ACTUATOR FOR HVAC SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE ACTUATOR
First Claim
1. An actuator (10) for HVAC systems (1), the actuator (10) comprising a network interface (20) for connecting the actuator (10) to a communication network (2), a bus interface (30) for connecting the actuator (10) to a sensor/actuator bus (3), a data store (12), and a processor (11) connected to the data store (12);
- wherein the actuator (10) further comprises;
a loader (102) configured to receive via the communication network (2) and store in the data store a model definition (15) defining an HVAC control application;
an element library (16) including a variety of stored model elements (4011, 4021) comprising instructions for controlling the processor (11), and controller modules (401, 402, 403) configured in each case to control the sequential order of execution for associated model elements (4011, 4021) referenced by the respective controller module (401, 402, 403), to propagate external data input to its associated model elements (4011, 4021) prior to beginning the execution of the model element defined first in the sequential order, and to propagate data output from its associated model elements (4011, 4021) to the outside of the respective controller module (401, 402, 403) at completion of the execution of the model element defined last in the sequential order; and
a model interpreter (17) configured to implement based on the model definition (15) the control application for execution on the processor (11), by instantiating controller modules (D1 F) and their associated model elements (A, B, C) as referenced by the model definition (15), assigning at least one instantiated model element to a device (4) attached to the sensor/actuator bus (3), and instantiating the controller modules (D, E) in each case as a different thread of execution, so that data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules (D, E).
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Accused Products
Abstract
An actuator for an HVAC system comprises a stored model definition defining an HVAC control application, and an element library including a variety of stored model elements and controller modules (D, E) having instructions for controlling a processor of the actuator. The controller modules (D, E) include model elements and are configured to control the sequential order of their execution. The controller modules (D, E) are further configured to propagate any external data input (S66′, S68′) to their model elements prior to executing their first model element, and to propagate any data output (S63, S65, S67, S69) to external components after executing their last model element. The controller modules (D, E) are instantiated in different threads of execution, so that data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules (D, E) and neither temporal dependencies nor change of value links are imposed on components of the control application.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An actuator (10) for HVAC systems (1), the actuator (10) comprising a network interface (20) for connecting the actuator (10) to a communication network (2), a bus interface (30) for connecting the actuator (10) to a sensor/actuator bus (3), a data store (12), and a processor (11) connected to the data store (12);
- wherein the actuator (10) further comprises;
a loader (102) configured to receive via the communication network (2) and store in the data store a model definition (15) defining an HVAC control application; an element library (16) including a variety of stored model elements (4011, 4021) comprising instructions for controlling the processor (11), and controller modules (401, 402, 403) configured in each case to control the sequential order of execution for associated model elements (4011, 4021) referenced by the respective controller module (401, 402, 403), to propagate external data input to its associated model elements (4011, 4021) prior to beginning the execution of the model element defined first in the sequential order, and to propagate data output from its associated model elements (4011, 4021) to the outside of the respective controller module (401, 402, 403) at completion of the execution of the model element defined last in the sequential order; and a model interpreter (17) configured to implement based on the model definition (15) the control application for execution on the processor (11), by instantiating controller modules (D1 F) and their associated model elements (A, B, C) as referenced by the model definition (15), assigning at least one instantiated model element to a device (4) attached to the sensor/actuator bus (3), and instantiating the controller modules (D, E) in each case as a different thread of execution, so that data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules (D, E). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- wherein the actuator (10) further comprises;
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9. A method for operating an actuator (10) of an HVAC system (1), the method comprising:
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storing in the actuator (10) a model definition (15) defining an HVAC control application; storing in the actuator (10) an element library (16) which includes a variety of model elements (4011, 4021) and controller modules (401, 402, 403), the model elements (4011, 4021) and controller modules (401, 402, 403) comprising instructions for controlling a processor (11) of the actuator (10); implementing in the actuator (10), based on the model definition (15), the control application for execution on the processor (11), by instantiating from the element library (16) controller modules (D, E) and associated model elements (A, B, C) as referenced by the model definition (15), assigning at least one instantiated model element (A, B, C) to a device (4) attached to a sensor/actuator bus (3), and instantiating the controller modules (D, E) in each case as a different thread of execution; and executing the control application by the respective controller modules (D, E) in each case controlling the sequential order of execution for associated model elements (A, B, C) referenced by the respective controller module (D, E), propagating external data input to its associated model elements (A, B, C) prior to beginning the execution of the model element defined first in the sequential order, and propagating data output from its associated model elements (A, B1 C) to the outside of the respective controller module (D, E) at completion of the execution of the model element defined last in the sequential order, so that data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules (D, E). - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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15. A computer program product comprising computer program code means for controlling a processor (11) of an actuator (10) of an HVAC system (1) such that the actuator (10) receives via a communication network (2) a model definition (15) defining an HVAC control application;
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stores the model definition (15) in a data store (12) of the actuator (10); implements based on the model definition (15) the control application for execution on the processor (11) of the actuator (10), by instantiating from a stored element library (16) controller modules (D, E) and associated model elements (A, B, C) as referenced by the model definition (15), assigning at least one instantiated model element (A1 B1 C) to a device (4) attached to a sensor/actuators bus (3), and instantiating the controller modules (D1 E) in each case as a different thread of execution, and executes the control application by controlling the sequential order of execution for associated model elements (A, B, C) referenced by the respective controller module (D, E), by propagating external data input for the respective controller module (D1 E) to its associated model elements (A, B, C) prior to beginning the execution of the model dement defined first in the sequential order, and by propagating data output from the associated model elements (A, B, C) to the outside of the respective controller module (D, E) at completion of the execution of the model element defined last in the sequential order, so that data is interchanged as between instantiated Controller modules (D, E). - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification