DEVICE ABSTRACTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURE HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

• US 20100106814A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hadzidedic, Darko, Grohman, Wojciech
• Granted Patent: US 9,432,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN

Abstract

The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In an embodiment, the network includes configuring a first system device and a subnet controller. The first system device is configured to receive an initial value of a specified dependent parameter. The subnet controller is configured to determine that a value of said specified parameter has been changed to a modified value after said first system device receives said initial value. The subnet controller is further configured to send to said first system device, in response to said determining, a message updating said specified parameter with said modified value.

Claims

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

configuring a first system device to receive an initial value of a specified dependent parameter;

configuring a subnet controller to;

determine that a value of said specified dependent parameter has been changed to a modified value after said first system device receives said initial value; and

in response to said determining, send to said first system device a message updating said specified parameter with said modified value.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said specified parameter is modified during a commissioning process.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said specified parameter is modified by manual entry via a user interface.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising configuring a second system device to send a message including an initial value of said specified parameter to said first system device before said first system device publishes said list.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising configuring said subnet controller to send said message after receiving a confirmation from a third system device that said third system device has accepted said modified value.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said second system device and said third system device are a same system device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising configuring said first system device to publish a list of dependent parameters used thereby, including said specified parameter, after receiving said initial value.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising configuring said subnet controller to receive said list before said determining.

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

a first system device configured to receive from a second system device an initial value of a specified dependent parameter; and

a subnet controller configured to;

determine that a value of said specified parameter has been changed to a modified value after said first system device receives said initial value; and

in response to said determining, send to said first system device a message updating said specified parameter with said modified value.

10. The network as recited in claim 9, wherein said specified parameter is modified during a commissioning process.

11. The network as recited in claim 10, wherein said specified parameter is modified by manual entry via a user interface.

12. The network as recited in claim 9, further comprising a second system device configured to send a message including an initial value of said specified parameter to said first system device before said first system device publishes said list.

13. The network as recited in claim 12, where said subnet controller is further configured to send said message after receiving a confirmation from a third system device that said third system device has accepted said modified value.

14. The network as recited in claim 13, wherein said second system device and said third system device are a same system device.

15. The network as recited in claim 9, wherein said first system device is further configured to publish a list of dependent parameters used thereby, including said specified parameter, after receiving said initial value.

16. The network as recited in claim 15, wherein said subnet controller is further configured to receive said list before said determining.

17. A subnet controller, comprising:

a physical layer interface configured to couple to a data bus; and

a local controller configured to;

receive messages via said data bus from a first and a second system device;

determine from said received messages that an initial value of a specified dependent parameter supplied to said first system device by said second system device has been changed to a modified value after said first system device receives said initial value; and

send to said first system device, in response to said determining, a message via said data bus updating said specified parameter with said modified value.

18. The subnet controller as recited in claim 17, wherein said specified parameter is modified during a commissioning process.

19. The subnet controller as recited in claim 17, wherein said local controller is further configured to receive a list of dependent parameters used by said first system device before said determining.

20. The subnet controller as recited in claim 18, wherein said specified parameter is modified by manual entry via a user interface.