Interface adapter for interfacing a remote controller with commercial refrigeration and environmental control systems
First Claim
1. In combination with a commercial installation having a central refrigeration system with multiple compressors and refrigerated units and also having environmental apparatus for regulating the heating ventilating and air conditioning of such installation, said refrigeration system having local control means for operating said refrigeration system in response to local status signals and having remote control input ports for remote control of the refrigeration system;
- and a remote electronic controller adapted to receive the local status signals and to override at least part of said local control means and operate said refrigeration system by generating an electrical control signal and a switchback signal indicating that the electrical control signal should be recognized;
the improvement comprising;
interface adapter means for electronically interfacing said refrigeration system and said remote controller including;
means responsive to the switchback signal for providing the electrical control signal of the remote controller with the remote input ports of the refrigeration system; and
means for providing at least one of the local status signals to the remote controller.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interface adapter for use in combination with a commercial installation having a central refrigeration system with multiple compressors and refrigerated units and also having environmental apparatus for regulating the heating, ventilating and air conditioning of such installation. The refrigeration system has a local control apparatus for operating the system in response to local status signals and has remote control input ports for remote control of the system. A remote electronic controller adapted to receive the local status signals and to override at least part of said local control means operates the refrigeration system by generating an electrical control signal and a switchback signal indicating that the electrical control signal should be recognized. The interface adapter electronically isolates and interfaces the refrigeration system and the remote controller. The interface adapter includes a circuit responsive to the switchback signal for providing the electrical control signal of the remote controller with the remote input ports of the refrigeration system. The interface adapter may also include a circuit for providing at least one of the local status signals to the remote controller. As a result, the interface adapter permits a corresponding control signal to be provided to the remote control input port of the system even though the electrical characteristics of the remote control input port may be incompatible with one of the corresponding electrical characteristics of the control signal.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. In combination with a commercial installation having a central refrigeration system with multiple compressors and refrigerated units and also having environmental apparatus for regulating the heating ventilating and air conditioning of such installation, said refrigeration system having local control means for operating said refrigeration system in response to local status signals and having remote control input ports for remote control of the refrigeration system;
- and a remote electronic controller adapted to receive the local status signals and to override at least part of said local control means and operate said refrigeration system by generating an electrical control signal and a switchback signal indicating that the electrical control signal should be recognized;
the improvement comprising;interface adapter means for electronically interfacing said refrigeration system and said remote controller including; means responsive to the switchback signal for providing the electrical control signal of the remote controller with the remote input ports of the refrigeration system; and means for providing at least one of the local status signals to the remote controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- and a remote electronic controller adapted to receive the local status signals and to override at least part of said local control means and operate said refrigeration system by generating an electrical control signal and a switchback signal indicating that the electrical control signal should be recognized;
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4. An apparatus for interfacing between a system having a local control means for operating said system in response to a local status signal representing the status of said system and remote control means for overriding part or all of said local control means and for operating part or all of said system by generating an control signal and a command signal indicating that the control signal should be recognized, said apparatus comprising:
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means for isolating the remote control means and the system including; first means, responsive to the command signal, for providing a remote signal corresponding to the control signal to the system; and second means for providing the local status signal to the remote control means. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An interface adapter for use with a remote controller which generates a control signal and a command signal indicating that the control signal should be recognized, and for interfacing said remote controller with a refrigeration or environmental system having air conditioning, wherein the system has at least one remote control input port for remote control thereof, the adapter comprising:
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first means for receiving the command signal and for providing a power signal in response thereto; and second means, responsive to said power signal, for receiving the control signal and for providing a corresponding control signal to the remote control input port only when the command signal is being received by the first means and the control signal is being received by the second means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An interface adapter for use with a remote controller which generates a control signal at its control output port and a switchback signal at its switchback output port indicating that the control signal should be recognized, and for interfacing said remote controller with a heating, ventilating, refrigerating or environmental system having air conditioning, wherein the system has a remote control input port for remote control thereof, the adapter comprising:
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a first relay having a first coil which when energized, operates to interconnect a first contact and a second contact of the first relay, the first contact connected to the remote control input port of the system and the second contact connected to the control output port of the apparatus; a second relay having a second coil which, when energized, operates to interconnect a first contact and a second contact of the second relay, the first contact connected to the first coil and the second contact connected to a power supply for energizing the first coil; means responsive to the switchback signal for energizing the second coil thereby energizing the first coil and providing the control signal via the first and second contacts of the first relay to the remote control input port of the system. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification