Interactive control system for an HVAC system
First Claim
1. An interactive system for controlling the operation of a cooling system having at least a thermostat, a controller for an indoor blower, and a controller for an outdoor condenser unit, the interactive system comprising:
- an indoor blower including a blower motor, a line voltage sensor, and a motor current sensor;
a controller for the indoor blower motor, the blower motor controller being configured to monitor the sensed line voltage and blower motor current and establish baseline values for the sensed line voltage and sensed current of the indoor blower motor;
an outdoor condenser unit including a compressor, a compressor motor current sensor, and a compressor discharge temperature sensor;
a controller for the outdoor condenser unit, the outdoor condenser unit controller being configured to monitor the sensed compressor motor current and compressor discharge pressure and establish baseline values for the sensed compressor motor current and sensed compressor discharge pressure; and
a local network comprising a two-wire peer-to-peer network that is connected to each of the controller for the indoor blower motor, the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and a thermostat for providing communication between the indoor blower motor, the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and a thermostat;
wherein the thermostat is configured to include a learning mode for initiating operation periods of the compressor and blower during the day and night, to thereby speed the process of obtaining baseline parameter information for the compressor motor and blower motor.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive system for controlling the operation of an HVAC system is provide that comprises a thermostat for initiating the operation of the HVAC system in either a full capacity mode of operation or at least one reduced capacity mode of operation, and a controller for an outside condenser unit having a condenser fan motor and a compressor motor, the controller being capable of operating the compressor in a full capacity mode and at least one reduced capacity mode. The system also comprises a controller for an indoor blower unit having a blower fan motor, the controller being capable of operating the blower fan motor in a full capacity mode an at least one reduced capacity mode. The system further includes a communication means for transmitting information between the outside condenser unit controller and at least the indoor blower controller, where the information relates to the operation of the indoor blower and the outdoor condenser unit. The indoor blower controller responsively controls the operation of the blower fan motor in a full capacity mode or a reduced capacity mode based on the information received from the outdoor unit controller, and the outdoor unit controller responsively controls the operation of the compressor in a full capacity mode or a reduced capacity mode based on the information received from the indoor blower controller.
109 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An interactive system for controlling the operation of a cooling system having at least a thermostat, a controller for an indoor blower, and a controller for an outdoor condenser unit, the interactive system comprising:
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an indoor blower including a blower motor, a line voltage sensor, and a motor current sensor; a controller for the indoor blower motor, the blower motor controller being configured to monitor the sensed line voltage and blower motor current and establish baseline values for the sensed line voltage and sensed current of the indoor blower motor; an outdoor condenser unit including a compressor, a compressor motor current sensor, and a compressor discharge temperature sensor; a controller for the outdoor condenser unit, the outdoor condenser unit controller being configured to monitor the sensed compressor motor current and compressor discharge pressure and establish baseline values for the sensed compressor motor current and sensed compressor discharge pressure; and a local network comprising a two-wire peer-to-peer network that is connected to each of the controller for the indoor blower motor, the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and a thermostat for providing communication between the indoor blower motor, the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and a thermostat; wherein the thermostat is configured to include a learning mode for initiating operation periods of the compressor and blower during the day and night, to thereby speed the process of obtaining baseline parameter information for the compressor motor and blower motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An interactive system for controlling the operation of a cooling system having at least a thermostat, a controller for an indoor blower, and a controller for an outdoor condenser unit, the interactive system comprising:
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an indoor blower including a blower motor, a line voltage sensor, and a motor current sensor; a controller for the indoor blower motor, the blower motor controller being configured to monitor the sensed line voltage and blower motor current and establish baseline values for the sensed line voltage and sensed current of the indoor blower motor; an outdoor condenser unit including a compressor, a compressor motor current sensor, and a compressor discharge temperature sensor; a controller for the outdoor condenser unit, the outdoor condenser unit controller being configured to monitor the sensed compressor motor current and compressor discharge pressure and establish baseline values for the sensed compressor motor current and sensed compressor discharge pressure; and a local network comprising a two-wire peer-to-peer network that is connected to each of the controller for the indoor blower motor, the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and a thermostat for providing communication between the indoor blower motor, the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and a thermostat; wherein the thermostat is configured to monitor at least one temperature sensor within the space being conditioned by the cooling system, the thermostat being configured to determine from the sensed temperature the rate of temperature change within the space for establishing a baseline rate of temperature change, and to thereafter determine when a subsequent rate of temperature change has decreased below the baseline rate of temperature change by a predetermined level that is indicative of a possible low refrigerant charge condition.
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11. An interactive system for controlling the operation of a cooling system having at least a thermostat, a controller for an indoor blower, and a controller for an outdoor condenser unit, the interactive system comprising:
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an indoor blower including a blower motor, a line voltage sensor, and a motor current sensor; a controller for the indoor blower motor, the blower motor controller being configured to monitor the sensed line voltage and blower motor current and establish baseline values for the sensed line voltage and sensed current of the indoor blower motor; an outdoor condenser unit including a compressor, a compressor motor current sensor, and a compressor discharge temperature sensor; a controller for the outdoor condenser unit, the outdoor condenser unit controller being configured to monitor the sensed compressor motor current and compressor discharge pressure and establish baseline values for the sensed compressor motor current and sensed compressor discharge pressure; and a local network comprising a two-wire peer-to-peer network that is connected to each of the controller for the indoor blower motor, the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and a thermostat for providing communication between the indoor blower motor, the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and a thermostat, wherein the controller for the outdoor condenser unit is configured to monitor the compressor motor current sensor and the compressor discharge temperature sensor and to store the baseline values for the compressor motor current and compressor discharge temperature in a memory included in the controller for the outdoor condenser unit, and further configured to detect a high compressor motor current relative to the stored base-line compressor motor current and a high compressor discharge temperature relative to the stored base-line compressor discharge temperature to determine if a low refrigerant charge condition is present, and further configured to communicate a low refrigerant charge condition via the local network to the other system controllers, wherein the thermostat is configured to respond to the communicate a low refrigerant charge condition by the monitor at least one temperature sensor within the space being conditioned by the cooling system, the thermostat being configured to determine from the sensed temperature the rate of temperature change within the space for establishing a baseline rate of temperature change, and to thereafter determine when a subsequent rate of temperature change has decreased below the baseline rate of temperature change by a predetermined level that is indicative of a possible low refrigerant charge condition.
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Specification