HVAC controller with diagnostic alerts
First Claim
1. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:
- a housing;
a user interface including a display;
a memory;
an I/O block for receiving one or more signals from the HVAC system and for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system; and
a controller coupled to the memory, the user interface and the I/O block, wherein the display, the memory, the I/O block and the controller are housed within the housing, the controller programmed to accept a sensitivity factor via the user interface, wherein the sensitivity factor represents a sensitivity of the controller in detecting and/or in alerting delta T faults, the controller further programmed to monitor one or more signals received via the I/O block to determine if a delta T limit of the HVAC system has been violated, indicating a delta T fault, the controller is further programmed to display on the display of the HVAC controller a user alert only after a number of delta T faults are determined by the controller, wherein the number of delta T faults is identified based on the sensitivity factor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An HVAC controller that monitors the performance of an HVAC system during its operating by comparing a monitored parameter value (e.g. delta T) to a pre-determined limit stored in the HVAC controller memory in order to determine if a performance limit has been violated. In some cases, the HVAC controller may display on a display of the HVAC controller a user alert for at least some of the detected violations. In some instances, the HVAC controller may display or otherwise provide a user alert only after a pre-determined number of performance violations are detected by the HVAC controller. Alternatively, or in addition, the HVAC controller may accept one or more conditions that indicate when a user alert for a detected violation is not to be displayed on the display of the HVAC controller.
373 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:
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a housing; a user interface including a display; a memory; an I/O block for receiving one or more signals from the HVAC system and for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system; and a controller coupled to the memory, the user interface and the I/O block, wherein the display, the memory, the I/O block and the controller are housed within the housing, the controller programmed to accept a sensitivity factor via the user interface, wherein the sensitivity factor represents a sensitivity of the controller in detecting and/or in alerting delta T faults, the controller further programmed to monitor one or more signals received via the I/O block to determine if a delta T limit of the HVAC system has been violated, indicating a delta T fault, the controller is further programmed to display on the display of the HVAC controller a user alert only after a number of delta T faults are determined by the controller, wherein the number of delta T faults is identified based on the sensitivity factor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system, the HVAC system comprising a heating stage and/or a cooling stage, the HVAC controller comprising:
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a housing; a user interface including a display; a memory; an I/O block for receiving one or more signals from the HVAC system and for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system; and a controller coupled to the memory, the user interface and the I/O block, wherein the display, the memory, the I/O block and the controller are housed within the housing, the controller programmed to accept a sensitivity factor via the user interface, wherein the sensitivity factor represents a sensitivity of the controller in detecting and/or in alerting delta T faults, the controller further programmed to monitor one or more signals received via the I/O block to determine if a delta T limit of the HVAC system has been violated indicating a delta T fault, the controller is further programmed to display a user alert on the display only after a number of delta T faults are determined by the controller, wherein the number of delta T faults is identified based on the sensitivity factor, the controller is further programmed to query a user via the user interface for one or more conditions for the heating stage and/or cooling stage that specify when a detected delta T fault is not to be displayed on the display of the HVAC system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of monitoring a performance of an HVAC system including one or more HVAC components that are controlled, at least in part, by an HVAC controller having a user interface including a display, a memory, and a controller, the HVAC system including a heating stage and/or a cooling stage, the method comprising:
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accepting at least one user specified delta T limit via the user interface of the HVAC controller; accepting a sensitivity factor via the user interface of the HVAC controller, wherein the sensitivity factor represents a sensitivity of the HVAC controller in detecting and/or in alerting delta T faults; the controller receiving an indication of a current delta T value for the HVAC system; the controller determining a delta T fault for the HVAC system based, at least in part, on the received current delta T value and the at least one user specified delta T limit; and the controller displaying a user alert on the display only after a number of delta T faults are determined by the controller and recorded in the memory, wherein the number of delta T faults is identified based on the sensitivity factor; and wherein the HVAC controller is configured to accept one or more conditions for the heating stage and/or cooling stage that indicate when the user alert is not to be displayed on the display. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification