Refrigeration – Automatic control – Refrigeration producer
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-03
2001-12-18
Tanner, Harry B. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Automatic control
Refrigeration producer
C062S185000, C062S298000, C062S077000, C236S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330806
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of Invention
The present invention is directed to a heating ventilation and air conditioning (hereinbelow HVAC) control system and method for controlling a device, a subsystem, and/or a process using a flash mini-card and, more particularly, relates to an HVAC control system and method for controlling a chiller using a flash mini-card.
II. Description of the Related Art
HVAC control systems generally use non-volatile storage to store instructions that control the device or process under the control of the control system. Traditional HVAC control systems use a hard drive with a hard drive controller to provide non-volatile storage for the instructions that control the device or process under the control of the HVAC control system. More recently, non-volatile storage devices such as the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card (hereinafter “PC Card”) and the smart card serve as non-volatile storage for such control systems.
The PC Card is a credit card sized device that is frequently used as an auxiliary memory or an auxiliary input and output device (e.g., a modem card) in notebook computers. When the PC Card is used as a non-volatile storage device, the processor of the control system interacts with a PC Card controller that retrieves instructions from the PC Card.
A smart card is a plastic card about the size of a credit card with a microchip embedded within the plastic card. The smart card can be loaded with information for use by a processor associated with the control system to provide non-volatile storage. Unlike a magnetic stripe card that holds a small amount of information on a magnetic stripe, a smart card contains a larger amount of information including, for example, application programs. As with the magnetic strip cards, a smart card requires a reader such as card reader when used with a control system.
During boot-up, a processor associated with a control system may use a basic input/output system (BIOS) to support the initial configuration of the processor. BIOS is a program the processor uses to get the computer system started after initial power-up. BIOS resides in non-volatile storage such as an EPROM. Further, BIOS manages data flow between the computer's operating system and attached devices such as the hard disk, keyboard, mouse, and printer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an HVAC control system and method for controlling a device, a subsystem, and/or a process associated with an HVAC system using a flash mini-card. More preferably, the present invention is directed to an HVAC control system and method for controlling a chiller using a flash mini-card.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved HVAC control system and method that overcomes or minimizes one or more of the limitations and disadvantages of the presently available HVAC control systems and methods for controlling HVAC systems. Among other things, the invention reduces the number of components and cost associated with controlling a device, a subsystem, and/or a process associated with an HVAC system by using a flash mini-card to eliminate the need for a disk drive, disk drive controller, card reader, and/or card controller; permit software updates with the replacement of a flash mini-card; simplifies field upgrades of software with either a flash mini-card replacement or a network download of software; eliminate the need for a plurality of non-volatile storage devices (e.g., a plurality of EPROMS) to provide high density storage for large control programs; and implement a controller architecture that permits a processor to directly boot and directly execute control software from a single, readily replaceable storage device. More preferably, the present invention provides an HVAC control system and method for controlling, for example, a chiller associated with an HVAC system using a flash mini-card to store the instructions for controlling the chiller.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the system and method particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a method of controlling a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system using a HVAC control system. The method includes, for example, applying power to the HVAC control system, wherein the step of applying power initiates a boot-up of a processor associated with the HVAC control system; reading a default memory location, wherein the contents of the default memory location direct the processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) connected to the processor through a bus; configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS, wherein after the step of configuring, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions; and performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the HVAC system using the HVAC control system.
In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system for controlling an HVAC system. The HVAC control system includes, for example, a processor, wherein when the HVAC control system is initially powered, the processor reads a default memory location within the processor, and wherein the contents of the default memory location direct the processor to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM) associated with the control system; a flash mini-card connected to the processor through a bus, wherein the flash mini-card contains a set of instructions, and wherein the processor executes at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the HVAC system; and means for configuring the processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS EPROM, wherein after executing the set of BIOS instructions within the BIOS EPROM, the processor reads a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card that contains the set of instructions.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a chiller with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system. The method includes, for example, configuring a processor associated with the HVAC control system by executing a set of Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions within the BIOS Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM); reading a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions, after the step of configuring; and performing at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the chiller.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system for a chiller. The HVAC control system includes, for example, a processor for configuring the HVAC control system by executing a set of Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions within the BIOS Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM); and means for reading a set of boot instructions that directs the processor to the flash mini-card containing a set of instructions, wherein the processor performs at least one of the set of instructions contained within the flash mini-card to control the chiller.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary
Beaverson Gregory K.
Smith Bart A.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Tanner Harry B.
York International Corporation
LandOfFree
System and method for controlling an HVAC system using a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for controlling an HVAC system using a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for controlling an HVAC system using a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2601425