Ordered record of system-wide fault in an HVAC system

• US 20050159924A1
• Filed: 05/10/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Rajendra K., Puranen, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements

Abstract

An HVAC system includes a central controller which communicates with a multiple of HVAC components over a digital communication bus. The central controller maintains an ordered fault list that includes the source of a fault, a description of the fault, the last occurrence of the fault, and the number of sequential occurrences, or repetitions across the entire HVAC system.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosing a HVAC system comprising the steps of:

(1) monitoring an HVAC component of an HVAC system;

(2) identifying a fault at the HVAC component;

(3) communicating a fault signal representative of a fault to a central controller; and

(4) maintaining an ordered fault list compressing the fault signal at the central controller.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (1) further comprises:

monitoring a multiple of HVAC components.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step (3) further comprises:

digitally linking the multiple of HVAC components with the central controller.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

ordering the fault list by the most recent fault.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

maintaining a time period count of the period since the occurrence of the fault.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

maintaining multiple repeated occurrences of a common fault as one record.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the step of:

displaying the multiple repeated occurrences as a single numerical value.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

maintaining a source of the fault within the fault list.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

maintaining a description of the fault within the fault list.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

maintaining a count of sequential occurrences of each fault within the fault list.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising said step of:

maintaining a time period of a last occurrence of each of the sequentially occurring faults.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising said step of:

remotely communicating with the central controller.

13. An HVAC system comprising:

a multiple of HVAC components, each of said multiple of HVAC components comprising a component microprocessor;

a central controller in digital communication with each of said component microprocessors to receive a multiple of fault signals from each of said multiple of HVAC components and to store an ordered fault list of said fault signals; and

a display in communication with said central controller to display said ordered fault list.

14. The HVAC system as recited in claim 13, wherein said multiple of HVAC components comprise at least one of:

an A/C unit, a heat pump, a zone control, a furnace or a fan coil.

15. The HVAC system as recited in claim 13, wherein said central controller comprises a thermostat.

16. The HVAC system as recited in claim 13, wherein said digital communication comprises a four path communication bus.

17. The HVAC system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a service tool which selectively communicates with said central controller through a docking station.

18. The HVAC system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a remote access device which remotely communicates with said central controller.

19. An HVAC system comprising:

means for monitoring an HVAC component;

means for identifying a fault at the HVAC component and communicating a fault signal representative the fault to a central controller; and

means for maintaining an ordered fault list comprising the fault signal at the central controller.

20. The HVAC system as recited in claim 19, wherein said central controller comprises a thermostat.

21. The HVAC system as recited in claim 19, further comprising means for remotely communicating with said central controller.