Actuator for HVAC systems and method for operating the actuator
First Claim
1. An actuator for HVAC systems, the actuator comprising:
- a network interface for connecting the actuator to a communication network,a bus interface for connecting the actuator to a sensor/actuator bus,a data store, anda processor connected to the data store;
wherein the actuator further comprises;
a loader configured to receive via the communication network and store in the data store a model definition defining an HVAC control application;
an element library including a variety of stored model elements comprising instructions for controlling the, processor, andcontroller modules configured in each case to control the sequential order of execution for associated model elements referenced by the respective controller module, to propagate external data input to its associated model elements prior to beginning the execution of the model element defined first in the sequential order, and to propagate data output from its associated model elements to the outside of the respective controller module at completion of the execution of the model element defined last in the sequential order; and
a model interpreter configured to implement based an the model definition the control application for execution on the processor, by instantiating controller modules and their associated model elements as referenced by the model definition, assigning at least one instantiated model element to a device attached to the sensor/actuator bus, and instantiating the controller modules in each case as a different thread of execution, wherein data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An actuator for an HVAC system having a stored model definition defining an HVAC control application, and an element library including a variety of stored model elements and controller modules (D, E) having instructions for controlling a processor of the actuator. The controller modules (D, E) include model elements and are configured to control the sequential order of their execution. The controller modules (D, E) are further configured to propagate any external data input (S66′, S68′) to their model elements prior to executing their first model element, and to propagate any data output (S63, S65, S67, S69) to external components after executing their last model element. The controller modules (D, E) are instantiated in different threads of execution, so that data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules (D, E) and neither temporal dependencies nor change of value links are imposed on components of the HVAC control application.
69 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An actuator for HVAC systems, the actuator comprising:
-
a network interface for connecting the actuator to a communication network, a bus interface for connecting the actuator to a sensor/actuator bus, a data store, and a processor connected to the data store; wherein the actuator further comprises;
a loader configured to receive via the communication network and store in the data store a model definition defining an HVAC control application;an element library including a variety of stored model elements comprising instructions for controlling the, processor, and controller modules configured in each case to control the sequential order of execution for associated model elements referenced by the respective controller module, to propagate external data input to its associated model elements prior to beginning the execution of the model element defined first in the sequential order, and to propagate data output from its associated model elements to the outside of the respective controller module at completion of the execution of the model element defined last in the sequential order; and
a model interpreter configured to implement based an the model definition the control application for execution on the processor, by instantiating controller modules and their associated model elements as referenced by the model definition, assigning at least one instantiated model element to a device attached to the sensor/actuator bus, and instantiating the controller modules in each case as a different thread of execution, wherein data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for operating an actuator of an HVAC system, the method comprising:
-
storing in the actuator a model definition defining an HVAC control application;
storing in the actuator an element library which includes a variety of model elements and controller modules, the model elements and controller modules comprising instructions for controlling a processor of the actuator;implementing in the actuator, based on the model definition, the control application for execution on the processor, by instantiating from the element library controller modules and associated model elements as referenced by the model definition, assigning at least one instantiated model element to a device attached to a sensor/actuator bus, and instantiating the controller modules in each case as a different thread of execution; and executing the control application ‘
by the respective controller modules in each case controlling the sequential order of execution for associated model elements referenced by the respective controller module, propagating external data input to its associated model elements prior to beginning the execution of the model element defined first in the sequential order, and propagating data output from its associated model elements to the outside of the respective controller module at completion of the execution of the model element defined last in the sequential order, wherein data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium embodying computer program code means for controlling a processor of an actuator of an HVAC system, wherein the actuator
receives via a communication network a model definition defining an HVAC control application; -
stores the model definition in a data store of the actuator; implements based on the model definition the control application for execution on the processor of the actuator, by instantiating from a stored element library controller modules and associated model elements as referenced by the model definition, assigning at least one instantiated model element to a device attached to a sensor/actuator bus, and instantiating the controller modules in each case as a different thread of execution, and executes the control application by controlling the sequential order of execution for associated model elements referenced by the respective controller module, by propagating external data input for the respective controller module to its associated model elements prior to beginning the execution of the model element defined first in the sequential order, and by propagating data output from the associated model elements to the outside of the respective controller module at completion of the execution of the model element defined last in the sequential order, wherein data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules.
-
Specification