Patent Abstract:
A system for verifying the operability of one or more HVAC devices in a communication network includes a network control device that sends a particular type of message to the HVAC devices. Each HVAC device receiving the message will initiate a clearly visible display on the HVAC device if the message is appropriately processed within the receiving HVAC device. Each HVAC device may be visually checked to confirm that it is in fact responding to the message from the network control device.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to verifying the operability of one or more heating, ventilating, and air conditioning devices (HVAC devices) within a communication network. In particular, this invention relates to verifying that such HVAC devices have been properly installed or repaired in such a network. 
     The installation or repair of one or more HVAC devices within a communication network usually includes conducting one or more tests of the installed or repaired devices to ascertain whether the devices are capable of receiving and responding to network communications. This testing procedure can be time consuming when a number of devices are to be individually tested. The testing procedure can be furthermore complicated when each device has its own unique test. Testing procedures following installation or repair of HVAC devices in a communications network may also often require individually addressing the devices that are to be checked for proper communication operation. It is possible under such a testing procedure to successfully communicate with a particularly addressed device that is in fact not one of the devices that was either installed or repaired. This can occur when the address used in the test procedure is not in fact the network address of the installed or repaired device. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a network communication system, which allows for an efficient and expeditious verification of the communications capability of one or more HVAC devices connected to the network. 
     It is another object of the invention to verify the communication capability of a number of HVAC devices in a communication network without individually addressing each device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing an HVAC communication network with the ability to identify all HVAC devices that are to operate in a particular zone of a building or a series of buildings. The locations of all such HVAC devices are known to the person or persons wishing to verify the operability of these HVAC devices. In accordance with the invention, a message is sent to all such devices requiring each device to begin displaying a visible signal. The signal is preferably the flashing of a series of light emitting diodes on a panel of each such HVAC device. The flashing LEDs are easily visible to a person wishing to check such a visible display in the location where the HVAC device has been installed. In accordance with the invention, the person performing the visual check may terminate the message being sent to all such devices after performing the visual check. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the message is automatically terminated after a predetermined period of time in the event that it is not terminated by the person or person performing the visual check. In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, appropriate messages may be sent to more than one zone. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of HVAC devices each connected via a network communication bus to a network control device; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the network control device in further detail including a processor connected to the communication bus of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a particular HVAC device having a processor connected to the communication bus of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 4A through 4C illustrate a process executable by the processor of FIG. 2 for establishing communication with a designated group of the HVAC devices of FIG. 1; and 
     FIGS. 5 through 5B illustrate a process executable by each of the processors within the HVAC devices receiving the message generated in FIGS.  4 A through  4 C. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a network control device  10  is connected to HVAC devices  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  via a communication bus  24 . The communication bus  24  is preferably a two wire bus requiring an appropriate two wire connection to the bus from each HVAC device. It is to be appreciated that one or more of the HVAC devices may not be properly connected to the two wires of the communication bus  24 . This could occur if the two wires of a particular two wire connection are transposed before being connected to the two wires of the communication bus  24 . 
     The HVAC device  12  will be located in a particular part of a building so as to provide conditioned air through a ventilated opening  26  to that particular building location. In a similar fashion, the HVAC devices  14  through  22  will provide conditioned air through respective ventilated openings in their particular building locations. These building locations are preferably grouped into different zones of controlled heating and/or cooling. In this regard, HVAC devices  12 ,  14  and  16  are preferably located in a particular zone of heating or cooling labeled  28 . The locations of HVAC devices  18 ,  20  and  22  are similarly grouped into another zone of heating and/or cooling denoted as zone  30 . The physical locations of each HVAC device within its respective zone is available to a person wishing to check these particular HVAC devices. 
     Each HVAC device is seen to include a panel of light emitting diodes (LEDs) such as the LED panel  32  for HVAC device  12 . Each of these LED panels is of a sufficient size and brilliance to be easily noted by one visually checking the panels of these devices in the locations wherein the HVAC devices have been installed. 
