HVAC communication network
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorStephen M. Maciulewicz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An HVAC communication network includes one or more master controllers that communicate with their respective zone controllers by issuing broadcast messages over the network. The broadcast messages are read and analyzed by all zone controllers on the network. Each zone controller is able to determine whether a particular broadcast message is intended for it by noting whether the broadcast message contains a particular identification of its master controller.
Claims34
A process of communicating HVAC control information between a master controller for a heating or cooling system and the zone controllers associated with the master controller wherein the zone controllers control the amount of conditioned air to be provided by such heating or cooling system to particular zones to be heated or cooled and wherein the master controller and the zone controllers are linked together by a communication system carrying the HVAC control information between the master controller and the zone controllers, said process comprising the steps of:
- sending a message over the communication system from the master controller to the zone controllers wherein said message includes an identification of the master controller;
- reading at least a portion of the message at each zone controller wherein said read portion includes the identification of the master controller;
- comparing, within each zone controller, the identification of the master controller with a master controller identification assigned to the particular zone controller;
- and
- accepting the message at a particular zone controller for use in controlling the amount of conditioned air to be provided to a zone associated with the particular zone controller when the read identification of the master controller equals the assigned master controller identification for the particular zone controller.
A system for communicating HVAC control information between a master controller for a heating or cooling system and the zone controllers associated with the master controller wherein the zone controllers control the amount of conditioned air to be provided by such heating or cooling system to particular zones to be heated or cooled and wherein the master controller and the zone controllers are linked together by a communication bus carrying the HVAC control information between the master controller and the zone controllers, said system comprising:
- means, within the master controller, for sending a message over the communication bus from the master controller to the zone controllers wherein said message includes an identification of the master controller;
- means, within each zone controller, for reading at least a portion of the message wherein said read portion includes the identification of the master controller;
- means, within each zone controller, for comparing the identification of the master controller with a master controller identification assigned to the particular zone controller;
- and
- means, within each zone controller, for accepting the message at the particular zone controller for use in controlling the amount of conditioned air to be provided to a zone associated with the particular zone controller when the read identification of the master controller equals the assigned master controller identification for the particular zone controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.