System and method for commissioning a unit into a networked control system
First Claim
1. A method for assigning an address to a unit connected to a control network, the method comprising the steps of:
- generating a test address for the unit;
transmitting a first data packet to all other units connected to the control network, wherein the first data packet includes the test address;
determining that the unit has not received a second data packet from one of the other units connected to the control network, wherein the second data packet being a reply to the transmission of the first data packet;
determining that the first data packet has been transmitted a predetermined number of times to all other units connected to the control network in response to a determination that the unit has not received a second data packet;
repeating the steps of transmitting a first data packet and determining that the unit has not received a second data packet in response to a determination that the first data packet has not been transmitted the predetermined number of times to all other units connected to the control network; and
assigning the test address included in the first data packet to the unit in response to a determination that the first data packet has been transmitted the predetermined number of times to all other units connected to the control network.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided for an HVAC or refrigeration unit to obtain an appropriate address in order to commission the unit into a networked controls system. The units are assigned a predetermined address at the factory. After the unit is installed and is wired into the control network, a single action can be taken by an operator to commission the unit into the network. In commissioning the unit into the network, a valid address has to be obtained for the unit. A valid address is obtained for the unit by sequentially checking addresses on the network until an available address is located. Once an available address is located, the available address is assigned to the unit and the control system is notified of the address to commission the unit into the network.
44 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for assigning an address to a unit connected to a control network, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a test address for the unit;
transmitting a first data packet to all other units connected to the control network, wherein the first data packet includes the test address;
determining that the unit has not received a second data packet from one of the other units connected to the control network, wherein the second data packet being a reply to the transmission of the first data packet;
determining that the first data packet has been transmitted a predetermined number of times to all other units connected to the control network in response to a determination that the unit has not received a second data packet;
repeating the steps of transmitting a first data packet and determining that the unit has not received a second data packet in response to a determination that the first data packet has not been transmitted the predetermined number of times to all other units connected to the control network; and
assigning the test address included in the first data packet to the unit in response to a determination that the first data packet has been transmitted the predetermined number of times to all other units connected to the control network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration system comprising:
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a plurality of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration units;
a controller to control operation of the plurality of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration units;
a network to connect the plurality of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration units to each other and to the controller, the network being configured to permit communication between the controller and the plurality of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration units and the network being configured to permit communication between heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration units; and
wherein each heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration unit includes an addressing device to generate an address for that heating, ventilation, air conditioning unit for use by the controller and a single action mechanism to activate the addressing device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and executable by a microprocessor for assigning an address to a unit connected to a control network, the computer program product comprising computer instructions for executing the steps of:
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generating a test address for the unit;
transmitting a first data packet to all other units connected to the control network, wherein the first data packet includes the test address;
determining that the unit has not received a second data packet from one of the other units connected to the control network, wherein the second data packet being a reply to the transmission of the first data packet;
determining that the first data packet has been transmitted to all other units connected to the control network a predetermined number of times in response to a determination that the unit has not received a second data packet;
repeating the steps of transmitting a first data packet and determining that the unit has not received a second data packet in response to a determination that the first data packet has not been transmitted the predetermined number of times to all other units connected to the control network; and
assigning the test address included in the first data packet to the unit in response to a determination that the first data packet has been transmitted the predetermined number of times to all other units connected to the control network.
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21. A method for commissioning a unit into a control system for controlling a plurality of units, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating an address for use by the unit;
querying all other units in the control system to determine the availability of the address for use by the unit, wherein the query includes the address for use by the unit;
waiting a predetermined time period for a reply from one unit of all other units indicating that the address included in the query is presently in use by the one unit of all other units;
determining a number of querying attempts for the address included in the query in response to the expiration of the predetermined time period;
comparing the number of querying attempts to a predetermined amount;
repeating the steps of querying all other units and waiting a predetermined time period in response to the number of querying attempts not being equal to the predetermined amount;
assigning the address included in the query to the unit in response to the number of querying attempts being equal to the predetermined amount; and
transmitting to the control system the assigned address of the unit to commission the unit into the control system. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification