Communication protocol system and method for a distributed-architecture heating, ventilation and air conditioning network
First Claim
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1. A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) data processing and communication network, comprising:
- an active subnet controller and an inactive subnet controller coupled to a data bus, said active subnet controller configuring and monitoring a network and implementing heating, cooling, humidification, dehumidification, air quality, ventilation, and other functional algorithms wherein said inactive subnet controller listens to all messages broadcast over said data bus and updates said inactive subnet controller'"'"'s internal memory to match that of said active subnet controller;
an HVAC demand unit coupled to said data bus, said HVAC demand unit providing an HVAC service in response to a command from said active subnet controller; and
a functional block within and specific to said HVAC demand unit, said functional block configured to respond to a message received via said data bus to cause said HVAC demand unit to enter a hard disabled state or a soft disabled state, wherein in said hard disabled state said HVAC demand unit does not provide a service or broadcast messages via said data bus, but continues to receive messages via said data bus, wherein in said soft disabled state said HVAC demand unit continues to receive and respond to messages over said network but does not provide a service.
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Abstract
The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In an embodiment, the network includes a system device coupled to a data bus. The system device includes a functional block adapted to respond to a message received via the data bus. The system device is configured to thereby enter a disabled state in which the system device does not provide a service or broadcast messages via the data bus, but may continue to receive messages via the data bus.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) data processing and communication network, comprising:
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an active subnet controller and an inactive subnet controller coupled to a data bus, said active subnet controller configuring and monitoring a network and implementing heating, cooling, humidification, dehumidification, air quality, ventilation, and other functional algorithms wherein said inactive subnet controller listens to all messages broadcast over said data bus and updates said inactive subnet controller'"'"'s internal memory to match that of said active subnet controller; an HVAC demand unit coupled to said data bus, said HVAC demand unit providing an HVAC service in response to a command from said active subnet controller; and a functional block within and specific to said HVAC demand unit, said functional block configured to respond to a message received via said data bus to cause said HVAC demand unit to enter a hard disabled state or a soft disabled state, wherein in said hard disabled state said HVAC demand unit does not provide a service or broadcast messages via said data bus, but continues to receive messages via said data bus, wherein in said soft disabled state said HVAC demand unit continues to receive and respond to messages over said network but does not provide a service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of manufacturing a portion of an HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:
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coupling an active subnet controller and an inactive subnet controller to a data bus, said active subnet controller configuring and monitoring a network and implementing heating, cooling, humidification, dehumidification, air quality, ventilation, and other functional algorithms wherein said inactive subnet controller listens to all messages broadcast over said data bus and updates said inactive subnet controller'"'"'s internal memory to match that of said active subnet controller; coupling an HVAC demand unit that provides an HVAC service in response to a command from said active subnet controller to said data bus; provide a functional block within and specific to said HVAC demand unit, said functional block adapted to respond to a message received from said active subnet controller via said data bus; and configuring said HVAC demand unit to respond to a message received via said data bus to enter a hard disabled state in which said HVAC demand unit does not provide a service or broadcast messages via said data bus but continues to receive messages via said data bus or to enter a soft disabled state in which said HVAC demand unit continues to receive and respond to messages over said network but does not provide a service. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An active subnet controller integral with an HVAC demand unit and couplable to an HVAC data processing and communication network, said HVAC data processing and communication network couplable to an inactive subnet controller that listens to all messages and updates said inactive subnet controller'"'"'s internal memory to match that of said active subnet controller, said active subnet controller comprising:
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a physical layer interface configured to interface to said network; a communication module configured to send and receive messages over said network via said physical layer interface; and a functional block configured to respond to a message received by said communication module, thereby causing said HVAC demand unit to enter a hard disabled state or a soft disabled state, wherein in said hard disabled state said functional block does not execute control functions and said communication module monitors said network without sending messages, wherein in said soft disabled state said functional block does not execute control functions and said communication module continues to receive and respond to messages over said network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification