Systems and methods for configuring and communicating with hvac devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11022332-B2
Application number	US-201916690106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2019
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

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 comprising:
a motor configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid control valve of an HVAC system to control movement of the fluid control valve;
a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the motor according to a control program stored in the memory; and
a wireless transceiver configured to facilitate direct wireless communication between the actuator and an external device via near field communication (NFC) signals;
wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use power generated from the NFC signals to:
wirelessly transmit a configuration parameter usable by the control program to operate the motor to the external device via the direct wireless communication between the actuator and the external device;
wirelessly receive an update to the configuration parameter from the external device via the direct wireless communication between the actuator and the external device, wherein the configuration parameter includes a user selectable operational parameter associated with operation of the fluid control valve.

2. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use the power generated from the NFC signals to wirelessly transmit data generated as a result of operating the actuator to the external device via the direct wireless communication between the actuator and the external device.

3. The actuator of claim 2 , wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to at least one of a force and a torque of the actuator.

4. The actuator of claim 2 , wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to at least one of a span or a range of the actuator.

5. The actuator of claim 2 , wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to calibration of the actuator.

6. The actuator of claim 2 , wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to a failure mode of the actuator.

7. The actuator of claim 2 , wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to at least one of a timing and a speed of the actuator.

8. The actuator of claim 2 , wherein the data includes actuator position data.

9. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the external device comprises a mobile device.

10. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the external device comprises a field controller.

11. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to update the control program based on the update to the configuration parameter.

12. The actuator of claim 11 , wherein the configuration parameter includes an actuation span of the actuator.

13. The actuator of claim 11 , wherein the configuration parameter includes an actuation speed of the actuator.

14. The actuator of claim 11 , wherein the configuration parameter includes a timing of the actuator.

15. An actuator comprising:
a motor configured to be coupled to an HVAC device and control movement of the HVAC device;
a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the motor according to a control program stored in the memory; and
a wireless transceiver configured to facilitate near field communication (NFC) between the actuator and an external device via NFC signals;
wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use power generated from the NFC signals to (1) transmit a configuration parameter usable by the control program to operate the motor to the external device via the NFC signals; and (2) receive an update to the configuration parameter from the external device via the NFC signals, and the processing circuit is configured to update the control program based on the update to the configuration parameter, wherein the configuration parameter includes a user selectable set point associated with operation of the HVAC device.

16. The actuator of claim 15 , wherein the configuration parameter includes data regarding an actuation span of the actuator.

17. The actuator of claim 15 , wherein the configuration parameter includes data regarding an actuation speed of the actuator.

18. The actuator of claim 15 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use the power generated from the NFC signals to wirelessly transmit diagnostic data generated as a result of operating the actuator to the external device via the NFC signals between the actuator and the external device.

19. The actuator of claim 18 , wherein the diagnostic data includes data relating to at least one of a force and a torque.

20. The actuator of claim 18 , wherein the diagnostic data includes failure mode data.

21. A building device comprising:
a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate the building device according to a control program stored in the memory; and
a wireless transceiver configured to facilitate near field communication (NFC) between the building device and an external device;
wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to use power generated from NFC signals to (1) wirelessly transmit a configuration parameter usable by the control program to operate the building device to the external device via NFC; and (2) wirelessly receive an update to the configuration parameter from the external device via NFC, the configuration parameter including a user selectable operational parameter associated with operation of the building device.

22. The building device of claim 21 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit data generated as a result of operating the building device to the external device via NFC between the building device and the external device.

23. The building device of claim 22 , wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to at least one of a force and a torque.

24. The building device of claim 22 , wherein the data includes diagnostic data relating to at least one of a span or a range of the building device.

25. The building device of claim 22 , wherein the data includes failure mode data.

26. The building device of claim 21 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to update the control program based on the update to the configuration parameter.

27. The building device of claim 21 , wherein the configuration parameter includes data regarding at least one of an actuation span, an actuation speed, and an actuation timing.

28. A method of calibrating a building device, the method comprising:
powering a wireless transceiver associated with the building device using power from near field communication (NFC) signals;
providing a configuration parameter from the building device to a mobile device via the NFC signals using the wireless transceiver while powering the wireless transceiver using the power from the NFC signals;
receiving an update to the configuration parameter from a user interface of the mobile device; and
providing the update to the configuration parameter from the mobile device to the building device via the NFC signals using the wireless transceiver while powering the wireless transceiver using the power from the NFC signals, wherein the update to the configuration parameter is usable by a control program of the building device to control operation of the building device.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein a processing circuit of the building device is configured to operate a motor accordi

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