System and method to program air conditioner modules

• US 8,140,192 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2006
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Liao, Xu Qiang, Weyna, Lisa L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes-Bullock, Crystal J
• Application Number:
  US12/520,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20100063635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 700/11, 700 17- 20, 700275-277, 700 2- 4, 701/1, 701/2, 701/29, 701/36, 709/249, 709/253, 710/100, 710/105
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00371 for vehicles carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00542 Modular assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00585 Means for monitoring, testing or servicing the air-conditioning
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00235 Devices in the roof area of the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23295 Load program and data for multiple processors

Abstract

A system to program microcomputers associated with a plurality of bus rooftop air conditioners comprises a plurality of air conditioner modules located on a bus rooftop. Each air conditioner module includes a microcomputer. Each microcomputer is connected to a CAN (computer area network) bus connection, and the CAN bus is common to each microcomputer. The system also includes a programming device that is communicatively coupled to at least one of the microcomputers of one of the plurality of air conditioner modules, wherein the programming device transfers a software update to the at least one of the microcomputers followed by the at least one of the microcomputers transferring the software update to each of the microcomputers in the of air conditioner modules located on a bus rooftop. A method for programming a plurality of microcomputers contained within a plurality of bus air conditioning modules is also presented.

Claims

1. A system to program microcomputers associated with a plurality of bus rooftop air conditioners comprising:

a plurality of air conditioner modules located on a bus rooftop, each air conditioner module including a microcomputer, each microcomputer connected to a CAN (computer area network) bus connection, the CAN bus common to each microcomputer; and

a programming device communicatively coupled to at least one of the microcomputers of one of the plurality of air conditioner modules, wherein said programming device transfers a software update to install an updated version of software code to said at least one of the microcomputers followed by said at least one of the microcomputers transferring said software update to each of the microcomputers in the of air conditioner modules located on a bus rooftop.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said programming device is a hand held programmer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said programming device is a personal computer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said personal computer is a laptop computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said programming device is communicatively coupled via a serial bus.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said serial bus is an RS-232 bus.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said serial bus is a USB bus.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said serial bus comprises a direct connection to the CAN bus.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said programming device is communicatively coupled to said at least one of the microcomputers via serial data link having a cable terminated with a connector for mating with said programming device, said cable located such that said programming device is situated in a user accessible location.

10. A method for programming a plurality of microcomputers contained within a plurality of bus air conditioning modules comprising:

providing a plurality of bus air conditioning modules having air conditioning module microcomputers on a microcomputer network;

providing a programming device;

connecting the programming device to one of the microcomputers;

establishing a communications link between the programming device and the one of the microcomputers;

programming the one of the microcomputers by transferring a software update to install an updated version of software code to the one of the microcomputers;

commanding the one of the microcomputers to broadcast the software update to the other microcomputers on the microcomputer network; and

commanding all of the microcomputers to run the software update.