     Zone control information for each HVAC control device connected to the communication bus  24  is normally provided by the network control device  10 . The network control device  10  is seen to include a display  34  as well as a config button  36  and a zone select button  38 . As will be explained hereinafter, a person operating the network control device  10  can cause a configuration routine to be executed upon depression of the config button  36 . The configuration routine will be performed for the particular zone displayed on the display panel  34 . The particular zone is selected by depressing the zone select button  38 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the internal configuration of the network control device  10  is schematically illustrated. A processor  40  within the network control device is operative to receive or transmit information on the communication bus  24 . The processor is also responsive to a config button circuit  42  and a zone select button circuit  44 . The processor  40  is also operative to send particular messages to the display panel  34  for viewing by a person wishing to note the status of the network control device. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, the internal configuration of an HVAC device such as HVAC device  12  is illustrated. The HVAC device  12  is seen to include a processor  46  having a memory  48  associated therewith. The processor  46  is operative to receive messages over the communication bus  24  and store the messages in a memory  48  for further analysis. The processor  46  is also connected to the LED control panel  32  as well as to an HVAC control circuit  50  which normally controls the local operation of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning functions performed by the HVAC device  12 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4A, the software residing within the processor  40  when executing a configuration routine is shown in detail. This software begins with a step  52  wherein certain software variables are first initialized any time the processor  40  is initially powered up. A software variable IN_CNFG is set equal to false whereas a software variable NUM_ZONES is set equal to two and a software variable ZONE is set equal to one. The IN_CNFG variable is an indication as to whether or not the processor  40  is in a configuration mode or not. The NUM_ZONES variable is indicative of the number of zones present on the communication network of FIG.  1 . As has been previously noted, there are two zones illustrated in FIG.  1 . The ZONE variable is used as an identifier of one particular zone in FIG.  1 . For instance, the zone value of one indicates the zone  28  whereas a zone value of two identifies zone  30  in FIG.  1 . 
     Upon initializing the above variables, the processor  40  proceeds to a step  54  and authorizes the display of the present value of the ZONE variable on display  34 . This provides an indication to anyone viewing the display  34  as to which of the zones on the communication bus is currently available for the possible execution of the configuration routine of FIGS. 4A through 4C. The processor  40  proceeds from step  54  to a step  56  and inquires as to whether the IN_CNFG variable is equal to true. Since this variable will have initially been set equal to false, the processor will proceed to a step  58  and inquire as to whether the config button  36  is depressed. This will be accomplished by checking the status of the config button circuit  42  in FIG.  2 . In the event that the config button  36  has been depressed, the processor  40  will proceed to a step  60  and inquire as to whether the config button  36  has thereafter been released. It is to be noted that the processor will continue to inquire as to whether the config button  36  has been released by continuing to loop back through the no path until the config button circuit  42  indicates such a release of the config button. At this time, the processor  40  will proceed to a step  62  and set the IN_CNFG variable equal to true. The processor will also set a variable TEST_TIME equal to 60. The IN_CNFG variable being set equal to true will be an indication that the network control device has been asked to proceed to a configuration mode. The TEST_TIME variable of 60 will be used hereinafter to set up a particular time in which a verification test is to be performed during the configuration mode. 
     The processor  40  now proceeds to initiate a one minute timer clock in a step  64 . The one minute timer clock will preferably be a clock routine which counts up to one minute. The clock routine value can be read at any point in time by the processor  40  executing the program of FIGS. 4A through 4C. The processor next proceeds in a step  66  to set certain variables equal to particular values in preparation for sending a message to each HVAC device on the communication bus  24 . Referring to step  66 , the first variable MSG_TYPE is set equal to a particular verify code. This code will have particular significance to the HVAC devices receiving the message. The processor  40  will also set CNFG_TIME equal to zero. The variable CHECK_CNFG will be set equal to true whereas the variable DESTN_ADDR will be set equal to the present value of the ZONE variable, which is one. The processor  40  will proceed to step  68  and prepare a “verify” message for transmittal to the HVAC devices  12  through  22 . As has been previously noted, this message will include the values of the variables discussed in step  66 . It is to be appreciated that these values will preferably appear in various fields of information in the particular message. For instance, the first field of information may be an encoded byte set aside for identifying the type of message, which would be the binary coding that would be interpreted by the receiving device as an indication of a verify message. In a similar fashion, the values for CNFG_TIME, CHECK_CNFG and DESTN_ADDR would be appropriately set forth in identifiable fields of information to be read and understood by the receiving HVAC device. The processor proceeds to actually send the verify message over the communication bus  24  in a step  70 . 
