DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH ROOFTOP AIR HANDLING UNITS AND OTHER HVAC COMPONENTS

• US 20100241275A1
• Filed: 03/20/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Crawford, Charles L., Jeffery, Harold L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A device for communicating information from a controller for a rooftop air handling unit to a portable electronic device includes a wire terminal for wiring to the controller and for receiving a signal comprising information from the controller. The device further includes a transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the information to the portable electronic device. The device yet further includes a circuit coupled to the wire terminal and the transceiver. The circuit is configured to extract the information from the signal. The circuit is further configured to provide the information from the wire terminal to the transceiver.

Claims

1. A device for communicating information from a controller for a rooftop air handling unit to a portable electronic device, the device comprising:

a wire terminal for wiring to the controller and for receiving a signal comprising information from the controller;

a transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the information to the portable electronic device; and

a circuit coupled to the wire terminal and the transceiver, the circuit configured to extract the information from the signal, the circuit further configured to provide the information from the wire terminal to the transceiver.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a translation module configured to translate the information from a first format compatible with a serial communications protocol to a second format compatible with the transceiver.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the translation module is further configured to interpret the information according to a first data communications protocol and to use the interpretation to reform the information according to a second data communications protocol.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the first data communications protocol is at least one of a BACnet protocol, a LON protocol, a Modbus protocol, and a proprietary protocol.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the second data communications protocol is a wireless application protocol (WAP) and wherein the information is described according to at least one of an XML language, an XHTML language, and a WML language.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the second data communications protocol is an HTTP protocol and wherein the information is described according to at least one of an XML, XHTML, and HTML language.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the wire terminal is at least one of an RS-485 terminal, an EIA-485 terminal, and a TIA-485-A terminal.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the wire terminal is a universal serial bus terminal and the transceiver is compatible with a wireless USB protocol.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the information comprises at least one of operational status information, alert information, sensor information, naming information, historical information, diagnostics information, and setpoint information.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is at least one of a mobile phone, a laptop, and a personal digital assistant.

11. A device for communicating information from a controller for a rooftop air handling unit to a portable electronic device, the device comprising:

a first transceiver for receiving a signal comprising information from the controller;

a second transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the first information to the portable electronic device; and

a circuit coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver, the circuit configured to extract the information from the signal, the circuit further configured to provide the information from the first transceiver to the second transceiver.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver configured to receive wireless communications from a third transceiver, wherein the third transceiver is at least one of wired to the controller, coupled to the controller, wirelessly connected to the controller, and wirelessly connected to a network comprising the controller.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the circuit comprises a translation module configured to translate the information from a first format compatible with the first transceiver to a second format compatible with the second transceiver.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the translation module is further configured to interpret the information and to use the interpretation to reform the information for use by the portable electronic device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the translation module reforms the information according to at least one of an XML language, an XHTML language, and a WML language.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the translation module reforms the information according to at least one of a wireless application protocol (WAP) and a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), and wherein the information is described according to at least one of an XML, XHTML, and HTML language.

17. A method for providing information from a controller for a rooftop air handling unit to a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

connecting a device to a wire terminal of the controller using a cable;

receiving a signal comprising information at the device, the signal from the wire terminal of the controller over the cable;

extracting, at the device and using a circuit of the device, the information from the signal; and

providing the information to a transceiver of the device, the transceiver configured to form a wireless communications link with the portable electronic device and to provide the information to the portable electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

translating the information from a first format compatible with the wire terminal and the controller to a second format compatible with the portable electronic device prior to providing the information to the transceiver.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

interpreting the information; and

using the interpretation to reform the information for use by the portable electronic device.