System and method for controlling an HVAC system using a flash mini-card

• US 6,330,806 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: York International Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: York International Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Smith, Bart A., Beaverson, Gregory K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US09/513,456
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 622/01, 621/85, 622/98, 622/30, 621/25, 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 621/30, 62/77, 236/51, 236/94, 165/11.1, 700/17, 700/83
• US Class Current: 62/201
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25107 Pluggable card, magnetic or smart with configuration data, staying in device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2638 Airconditioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44573 Execute-in-place [XIP]

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) control system and method for controlling a device, a subsystem, and/or a process using a flash mini-card. Preferably, the present invention is directed to an HVAC control system and method for controlling a chiller and the devices and subsystems associated with the chiller using a flash mini-card. More preferably, the present invention obviates the need for the HVAC control system and method to use at least one of the following: a hard disk, a disk controller, a card reader, or a card controller. The method includes, for example, applying power to the HVAC control system, wherein the step of applying power initiates a boot-up of a processor associated with the HVAC control system; reading a default memory location, wherein the contents of the default memory location direct the processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) connected to the processor through a bus; configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS, wherein after the step of configuring, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions; and performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the HVAC system using the HVAC control system.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system using a HVAC control system, comprising the steps of

applying power to the HVAC control system, wherein said step of applying power initiates a boot-up of a processor associated with the HVAC control system;

reading a default memory location, wherein the contents of the default memory location direct the processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) connected to the processor through a bus;

configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS, wherein after said step of configuring, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions; and

performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the HVAC system using the HVAC control system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said BIOS resides in the flash mini-card.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing further comprises not requiring the use of at least one of the following:

a hard disk, a disk controller, a card reader, or a card controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring further comprises testing for the presence of a flash mini-card associated with the HVAC control system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

remotely controlling the HVAC control system using a remote control system connected to the HVAC control system through a network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

downloading from a network a second set of instructions, wherein a plurality of flash mini-cards connected to the processor permit said downloading of the second set of instructions to at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards connected to the processor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the processor continues performing the set of instructions from the at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards not receiving the second set of instructions from the network, during said downloading of the second set of instructions to at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards connected to the processor.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising updating said set of instructions.

9. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system for controlling an HVAC system, comprising a processor, wherein when the HVAC control system is initially powered, said processor reads a default memory location within said processor, and wherein the contents of the default memory location direct said processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM) associated with the control system;

a flash mini-card connected to said processor through a bus, wherein the flash mini-card contains a set of instructions, and wherein said processor executes at least one of the set of instructions contained within said flash mini-card to control the HVAC system; and

means for configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS EPROM, wherein after executing the set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS EPROM, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs said processor to said flash mini-card that contains the set of instructions.

10. The HVAC control system of claim 9, wherein when said processor executes at least one of the set of instructions contained within said flash mini-card to control the HVAC system, said processor executes the at least one of the set of instructions without the use of at least one of the following devices:

a hard disk, a disk controller, a card reader, or a card controller.

11. The HVAC control system of claim 9, wherein said means for configuring further comprises means for testing for the presence of a flash mini-card associated with the HVAC control system.

12. The HVAC control system of claim 9, further comprising a remote control system connected through a network, wherein the second control system remotely controls the HVAC control system through the network.

13. The HVAC control system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of flash mini-cards.

14. The HVAC control system of claim 13, further comprising a network interface for downloading a second set of instructions from said network, wherein said processor permits at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards to receive the second set of instructions.

15. The HVAC control system of claim 14, wherein said processor performs the set of instructions from at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards not receiving instructions from said network, while the at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards receives the second set of instructions.

16. The HVAC control system of claim 15, further comprising means for updating the set of instructions.

17. A method of controlling a chiller with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system, comprising the steps of

configuring a processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions within a BIOS;

reading a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions, after said step of configuring; and

performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the chiller.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said performing further comprises not requiring the use of at least one of the following devices:

a hard disk, a disk controller, a card reader, or a card controller.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said configuring further comprises testing for the presence of a flash mini-card associated with the HVAC control system, and wherein the BIOS is stored within the flash mini-card.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

remotely controlling the HVAC control system using a remote control system connected to the HVAC control system through a network.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

downloading from a network a second set of instructions to at least one of a plurality of flash mini-cards connected to the processor.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein during said downloading, the processor continues reading the set of instructions from the at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards that is not receiving the second set of instructions from the network.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising updating the set of instructions.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of performing further comprises controlling a plurality of devices and subsystems associated with the chiller based on a plurality of parameters, wherein said HVAC control system monitors the plurality of parameters.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of devices and subsystems includes at least about 12 devices and subsystems.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least about 14 parameters.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the plurality of devices further comprises controlling a starter motor associated with a chiller.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the plurality of devices further comprises maintaining the output water temperature of the chiller at a temperature set by a using said HVAC control system.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least one of the following:

temperature, chiller water temperature, and current load placed on the starter motor of the chiller.

30. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system for a chiller, comprising:

a processor for configuring the HVAC control system by executing a set of Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions within a BIOS; and

means for reading a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions, wherein said processor performs at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the chiller.

31. The HVAC control system of claim 30, wherein said processor does not require the use of at least one of the following devices:

a hard disk, a disk controller, a card reader, or a card controller.

32. The HVAC control system of claim 30, wherein said processor further comprises means for testing for the presence of the flash mini-card associated with the HVAC control system, and wherein the BIOS resides within the flash mini-card.

33. The HVAC control system of claim 30, further comprising:

a remote control system for remotely controlling the HVAC control system through a network.

34. The HVAC control system of claim 30, wherein said processor further comprises means for downloading from a network a second set of instructions to at least one of a plurality of flash mini-cards connected to said processor.

35. The HVAC control system of claim 30, wherein said processor continues reading the set of instructions from the at least one of the plurality of flash mini-cards, while said means for downloading receives the second set of instructions from the network.

36. The HVAC control system of claim 35, further comprising means for updating the set of instructions.

37. The HVAC control system of claim 30, wherein said processor further comprises means for controlling a plurality of devices and subsystems associated with the chiller based on a plurality of parameters, wherein the HVAC control system monitors the plurality of parameters.

38. The HVAC control system of claim 37, wherein the plurality of devices and subsystems includes at least about 12 devices and subsystems associated with the chiller.

40. The HVAC control system of claim 37, wherein said means controlling the plurality of devices further comprises means for controlling a starter motor of the chiller.

41. The HVAC control system of claim 37, wherein said means for controlling the plurality of devices further comprises means for maintaining the output water temperature of the chiller at a temperature set using said HVAC controller.

42. The HVAC control system of claim 37, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least one of the following:

temperature, chiller water temperature, and current load placed on the starter motor of the chiller.

39. The HVAC control system of 37, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least about 14 parameters.