     The processor  40  proceeds after having sent the verify message in step  70  to a step  72  to inquire as to whether the config button  36  is again depressed. Assuming that the config button  36  has not been depressed, the processor will proceed to a step  74  and read the one minute timer clock previously initiated in step  64 . The processor inquires whether one minute has elapsed on the minute timer clock  76 . In the event that one minute has elapsed, the processor proceeds in a step  78  to reset the one minute timer clock before setting the variable TEST_TIME equal to test time minus one. Since test time was initially set equal to sixty in step  62 , the test time will be decremented to fifty-nine following expiration of the first one minute. Referring to step  76 , it is to be noted that in the event that the one minute timer clock has not expired the processor will proceed along the no path out of step  76  to a step  82 , which will also be encountered immediately by the processor proceeding out of step  80 . Referring to step  82 , the processor inquires whether test time is equal to zero. In the event that the value of the TEST_TIME variable is not yet zero, the processor will proceed to step  84  and inquire as to whether the zone select button  38  has been depressed. In the event that the zone select button  38  has been depressed, the processor will proceed to a step  86  and inquire as to whether the zone select button  38  has been released. The processor will merely loop around step  86  until such action is noted. It is to be appreciated that the zone select button  38  will normally have been depressed and thereafter released when a person operating the zone select button wishes to change the zone to be configured. The processor will proceed to step  88  and increment the value of the ZONE variable by one. The processor will also set the TEST_TIME variable equal to sixty. The processor next proceeds to reset the one minute timer clock so as to allow the timer clock to again begin to clock out one minute of time. The processor proceeds from step  90  to a step  92  and inquires as to whether the value of the zone variable is greater than NUM_ZONES. It will be remembered that NUM_ZONES is equal to two. In the event that the value of ZONE is two, the processor will proceed along the no path to an exit step  94 . Referring again to step  92 , in the event that the value ZONE is greater than two, the processor will proceed to a step  96  and reset the value of zone to one before exiting in exit step  94 . 
     It is to be appreciated that the processor will proceed to execute a number of other functions for which it has been programmed before again returning to the entry point of the software program of FIGS. 4A through 4C denoted as step  100 . At this time, the processor will display the present value of the ZONE variable in step  54 . It will be remembered that the present value of the ZONE variable will be two when the ZONE variable has been so incremented in a step  88  following a noted depression and release of the zone select button  38  in steps  84  and  86 . It is to be appreciated that very little real time will have elapsed between exiting the software of FIGS. 4A through 4C and the next execution of the software. There will hence be no perceptible delay in the display of the zone currently being subject to the configuration process. 
     The processor will again check for whether the IN_CNFG variable is equal to true in step  56 . This value should still be true as a result of having been previously set equal to true in step  62  when the config button  36  was first noted as being depressed and released. The processor will hence exit from step  56  along the yes path to step  66 . Referring to step  66 , the processor will now define values for the denoted variables MSG_TYPE, CNFG_TIME, CHECK_CNFG and DESTN_ADDR. It is to be noted that in this particular case the DESTN_ADDR will be equal to a zone value of two rather than a zone value of one. The processor proceeds in step  68  to prepare a verify message including the aforementioned variables and to send such a verify message over the communication bus  24  in step  70 . As will be explained in detail hereinafter, this particular verify message will be noted for further processing in the HVAC devices  18  through  22 , which comprise zone two. 
     The processor proceeds again to step  72  and inquires as to whether the config button  36  has been depressed. It is to be appreciated that this button will not usually be depressed for several minutes since the person originally depressing the button will want to visually check the HVAC devices receiving and processing the verify message. This will mean that the processor will be proceeding through steps  74 ,  76 ,  78  and  80  to decrement the value of test time each time the one minute timer clock has elapsed. As long as the test time has not been decremented to zero, the processor will proceed to inquire as to whether the zone select button has been depressed. The zone select button  38  will normally not be so depressed prompting the processor to proceed along the no path out of step  38  to the exit step  94 . 
