, and in response, provide control signals to the HVAC unit and to the two or more zone dampers via the output; the controller has two or more modes including an operating mode, a configuration mode and a checkout mode, wherein the configuration mode is entered from the operating mode by pressing one or more of the plurality of mechanical buttons; and wherein, once in the configuration mode, the controller is configured to display two or more configuration menu screens on the display of the user interface that facilitate a user in setting two or more configuration parameters for configuring the zone control panel for a particular installation, wherein the two or more configuration parameters comprise a system type of the HVAC unit and one or more of a number of heating stages of the HVAC unit, a number of cooling stages of the HVAC unit, and a number of zones in the zoned HVAC system. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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Specification