Emerson Electric Company

Maytag Corporation

Emerson Climate Technologies Gmbh

Whirlpool Corporation

John Francis Broker

Evan R Vande Haar

Mike C Santinanavat

Douglas A Ochsner

Mark H Stark

Shweta Annapurani Panimadai Ramaswamy

John J Heller

John Ellwood Thomas

Douglas W Gardner

Charles E Green

David L Vie

Bradley C Zikes

Ryan Jensen

Michael J Moran

Brian L Ness

Harshal Manik Pawar

Joel D Rozendaal

Kim L Wright

Nayan J Mishra

Mike J Moran

Lily Wan

Kashmira Patel

Donald E Erickson

Daniel F Wunderlich

Jordan S Bruntz

Thomas B Lorenz

Keith E Kropf

Joel L Herr

Horst E Jaeschke

Mitchell N Corbett

Donald L Blessing

Scott E Griffith

Kimberly J Hood

Juan Ling

Cuikun Chu

Brett C Oleson

Richard M Burkhart

Jeffrey L Blair

Xingeng Zhou

Xiaobing Zhu

Sachin B Taware

William C Leise

Don Blessing

Doug A Ochsner

Michael C Santinanavat

Douglas A Ocshner

Stephen J McCauley

Gary T Ostrander

Roger R Maus

Alan V Neubauer

Stephen J Mccauley

Shweta Annapurani Panimadai Ramaswany

An example HVAC system includes an HVAC component, and an HVAC control configured to control the HVAC component according to an HVAC system configuration parameter. The HVAC control includes a controller wireless interface and a memory. The system also includes a mobile device having a user interface and a mobile wireless interface in wireless communication with the controller wireless interface of the HVAC control. The mobile device is configured to display the HVAC system configuration parameter on the user interface, receive user input settings for the HVAC system configuration parameter, and wirelessly transmit the received user input settings to the controller wireless interface of the HVAC control. The HVAC control is configured to store the received user input settings in the memory of the HVAC control to control the HVAC component. Example methods of controlling an HVAC system are also disclosed.

Wirelessly configuring climate control system controls

A gas powered water heater includes a storage tank, a main burner, a flame sensor assembly, and a controller communicatively coupled to the flame sensor assembly. The flame sensor assembly includes a probe positioned proximate the main burner to couple an electric current to the main burner through a flame on the main burner and not to couple an electric current to the main burner when the flame is not present on the main burner, and a detector that provides signals representative of the electric current provided through the probe. The controller is programmed to determine a length of time taken for a transition between a signal representative of no electric current and a signal representative of a steady state electric current, and determine, based at least in part on the determined length of time, a strength of the flame on the main burner.

Systems and methods for flame monitoring in gas powered appliances

A method of controlling a gas furnace system includes determining a first pressure in a conduit coupled to a draft inducer from signals output by a pressure transducer positioned to sense a pressure within the conduit with a motor of the draft inducer in a stopped condition. A first status of the pressure transducer is determined based at least in part on the first pressure. The motor of the draft inducer is controlled to increase a speed of the motor from the stopped condition in response to a call for heat when the first status does not indicate that the pressure transducer is unreliable, and the motor is maintained in a stopped condition when the first status indicates that the pressure transducer is unreliable.

Systems and methods for checking status of a pressure transducer

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of systems and methods for controlling inducer motor speed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method includes changing stator voltage of an inducer motor (e.g., by changing a firing angle of a triac, using a transistor, a silicon controlled rectifier or semiconductor controlled rectifier (SCR), other switching device, etc.); determining actual inducer motor speed (e.g., by using a hall effect sensor or other speed sensor, etc.); and after determining the actual inducer motor speed, changing the motor stator voltage (e.g., by changing the firing angle of the triac, etc.) to a value at which the actual inducer motor speed is controllably regulated and/or maintained substantially at a set speed.

Systems and methods for controlling inducer motor speed

A system for controlling a capacity of a compressor includes a motor of the compressor including a main winding connected at a connection point to an auxiliary winding and a drive configured to control a speed of the motor. The system includes a first switch configured to selectively connect the main winding to either a first line voltage or a first output of the drive, a second switch configured to selectively connect the connection point to either a second line voltage or a second output of the drive, and a third switch configured to selectively connect the auxiliary winding to either a capacitor or a third output of the drive. The system includes a solenoid valve configured to selectively either operate in a first capacity or a second capacity. The system includes a control module configured to control the drive, the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch.

