Systems and methods for communication in hvac system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021302055-A1
Application number	US-202016833000-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2020
Publication date	Sep 30, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor, a fan, an inverter configured to drive operation of the compressor, and a controller communicatively coupled to the fan and the inverter. The controller includes a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to determine an operating parameter of the fan in response to an interruption in receiving communication signals from the inverter and operate the fan based on the operating parameter during the interruption.

First claim

1 . A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a compressor; a fan; an inverter configured to drive operation of the compressor; and a controller communicatively coupled to the fan and the inverter, wherein the controller comprises a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
determine an operating parameter of the fan in response to an interruption in receiving communication signals from the inverter; and
operate the fan based on the operating parameter during the interruption.

2 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the operating parameter comprises a fan speed, and the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to operate the fan at the fan speed.

3 . The HVAC system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is an outdoor unit controller, and the fan is an outdoor unit fan.

4 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
display a fault notification on a display of the controller in response to the interruption in receiving the communication signals from the inverter; store fault information in a memory device of the controller in response to the interruption in receiving the communication signals from the inverter; or both.

5 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the communication signals are first communication signals, and the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
receive second communication signals from a thermostat of the HVAC system, wherein the second communication signals comprise a request to stop operation of the HVAC system; and suspend the operation of the fan based on receipt of the request to stop operation of the HVAC system.

6 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
execute a current defrost cycle of a defrost mode during the interruption; and suspend operation of the fan during the current defrost cycle and during the interruption.

7 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
detect a priority fault of the HVAC system during the interruption; and suspend operation of the fan in response to detection of the priority fault.

8 . The HVAC system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to operate the HVAC system in a soft lockout mode in response to the detection of the priority fault.

9 . The HVAC system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
monitor a time duration in which the HVAC system is operating in the soft lockout mode; and adjust operation of the HVAC system from the soft lockout mode to a normal mode in response to a determination that the time duration has exceeded a threshold time.

10 . The HVAC system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
determine a quantity of instances in which the HVAC system has entered the soft lockout mode over a time interval; and operate the HVAC system in a hard lockout mode in response to a determination that the quantity of instances has exceeded a threshold quantity.

11 . The HVAC system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to adjust operation of the HVAC system from the hard lockout mode to a normal mode in response to receiving a user input.

12 . The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the inverter is configured to drive operation of the compressor based on an additional operating parameter in response to an interruption in sending the communication signals to the controller.

13 . The HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the additional operating parameter comprises a current operating mode of the compressor, a most recent operating mode of the compressor, or a preselected operating mode of the compressor.

14 . A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
determine an operating parameter of a compressor and/or a fan of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system in response to an interruption in receiving communication signals from a thermostat of the HVAC system; and operate the compressor and/or fan based on the operating parameter during the interruption.

15 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operating parameter is a compressor speed of the compressor, and the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to instruct the compressor to operate at the compressor speed.

16 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to detect the interruption in receiving the communication signals in response to a determination that a communication signal of the communication signals has not been received from the thermostat within a threshold time.

17 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
monitor a time duration associated with the interruption; and operate the HVAC system in a soft lockout mode in response to a determination that the time duration has exceeded a threshold time.

18 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operating parameter is a fan speed of the fan, and the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to instruct the fan to operate at the fan speed.

19 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to send a signal to an inverter of the HVAC system based on the operating parameter during the interruption, wherein the inverter is configured to drive operation of the compressor and/or fan.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processor circuitry, are configured to cause the processor circuitry to:
determine a first operating parameter of a fan of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system in response to a first interruption in receiving first communication signals from an inverter of the HVAC system, wherein the inverter is configured to drive operation of a compressor of the HVAC system; operate the fan based on the first operating parameter during the first interruption; determine a second operating parameter of the compressor and/or the fan in response to a second interruption in receiving second communication signals from a thermostat of the HV

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Noor Aneek M
• Hern Shawn A
• Mccune Tyler P
• Kaiser Cody J
• Smith Jeremy R

Classifications

• Y02B30/70

  Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating · CPC title

• F25B2313/0294

  related to the outdoor fan, e.g. controlling speed · CPC title

• F25B49/02

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title

• F25B2700/195

  of the condenser · CPC title

• F25B2600/021

  Inverters therefor · CPC title