SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING AND COMMUNICATING WITH HVAC DEVICES

• US 20200136677A1
• Filed: 11/20/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Rumler, Daniel R., Whitsitt, Steven L., Alexander, Robert K., Merkl, Christopher, Romanowich, Gary A., Clement, Bernard, Weiss, Kevin A.
• Granted Patent: US 11,121,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/00 Control or safety arrangements
• 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 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/526 giving audible indications
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/59 for presetting
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/72 for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/81 by controlling the air supply to heat-exchangers or bypass channels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15117 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2231 Master slave
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2237 Selection of master or slave
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23297 Remote load of program with cellular, wireless, satellite connection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 : HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 : Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33203 : Wireless transmission of power and data, inductively, rotary transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 : Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 : where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A sensor in a building HVAC system includes a transducer configured to measure a variable in the building HVAC system and to generate a sensor reading indicating a value of the measured variable. The sensor includes a communications interface configured to provide the sensor reading to a control device in the building HVAC system and a near field communication (NFC) circuit separate from the communications interface. The NFC circuit is configured to facilitate bidirectional NFC data communications between the sensor and a mobile device. The sensor includes a processing circuit having a processor and memory. The processing circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit data stored in the memory of the sensor to the mobile device via the NFC circuit, wirelessly receive data from the mobile device via the NFC circuit, and store the data received from the mobile device in the memory of the sensor.

Claims

1. A method of configuring an actuator using a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of configuration parameters associated with the actuator at the mobile device via near field communication (NFC);

displaying at least a portion of the plurality of configuration parameters on a display of the mobile device;

receiving a configuration parameter update at the mobile device, the configuration parameter update replacing or modifying at least one of the plurality of configuration parameters;

transmitting the configuration parameter update to the actuator via NFC.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of configuration parameters includes at least one of a set point, a travel time, and an operational mode, the operational mode identifying one of a direct action mode and a reverse action mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of configuration parameters includes at least two of a set point, a travel time, and an operational mode, the operational mode identifying one of a direct action mode and a reverse action mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of configuration parameters includes a set point, a travel time, and an operational mode, the operational mode identifying one of a direct action mode and a reverse action mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of configuration parameters includes at least one of a building device type, a device identification, and a network address.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a visual representation of the actuator on the display.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a hyperlink on the display, the hyperlink selectable to direct a user to additional information regarding the actuator.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the configuration parameter update on the display of the mobile device; and

providing an indication on the display that the configuration parameter update was transmitted successfully to the actuator.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying diagnostic data regarding operation of the actuator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the diagnostic data includes failure mode data.

11. An application for configuring a building device of an HVAC system, the application being for execution on a mobile device comprising a display, the application comprising instructions for:

receiving a plurality of configuration parameters associated with the building device from the building device using near field communication (NFC);

displaying at least a portion of the plurality of configuration parameters on the display;

receiving a configuration parameter update, the configuration parameter update replacing or modifying at least one of the configuration parameters; and

transmitting the configuration parameter update to the building device via NFC.

12. The application of claim 11, wherein the plurality of configuration parameters includes at least one of a set point, a travel time, and an operational mode, the operational mode identifying one of a direct action mode and a reverse action mode.

13. The application of claim 11, wherein the plurality of configuration parameters includes at least one of a building device type, a device identifier, and a network address.

14. The application of claim 11, further comprising instructions for displaying a visual representation of the building device on the display.

15. The application of claim 11, further comprising instructions for displaying a hyperlink on the display, the hyperlink selectable to direct a user to additional information regarding the building device.

16. The application of claim 11, further comprising instructions for providing an indication that the modified set of configuration parameters was transmitted successfully to the building device.

17. The application of claim 11, further comprising instructions for displaying diagnostic data regarding operation of the building device.

18. The application of claim 17, further comprising instructions for displaying the configuration parameter update on the display.

19. A mobile device for configuring a building device of an HVAC system, comprising:

a display; and

a processor configured to;

receive data associated with at least one of diagnosis and operation of the building device, the data received from the building device using near field communication (NFC); and

display the data on a display.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the data includes data relating to a plurality of operational parameters of the building device.

21. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the data includes at least one of timing data and speed data.

22. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the data includes failure mode data.

23. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the building device includes a flow sensor.

24. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the device interface application is further configured to receive a configuration parameter of the building device from the building device via direct wireless communication between the mobile device and the building device and display the configuration parameter on the display.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the device interface application is further configured to receive a user input modifying the configuration and transmit the modified configuration parameter to the building device via direct wireless communication between the mobile device and the building device.

26. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the configuration parameter includes a set point for the building device.

27. A device interface application for a mobile device and for use with a building device, the device interface application comprising instructions causing the mobile device to:

receive a plurality of configuration parameters associated with the building device from the building device using near field communication (NFC);

display the plurality of configuration parameters on a display;

receive a configuration parameter update modifying or replacing at least one of the configuration parameters; and

provide the configuration parameter update to the building device via NFC.

28. The device interface application of claim 27, wherein the instructions further cause the mobile device to display data associated with operation of the building device, the data received from the building device via NFC.

29. The device interface application of claim 27, wherein the plurality of configuration parameters includes at least one of a set point, a travel time, and an operational mode, the operational mode identifying one of a direct action mode and a reverse action mode.

30. The device interface application of claim 27, wherein the instructions further cause the mobile device to display the configuration parameter update on the display and provide an indication on the display that the configuration parameter update was transmitted successfully to the building device.