Systems and methods for multi-stage operation of a compressor

A method of controlling a gas furnace system includes controlling a motor of a draft inducer coupled to a conduit to increase a speed of the motor from a stopped condition in response to a call for heat, and receiving pressure signals output by a pressure transducer responsive to pressure in the conduit. Signals indicating whether a pressure switch responsive to pressure in the conduit is in a first state or a second state are received. A first status of the pressure transducer is determined based on the received pressure signals from the pressure transducer and the signals indicating whether the pressure switch is in the first state or the second state. The method includes continuing to operate the motor when the first status does not indicate that the pressure transducer is unreliable, and stopping the motor when the first status indicates that the pressure transducer is unreliable.

A method of operating an HVAC system including a motor having five taps, and an HVAC controller communicatively connected to a plurality of the five taps the motor includes storing, by a processor of the HVAC controller, selected speeds associated with a plurality of operating conditions in a memory of the HVAC control. The processor controls the motor according to the selected speeds and their associated operating conditions using a group of taps of the plurality of taps of the motor to which the HVAC controller is communicatively connected. Data is communicated between the motor and the HVAC controller using one of the plurality of taps of the motor to which the HVAC controller is communicatively connected.

Systems and methods for communication with motors in climate control systems

An HVAC system includes a motor having a plurality of speeds at which it can operate, an HVAC control, and a mobile device. The HVAC control is configured to control the motor during a plurality of different operations, and includes a controller processor, a controller memory, and controller near field communication (NFC) wireless interface including an NFC processor, an NFC memory, and an antenna. The mobile device includes a user interface and a mobile NFC wireless interface configured. The mobile device is configured to display the plurality of different operations on the user interface, receive user input settings of speeds of the motor for each of the plurality of different operations, and wirelessly transmit the received user input settings to the controller NFC wireless interface of the HVAC control. The NFC processor is configured to store the received user input settings in the NFC memory.

Systems and methods for wirelessly configuring climate control system controls

An example HVAC system includes a furnace including a gas valve, a circulator motor to circulate air through the HVAC system, and a current sensor configured to detect a current supplied to the circulator motor. The system also includes a controller configured to disable the gas valve when a detected current supplied to the circulator motor is outside of a specified operating current range. A detected current to the circulator motor outside of the specified operating current range is indicative of a malfunction of the circulator motor. Example methods of operating a gas valve in an HVAC system are also disclosed.

Circulator failure detection in HVAC systems

A method of controlling an HVAC system including a motor having five taps, an HVAC controller connected to the motor, and a mobile device includes receiving user input identification of the motor on a user interface of the mobile device. A plurality of operating conditions and more than five speed settings available for the identified motor are displayed on the user interface. The method includes receiving from the user a selected speed of the speed settings for a first operating condition of the plurality of operating conditions, and transmitting the selected speed and the associated first operating condition to the HVAC controller for use in controlling a speed of the motor during the plurality of operating conditions.

Systems and methods for configuring climate control system speed controls

Exemplary embodiments are disclosed of a climate control system that includes an igniter and a controller having an igniter relay. The controller senses a current level through the igniter and senses voltage between terminals of a second relay of the controller. In a given one of a plurality of operational phases of the system, the controller is configured to compare the sensed current level and sensed voltage to a current level and voltage associated with a specific condition of the igniter, igniter relay, or second relay in the given phase. Based on a result of the comparing, the controller is configured to distinguish between a failure of one of the relays and a failure of the igniter.

Performing integrity checks on climate control system components

A control system for controlling a gas powered appliance includes a hot surface igniter, an igniter relay, and an integrity detection circuit. The integrity detection circuit is configured to be coupled to a power source, the igniter relay, and the hot surface igniter to produce an output indicative of the integrity of the hot surface igniter and the igniter relay. The integrity detection circuit is configured to output a first voltage when the igniter relay is closed and output a second voltage different from the first voltage when the hot surface igniter is in a non-short circuit failure condition.

Systems and methods for controlling gas powered appliances

Exemplary embodiments are disclosed of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that includes a switched mode power supply. The switched mode power supply is configured to provide standby power to the HVAC system. The standby power may be limited substantially in accordance with power demand by one or more components of the HVAC system.

HVAC systems, controls, and methods including switch mode power supplies to achieve low standby power

Growing community of inventors

Warrenton, MO, United States of America

John Francis Broker