Systems and methods for configuring and communicating with HVAC devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10684029-B2
Application number	US-201715646621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2017
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

An actuator in a HVAC system includes a mechanical transducer, a processing circuit, a wireless transceiver, and a power circuit. The processing circuit includes a processor and memory and is configured to operate the mechanical transducer according to a control program stored in the memory. The wireless transceiver is configured to facilitate bidirectional wireless data communications between the processing circuit and an external device. The power circuit is configured to draw power from a wireless signal received via the wireless transceiver and power the processing circuit and the wireless transceiver using the drawn power. The processing circuit is configured to use the power drawn from the wireless signal to wirelessly transmit data stored in the memory of the actuator to the external device via the wireless transceiver, wirelessly receive data from the external device via the wireless transceiver, and store the data received from the external device in the memory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator in a HVAC system, the actuator comprising:
a transducer;
a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the transducer according to a control program stored in the memory, the control program capable of operating multiple different actuator models;
a wireless transceiver configured to facilitate wireless data communications between the processing circuit and an external device; and
a power circuit configured to draw power from a wireless signal received via the wireless transceiver and to power the processing circuit and the wireless transceiver using the drawn power;
wherein the processing circuit is configured to use the power drawn from the wireless signal to wirelessly receive data from the external device via the wireless transceiver and to store the data received from the external device in the memory of the actuator;
wherein the data received from the external device comprise model identification parameters identifying a particular actuator model and defining configuration settings specific to the particular actuator model; and
wherein the processing circuit uses the model identification parameters to configure the control program with the configuration settings specific to the particular actuator model and operates the actuator as the particular actuator model using the configured control program.

2. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the external device is a mobile device;
wherein the wireless data communications between the processing circuit and the external device comprise direct communications between the wireless transceiver of the actuator and a wireless transceiver of the mobile device.

3. The actuator of claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuit is configured to wirelessly receive the data from the external device without requiring any wired power or data connections to the actuator.

4. The actuator of claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuit is configured to wirelessly receive the data from the external device while the actuator is contained within packaging that prevents physical access to the actuator.

5. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the data received from the external device comprise firmware for the actuator including the control program used by the processing circuit to operate the transducer;
wherein the control program comprises logic for operating the transducer based on variable configuration parameters separate from the control program.

6. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the data received from the external device comprise configuration parameters for the actuator.

7. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to perform an actuator diagnostic test and to generate diagnostic information as a result of the actuator diagnostic test;
wherein the processing circuit is configured to transmit the diagnostic information generated by the processing circuit to the external device.

8. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the external device is another actuator and the data received from the external device comprise a master-slave detection signal.

9. The actuator of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to use the master-slave detection signal to select an operating mode for the actuator from a set of multiple potential operating modes comprising a master operating mode and a slave operating mode.

10. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to facilitate near field communications between the actuator and the external device.

11. The actuator of claim 10 , wherein the configuration settings include operational parameters that configure the actuator for a specific implementation.

12. The actuator of claim 11 , wherein the operational parameters include at least one of an actuation span, an offset, an actuation speed, and an actuation timing.

13. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the configuration settings include operational parameters that configure the actuator for a specific implementation.

14. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors.

15. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises a plurality of memory devices.

16. A method for configuring and operating an actuator in a HVAC system, the method comprising:
storing a control program in a memory of the actuator, the control program capable of operating multiple different actuator models;
drawing power from a wireless signal received at a wireless transceiver of the actuator;
using the power drawn from the wireless signal to power a processing circuit of the actuator;
receiving data from an external device via the wireless transceiver, the received data comprising model identification parameters that identify a particular actuator model and define configuration settings specific to the particular actuator model;
using the model identification parameters to configure the control program with the configuration settings specific to the particular actuator model; and
using the configured control program to operate a transducer of the actuator according to the configuration settings specific to the particular actuator model.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the external device is a mobile device; and
the method further comprises engaging in wireless data communications between the wireless transceiver of the actuator and a wireless transceiver of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the receiving comprises wirelessly receiving the data from the external device without requiring any wired power or data connections to the actuator.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the receiving comprises wirelessly receiving the data from the external device while the actuator is contained within packaging that prevents physical access to the actuator.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the data received from the external device comprise firmware for the actuator including the control program used by the processing circuit to operate the transducer;
wherein the control program comprises logic for operating the transducer based on variable configuration parameters separate from the control program.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the data received from the external device comprise configuration parameters for the actuator.

22. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
performing an actuator diagnostic test and generating diagnostic information as a result of the actuator diagnostic test; and
transmitting the diagnostic information generated by the processing circuit to the external device.

23. The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the external device is another actuator and the data received from the external device comprise a master-slave detection signal.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising using the master-slave detection signal to select an operating mode for the actuator from a set of multiple potential operating modes comprising a master operating mode and a slave operating mode.

25. The method of claim 16 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to facilitate near field communications between the actuator and the external device.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the configuration settings include operational parameters that configure the actuator for a specific implementation.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherei

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Alexander Robert K
• Merkl Christopher
• Romanowich Gary A
• Clement Bernard
• Weiss Kevin

Classifications

• F24F2140/00

  Control inputs relating to system states · CPC title

• F24F11/88

  Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits · CPC title

• F24F11/58

  using Internet communication · CPC title

• F24F11/54

  using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers · CPC title

• F24F11/52

  Indication arrangements, e.g. displays · CPC title