Devices, systems, and methods for communicating with rooftop air handling units and other HVAC components

• US 8,718,707 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2009
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Crawford, Charles L., Jeffery, Harold L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hiltunen, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US12/408,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20100241275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/556.1, 455/90.1
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A device for communicating information from a controller for a rooftop air handling unit to a portable electronic device includes a wire terminal for wiring to the controller and for receiving a signal comprising information from the controller. The device further includes a transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the information to the portable electronic device. The device yet further includes a circuit coupled to the wire terminal and the transceiver. The circuit is configured to extract the information from the signal. The circuit is further configured to provide the information from the wire terminal to the transceiver.

Claims

1. A method for providing information from a controller for HVAC equipment to a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting, at the controller for the HVAC equipment, a condition or a status of a HVAC component, wherein the controller is associated with a transceiver;

updating a transceiver device name of the transceiver to include an indication of the condition or status of the HVAC component and storing the updated transceiver device name in a memory device;

receiving, at the transceiver, a scan request from a portable electronic device;

recalling the updated transceiver device name from the memory device; and

providing the recalled transceiver device name to the portable electronic device in response to the scan request, wherein the updated transceiver device name indicates the condition or status of the HVAC component without requiring a data communications link between the transceiver and the portable electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a data communications link between the transceiver and the portable electronic device in response to a request for more information received from the portable electronic device.

3. The method of Claim 2, wherein the updating the transceiver device name is performed in response to detecting a change in the condition or status of the HVAC component.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving commands from the portable electronic device at the transceiver for the controller for the HVAC equipment; and

providing the commands to the controller for the HVAC equipment in response to an input received wirelessly.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

interpreting the condition or status of the HVAC component according to a first data communications protocol compatible with the controller for the HVAC equipment; and

using the interpretation to reform the condition or status for communication via the data communications link according to a second data communications protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first data communications protocol is at least one of a BACnet protocol, a LON protocol, a Modbus protocol, and a proprietary protocol.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second data communications protocol is a wireless application protocol (WAP), the method further comprising:

describing the condition or status of the HVAC component according to at least one of an XML language, an XHTML language, and a WML language.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the second data communications protocol is an HTTP protocol, the method further comprising:

describing the condition or status of the HVAC component according to at least one of an XML, XHTML, and HTML language.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition or status of the HVAC component is detected using data communications conducted via at least one of an RS-485 terminal, an EIA-485 terminal, and a TIA-485-A terminal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition or status of the HVAC component is detected using data communications conducted via a universal serial bus terminal and the transceiver is compatible with a wireless USB protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition or status of the HVAC component comprises at least one of operational status information, alert information, sensor information, naming information, historical information, diagnostics information, and setpoint information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is at least one of a mobile phone, a laptop, and a personal digital assistant.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition or status of the HVAC component is communicated from the controller to the portable electronic device without using an application gateway.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition or status of the HVAC component is communicated from the transceiver to the portable electronic device via a direct wireless communication.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with the portable electronic device without joining a larger communications network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is part of a portable device contained within a single portable housing.