HVAC CONTROLLER WITH HVAC SYSTEM FAILURE DETECTION

• US 20130158715A1
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Barton, Eric, Leen, Cary, Zywicki, Stan
• Granted Patent: US 10,747,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value

Abstract

An HVAC controller that monitors a current performance level of an HVAC system, and determines if the current performance level falls below a minimum performance threshold level for at least a first predetermined amount of time. The HVAC controller may be configured it display an alert on the display of the HVAC controller if the HVAC controller determines that the current performance level has fallen below the minimum performance threshold level for at least the first period of time. In some cases, the HVAC controller may remove the alert from the display of the HVAC controller if the current performance level subsequently rises and remains above the minimum performance threshold level for at least a second predetermined amount of time. In some cases, the first predetermined amount of time may include a utility shutoff period component and/or a defrost cycle period component.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:

a user interface including a display;

a memory;

an I/O block for receiving one or more signals from the HVAC system and for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system;

a controller coupled to the memory, the user interface and the I/O block, the controller configured to;

monitor one or more signals received via the I/O block that are related to a current performance level of the HVAC system;

determine if the current performance level of the HVAC system falls below a minimum performance level for at least a first predetermined amount of time; and

display an alert on the display of the HVAC controller if the controller determines that the current performance level has fallen below the minimum performance level for at least the first predetermined amount of time.

2. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller removes the alert from the display of the HVAC controller if the current performance level subsequently rises and remains above the minimum performance level for at least a second predetermined amount of time.

3. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined amount of time is different from the second predetermined amount of time.

4. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time comprises a utility shutoff period component.

5. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time comprises a defrost cycle period component.

6. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the HVAC system includes two or more stages, and wherein a first predetermined time is stored in the memory of the HVAC controller for each of at least two stage combinations of the two or more stages.

7. The HVAC controller according to claim 6, wherein the controller of the HVAC system retrieves from the memory and then uses the particular first predetermined time that corresponds to the currently active stage combination.

8. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines if the current performance level of the HVAC system falls below the minimum performance level for at least the first predetermined amount of time during a single cycle of the HVAC system.

9. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the one or more signals received from the HVAC system that are related to the current performance level of the HVAC system include one or more signals related to a current delta T of the HVAC system.

10. The HVAC controller according to claim 9, wherein the minimum performance level includes a minimum delta T limit.

11. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller records the alert in a log stored in the memory of the HVAC controller.

12. A method of monitoring operation of an HVAC system, the HVAC system including one or more HVAC components that are controlled, at least in part, by an HVAC controller having a user interface with a display, a memory, a controller, and an I/O block for receiving one or more signals from the HVAC system and for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system, the method comprising:

the I/O block of the HVAC controller repeatedly receiving one or more signals from the HVAC system that are related to a current performance level of the HVAC system;

the controller of the HVAC controller determining if the current performance level of the HVAC system falls below a minimum performance level for at least a first predetermined amount of time; and

the controller of the HVAC controller displaying an alert on the display of the HVAC controller if the controller determines that the current performance level has fallen below the minimum performance level for at least the first predetermined amount of time.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

the controller of the HVAC controller removing the alert from the display of the HVAC controller if the current performance level subsequently rises and remains above the minimum performance level for at least a second predetermined amount of time.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first predetermined amount of time is different from the second predetermined amount of time.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first predetermined time comprises a utility shutoff period component.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first predetermined time comprises a defrost cycle period component.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the HVAC system includes two or more stages, and wherein a first predetermined time is stored in the memory of the HVAC controller for each of at least two stage combinations of the two or more stages.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the controller of the HVAC system retrieves from the memory and then uses the particular first predetermined time that corresponds to the currently active stage combination.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the controller of the HVAC controller determines if the current performance level of the HVAC system falls below the minimum performance level for at least the first predetermined amount of time during a single cycle of the HVAC system.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the one or more signals received from the HVAC system that are related to the current performance level of the HVAC system include one or more signals related to a current delta T of the HVAC system.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the minimum performance level includes a minimum delta T limit.

22. The method according to claim 12, further comprising recording the alert in a log stored in the memory of the HVAC controller.

23. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:

a user interface including a display;

a memory;

an I/O block for receiving one or more signals from the HVAC system and for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system;

a controller coupled to the memory, the user interface and the I/O block, the controller configured to;

monitor one or more signals received via the I/O block that are related to a current delta T of the HVAC system;

determine if the current delta T of the HVAC system falls below a minimum delta T limit for at least a first predetermined amount of time during a single cycle of the HVAC system;

display an alert on the display of the HVAC controller if the controller determines that the current delta T of the HVAC system falls below a minimum delta T limit for at least the first predetermined amount of time; and

remove the alert from the display of the HVAC controller if the current delta T subsequently rises and remains above the minimum delta T limit for at least a second predetermined amount of time.