Portable plug-in control module for use with the service modules of HVAC systems

• US 6,179,214 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: McCaslin, Timothy Dale, Fuller, Alan Jay, Key, Brian Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Doerrler, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US09/358,195
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/94, 621/25, 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 621/30, 165/11.1, 165/11.2
• US Class Current: 236/51
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/12 transportable
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 27/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

A portable, preferably hand held control module for use in a heating, ventilating or cooling (HVAC) system that includes at least one subsystem that may be controlled via a service module which is located in proximity to that subsystem. The portable control module includes a plurality of manually operated keys for enabling a user to apply to the subsystem commands which are generally the same as commands which may be applied via the manually operable keys of the service module. The portable control module also includes a display assembly having one or more displays for displaying to the user information concerning the subsystem that is generally the same as that which is displayed on the display assembly of the service module. Finally the portable control module includes a coupling assembly which allows it to be detachably connected to the subsystem, or to a local area network (LEN) which services the subsystem, to enable the user to apply commands to and receive information from the subsystem without being in proximity to the service module.

Claims

1. A portable control module for use in a heating, ventilating or cooling (HVAC) system which includes at least one subsystem that may be controlled via a service module which is located in proximity to that subsystem, said service module being of the type which includes (i) a plurality of manually operable keys for enabling a user to apply to said subsystem commands including at least one of status commands, test commands, mode commands, and setpoint change commands, and (ii) a display assembly for displaying information received from said subsystem in response to the operation of the keys of said service module, said portable control module including, in combination:

(a.) a portable housing;

(b.) a plurality of manually operable keys for enabling the user to apply to said subsystem commands which are substantially the same as the commands which may be applied to said subsystem via the manually operable keys of said service module;

(c.) a display assembly for displaying to the user, in response to the operation of the manually operable keys of said control module, information concerning said subsystem which is substantially the same as that which is displayed on the display assembly of said service module in response to the operation of the corresponding keys of said service module; and

(d.) coupling means attached to said portable housing for detachably connecting said portable control module to said subsystem to enable the user to apply commands to said subsystem and to receive information from said subsystem without being in proximity to said service module.

2. The portable control module of claim 1 in which said coupling means includes a connector plug and a plurality of electrical conductors for connecting said control module to said connector plug, in which at least one of said service module and said subsystem includes a receptacle adapted to receive said connector plug, and in which the plugging of said connector plug into said receptacle enables the user to apply said commands to said subsystem by using either the manually operable keys of said service module or the manually operable keys of said control module, and to receive, via either the display assembly of said service module or the display assembly of said control module, substantially the same information concerning said subsystem.

3. The portable control module of claim 1 in which said manually operable keys have sizes and spacings which allow said keys to be operated by a user who is wearing protective gloves.

4. The portable control module of claim 3 in which said plurality of keys and said at least one display are covered by a transparent weatherproof cover, and in which each of said manually operable keys may be operated through said weatherproof cover.

5. The portable control module of claim 1, further including a magnet secured to said portable housing, for detachably securing the control module to a magnetically permeable part of said subsystem, and thereby allowing the user to service the subsystem without holding the control module in his hands.

6. The portable control module of claim 1 further including (i) processing means including a stored program for processing commands entered via said plurality of keys and for controlling the displaying of information on said display assembly, (ii) a plurality of electrical conductors for connecting said processing means to said plurality of keys and to said display assembly, and (iii) interfacing means for interfacing said processing means with said coupling means to enable said control module and said subsystem to communicate with one another via said coupling means, said stored program defining a multi-level menu structure that enables the user to use said keys and said display assembly to determine the operative status of a plurality of the parts of said subsystem.

7. The portable control module of claim 6 in which said manually operable keys include at least an up key and a down key for enabling the service person to scrollably select that one of a plurality of operating modes in which the control module is to operate, an enter key for causing the control module to move to a deeper level of said menu structure, and an escape key for causing the control module to move to a higher level of said menu structure.

