Memory recovery scheme and data structure in a heating, ventilation and air conditioning network

• US 9,377,768 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• 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: Grohman, Wojciech
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US12/603,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,442 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-278, 700/17, 700 19- 20, 700/287, 236/44.R, 236/44.C, 236/47, 318/471, 621/32, 709/206, 709/222, 715/735
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23211 Limit value to tolerances, ranges, plausibility
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23213 Check validity of entered data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control

Abstract

A method for updating a parameter in a device in an HVAC network includes, in one embodiment, sending, by an interface to the device, 1) a parameter value change message, and 2) a new value of an installer parameter. The device determines if the new value is within an allowed range. The parameter is updated with the new value in a memory of the device if the parameter update is within the allowed range. The device sends the parameter to the interface. The parameter is relayed by the interface to an active subnet controller of the HVAC network.

Claims

1. A method for updating a parameter in a device in an HVAC network, comprising:

sending, by an interface to said device;

a) a parameter value change message, and

b) a new value of an installer parameter;

determining by said device if said new value is within an allowed range;

updating said parameter with said new value in a memory of said device if said parameter update is within said allowed range;

sending, by said device, said updated parameter to said interface; and

relaying, by said interface, said updated parameter to an active subnet controller of said HVAC network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said interface is at least one of:

a user interface; and

a gateway.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by said device, whether a parameter definition is a changed parameter definition.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if said definition is said changed parameter definition;

sending a device definition parameter message to said interface from said device, and

sending a device parameter value from said device for each parameter in a same group of parameters affected by said change of definition.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

wherein said same group consists of one selected from the group consisting of;

a non-communicating scan, and

a parameter scan.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acknowledging, by said interface to said active network controller, all changed parameters.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

relaying, from said interface to another device that has registered in an ASC device found list, all changed parameters.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein, if said definition is said changed parameter definition:

said device can send a device definition parameter message to said interface, and

said device can send a device parameter value for each parameter in a same group of parameters affected by said change of definition.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said same group consists of one selected from the group consisting of:

a non-communicating scan, and

a parameter scan.

8. An HVAC system, comprising:

a first device;

an interface, coupled to said first device, that can send to said first device;

a) a parameter value change message, and

b) an updated installer parameter,

wherein said first device can;

a) store said updated parameter in a memory of said first device if said updated parameter is within an allowed range, and

b) send said updated parameter to said interface; and

an active subnet controller configured to receive said updated parameter from said interface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said interface is at least one of:

a user interface; and

a gateway.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said device can determine whether a parameter definition is a changed parameter definition.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said interface can acknowledge all changed parameters to said active network controller.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said interface device can relay all changed parameters to another device that has registered in an active subnet controller device found list.

15. An HVAC system, comprising:

a first device;

an interface, coupled to said first device, that can send to said first device;

a) a parameter value change message, and

b) an updated installer parameter,

wherein said first device can;

a) store said updated parameter in a memory of said first device if said updated parameter is within an allowed range, and

b) send said updated parameter to said interface; and

an active subnet controller, coupled to said interface, configured to receive said updated parameter from said interface,

wherein said updated parameter is received via the Internet.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said interface is at least one of:

a user interface; and

a gateway.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said device can determine whether a parameter definition is a changed parameter definition.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein, if said definition is said changed parameter definition:

said device can send a device definition parameter message to said interface, and

said device can send a device parameter value for each parameter in a same group of parameters affected by said change of definition.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said same group consists of one selected from the group consisting of:

a non-communicating scan, and

a parameter scan.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said interface can acknowledge all changed parameters to said active network controller.