Integrated HVACR control and protection system

• US 7,089,088 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
• Original Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
• Inventors: Pasko, John A., Weingrad, Rachel, Marriott, Lee W., Herrick, Kent B., Alvey, Alex, Terry, Robert L., Wyatt, Arnold G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US10/763,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 700275-278
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/15 Power, e.g. by voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric

Abstract

An integrated HVACR control and protection system includes a modular and reprogrammable design providing a plurality of possible combinations of power detection, voltage detection, run current detection, transient current detection, temperature detection, universal thermostat interface, peripheral or remote control, and local display and control. The control and protection system is capable of evaluating the relationship between real power used by an HVACR system compressor and other system operating parameters to detect problems early in the failure cycle, i.e., before a failure has progressed to requiring a system shutdown or causing damage to other components. Additionally, a control system and method provide sensorless detection of various HVACR system faults, such as, for example, loss of refrigerant or a refrigerant flow restriction, that impact the relationship between real power and current, voltage, temperature, or other operating parameters. Peripheral or remote control includes wired or wireless system monitoring and parameter programming using a personal digital assistant (PDA), for example utilizing IR communication between the PDA and the control and protection system.

Claims

1. A control and protection system for an environmental conditioning system, comprising:

a first microcontroller;

a temperature input coupled to said first microcontroller;

at least two sensor circuits coupled to said first microcontroller, said at least two sensor circuits selected from a group consisting of;

a power sensor circuit, a voltage sensor circuit, a current sensor circuit, and a terminal pin venting sensor circuit;

a user control coupled to said first microcontroller; and

a plurality of switching devices driven by said first microcontroller and adapted to control components of the environmental conditioning system, said first microcontroller driving said plurality of switching devices in response to evaluating signals received from said user control, said temperature input, and said at least two sensor circuits.

2. The control and protection system of claim 1, wherein said user control includes a device selected from a group consisting of a PDA, computer, modem, infrared transceiver, wireless transceiver, Internet Web-page server, Internet gateway, and computer network.

3. The control and protection system of claim 1, further comprising:

software associated with said first microcontroller, said software including operating parameters associated with said signals received from said temperature input and said at least two sensor circuits, and said software including limits associated with said operating parameters;

said software enabling said first microcontroller to operate said plurality of switching devices based on said limits and said operating parameters; and

said user control being capable of receiving at least one of said operating parameters and said limits from said first microcontroller.

4. The control and protection system of claim 3, wherein said user control is capable of transmitting at least one of said operating parameters and said limits to said first microcontroller.

5. The control and protection system claim 4, wherein said user control is capable of changing said limits.

6. The control and protection system of claim 1, wherein said power sensor circuit is capable of measuring real power.

7. The control and protection system of claim 1, further comprising a circuit card and wherein said first microcontroller and said at least two sensor circuits are mounted to said circuit card.

8. The control and protection system of claim 7, where said user control is mounted to said circuit card.

9. The control and protection system of claim 7, where said user control is remotely located from said circuit card.

10. The control and protection system of claim 7, where said user control includes a second microcontroller, a display device, and an input device.

11. The control and protection system of claim 10, where said input device includes a wireless communications device.

12. A control and protection system for an environmental conditioning system, comprising:

a microcontroller;

a plurality of modules selected from a group consisting of;

a power sensor circuit, a voltage sensor circuit, a current sensor circuit, and a terminal pin venting sensor circuit, said plurality of modules coupled to said microcontroller and to the environmental conditioning system;

a temperature input coupled to said microcontroller;

a user control coupled to said microcontroller; and

a plurality of switching devices driven by said microcontroller and adapted to control components of the environmental conditioning system in response to said microcontroller evaluating signals received from said user control, said temperature input, and said plurality of modules.

13. The control and protection system of claim 12, wherein said power sensor circuit is capable of measuring real power drawn by a compressor of the environmental conditioning system.

14. The control and protection system of claim 12, further comprising:

software associated with said microcontroller, said software including operating parameters associated with signals received from said temperature input and said plurality of modules, and said software including limits associated with said operating parameters;

said software enabling said microcontroller to operate said plurality of switching devices based on said limits and said operating parameters; and

said user control being capable of receiving at least one of said operating parameters and said limits from said microcontroller.

15. The control and protection system of claim 14, wherein said user control is capable of transmitting at least one of said operating parameters and said limits to said microcontroller.

16. The control and protection system of claim 12, wherein said user control includes a device selected from a group consisting of a PDA, computer, modem, infrared transceiver, wireless transceiver, Internet Web-page server, Internet gateway, and computer network.

17. A control and protection system for an environmental conditioning system, comprising:

a local control having a first microcontroller;

a temperature input coupled to said first microcontroller;

an electrical sensor circuit mounted on said local control and coupled to said first microcontroller;

a remote control having a second microcontroller;

a user control mounted on said remote control and coupled to said second microcontroller;

a communications interface coupling said first microcontroller and said second microcontroller; and

a plurality of switching devices mounted on said local control and driven by said first microcontroller and adapted to control components of the environmental conditioning system, said first microcontroller driving said plurality of switching devices in response to evaluating signals received from said user control, said temperature input, and said sensor circuit.

18. The control and protection system of claim 17, further comprising:

first software associated with said first microcontroller, said first software including operating parameters associated with said signals received from said temperature input and said sensor circuit, and said first software including limits associated with said operating parameters, said first software enabling said first microcontroller to operate said plurality of switching devices based on said limits and said operating parameters; and

second software associated with said second microcontroller, said second software enabling said second microcontroller to receive at least one of said operating parameters and said limits from said first microcontroller, and to transmit at least one of said operating parameters and said limits to said first microcontroller.

19. The control and protection system of claim 18, wherein said remote control includes a wireless transceiver coupled to second microcontroller.

20. The control and protection system of claim 18, wherein said remote control includes a device selected from a group consisting of a PDA, computer, modem, infrared transceiver, wireless transceiver, Internet Web-page server, Internet gateway, and computer network.

21. The control and protection system of claim 18, wherein said user control includes a display device and an input device;

and said user control is capable of changing said limits.

22. The control and protection system of claim 17, wherein said sensor circuit includes a current sensing device.