Patent ID: 7228691

Claim:
A method of operating a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, and a refrigeration branch including an evaporator coil, all of which being in fluid communication, a fixture adapted to be cooled by the evaporator coil, a system controller operable to control one or more aspects of the refrigeration system, and a first subsystem controller in communication with the system controller, the first subsystem controller being operable to control a subsystem having at least one of the compressor, condenser, refrigeration branch, and fixture, the method comprising the acts of: configuring the refrigeration system, the configuring comprising configuring the first subsystem controller with the system controller, including communicating first configuration information between the system controller and the first subsystem controller, the first configuration information comprising at least one of operating-parameter information and safety-parameter information; replacing the first subsystem controller with a second subsystem controller; identifying, at the system controller, the replacement of the first subsystem controller; and reconfiguring the refrigeration system, the reconfiguring comprising configuring the second subsystem controller with the system controller, including communicating second configuration information between the system controller and the second subsystem controller, the second configuration information comprising at least one of operating-parameter information and safety-parameter information.