Device commissioning in a heating, ventilation and air conditioning network

• US 8,295,981 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hadzidedic, Darko
• Primary Examiner(s): VON BUHR, MARIA N
• Application Number:
  US12/603,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-278, 709220-222, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 715733-737
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25076 Configure connected module only if allowed, registered module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25101 Detect connected module, load corresponding parameters, variables into module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks

Abstract

The disclosure provides various systems and methods for conveying information between a communicating first device and a second coupled device of a HVAC network. In various embodiments, a checking of a subnet of the HVAC network for both communicating device and a non-communicating device by the communicating first device occurs. It is determined whether the second coupled device in a non-communicating device. An installer is allowed to set parameters of the non-communicating device through employment of a manifest list of features used by the non-communicating device that is accessible by the communicating device.

Claims

1. A method for commissioning a first device that can communicate with a second device in a HVAC network, comprising:

entering a commissioning process by said first device of a subnet of said HVAC network;

said first device reading a feature manifest of a second device;

said first device setting a parameter validity, as determined by said feature manifest;

said first device setting an internal parameter value of said first device as determined by said feature manifest; and

informing an installer on validity and value of said parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if there is a second device on said subnet of said HVAC;

setting internal parameters having a value regarding said second device by said first device; and

conveying said value to said second device from said first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first device is a subnet controller capable of being configured to operate as a selectable one of an active subnet controller and an inactive subnet controller, and wherein said first device is configured to operate as said inactive subnet controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a validity of said internal parameter is determined by whether said internal parameter is enabled or disabled.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first device is not commissioned in the event said feature manifest is outside a permitted configuration set.

6. An HVAC system, comprising:

a first device of said HVAC system;

a second device of said HVAC system;

a subnet of said HVAC system coupled to said first device and said second device;

an outdoor feature manifest readable by said first device after said first device enters a commissioning process;

a parameter validity indicia as determined by said outdoor feature manifest by said first device;

an internal parameter value of said first device; and

an output employable to convey to an installer;

a) said parameter validity indicia, and

b) said value of said internal parameter.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said first device is further configured to:

determine if there is a second device on said subnet of said HVAC;

set internal parameters having a value regarding said second device by said first device; and

convey said value to said second device from said first device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said first device is a subnet controller capable of being configured to operate as a selectable one of an active subnet controller and an inactive subnet controller, and wherein said first device is configured to operate as said inactive subnet controller.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein a validity of said internal parameter is determined by whether said internal parameter is enabled or disabled.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said value to be conveyed to said installer is a default value.

11. The system of claim 6,

wherein said first device is a communicating device capable of determining if said second device is a communicating device, and

wherein, in the event that said second device is a non-communicating device, said communicating device can allow an installer to set internal parameters for said non-communicating device.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein said second device communicates through said first device during an installation instead of directly with an installer.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said communicating device can convey said parameters to said non-communicating device after said installer sets said internal parameters into said communicating device.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein said first device and said second device are coupled to a subnet of said HVAC system, and further comprising a subnet controller coupled to said subnet and configured to control operation of said subnet to implement a heating, cooling, air quality or ventilation algorithm.