HVAC SYSTEM AND AN HVAC CONTROLLER CONFIGURED TO GENERATE MASTER SERVICE ALARMS

• US 20160210842A1
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: GOKHALE, Umesh, DOUGLAS, Jon
• Granted Patent: US 10,192,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/41 Defrosting; Preventing freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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 2219/31437 Monitoring, global and local alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

A method of generating an alarm based on temperature conditions within an enclosed space. The method includes receiving, by a processor of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, operating-condition information of the HVAC system, determining, by the processor from the received operating-condition information, whether temperature within the enclosed space is approaching a setpoint temperature. Responsive to a determination that the temperature within the enclosed space has failed to approach the setpoint temperature, determining by the processor, whether anomaly conditions exist and responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions do not exist, generating the alarm.

Claims

1. A method of generating an alarm based on temperature conditions within an enclosed space, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, operating-condition information of the HVAC system;

determining, by the processor from the received operating-condition information, whether temperature within the enclosed space is approaching a setpoint temperature;

responsive to a determination that the temperature within the enclosed space has failed to approach the setpoint temperature, determining by the processor, whether anomaly conditions exist; and

responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions do not exist, generating the alarm.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the temperature within the enclosed space is approaching the setpoint temperature, no alarm is generated.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions exist, no alarm is generated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the anomaly conditions comprise at least one of a change in the setpoint temperature and a defrost cycle of the HVAC system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, historical data of the HVAC system; and

determining, by the processor, a prognosis of the HVAC system utilizing at least one of the historical data of the HVAC system and present operating-condition information of the HVAC system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding the generated alarm to at least one communication device that is distinct from the HVAC system; and

wherein the at least one communication device is a remote monitoring device associated with at least one of a manufacturer, a support entity, and a service provider.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the least one communication device is a non-HVAC device that is configured to interact with the HVAC system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a communications interface for communicating with at least one server via a wireless network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one server is associated with at least one of a manufacturer, a support entity, and a service provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm comprises a master service alarm indicating that the HVAC system is in need of service.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm comprises at least one of a digital signal and an analog signal.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the generated alarm, forwarding, by the processor, a message to a user interface; and

wherein the message comprises at least one of a text message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS), and an electronic mail (E-mail) message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user interface comprises a thermostat.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the operating-condition information comprises an operating mode of the HVAC system; and

the operating mode comprises at least one of a heating mode and a cooling mode.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the setpoint temperature comprises a target temperature setting of the HVAC system.

16. A system comprising:

a processor of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;

at least one server configured to communicate with the processor via a wireless network;

wherein the processor is configured to;

receive operating-condition information of the HVAC system;

determine whether temperature within an enclosed space has approached a setpoint temperature;

responsive to a determination that the temperature within the enclosed space has failed to approach the setpoint temperature, determine whether anomaly conditions exist; and

responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions do not exist, generate an alarm.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein responsive to a determination that the temperature within the enclosed space has approached the setpoint temperature, no alarm is generated.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions exist, no alarm is generated.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the anomaly conditions comprise at least one of a change in the setpoint temperature and a defrost cycle of the HVAC system.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive historical data of the HVAC system; and

determine a prognosis of the HVAC system utilizing at least one of the historical data of the HVAC system and present operating-condition information of the HVAC system.

21. The system of claim 16, comprising:

a networking device;

at least one communication device configured to receive the generated alarm;

wherein the networking device, the at least one communication device, and the at least one server are each communicably coupled to the wireless network; and

wherein the networking device allows the processor to communicate with the at least one server.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the at least one communication device comprises at least one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and a smart phone; and

the at least one communication device is associated with at least one of a homeowner, a manufacturer, a support entity, and a service provider.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the operating-condition information comprises an operating mode of the HVAC system; and

the operating mode comprises at least one of a heating mode and a cooling mode.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein:

in response to the generated alarm, the processor is configured to forward a message to a user interface; and

wherein the message comprises at least one of a text message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS), and an electronic mail (E-mail) message.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the alarm comprises a master service alarm indicating that the HVAC system is in need of service.