     It is to be appreciated that at some point the test time may be decremented to zero prompting the processor to exit from step  82  via the yes path to a step  102  wherein IN_CNFG will be set equal to false before proceeding to exit step  94 . It is also to be appreciated that the config button  36  may be depressed at some point in time before the test time is equal to zero. This will be detected in a step  72  prompting the processor to proceed to a step  104  to inquire whether the config button  36  has been released. When the config button is released, the processor will proceed to step  102  and again set IN_CNFG equal to false. It is hence to be appreciated that the IN_CNFG variable will be set equal to false either as a result of the test time having expired or the processor noting that the config button  36  has been depressed and released. Following the occurrence of either event, the processor will in the next execution of the software of FIGS. 4A through 4C note in step  56  that the IN_CNFG variable is false. This will prompt the processor to inquire whether the config button  36  has been depressed in step  58 . In the event that the config button  36  has not been depressed, the processor will proceed out of step  58  to step  102  and again set the IN_CNFG variable false before exiting in step  94 . The processor will thereafter continuously execute steps  58 ,  100 ,  54 ,  56 ,  102  and  94  until such time as the config button  36  is depressed. This will suspend any further transmittal of verification messages to the respective zones until the config button  36  is again depressed. 
     Referring to FIG. 5A, the software executable by the processor within each HVAC device connected to the communication bus  24  is illustrated. The software executable by each such processor begins with an initialization step  110  wherein a device address is defined. The device address will preferably be a particular zone value. In this regard, the HVAC devices  12 ,  14  and  16  will each have a device address of one whereas the HVAC devices  18 ,  20  and  22  will each have a zone address of two. The appropriate device address will have been previously stored in the particular memory associated with the processor of each HVAC device. For instance, memory  48  will contain the assigned value of one since the particular HVAC device  12  is in zone one. The memory  48  within the HVAC device  12  will also have stored a value for a variable DO_CNFG equal to false. Similarly, the memory  48  will have a stored value for a TIMEOUT variable that is equal to eleven. 
     Following establishment of the value of the aforementioned variables, the processor will proceed to a step  112  and check a message buffer. It is to be appreciated that the processor  46  will in normal operation read any message on the communication bus  24  and store the same in a message buffer within memory  48 . The processor will subsequently check the message buffer in step  112  while executing the process of FIG.  5 . The processor will proceed from step  112  to a step  114  and inquire whether a message has been detected in the message buffer. In the event that a message has been detected, the processor will proceed along the yes path to a step  116  and download the message. The process will next inquire in a step  118  as to whether the MSG_TYPE field within the downloaded message has a binary coding indicating a verify message. In the event that the field so indicates a verify coding, the processor proceeds to a step  120  and inquires whether the field set aside in the message for DESTN_ADDR equals the particular device address assigned to the particular HVAC device. In the event that the DESTN_ADDR is for instance a one, the processor  46  within the HVAC device  12  would proceed along the yes path to a step  122 . Referring to step  122 , a TIMEOUT variable is set equal to the value of the CNFG_TIME field of the downloaded message. It will be remembered that this value is zero in the message sent by the network control device  10 . The processor next will also set the CO_CNFG variable equal to the value of the field in the downloaded message set aside for CHECK_CNFG. It will be remembered that this value is true in the verify message transmitted by the network control device  10 . The processor  46  proceeds from step  122  to a step  124  and initiates a one second timer clock. The processor proceeds to a step  126  and reads the one second timer clock and inquires as to whether one second has elapsed in step  128 . In the event that one second has elapsed, the processor  46  proceeds to a step  130  and increments the value of the TIMEOUT variable by one. It will be remembered that the TIMEOUT variable is set equal to zero in step  122  when a verify message has been received. This will prompt the TIMEOUT variable to initially be set equal to one in step  130 . The processor next proceeds to a step  132  and resets the one second timer clock before proceeding to step  134  to inquire as to whether the TIMEOUT value is greater than ten. Referring to step  128 , in the event that the one second timer clock has not elapsed, the processor will also proceed to step  134 . If the TIMEOUT variable is equal to ten or less, the processor will proceed along the no path out of step  134  to a step  136  and inquire whether the DO_CNFG variable is true. Since the DO_CNFG variable will have been set equal to true in step  122 , the processor will proceed along the yes path to a step  