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US 12,259,151 B2Granted
HVAC motor automation control unit and adjustment methods and apparatus for same
AssigneeEvolution Controls Inc.
InventorsDavid Lee Haessig, Ronald Sai Kit Yip, Roger Hort
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for an automation control unit (ACU) for converting an automation control signal to a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control the output of a HVACR device such as a variable speed (VS) motor in an HVAC system is disclosed. The invention limits the motor output between a high and low limit, keeping the connected HVACR device operating within a safe range for the HVAC equipment. The invention simplifies commissioning of HVACR devices, constrains the equipment to operate within its designed operating range, optimizes energy efficiency of the HVAC equipment and minimizes disturbance in the controlled environment.
Claims34
An automation control unit for heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration systems comprising:
- a power connection;
- an input to receive an input signal from a controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device;
- a display unit;
- a profile input for receiving a digital adjustment profile, wherein the digital adjustment profile comprises a plurality of values, and wherein one of the plurality of values of the digital adjustment profile comprises a value indicative of a number of startup cycles of the controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device;
- a non-volatile memory for storing the digital adjustment profile;
- a microcontroller connected to the non-volatile memory, wherein the microcontroller uses the digital adjustment profile and the input signal to determine an analog output signal, and wherein the microcontroller monitors the availability of an automation signal from a building automation system and the number of startup cycles of the controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device;
- a manually operated adjust for adjusting the analog output signal during a manual mode for the automation control unit;
- a first signal output for providing the analog output signal to the controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device;
- a second analog output for providing the analog output signal to the building automation system;
- and
- wherein the automation control unit is configured to automatically switch from the manual mode for the automation control unit to an automation mode for the automation control unit when the automation signal is available from the building automation system and the number of startup cycles of the controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device is exceeded.
8 more elements
An automation control unit for heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration systems comprising:
- a power connection;
- an input to receive a first input signal from a first controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device, and a second input signal from a second controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device;
- a display unit;
- a profile input for receiving a digital adjustment profile, wherein the digital adjustment profile comprises a plurality of values, and wherein one of the plurality of values of the digital adjustment profile comprises a value indicative of a number of startup cycles of the first controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device and the second controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device;
- a non-volatile memory for storing the digital adjustment profile;
- a microcontroller connected to the non-volatile memory, wherein the microcontroller uses the digital adjustment profile, the first input signal, and the second input signal to determine an analog output signal, and wherein the microcontroller monitors the availability of an automation signal from a building automation system and the number of startup cycles of the first controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device and of the second controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device;
- a manually operated adjust for adjusting the analog output signal during a manual mode for the automation control unit;
- a first signal output for providing the analog output signal to the first controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device and the second controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device;
- a second analog output for providing the analog output signal to the building automation system;
- and
- wherein the automation control unit is configured to automatically switch from the manual mode for the automation control unit to an automation mode for the automation control unit when the automation signal is available from the building automation system and the number of startup cycles of the first controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device and the second controlled heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration device is exceeded.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.