Ordered record of system-wide fault in an HVAC system

• US 7,308,384 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2004
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Rajendra K., Puranen, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Carol S. W.
• Application Number:
  US10/842,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20050159924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 702/99, 702/105, 702/130, 702182-185, 702/188, 702/82, 700/9, 700/274, 700/276, 700/278, 700/282, 700/299, 700/300, 700/275, 340/3.1, 340/3.3, 340/500, 340/310.11, 340/310.17, 340/538, 340/538.16, 340/588, 340/584, 340/585, 340/870.17, 621/27, 621/29, 621/81, 236/51, 236/94, 236/15.BG
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements

Abstract

An HVAC system includes a central controller which communicates with a multiple of HVAC components over a digital communication bus. The central controller maintains an ordered fault list that includes the source of a fault, a description of the fault, the last occurrence of the fault, and the number of sequential occurrences, or repetitions across the entire HVAC system.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosing a HVAC system comprising the steps of:

(1) monitoring an HVAC component of an HVAC system;

(2) identifying a fault at a location of the HVAC component with a microprocessor located at the location of the HVAC component, wherein the microprocessor identifies the fault;

(3) communicating a fault signal representative of the fault to a central controller after said step (2); and

(4) maintaining an ordered fault list comprising the fault signal at the central controller.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (1) further comprises:

monitoring a multiple of HVAC components.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step (3) further comprises:

digitally linking the multiple of HVAC components with the central controller.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

ordering the fault list by the most recent fault.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

maintaining a source of the fault within the fault list.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

maintaining a description of the fault within the fault list.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (4) further comprises:

maintaining a count of sequential occurrences of each fault within the fault list.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising said step of:

maintaining a time period of a last occurrence of each of the sequentially occurring faults.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising said step of:

remotely communicating with the central controller.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (3) further comprises:

communicating the fault signal in response to occurrence of the fault.

11. A method of diagnosing a HVAC system comprising the steps of:

(1) monitoring an HVAC component of an HVAC system;

(2) identifying a fault at a location of the HVAC component with a microprocessor,

(3) communicating a fault signal representative of the fault to a central controller after said step (2); and

(4) maintaining an ordered fault list comprising the fault signal at the central controller, ordering the fault list by the most recent fault, maintaining a time period count of the period since the occurrence of the fault and determining a date that the fault occurred based upon an entered date.

12. A method of diagnosing a HVAC system comprising the steps of:

(1) monitoring an HVAC component of an HVAC system;

(2) identifying a fault at a location of the HVAC component with a microprocessor;

(3) communicating a fault signal representative of the fault to a central controller after said step (2); and

(4) maintaining an ordered fault list compressing comprising the fault signal at the central controller and maintaining multiple repeated occurrences of a common fault as one record.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of:

displaying the multiple repeated occurrences as a single numerical value.

14. An HVAC system comprising:

a multiple of HVAC components;

a multiple of component microprocessors corresponding to said multiple of HVAC components such that each of said multiple of HVAC components includes a different one of the multiple of component microprocessors, wherein the component microprocessors identify faults at a location of the corresponding HVAC component;

a central controller in digital communication with each of said component microprocessors to receive a multiple of fault signals from each of said multiple of HVAC components and to store an ordered fault list of said fault signals; and

a display in communication with said central controller to display said ordered fault list.

15. The HVAC system as recited in claim 14, wherein said multiple of HVAC components comprise at least one of:

an A/C unit, a heat pump, a zone control, a furnace or a fan coil.

16. The HVAC system as recited in claim 14, wherein said central controller comprises a thermostat.

17. The HVAC system as recited in claim 14, wherein said digital communication comprises a four path communication bus.

18. An HVAC system comprising:

a multiple of HVAC components, each of said multiple of HVAC components comprising a component microprocessor that identifies faults at a location of a corresponding HVAC component;

a central controller in digital communication with each of said component microprocessors to receive a multiple of fault signals from each of said multiple of HVAC components and to store an ordered fault list of said fault signals;

a display in communication with said central controller to display said ordered fault list; and

a service tool which selectively communicates with said central controller through a docking station to receive the ordered fault list.

19. An HVAC system comprising:

a multiple of HVAC components;

a multiple of component microprocessors corresponding to said multiple of HVAC components such that, each of said multiple of HVAC components includes a different one of the multiple of component microprocessors, wherein the component microprocessors identify faults at a location of the corresponding HVAC component;

a central controller in digital communication with each of said component microprocessors to receive a multiple of fault signals from each of said multiple of HVAC components and to store an ordered fault list of said fault signals;

a display in communication with said central controller to display said ordered fault list; and

a remote access device which remotely communicates with said central controller to receive the ordered fault list.

20. A method of diagnosing a HVAC system comprising the steps of:

(1) monitoring an HVAC component of an HVAC system;

(2) identifying a fault at a location of the HVAC component with a microprocessor;

(3) communicating a fault signal representative of the fault to a central controller after said step (2) by sending the fault signal to the central controller upon occurrence of the fault; and

(4) maintaining an ordered fault list comprising the fault signal at the central controller.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said step (3) includes sending the fault signal to the central controller in real time.

22. An HVAC system comprising:

a multiple of HVAC components, each of said multiple of HVAC components comprising a component microprocessor that identifies faults at a location of a corresponding HVAC component;

a central controller in digital communication with each of said component microprocessors to receive a multiple of fault signals from each of said multiple of HVAC components and to store an ordered fault list of said fault signals; and

a display in communication with said central controller to display said ordered fault list, wherein said display displays the multiple of fault signals as a single numerical value.