ALARM AND DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DISTRIBUTED-ARCHITECTURE HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING NETWORK

• US 20100106312A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Filbeck, Amanda, Hadzidedic, Darko, Grohman, Wojciech, Wallaert, Timothy E.
• Application Number:
  US12/603,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

The disclosure includes an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing an HVAC data processing and communication network. In one embodiment, the HVAC data processing and communication network includes: (1) a subnet controller configured to publish a control message to a data bus and (2) a system device configured to receive the control message and enter a diagnostic mode in response thereto, wherein the diagnostic mode includes publishing a diagnostic status message including a device parameter value to the data bus.

Claims

1. An HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

a subnet controller configured to publish a control message to a data bus;

a system device configured to receive said control message and enter a diagnostic mode in response thereto,

wherein said diagnostic mode includes publishing a diagnostic status message including a device parameter value to said data bus.

2. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said diagnostic mode includes periodically sending said diagnostic status message upon the expiration of a predetermined time interval.

3. The network as recited in claim 2, wherein a first diagnostic status message sent upon the expiration of said time interval has a higher priority than a second diagnostic message sent in response to a query-response type message from said subnet controller.

4. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said diagnostic mode includes sending said diagnostic status message in response to a query-response type message from said subnet controller.

5. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said system device is configured to enter said diagnostic mode automatically in a test state of said network.

6. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said system device is configured to exit said diagnostic mode upon the expiration of a predetermined time interval.

7. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said system device is configured to exit said diagnostic mode upon receipt of a terminating message published by said subnet controller.

8. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said system device is configured to send said diagnostic status message when an internal parameter value changes.

9-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method of manufacturing an HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

configuring a subnet controller to publish a control message to a data bus;

configuring a system device to receive said control message and enter a diagnostic mode in response thereto,

wherein said diagnostic mode includes publishing a diagnostic status message including a device parameter value to said data bus.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said diagnostic mode includes periodically sending said diagnostic status message upon the expiration of a predetermined time interval.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein a first diagnostic status message sent upon the expiration of said time interval has a higher priority than a second diagnostic message sent in response to a query-response type message from said subnet controller.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said diagnostic mode includes sending said diagnostic status message in response to a query-response type message from said subnet controller.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising configuring said system device to enter said diagnostic mode automatically in a test state of said method.

17. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising configuring said system device to exit said diagnostic mode upon receipt of a terminating message published by said subnet controller.

18. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising configuring said system device to send said diagnostic status message when an internal parameter value changes.

16. (canceled)

19-20. -20. (canceled)

21. An HVAC data processing and communication network system device, comprising:

a physical layer interface configured to interface to a data bus and to receive a control message therefrom;

a memory configured to store a device parameter value; and

a local controller configured to enter a diagnostic mode in response to said control message,

wherein said diagnostic mode includes retrieving said device parameter value from said memory and publishing a diagnostic status message including said device parameter value to said data bus.

22. The system device of claim 21, wherein said diagnostic mode includes periodically sending said diagnostic status message upon the expiration of a predetermined time interval.

23. The system device of claim 21, wherein said local controller is configured to enter said diagnostic mode automatically in a test state of said network.

24. The system device of claim 21, wherein said local controller is configured to exit said diagnostic mode upon the expiration of a predetermined time interval.

25. The system device of claim 21, wherein said local controller is configured to send said diagnostic status message when said device parameter value changes.