US 6,667,690 B2 · System and method for configuration of HVAC network

Abstract

HVAC network devices are provided with radio frequency identification tags (RFID tags) which can be read by a read/write device. The read tag identification of each network device is stored in memory within the HVAC network device. A device capable of reading the RFID tags of the HVAC network devices will be used by a person to assign network addresses to each network device. In particular, the person will use information concerning the location of an HVAC network device to determine the network address that is to be assigned to the network device. The thus identified network address along with the tag identification is transmitted to a network controller for the communication network. The network controller will transmit a configuration message over the communication bus that will include the tag identification as well as the desired network address. The HVAC network device having the matching tag identification will respond to the configuration message from the network controller so as to thereby allow the desired network address to be downloaded to the particular HVAC network device.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A process for assigning network addresses to HVAC network devices within a network having at least one network controller, said process comprising:

providing radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to one or more of the HVAC network devices;
storing tag identifications transmitted by the RFID tags within the one or more HVAC network devices;
reading a tag identification transmitted by an RFID tag associated with one of the HVAC network devices;
transmitting the read tag identification and a network address to be assigned to the HVAC network device to the network controller;
sending a message from the network controller to the HVAC network devices having RFID tags, the message including the tag identification and the assigned network address transmitted to the network controller;
and
accepting the assigned network address at the HVAC network device having a stored tag identification corresponding to the tag identification in the message from the network controller.

4 more elements

A system for assigning network addresses to HVAC network devices connected to a communication bus, said system comprising:

at least one HVAC network device having a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated therewith, said HVAC network device having a stored tag identification corresponding to the associated RFID tag;
a network controller for communicating with the HVAC network devices;
and
a portable device for reading the tag identification transmitted by the RFID tag associated with the at least one HVAC network device, said portable device being operative to transmit the read tag identification and a network address to be assigned to the HVAC network device to the network controller whereby the network controller is thereafter operative to transmit a message containing the read tag identification and assigned network address to at least one HVAC network device.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for configuration of HVAC network

Life of this patent

System and method for configuration of HVAC network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15