Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Honeywell International Inc.

Paul B Patton

Kenneth B Kidder

William R Landis

James I Bartels

Rick M Solosky

Rodney L Clark

Robert D Juntunen

Rolf Lee Strand

Alfred J Gaskell

Timothy F McCarthy

Robert A Black, Jr

Wilmer L Adams

Gregory J Merten

John Evers

Richard M Solosky

Michael J Seidel

Paul A Schimbke

Gregory W Anderson

Robert A Black

Patrick Springman

Yury Millman

Charles B Yancey

Ronald Sorenson

Timothy Mccarthy

A system and approach for addressing modules on a platform bus that may incorporate a master module and one or more slave modules. The platform bus may run through sub-base connectors that interlock modules together on a rail. Addressing of the modules may occur automatically and dynamically in that the master module may have a first address by default, and a first slave module adjoining the master module may be assigned a second address. A second slave module adjoining the first slave module, if there is one, may be assigned a third address. Each of the other slave modules, adjoining a preceding slave module assigned an address, may be assigned a next address after an address assigned to a preceding slave module. Addresses may be assigned in a numerical order to each module based on a physical position of the respective module on a rail.

Module auto addressing in platform bus

A modular flame amplifier system having a base module, a burner control and one or more flame amplifier modules connected to the burner control. One or more sensors may be connected to the one or more flame amplifier modules. Some of the flame amplifiers may be a long distance from the burner control module. Some of the flame amplifiers may be connected to the burner control via a cable. The connection between some of the flame amplifiers and the respective sensors may be less noise tolerant than the long cable connection between the one or more flame amplifiers and the burner control. One or more flame amplifiers may be mounted on the same rail as the burner control or another rail remote from the burner control. Two or more sensors may be connected in one or more of several configurations along with delay in some configurations.

Modular flame amplifier system with remote sensing

A method and system for allowing multiple local simple communication buses to be selectively and separately connected as part of a larger, global communication bus. This interconnection is done transparently to the local buses, which may continue to operate autonomously and employ readily available and low cost devices based on time division multiplexing (TDM) protocol. A number of such TDM local buses are each provided with a switching device. A global bus and controller connects to each of the local bus switching devices. By uniquely addressing each switching device, the global controller can receive and transmit on any selected local bus, and issue commands to specific devices thereon. In a rapid fault polling mode, each local bus switching device is commanded to check its local bus devices for fault codes, and signal the presence thereof to the global controller, which can then access the local bus(es) which have the faults.

Gated multi-drop communication system

A power controller has upstream and downstream switches in series connection to provide redundant switching for power supplied from a power source to a load. A switch operating system closes the switch closer to the load first (downstream) and then the switch closer to the source (upstream). The operating system conditions closing the downstream switch on absence of power voltage on an upstream power terminal of the downstream switch. A preferred embodiment of the operating system performs a number of real time status checks during the connection process to assure that power voltage is properly absent and present at switch terminals during the stages of the connection process. This operating system guards against supplying power to the load if either the upstream or downstream switch's pair of contacts are welded at the time the connection process starts.

Power switching system

An annunciator for the conduction status of individual switches wired into a series circuit records this status as status history at regular intervals in a memory. The status history is preferably recorded as individual entries having the identification number of an open switch along with a time stamp specifying the length of time which that switch has been open. The current entry is recorded in the memory and a new entry started each time the switch for which an entry in the memory is being created closes or a switch currently receiving power opens. A controller separate from the annunciator generates a request signal and provides a request time value to the annunciator specifying the time which has elapsed since the request condition was detected. The annunciator uses the request time value to determine the probable switch conduction status at the time of the request.

System controller and remote fault annunciator with cooperative storage,

An annunciator for the status of interlock switches connected into a series circuit for supplying power from a power source to a load, includes a memory recording the status of each switch at a selectable instant. A plurality of display elements are arranged in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the interlock switch circuit. A manually operable switch allows a user to select for graphically showing with the display either the switch status recorded by the memory or the current status of the switches. The signals controlling the display are conditioned so that the particular display element assigned to the first out switch as recorded in the memory flashes to indicate the switch closest to the power source which was not conducting at the selectable instant.

Display apparatus for a first out type of fault status annunciator

The position of the power output member of a motor actuator which is normally controlled by a microprocessor in response to system-supplied condition signals may be set manually by providing a manually controlled selector signal to the microprocessor allowing manually controlled adjustment signals rather than the normal condition signals to form the parameters from which is derived the motor control signal. In the preferred embodiment, a first switch generates the selector signal and a second switch generates the adjustment signal. Such apparatus allows a repairer or installer to adjust a mechanical positioning system driven by the motor actuator while the positioning system is in a variety of precisely selected positions. This control system contains a feature allowing one to change position of the motor actuator's power output member either continuously or incrementally by appropriately manipulating the switch which generates the adjustment signal.

