Alarm and diagnostics system and method for a distributed architecture heating, ventilation and air conditioning network

• US 8,437,878 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• 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, Filbeck, Amanda
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US12/603,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/9, 700/174, 700/241, 700/244, 700/275
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment the network includes a system device and a user interface. The system device is configured to generate and locally store an alarm record in response to an alarm event. The system device is further configured to receive an alarm request message via a data bus. In response to receiving the alarm request message, the system device is configured to publish an alarm reporting message over the data bus. The user interface is configured to receive the alarm message and display an alert depending on a state of the flag.

Claims

1. An HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

a system device, that includes an HVAC component configured to provide an HVAC function, configured to;

generate an alarm, and locally store an alarm record, in response to an alarm condition with respect to said HVAC component; and

receive an alarm request message via a data bus and in response publish an alarm reporting message over said data bus, said alarm reporting message indicating a level of said alarm; and

a user interface configured to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm wherein said alarm clears after expiration of a predetermined time period if all service bits associated with said system device are set.

2. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said alarm is a continuous alarm generated in response to an alarm condition requiring repair of said system device.

3. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said alarm is an event alarm generated in response to an alarm condition requiring repair of said system device.

4. The network as recited in claim 1, wherein said system device clears said alarm independent of intervention external to said system device after determining that an alarm condition has ended.

5. The network as recited in claim 1 wherein said alarm is cleared upon receipt of a clearing message via said data bus.

6. An HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

a system device, that includes an HVAC component configured to provide an HVAC function, configured to;

generate an alarm, and locally store an alarm record, in response to an alarm condition with respect to said HVAC component; and

receive an alarm request message via a data bus and in response publish an alarm reporting message over said data bus, said alarm reporting message indicating a level of said alarm; and

a user interface configured to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm wherein said alarm is cleared upon receipt of a clearing message via said data bus and said user interface is configured to publish said clearing message to said data bus prior to expiration of a timeout period associated with said alarm.

7. An HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

a system device, that includes an HVAC component configured to provide an HVAC function, configured to;

generate an alarm, and locally store an alarm record, in response to an alarm condition with respect to said HVAC component; and

receive an alarm request message via a data bus and in response publish an alarm reporting message over said data bus, said alarm reporting message indicating a level of said alarm; and

a user interface configured to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm wherein said alarm is an event alarm generated in response to a failure of said system device to perform a function upon a first request sent by a subnet controller over said data bus, and said alarm is cleared upon said system device successfully performing said function in response to a subsequent second request by said subnet controller.

8. An HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

a system device, that includes an HVAC component configured to provide an HVAC function, configured to;

generate an alarm, and locally store an alarm record, in response to an alarm condition with respect to said HVAC component; and

receive an alarm request message via a data bus and in response publish an alarm reporting message over said data bus, said alarm reporting message indicating a level of said alarm;

a user interface configured to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm; and

a subnet controller configured to disable operation of said system device in response to said alarm.

9. The HVAC data processing and communication network as recited in claim 8, wherein said alarm is a continuous alarm generated in response to an alarm condition requiring repair of said system device.

10. The HVAC data processing and communication network as recited in claim 8, wherein said alarm is an event alarm generated in response to an alarm condition requiring repair of said system device.

11. The HVAC data processing and communication network as recited in claim 8, wherein said alarm is an event alarm generated in response to a failure of said system device to perform a function upon a first request sent by a subnet controller over said data bus, and said alarm is cleared upon said system device successfully performing said function in response to a subsequent second request by said subnet controller.

12. A method of manufacturing an HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

configuring a system device, that includes an HVAC component configured to provide an HVAC function, to generate and locally store an alarm record in response to an alarm;

configuring said system device to receive an alarm request message via a data bus and in response publish an alarm reporting message over said data bus, said alarm reporting message indicating a level of said alarm;

configuring a user interface to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm, and

further configuring said system device to clear said alarm, if said alarm is an event alarm, after expiration of an a predetermined time period if all service bits associated with said system device are set.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said alarm is a continuous alarm generated in response to an alarm condition requiring repair of said system device.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said alarm is an event alarm generated in response to an alarm condition requiring repair of said system device.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising configuring said system device to clear said alarm independent of intervention external to said system device after determining that an alarm condition has ended.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising configuring said system device to clear said alarm upon receipt of a clearing message via said data bus.

17. A method of manufacturing an HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

configuring a system device, that includes an HVAC component configured to provide an HVAC function, to generate and locally store an alarm record in response to an alarm;

configuring said system device to receive an alarm request message via a data bus and in response publish an alarm reporting message over said data bus, said alarm reporting message indicating a level of said alarm;

configuring a user interface to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm; and

configuring said user interface to clear said alarm upon receipt of a clearing message via said data bus; and

to publish said clearing message to said data bus prior to expiration of a timeout period associated with said alarm.

18. A method of manufacturing an HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

configuring a system device, that includes an HVAC component configured to provide an HVAC function, to generate and locally store an alarm record in response to an alarm;

configuring said system device to receive an alarm request message via a data bus and in response publish an alarm reporting message over said data bus, said alarm reporting message indicating a level of said alarm;

configuring a user interface to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm;

configuring a user interface configured to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm-wherein said alarm is an event alarm generated in response to a failure of said system device to perform a function upon a first request sent by a subnet controller over said data bus; and

configuring said system device to clear said alarm upon said system device successfully performing said function in response to a subsequent second request by said subnet controller.

19. A method of manufacturing an HVAC data processing and communication network, comprising:

configuring a system device, that includes an HVAC component configured to provide an HVAC function, to generate and locally store an alarm record in response to an alarm;

configuring said system device to receive an alarm request message via a data bus and in response publish an alarm reporting message over said data bus, said alarm reporting message indicating a level of said alarm;

configuring a user interface to receive said alarm reporting message and display an alert depending on said level of said alarm; and

configuring a subnet controller configured to disable operation of said HVAC service in response to said alarm.