Method and apparatus for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network

• US 7,590,469 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2007
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Manufacturing Inc. (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Manufacturing Inc. (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Grohman, Wojciech
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US11/866,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/277, 236/44.R, 236/44.C, 236/46.R, 236/47, 318/471, 621/32, 621/57, 621/58, 621/761, 621/81
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric

Abstract

A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network having a plurality of environmental interactive units communicatingly coupled with a plurality of space interactive units, each respective space interactive unit presenting a conditioned output when engaged with a particular environmental interactive unit, includes: (a) turning on selected delivery elements associated with selected space interactive units; (b) establishing baseline data indicating conditioned outputs of the selected space interactive units; (c) engaging at least one respective space interactive unit with at least one respective environmental interactive unit; (d) waiting a predetermined time interval; (e) measuring a conditioned output associated with each the selected delivery element; and (f) selecting the respective selected space interactive unit associated with the largest change in the conditioned output as assigned to the respective environmental interactive unit.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network;

said network including a plurality of environmental interactive units communicatingly coupled with a plurality of space interactive units;

each respective space interactive unit of said plurality of space interactive units presenting a conditioned output when engaged with a particular environmental interactive unit of said plurality of environmental interactive units;

the method comprising;

(a) turning on selected delivery elements associated with selected space interactive units of said plurality of space interactive units;

(b) establishing baseline data indicating conditioned outputs of said selected space interactive units;

(c) engaging at least one respective space interactive unit of said selected space interactive units with a respective environmental interactive unit of said plurality of environmental interactive units;

(d) waiting a predetermined time interval;

(e) measuring a conditioned output associated with each said selected delivery element; and

(f) selecting the respective selected space interactive unit associated with the largest change in said conditioned output as assigned to said respective environmental interactive unit.

2. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

Following step (f),

(g) if not all respective environmental interactive units of said plurality of environmental interactive units have been assigned, engaging a next at least one respective said selected space interactive unit with another respective environmental interactive unit; and

(h) repeating steps (d) through (f) until all respective environmental interactive units have been assigned.

3. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of space interactive units includes a plurality of HVAC indoor units.

4. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of environmental interactive units is a plurality of HVAC outdoor units.

5. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of environmental interactive units is a plurality of HVAC accessory units.

6. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of space interactive units includes a plurality of HVAC indoor units.

7. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of environmentally interactive units is a plurality of HVAC outdoor units.

8. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of environmental interactive units is a plurality of HVAC accessory units.

9. A method for configuring a communicating air conditioning network;

said network including a plurality of outdoor units interacting with an environment outside at least one conditioned space and coupled with a plurality of indoor units interacting with said at least one conditioned space;

each respective indoor unit of said plurality of indoor units employing a respective fan element for presenting a conditioned output when engaged with a particular outdoor unit of said plurality of outdoor units;

the method comprising;

(a) turning on selected fan elements associated with selected indoor units of said plurality of indoor units;

(b) establishing a baseline data set indicating conditioned outputs of said selected indoor units;

(c) engaging at least one respective indoor unit of said selected indoor units with a respective outdoor unit of said plurality of outdoor units;

(d) waiting a predetermined time interval;

(e) measuring said conditioned output associated with each said respective indoor unit; and

(f) selecting the respective said selected indoor unit associated with the largest change in said conditioned output as assigned to said respective outdoor unit.

10. A method for configuring a communicating air conditioning network as recited in claim 9 wherein the method further comprises:

Following step (f),

(g) if not all respective outdoor units of said plurality of outdoor units have been assigned, engaging a next respective said outdoor unit with at least one other said respective indoor unit; and

(h) repeating steps (d) through (f) until all respective outdoor units have been assigned.

11. An apparatus for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network;

said network including a plurality of environmental interactive units communicatingly coupled with a plurality of space interactive units and a network control unit;

each respective space interactive unit of said plurality of space interactive units presenting a conditioned output when engaged with a particular environmental interactive unit of said plurality of environmental interactive units;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) an empowering unit coupled with said network control unit for turning on selected delivery elements associated with selected space interactive units of said plurality of space interactive units;

(b) a data collecting unit coupled with said network control unit for establishing baseline data indicating conditioned outputs of said selected space interactive units;

(c) an engaging unit coupled with said network control unit for engaging at least one respective space interactive unit of said selected space interactive units with a respective environmental interactive unit of said plurality of environmental interactive units;

(d) a timer unit coupled with said network control unit for measuring a predetermined time interval for waiting;

(e) a measuring unit coupled with said network control unit for, after said predetermined time interval, measuring a conditioned output associated with each said selected delivery element; and

(f) a selecting unit coupled with said network control unit for selecting the respective said selected space interactive unit associated with the largest change in said conditioned output for assigning to said respective environmental interactive unit.

12. An apparatus for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 11 wherein the apparatus further comprises:

(g) a monitoring unit coupled with said network control unit for ascertaining whether all respective environmental interactive units of said plurality of environmental interactive units have been assigned;

said engaging unit engaging a next respective at least one said space interactive unit with another respective environmental interactive unit if not all respective environmental interactive units of said plurality of environmental interactive units have been assigned;

said monitoring unit and said engaging unit cooperating to repeat effecting said waiting, said measuring and said selecting until all respective environmental interactive units have been assigned.

13. An apparatus for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 11 wherein said plurality of space interactive units includes a plurality of HVAC indoor units.

14. An apparatus for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 11 wherein said plurality of environmental interactive units is a plurality of HVAC outdoor units.

15. An apparatus for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 11 wherein said plurality of environmental interactive units is a plurality of HVAC accessory units.

16. An apparatus for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 12 wherein said plurality of space interactive units includes a plurality of HVAC indoor units.

17. An apparatus for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 12 wherein said plurality of environmentally interactive units is a plurality of HVAC outdoor units.

18. A method for configuring a communicating environmental conditioning network as recited in claim 12 wherein said plurality of environmental interactive units is a plurality of HVAC accessory units.