HVAC system, a method for determining a location of an HVAC unit with respect to a site and an HVAC controller

• US 8,483,850 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stachler, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMAN JR, RONALD D
• Application Number:
  US12/694,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20100298986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/83, 236/51
• US Class Current: 700/83
• 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 11/50 characterised by user interfaces or communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/127 by using pulse modulation G01R21/133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1335 Tariff switching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/00 Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion G05B19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/00 Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures printed connections to, or between, printed circuits H05K1/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6456 comprising keying elements at different positions along the periphery of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 : The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 : The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/04 : Single phase motors, e.g. capacitor motors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 : the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 : General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/244 : the home appliances being or involving heating ventilating and air conditioning [HVAC] units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 : Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49147 : Assembling terminal to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 : Heat exchanger or boiler making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49359 : Cooling apparatus making, e.g., air conditioner, refrigerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

An HVAC controller, a method determining a location of a HVAC unit with respect to a site where the HVAC unit is installed and a HVAC system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the HVAC controller includes: (1) an interface configured to receive location data indicating a position of said HVAC unit with respect to the earth, (2) a memory coupled to said interface and configured to store said location data and a processor configured to retrieve said location data from said memory, wherein said retrieved location data is employed to determine a location of said HVAC unit with respect to a site where said HVAC unit is installed.

Claims

1. A controller for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, comprising:

an interface configured to receive location data indicating a position of said HVAC unit with respect to the Earth;

a memory coupled to said interface and configured to store said location data; and

a processor configured to retrieve said location data from said memory, determine, employing said retrieved location data, a location of said HVAC unit with respect to a building where said HVAC unit is operatively installed, and generate a map of said building based on said location data with said location of said HVAC unit denoted thereon.

2. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said location data is received from a GPS transceiver coupled to said HVAC unit and is unique GPS coordinates for said HVAC unit.

3. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said map of said building is generated based also on a building information of said building location.

4. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is further configured to send said retrieved location data to a HVAC system manager that is configured to determine said location of said HVAC unit with respect to said site.

5. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 4 wherein said processor is further configured to send identification information for said HVAC unit to said HVAC system manager.

6. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said HVAC unit is a rooftop unit.

7. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 4 wherein said processor is configured to send said retrieved location data to said HVAC system manager over a communications network via said interface.

8. A method for determining a location of a HVAC unit with respect to a building site where the HVAC unit is installed, comprising:

receiving location data at a HVAC controller of said HVAC unit, said location data indicating a position of said HVAC unit with respect to the Earth;

storing location data in a memory associated with said HVAC controller; and

determining a location of said HVAC unit, with respect to a building site where said HVAC unit is operatively installed, based on said location data; and

generating a map of said building site based on said location data with said location of said unit denoted thereon.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said location data is received from a GPS transceiver coupled to said HVAC unit.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said location data is unique GPS coordinates for said HVAC unit.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising retrieving said location data from said memory employing a processor of said HVAC controller.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising sending, via said interface, said retrieved location data to a HVAC system manager employing said processor and employing said HVAC system manager to determine said location of said HVAC unit with respect to said site based on said retrieved location data.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising sending identification information for said HVAC unit to said HVAC system manager, wherein said processor directs said sending of said identification information and said location data over a communications network via said interface.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said generating said map of said building site is based also on a building information of said building site.

15. A heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

at least one HVAC unit, including;

a HVAC controller configured to direct operation of said HVAC unit, said controller having;

an interface configured to receive location data indicating a position of said HVAC unit with respect to the Earth;

a memory coupled to said interface and configured to store said location data; and

a processor configured to retrieve said location data from said memory and determine, employing said retrieved location data, a location of said HVAC unit with respect to a site where said HVAC unit is operatively installed, and generate a map of said site with said location of said HVAC unit denoted thereon based on said location data.

16. The HVAC system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a GPS transceiver coupled to said HVAC unit, wherein said location data is received from said GPS transceiver and is unique GPS coordinates for said HVAC unit.

17. The HVAC system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a HVAC system manager configured to determine said location of said HVAC unit with respect to said site.

18. The HVAC system as recited in claim 17 wherein said HVAC unit further includes a network transceiver, said processor further configured to send said retrieved location data to said HVAC system manager via said network transceiver.

19. The HVAC system as recited in claim 18 wherein said processor is further configured to send identification information for said HVAC unit to said HVAC system manager via said network transceiver.

20. The HVAC system as recited in claim 15 wherein said site is a building and said HVAC system includes multiple HVAC units, wherein each of said multiple HVAC units is a rooftop unit with each said rooftop unit having a unique HVAC controller.