138 . Referring to step  138 , the processor is operative to initiate an LED routine. This routine will preferably send signals each one-half second to the respective LED panel associated with the processor executing the process of FIGS. 5A and 5B. In the case of the processor  46 , the routine will cause the LED panel  32  to blink or flash every one-half second. This blinking or flashing of the LED panel in response to the LED routine initiated in step  138  will continue until such time as terminated. The processor will proceed from initiating the LED routine in step  138  to an exit step  140 . It is to be appreciated that the processor executing the particular software program of FIGS. 5A and 5B will execute various other programs normally performed by the processor for the particular HVAC device. This would, for instance, include the checking and monitoring of the HVAC control circuit for the device. Following completion of such other software programs, the processor will proceed to the entry step  142  in FIG.  5 A and again check the message buffer for any new messages. Assuming that no new message has been received, the processor will proceed to step  126  and read the one second timer clock. In the event that one second has elapsed, the processor will proceed to increment the value of the TIMEOUT variable in step  130  and reset the one second timer clock once again in step  132 . The processor will proceed to inquire as to whether the TIMEOUT variable is greater than ten in step  134 . In the event that the TIMEOUT variable is ten or less, the processor will proceed to set the DO_CNFG variable equal to true in step  136  before again initiating the LED routine  138  and exiting in step  140 . It is to be appreciated that this step of again initiating the LED routine will have no effect on an LED routine that is already activated. 
     Referring again to the entry step  142 , it is to be appreciated that steps  112  through  128  will at some time result in the TIMEOUT variable being incremented to a value greater than ten. At this point, the processor will note in step  134  that the TIMEOUT variable is greater than ten thus prompting the processor to set the DO_CNFG variable equal to false in step  142 . The processor now proceeds through step  136  and exits along the no path to a step  144 , which terminates the LED routine. This will cause the processor  46  to, for instance, terminate any further flashing or blinking of the LED panel  32 . The processor proceeds to the exit step  140  following termination of the LED routine. 
     It is to be appreciated from the above that the LED routine initiated in step  138  will be terminated at the expiration of a ten second TIMEOUT period unless the particular processor in the HVAC device has received another verification message from the network control device  10 . Referring to the process of FIGS. 4A through 4C executed by the network control device  10 , it is to be noted that a verification message will normally be sent to each HVAC device as a result of the processor proceeding through step  56  to steps  66 ,  68  and  70  when the processor  40  is in a configuration mode. It is to be appreciated that the execution of the steps  56 ,  66 ,  68  and  70  will occur frequently so as to result in a frequent sending of a verify message to the various HVAC devices well within the ten second time interval allocated in the respective HVAC devices for receipt of a new message before terminating the LED display. In this manner, it is only after the network control device  10  ceases sending a verify message earmarked for a particular zone that the LED routine activated in any HVAC device of that zone will be terminated ten seconds after receipt of the most recently received verify message. 
     It is also to be appreciated from the above that the network control device  10  is operative to send appropriate verification messages to a prescribed zone of HVAC devices connected to the communication bus  24 . The resulting verification message will be sent on a timely basis to each such HVAC control device so as to allow the HVAC control device to continuously trigger the flashing or blinking of an LED display until such time as a different zone has been selected or a decision has been made to exit the configuration process. The transmittal of a verification message will also cease in the event that the next zone button  38  has not been depressed within one hour. This will result in the LED display of an HVAC device possibly flashing continuously for a maximum of one hour. This will allow a person wishing to check the individual HVAC devices at their respective locations up to one hour to confirm appropriately flashing LED panels. Any HVAC devices in a zone that are not flashing will be thereafter physically checked to ascertain why their LED panels are not flashing. This physical check will include, for instance, a checking of the two wire connections to the communication bus  24  to ascertain whether any of these connections have been transposed. 
     It is finally to be appreciated from the above that a particular embodiment of the invention has been described. Alterations, modifications and improvements thereto by those skilled in the art are intended to be a part of this disclosure even though not expressly stated herein and are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only and the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereto.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6