US 6,179,214 B2Granted

Portable plug-in control module for use with the service modules of HVAC systems

AssigneeCarrier Corporation

InventorsBrian Jeffrey Key, Alan Jay Fuller, Timothy Dale McCaslin

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Abstract

A portable, preferably hand held control module for use in a heating, ventilating or cooling (HVAC) system that includes at least one subsystem that may be controlled via a service module which is located in proximity to that subsystem. The portable control module includes a plurality of manually operated keys for enabling a user to apply to the subsystem commands which are generally the same as commands which may be applied via the manually operable keys of the service module. The portable control module also includes a display assembly having one or more displays for displaying to the user information concerning the subsystem that is generally the same as that which is displayed on the display assembly of the service module. Finally the portable control module includes a coupling assembly which allows it to be detachably connected to the subsystem, or to a local area network (LEN) which services the subsystem, to enable the user to apply commands to and receive information from the subsystem without being in proximity to the service module.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A portable control module for use in a heating, ventilating or cooling (HVAC) system which includes at least one subsystem that may be controlled via a service module which is located in proximity to that subsystem, said service module being of the type which includes (i) a plurality of manually operable keys for enabling a user to apply to said subsystem commands including at least one of status commands, test commands, mode commands, and setpoint change commands, and (ii) a display assembly for displaying information received from said subsystem in response to the operation of the keys of said service module, said portable control module including, in combination:

(a.) a portable housing;
(b.) a plurality of manually operable keys for enabling the user to apply to said subsystem commands which are substantially the same as the commands which may be applied to said subsystem via the manually operable keys of said service module;
(c.) a display assembly for displaying to the user, in response to the operation of the manually operable keys of said control module, information concerning said subsystem which is substantially the same as that which is displayed on the display assembly of said service module in response to the operation of the corresponding keys of said service module;
and
(d.) coupling means attached to said portable housing for detachably connecting said portable control module to said subsystem to enable the user to apply commands to said subsystem and to receive information from said subsystem without being in proximity to said service module.

2 more elements

In a heating, ventilating or cooling (HVAC) system of the type which includes a plurality of subsystems that may be controlled via the conductors of a local equipment network (LEN), and at least one service module located in proximity to a respective subsystem and connected to said LEN for enabling a user to exert local control over that respective subsystem, said service module being of the type which includes (i) a plurality of manually operable keys for enabling the user to apply to the respective subsystem commands including at least one of status commands, mode commands, and setpoint change commands, and (ii) a display assembly for displaying information received from said subsystem in response to the operation of the keys of said service module, the improvement comprising:

at least one receptacle, connected to said LEN, for receiving a plug which includes conductors that correspond to at least the conductors of said LEN;
a portable control module including:
(a.) a plurality of manually operable keys which correspond to the manually operable keys of said service module;
(b.) a display assembly for displaying to the user, in response to the operation of the manually operable keys of said control module, information concerning said subsystem which is substantially the same as that which is displayed on the display assembly of said service module in response to the operation of the corresponding keys of said service module;
and
(c.) coupling means for detachably connecting said portable control module to said LEN to enable the user to apply commands to one of said subsystems, and to receive information from said one of said subsystems without being in proximity to the respective service module thereof, said coupling means including a plurality of conductors and a plug adapted to fit into said at least one receptacle;
whereby the user may use said control module and service module interchangeably to apply commands to and receive information from said one of said subsystems.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/358,195Filed 21 Jul 1999
Granted: 30 Jan 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F24F 11/52
Characterised by user interfaces or communication: indication arrangements, e.g. displays
F24F 11/30
Control or safety arrangements: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
G05D 23/1904
Characterised by the use of a variable reference value: variable in time
G05D 27/02
Simultaneous control of variables covered by two or more of main groups G05D1/00 - G05D25/00: characterised by the use of electric means