MEMORY RECOVERY SCHEME AND DATA STRUCTURE IN A HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING NETWORK

• US 20100107083A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 9,377,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/735
• 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

The disclosure provides systems and methods for updating a parameter in a device in an HVAC network. In various embodiments, a method comprises a sending by an interface device to the device: a) a parameter value change message, and b) a new value of an installer parameter. The method includes the device determining if the parameter update is within an allowed range, and updating the parameter in a memory of the device if the parameter update is within the allowed range. The method further includes the device sending the parameter to an interface device. The method still further includes relaying the parameter to an active subnet controller by the interface device. In further embodiments, the method determines whether a parameter definition is a changed parameter definition. If the definition is the changed parameter definition: a device definition parameter message is sent to the interface device from the device in the HVAC network. A device parameter value is also sent from the HVAC device for each parameter in a same group of parameters affected by the change of definition.

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 parameter to an interface; and

relaying, by said interface device, said 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) a new value of an installer parameter,

wherein said first device can;

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

b) send said parameter to said interface device; and

an active subnet controller, coupled to said interface, that can receive said updated parameter.

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) a new value of an installer parameter,

wherein said first device can;

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

b) send said parameter to said interface device; and

an active subnet controller, coupled to said interface, that can receive said updated parameter, wherein said updated parameter is received over an 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.