HVAC system and an HVAC controller configured to generate master service alarms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10475324-B2
Application number	US-201916254668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2019
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A method of generating an alarm based on temperature conditions within an enclosed space. The method includes receiving, by a processor of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, operating-condition information of the HVAC system, determining, by the processor from the received operating-condition information, whether temperature within the enclosed space is approaching a setpoint temperature. Responsive to a determination that the temperature within the enclosed space has failed to approach the setpoint temperature, determining by the processor, whether anomaly conditions exist and responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions do not exist, generating the alarm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of generating a master service alarm based on temperature conditions within an enclosed space conditioned by a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor of the HVAC system, information for operating the HVAC system in at least one of a cooling mode and a heating mode;
determining, by the processor of the HVAC system from the received information, whether air temperature within the enclosed space is approaching a target temperature of the HVAC system indicative of an existing or future comfort violation of a user desired temperature setting;
responsive to a determination that the air temperature within the enclosed space has failed to approach the target temperature, determining by the processor of the HVAC system, whether anomaly conditions exist;
responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions do not exist, generating, by the processor, the master service alarm indicating that the HVAC system is in need of service, wherein the master service alarm is used by the processor of the HVAC system to provide a prognosis of the HVAC system, wherein the prognosis of the HVAC system is based on historical outdoor temperature conditions and current conditioning operating conditions; and
responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions exist, no alarm is generated.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to a determination that the air temperature within the enclosed space is approaching the target temperature, no alarm is generated.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forwarding the generated master service alarm to at least one communication device that is distinct from the HVAC system, wherein the at least one communication device is a non-HVAC device that is configured to interact with the HVAC system.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one communication device is a remote monitoring device associated with at least one of a manufacturer, a support entity, and a service provider.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anomaly conditions comprise the HVAC system entering a defrost cycle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processor of the HVAC system, historical data relative to operation of the HVAC system; and
determining, by the processor of the HVAC system, a prognosis of the HVAC system utilizing at least one of the historical data of the HVAC system and present information of the HVAC system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor of the HVAC system comprises a communications interface for communicating with at least one server via a wireless network.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one server is associated with at least one of a manufacturer, a support entity, and a service provider.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the generated master service alarm, forwarding, by the processor of the HVAC system, a message to a user interface; and
wherein the message comprises at least one of a text message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS), and an electronic mail (E-mail) message.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the user interface comprises a thermostat.

11. A system comprising:
a processor of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;
at least one server configured to communicate with the processor of the HVAC system via a wireless network;
wherein the processor of the HVAC system is configured to:
receive information for operating the HVAC system in at least one of a cooling mode and a heating mode;
determine whether air temperature within an enclosed space is approaching a target temperature of the HVAC system indicative of an existing or future comfort violation of a user desired temperature setting;
responsive to a determination that the air temperature within the enclosed space has failed to approach the target temperature, determine whether anomaly conditions exist;
responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions do not exist, generate a master service alarm indicating that the HVAC system is in need of service, wherein the master service alarm is used by the processor of the HVAC system to provide a prognosis of the HVAC system, wherein the prognosis of the HVAC system is based on historical outdoor temperature conditions and current conditioning operating conditions; and
responsive to a determination that the anomaly conditions exist, no alarm is generated.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein responsive to a determination that the air temperature within the enclosed space has approached the target temperature, no alarm is generated.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor of the HVAC system is further configured to:
forward the generated master service alarm to at least one communication device that is distinct from the HVAC system, wherein the at least one communication device is a non-HVAC device that is configured to interact with the HVAC system; and
wherein the at least one communication device is a remote monitoring device associated with at least one of a manufacturer, a support entity, and a service provider.

14. The system of claim 13 , comprising:
a networking device;
wherein the networking device, the at least one communication device, and the at least one server are each communicably coupled to the wireless network; and
wherein the networking device allows the processor of the HVAC system to communicate with the at least one server.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor of the HVAC system is further configured to:
receive historical data relative to operation of the HVAC system; and
determine a prognosis of the HVAC system utilizing at least one of the historical data of the HVAC system and present information of the HVAC system.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
in response to the generated master service alarm, the processor of the HVAC system is configured to forward a message to a user interface; and
wherein the message comprises at least one of a text message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS), and an electronic mail (E-mail) message.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the anomaly conditions comprise the HVAC system entering a defrost cycle.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the processor of the HVAC system comprises a communications interface for communicating with the at least one server via the wireless network; and
the at least one server is associated with at least one of a manufacturer, a support entity, and a service provider.

Assignees

• Lennox Ind Inc

Inventors

• Gokhale Umesh
• Douglas jon

Classifications

• G05B2219/2642

  Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house · CPC title

• G05B2219/2614

  HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control · CPC title

• F24F2110/10

  Temperature · CPC title

• F24F11/32

  Responding to malfunctions or emergencies · CPC title

• F24F11/56

  Remote control · CPC title