Low voltage power line communication for climate control system

• US 7,434,744 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Butler, William P., Garozzo, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman; Marc E
• Application Number:
  US11/299,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20070131784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 621/78, 622/281, 622/31, 236/51, 700/276
• US Class Current: 236/51
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/871 by controlling outdoor fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/72 Carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A system for controlling one or more components of a climate control system is provided that includes one or more controllers in connection with low voltage power lines for powering the one or more controllers. The controllers are further capable of transmitting one or more communication signals via the low voltage waveform. The system includes a thermostat controller, at least one system controller for a heating or cooling system, and a controller for a circulating air blower. The thermostat controller, system controller and circulating air blower controller are connected to each other only through each controller'"'"'s individual connection to the hot and common low voltage power transmission lines. Each controller is capable of transmitting one or more signals that are superimposed onto the low-frequency low-voltage waveform and include information identifying a destination controller that the signals are intended for.

Claims

1. A climate control system comprising:

an alternating current low voltage transformer that conducts a low-frequency low-voltage waveform across hot and common power transmission lines;

a thermostat controller, a controller for a heating system, and at least a controller for a compressor of a heat pump or air conditioning system, the thermostat controller, heating system controller and compressor controller being connected to each other only through each controller'"'"'s individual connection to the hot and common power transmission lines;

wherein each of the individual thermostat, heating system and compressor controllers are configured to recognize a command that is unique to the specific thermostat, heating system controller or compressor controller, which unique command will only request operation of the specific controller, and each controller is capable of transmitting one or more signals that are superimposed onto the low-frequency low-voltage waveform and include information identifying a destination controller that the signals are intended for.

2. The climate control system of claim 1 wherein the thermostat controller is capable of transmitting one or more signals which specifically request operation of only the heating system controller for establishing operation of the heating system only, and one or more signals which specifically request operation of only the compressor controller for establishing operation of the compressor only.

3. The climate control system of claim 1, wherein at least one controller is capable of modifying the operation of at least one component that the at least one controller has control over in response to receiving a signal that is intended for another controller which includes information about the operation of at least one component within the climate control system.

4. The climate control system of claim 1 wherein the one or more signals include information identifying the controller that is transmitting the signal and the intended destination controller.

5. The climate control system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for a circulating air blower that is connected to the hot and common power transmission lines and is capable of transmitting high frequency signals superimposed onto the low frequency low-voltage waveform, wherein the compressor controller is capable of modifying the operation of the compressor in response to receiving a signal transmitted by the circulating air blower controller which is intended for the thermostat controller and includes information about circulating air blower operation being disabled or at a reduced capacity.

6. The climate control system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for a circulating air blower that is connected to the hot and common power transmission lines and is capable of transmitting high frequency signals superimposed onto the low frequency low-voltage waveform, wherein the heating system controller is capable of modifying the operation of the heating system in response to receiving a signal transmitted by the circulating air blower controller which includes information about a blower motor operation being disabled or at a reduced capacity.

7. The climate control system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for circulating air blower that is connected to the hot and common power transmission lines and is capable of receiving and transmitting high frequency signals superimposed onto the low frequency low-voltage waveform, the circulating air blower controller being capable of modifying the operating capacity of the circulating air blower in response to receiving a signal which includes information about a reduced operating capacity of either the compressor or the heating system.

8. The climate control system of claim 1 wherein the thermostat controller is capable of transmitting one or more command signals that are unique to the heating system controller and the compressor controller respectively, for requesting respective operation of the heating system or compressor controller in a desired mode.

9. The climate control system of claim 1 wherein the one or more signals include information relating to the operation of a system component controlled by the controller that is transmitting the signal.

10. The climate control system of claim 1 further comprising a carbon monoxide sensor that provides an indication of a harmful carbon monoxide level which may be communicated through a high frequency signal superimposed onto the low frequency low-voltage waveform that is intended for the thermostat controller, wherein the heating system controller is capable receiving the signal intended for the thermostat controller which includes information about a harmful carbon monoxide level and responsively discontinuing operation of the heating system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more signals that are superimposed onto the low-frequency low-voltage waveform include information of the address of a controller that the signals are intended for, and wherein controllers other than the destination controller are configured to listen to the signal intended for another controller and analyze them depending on a node type of the sending controller.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the controllers are configured to establish operation in either a full capacity mode of operation or a reduced capacity mode of operation based on the communication of information by one of the controllers relating to the operation or condition of a component of the climate control system.