8. The portable control module of claim 6 in which said display assembly includes at least a mode display for indicating the mode in which the control module is operating, and an alphanumeric display for displaying information about the subsystem which is dependent on the part of said menu structure within the control module is operating.

9. The portable control module of claim 7 in which said display assembly includes at least a mode display for indicating the mode in which the control module is operating, and an alphanumeric display for displaying information about the subsystem which is dependent on the part of said menu structure within which the control module is operating.

10. The portable control module of claim 8 in which said display assembly further includes an alarm status display for indicating to the user the existence and severity of an abnormal operating condition in said subsystem.

11. In a heating, ventilating or cooling (HVAC) system of the type which includes a plurality of subsystems that may be controlled via the conductors of a local equipment network (LEN), and at least one service module located in proximity to a respective subsystem and connected to said LEN for enabling a user to exert local control over that respective subsystem, said service module being of the type which includes (i) a plurality of manually operable keys for enabling the user to apply to the respective subsystem commands including at least one of status commands, mode commands, and setpoint change commands, and (ii) a display assembly for displaying information received from said subsystem in response to the operation of the keys of said service module, the improvement comprising:

at least one receptacle, connected to said LEN, for receiving a plug which includes conductors that correspond to at least the conductors of said LEN;

a portable control module including;

(a.) a plurality of manually operable keys which correspond to the manually operable keys of said service module;

(b.) a display assembly for displaying to the user, in response to the operation of the manually operable keys of said control module, information concerning said subsystem which is substantially the same as that which is displayed on the display assembly of said service module in response to the operation of the corresponding keys of said service module; and

(c.) coupling means for detachably connecting said portable control module to said LEN to enable the user to apply commands to one of said subsystems, and to receive information from said one of said subsystems without being in proximity to the respective service module thereof, said coupling means including a plurality of conductors and a plug adapted to fit into said at least one receptacle;

whereby the user may use said control module and service module interchangeably to apply commands to and receive information from said one of said subsystems.

12. The portable control module of claim 11 in which said portable control module includes a weatherproof housing, further including means defining a weatherproof seal between said coupling means and said weatherproof housing.

13. The portable control module of claim 11 in which said manually operable keys have sizes and spacings which allow said keys to be operated by a user who is wearing protective gloves.

14. The portable control module of claim 11 in which said plurality of keys and said at least one display are covered by a transparent weatherproof cover, and in which each of said manually operable keys may be operated through said weatherproof cover.

15. The portable control module of claim 11, further including a magnet secured to said portable housing, for detachably securing the control module to a magnetically permeable part of said subsystem, and thereby allowing the user to service the subsystem without holding the control module in his hands.

16. The system of claim 11 in which said portable control module further includes (i) processing means including a stored program for processing commands entered via said plurality of keys and for controlling the displaying of information on said display assembly, (ii) a plurality of electrical conductors for connecting said processing means to said plurality of keys and to said display assembly, and (iii) interfacing means for interfacing said processing means with said coupling means to enable said control module and said one of said subsystems to communicate with one another via said coupling means, said stored program defining a multi-level menu structure that enables the user to use said keys and said display assembly to determine at least the operative status of predetermined parts of said one of said subsystems.

17. The portable control module of claim 16 in which said manually operable keys include at least an up key and a down key for enabling the service person to scrollably select that one of a plurality of operating modes in which the control module is to operate, an enter key for causing the control module to move to a deeper level of said menu structure, and an escape key for causing the control module to move to a higher level of said menu structure.

18. The portable control module of claim 16 in which said display assembly includes at least a mode display for indicating the mode in which the control module is operating, and an alphanumeric display for displaying information about the subsystem which is dependent on the part of said menu structure within the control module is operating.

19. The portable control module of claim 17 in which said display assembly includes at least a mode display for indicating the mode in which the control module is operating, and an alphanumeric display for displaying information about the subsystem which is dependent on the part of said menu structure within which the control module is operating.

20. The portable control module of claim 18 in which said display assembly further includes an alarm status display for indicating to the user the existence and severity of an abnormal operating condition in said subsystem.