Manual damper motor control

The present invention is a method and apparatus for conditioning an AC input signal to a control system having a plurality of AC input signals. An AC system signal is substantially phase-synchronous with the AC input signal. The AC input signal is sampled a plurality of times to determine whether it is present or absent during a periodic half cycle of the AC system signal. A result value is determined which represents a state of the AC input signal determined a majority of the times that it was sampled. It is then determined whether the state of the result value has changed.

Method and apparatus for conditioning AC input signals

The present invention is a method and apparatus for changing fuels used in a heating system without substantially recycling the heating system where a main flame burns fuel supplied to the heating system. A fuel changeover signal is received from a fuel selector. Flow of a first fuel to the heating system is regulated in response to the fuel changeover signal to achieve a low fire state in the heating system. A pilot flame is established in the heating system and flow of the first fuel is shut off. A fuel indicator signal is received from the fuel selector indicating a desired fuel. The main flame in the heating system which is burning the first fuel is extinguished. The pilot flame is monitored for stability and the main flame is re-established in the heating system burning the desired fuel in response to the fuel indicator signal.

Method and apparatus for automatic fuel changeover

The present invention is a method and apparatus for preventing a decision made by a controller from being made based on incomplete information where the controller periodically runs a decision making routine. The controller makes decisions based on a plurality of AC input signals being present or absent. The presence or absence of the AC input signals is read by the controller during a read cycle performed during periodic half cycles of the AC system signal. The AC system signal and the AC input signals are substantially phase-synchronizes. Before the controller runs the decision making routine, the controller determines whether the presence or absence of the AC input signals has changed since the previous decision making routine. Where the presence or absence of the AC input signals has changed since the previous decision making routine, the decision making routine is delayed for a predetermined number of half cycles of the AC system signal.

Method and apparatus for preventing race conditions in a control system

A method and apparatus determine signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are phase-synchronous. A read cycle, for reading the AC input signals, is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal. The presence or absence of the AC system signal is determined. A number of good read cycles are counted where the good read cycles represent the read cycles performed when the AC system signal is present. A ratio is determined between the number of good read cycles counted during a predetermined time and a total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time.

Method and apparatus for testing signal quality in a burner control

The present invention is a method and apparatus for monitoring a plurality of AC input signals to a control system. An AC interrupt signal is generated, based on an AC system signal which is substantially phase-synchronous with the AC input signals, for an interrupt time period corresponding to a time period when the AC system signal exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage. The AC interrupt signal is verified and a timer is set for a pseudo-random time value. The AC input signals are sampled when the timer has reached the pseudo-random time value to determine the presence or absence of valid AC input signals.

Method and apparatus for monitoring AC input signals

A burner control system has a microprocessor for testing parameters of operation and for indicating deviations from a preset range for each. The sensors monitoring the parameters provide their outputs as analog voltages to analog to digital (A/D) converters which provide the parameters in digital form. Tests using preset voltage standards increase the likelihood of A/D converter accuracy. In addition, as operating conditions for the burner change, different preset ranges are used for each sensor output when testing them so as to provide maximum confidence of proper burner operation.

Microcomputer-controlled system with redundant checking of sensor outputs

Damper position of a damper in a heating system is monitored. The damper is movable between end positions in response to movement of a motor shaft. The motor shaft moves in response to a movement request signal. A shaft position signal is received by a position detector and has a value representative of position of the motor shaft. When the damper reaches an end position, it is determined whether the value of the shaft position signal is within a predetermined tolerance. If it is outside of the tolerance, then the system is shut down as unreliable; otherwise, the shaft position signal is recalibrated to maintain accuracy.

Method and apparatus for monitoring and calibrating damper position

An anti-bounce system for control of critical loads is provided. A control system contains two subsystems. The first subsystem functions for normal control of the critical loads, but has a relatively long information processing time. This long time might prevent the system from controlling the loads in a safe manner. The system has a second subsystem that has a very rapid processing time. Both of the subsystems are connected to the load by coupling means to monitor as a feedback signal the exact state of the loads. The second subsystem overrides the first, and disconnects power whenever there has been an interruption of power for a short period of time.

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Rockford, MN, United States of America

Paul B Patton