SMART HVAC MANIFOLD SYSTEM

• US 20140262130A1
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stride Tool LLC (DiversiTech Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stride Tool Inc.
• Inventors: Yenni, Edward, Vielhaber, Timothy, Rodgers, David, Podhradsky, John, Bergmann, James L., Spohn, William P., Northrup, William, Bonitati, Robert James
• Granted Patent: US 10,452,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25062 Detect physical location of field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user

Abstract

The smart HVAC manifold system for servicing air conditioning systems is designed to dynamically manage the data acquisition process and to measure and calculate the performance indicators and output as the load conditions and or equipment operation change taking into account variables in the installation that can impact performance. Both visually and by a very specific data set the performance of the equipment and the installation can quickly be assessed and specific problems identified along with suggestions of typical faults or problems that may need addressed by the technician.

The smart HVAC manifold system provides a means of quickly and electronically handling the manual data acquisition process which would include component and or system model and serial numbers, equipment location (GPS tagging), customer name, environmental conditions that effect performance and performance measurement (weather data and elevation), and supports photo, voice and text documentation. These features streamline data acquisition, allow remote support, and minimizing transcription errors and preventing data-gaming when servicing equipment, commissioning or retro commissioning the system.

Claims

1. A smart manifold system for monitoring the operation of an HVAC unit, the system comprising:

a smart manifold adapted to obtain measurement data related to the operating conditions of the HVAC unit; and

a smart platform adapted to communicate wirelessly with the smart manifold and acquire the measurement data from the smart manifold;

the smart platform being further adapted to transform the measurement data to user information in a tangible form that is displayed on the smart platform.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the user information displayed on the smart platform comprises the operating conditions measured by the smart manifold along with data that is at least one of calculated and looked-up by the smart platform.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the user information displayed on the smart platform comprises real time data.

4. The system recited in claim 2, wherein the smart platform is adapted to obtain data in addition to the measurement data via at least one of a wireless internet connection and a GPS module.

5. The system recited in claim 4, wherein the additional data obtained by the smart platform comprises at least one of date data, time-of-day data, GPS location data, geographic location data, location-based climate data, location-based weather data, HVAC unit manufacturer data, troubleshooting data, tune-up data, and calibration data.

6. The system recited in claim 4, wherein the wireless internet connection comprises at least one of a cellular connection and a Wi-Fi connection.

7. The system recited in claim 2, wherein the data that is at least one of calculated and looked-up by the smart platform comprises system refrigerant superheat data, system refrigerant subcooling data, wet-bulb temperature data, dry-bulb temperature data, and tune-up parameters for the HVAC unit.

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart platform comprises a smart phone, tablet computer, portable computer, personal computer, or portable computing device.

9. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart platform communicates wirelessly with the smart manifold via a Bluetooth communication protocol.

10. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the operating conditions of the HVAC unit comprise at least one of refrigerant line temperatures of the HVAC unit, refrigerant line operating pressures of the HVAC unit, ambient temperatures, and ambient atmospheric pressures, relative humidity, airflow, refrigerant weights, and electrical operating conditions of the HVAC unit.

11. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart manifold comprises:

a refrigerant manifold for measuring refrigerant pressures of the HVAC unit and for adding refrigerant to or removing refrigerant from the HVAC unit;

temperature sensors for measuring temperatures related to the HVAC unit; and

electronics comprising a radio for transmitting the operating data to the smart platform, the operating data being related to the measured pressures and temperatures of the HVAC unit.

12. The system recited in claim 11, wherein the measured pressures comprise low-side and high-side pressures of the refrigerant in the HVAC unit and the measured temperatures comprise refrigerant line temperatures.

13. The system recited in claim 11, wherein the smart manifold further comprises transducers for generating digital signals representative of the measured pressures and temperatures.

14. The system recited in claim 11, wherein the smart manifold further comprises ports for connecting with sensors for sensing additional operating conditions related to the HVAC unit, comprising at least one of temperature sensors, pressure sensors, vacuum sensors, electrical voltage sensors, electrical current sensors, humidity sensors, refrigerant flow rate sensors, air quality sensors, and air flow rate sensors.

15. The system recited in claim 11, wherein the refrigerant manifold comprises:

a low-side port connectable with a low-side line of the HVAC unit to measure the low-side pressure of the refrigerant in the HVAC unit;

a high-side port connectable with a high-side line of the HVAC unit to measure the high-side pressure of the refrigerant in the HVAC unit; and

a refrigerant/vacuum port connectable with one of a refrigerant vessel and a vacuum pump, the refrigerant manifold being operable to add refrigerant to the HVAC unit and to remove refrigerant from the HVAC unit.

16. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart platform includes one or more of text messaging communication capabilities, voice communication capabilities, video communication capabilities, and photo capabilities.

17. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart platform comprises a built-in camera that facilitates scanning label data of the HVAC unit for remote internet look-up of manufacturer data related to the HVAC unit.

18. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart platform comprises a GPS module that facilitates geo-tagging of the HVAC unit.

19. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart platform comprises a built-in camera that facilitates creating photos associated with the HVAC unit.

20. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart manifold comprises:

at least one pressure transducer;

memory comprising non-volatile memory for storing firmware;

a communications module; and

a microcontroller comprising a processing unit operative to execute instructions from the firmware to obtain and condition signals from the transducers as a portion of the measurement data;

wherein the microcontroller transfers the measurement data to the communications module and the communications module transmits the measurement data.

21. The system recited in claim 20, wherein the smart manifold further comprises sensor inputs for receiving signals from external sensors, the microcontroller being further operative to execute instructions from the firmware to obtain and condition signals from the sensors as a portion the measurement data.

22. The system recited in claim 20, wherein the microcontroller is further operative to instruct the communications module to receive incoming connections from external devices.

23. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart platform is adapted to run a software application that enables wireless communication with the smart manifold, the smart platform being operable to execute the software application to receive the measured operating conditions and to perform the transformation of the operating conditions in the tangible form that is displayed by the smart platform.

24. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the smart platform is adapted to facilitate remote internet access to the measured data and user information.

25. A smart manifold system for monitoring the operation of an HVAC unit, the system comprising:

a smart manifold for measuring operating conditions related to the HVAC unit, the smart manifold comprising a radio for transmitting the measured operating conditions via at least one of a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi communication protocol; and

a smart platform comprising at least one of a smart phone, tablet computer, or personal computer, the smart platform being at least one of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled and running a software application that enables wireless communication with the smart manifold, the smart platform being operable to execute the software application to receive the measured operating conditions and to transform the operating conditions in a tangible form that is displayed by the smart platform.

26. The smart manifold system recited in claim 25, wherein the smart platform further comprises:

a built-in camera capable of recording photo and video information related to the HVAC unit and scanning label data of the HVAC unit for remote internet look-up of manufacturer data related to the HVAC unit; and

a GPS module that facilitates geo-tagging of the location of the HVAC unit and the associated photo information, video information, and manufacturer data.

27. A smart manifold for monitoring the operation of an HVAC unit, the smart manifold comprising:

a refrigerant manifold for measuring refrigerant pressures in the HVAC unit and for adding refrigerant to or removing refrigerant from the HVAC unit;

temperature sensors for measuring refrigerant temperatures related to the HVAC unit; and

electronics comprising a radio for transmitting the refrigerant pressures and temperatures to at least one of a smart phone, tablet computer, or portable computer.