System and method for controlling an HVAC system using a flash mini-card
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system using a HVAC control system, comprising the steps ofapplying power to the HVAC control system, wherein said step of applying power initiates a boot-up of a processor associated with the HVAC control system;
- reading a default memory location, wherein the contents of the default memory location direct the processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) connected to the processor through a bus;
configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS, wherein after said step of configuring, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions; and
performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the HVAC system using the HVAC control system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) control system and method for controlling a device, a subsystem, and/or a process using a flash mini-card. Preferably, the present invention is directed to an HVAC control system and method for controlling a chiller and the devices and subsystems associated with the chiller using a flash mini-card. More preferably, the present invention obviates the need for the HVAC control system and method to use at least one of the following: a hard disk, a disk controller, a card reader, or a card controller. The method includes, for example, applying power to the HVAC control system, wherein the step of applying power initiates a boot-up of a processor associated with the HVAC control system; reading a default memory location, wherein the contents of the default memory location direct the processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) connected to the processor through a bus; configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS, wherein after the step of configuring, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions; and performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the HVAC system using the HVAC control system.
-
Citations
42 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system using a HVAC control system, comprising the steps of
applying power to the HVAC control system, wherein said step of applying power initiates a boot-up of a processor associated with the HVAC control system; -
reading a default memory location, wherein the contents of the default memory location direct the processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) connected to the processor through a bus;
configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS, wherein after said step of configuring, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions; and
performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the HVAC system using the HVAC control system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
remotely controlling the HVAC control system using a remote control system connected to the HVAC control system through a network.
-
-
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
downloading from a network a second set of instructions, wherein a plurality of flash mini-cards connected to the processor permit said downloading of the second set of instructions to at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards connected to the processor.
-
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the processor continues performing the set of instructions from the at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards not receiving the second set of instructions from the network, during said downloading of the second set of instructions to at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards connected to the processor.
-
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising updating said set of instructions.
-
9. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system for controlling an HVAC system, comprising a processor, wherein when the HVAC control system is initially powered, said processor reads a default memory location within said processor, and wherein the contents of the default memory location direct said processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM) associated with the control system;
-
a flash mini-card connected to said processor through a bus, wherein the flash mini-card contains a set of instructions, and wherein said processor executes at least one of the set of instructions contained within said flash mini-card to control the HVAC system; and
means for configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS EPROM, wherein after executing the set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS EPROM, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs said processor to said flash mini-card that contains the set of instructions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of controlling a chiller with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system, comprising the steps of
configuring a processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions within a BIOS; -
reading a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions, after said step of configuring; and
performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the chiller. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
remotely controlling the HVAC control system using a remote control system connected to the HVAC control system through a network.
-
-
21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:
downloading from a network a second set of instructions to at least one of a plurality of flash mini-cards connected to the processor.
-
22. The method of claim 21, wherein during said downloading, the processor continues reading the set of instructions from the at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards that is not receiving the second set of instructions from the network.
-
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising updating the set of instructions.
-
24. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of performing further comprises controlling a plurality of devices and subsystems associated with the chiller based on a plurality of parameters, wherein said HVAC control system monitors the plurality of parameters.
-
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of devices and subsystems includes at least about 12 devices and subsystems.
-
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least about 14 parameters.
-
27. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the plurality of devices further comprises controlling a starter motor associated with a chiller.
-
28. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the plurality of devices further comprises maintaining the output water temperature of the chiller at a temperature set by a using said HVAC control system.
-
29. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least one of the following:
- temperature, chiller water temperature, and current load placed on the starter motor of the chiller.
-
30. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system for a chiller, comprising:
-
a processor for configuring the HVAC control system by executing a set of Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions within a BIOS; and
means for reading a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions, wherein said processor performs at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the chiller. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42)
a remote control system for remotely controlling the HVAC control system through a network.
-
-
34. The HVAC control system of claim 30, wherein said processor further comprises means for downloading from a network a second set of instructions to at least one of a plurality of flash mini-cards connected to said processor.
-
35. The HVAC control system of claim 30, wherein said processor continues reading the set of instructions from the at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards, while said means for downloading receives the second set of instructions from the network.
-
36. The HVAC control system of claim 35, further comprising means for updating the set of instructions.
-
37. The HVAC control system of claim 30, wherein said processor further comprises means for controlling a plurality of devices and subsystems associated with the chiller based on a plurality of parameters, wherein the HVAC control system monitors the plurality of parameters.
-
38. The HVAC control system of claim 37, wherein the plurality of devices and subsystems includes at least about 12 devices and subsystems associated with the chiller.
-
40. The HVAC control system of claim 37, wherein said means controlling the plurality of devices further comprises means for controlling a starter motor of the chiller.
-
41. The HVAC control system of claim 37, wherein said means for controlling the plurality of devices further comprises means for maintaining the output water temperature of the chiller at a temperature set using said HVAC controller.
-
42. The HVAC control system of claim 37, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least one of the following:
- temperature, chiller water temperature, and current load placed on the starter motor of the chiller.
-
39. The HVAC control system of 37, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least about 14 parameters.
Specification