A method of communication between a remote computer and heating, ventilation and air conditioning hvac devices

Abstract

A method of communication between a remote computer and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning HVAC devices includes communicatively connecting the HVAC devices to a communication bus via a bus communication interface of each HVAC device, selecting one of the HVAC devices having a remote communication interface as a gateway device, communicatively connecting the remote computer to the remote communication interface of the gateway device, identifying, by the HVAC gateway device, one or more of the HVAC devices connected to the communication bus by retrieving respective identification data of the HVAC devices via the bus communication interface, retrieving, by the gateway device, one or more device profiles corresponding to the identification data of the one or more identified HVAC devices, and enabling, by the gateway device using the retrieved one or more device profiles, data communication between the one or more identified HVAC devices and the remote computer.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of communication between a remote computer and a plurality of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning HVAC devices, the method comprising:
 communicatively connecting the plurality of HVAC devices to a communication bus via a bus communication interface of each respective HVAC device;   selecting one of the plurality of HVAC devices having a remote communication interface as an HVAC gateway device;   communicatively connecting the remote computer to the remote communication interface of the HVAC gateway device;   identifying, by the HVAC gateway device, one or more of the plurality of HVAC devices connected to the communication bus by retrieving respective identification data of the plurality of HVAC devices via the bus communication interface;   retrieving, by the HVAC gateway device, one or more device profiles corresponding to the identification data of the one or more identified HVAC devices; and   enabling, by the HVAC gateway device using the retrieved one or more device profiles, data communication between the one or more identified HVAC devices and the remote computer.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 the HVAC gateway device retrieving the one or more device profiles from the remote computer and/or   the HVAC gateway device receiving the one or more device profiles via a configuration device and/or via a secondary communication interface comprised by and/or communicatively connected to the HVAC gateway device.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the HVAC gateway device, an HVAC device to be replaced and a replacement HVAC device; and   retrieving, by the HVAC gateway device, data from the HVAC device to be replaced and transmitting the retrieved data to the replacement HVAC device; and/or   updating, by the HVAC gateway device, parameters of the device profile of the replacement HVAC device using parameters of the device profile of the HVAC device to be replaced.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the one or more device profiles comprise device-specific processing data corresponding to the one or more identified HVAC devices identified by the identification data; and
 wherein enabling the data communication comprises:   processing operational data received from the one or more identified HVAC devices using the device-specific processing data and forwarding the processed data to the remote computer and/or   processing setpoint data received from the remote computer using the device-specific processing data and forwarding the processed data to the respective HVAC device.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the device-specific processing data comprises calibration data specific to the one or more identified HVAC devices identified by the identification data, and
 wherein the processing comprises:
 applying the calibration data to operational data received from the one or more identified HVAC devices and/or 
 applying the calibration data to the setpoint data received from the remote computer. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the device-specific processing data comprises conversion data including conversion parameters and/or conversion formulae, and
 wherein the processing comprises applying the conversion parameters and/or conversion formulae to the operational data received from the one or more identified HVAC devices.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein, the operational data comprises sensor values measured by one or more sensors of the respective HVAC devices. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein, the setpoint data comprises actuator values, and
 wherein the method further comprises:
 actuating, by one or more actuators of the respective HVAC devices, one or more mechanically connected actuated parts in accordance with the actuator values as processed and forwarded by the HVAC gateway device. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the one or more device profiles comprise addressing information related to one or more identified HVAC devices identified by the identification data, and
 wherein enabling the data communication comprises:
 forwarding data to and/or from the remote communication interface of the HVAC gateway device and a respective bus interface of the one or more identified HVAC devices identified by the addressing information, via the bus communication interface. 
   
     
     
         23 . An HVAC gateway device comprising:
 a bus communication interface for communicatively connecting to a communication bus;   a remote communication interface for communicatively connecting to a remote computer; and   a processor,   wherein the processor is configured to control the HVAC gateway device to carry out the method according to  claim 14 .   
     
     
         24 . The HVAC gateway device according to claim  10 , further comprising one or more actuators for actuating one or more mechanically connected actuated parts and/or one or more sensors configured to measure a parameter of an HVAC system. 
     
     
         25 . An HVAC system comprising:
 the HVAC gateway device according to  claim 23 ;   one or more HVAC devices comprising one or more actuators for actuating one or more mechanically connected actuated parts and/or one or more sensors,   wherein the HVAC gateway device and the one or more HVAC devices are communicatively connected by a communication bus via respective bus communication interfaces, and   wherein the HVAC gateway device is communicatively connected to a remote computer using a remote communication interface.   
     
     
         26 . A computer program product comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor of an HVAC gateway device comprising a bus communication interface and a remote communication interface, cause the HVAC gateway device to carry out the method according to  claim 14 . 
     
     
         27 . A non-transitory computer-readable data storage comprising a computer program product which, when executed by a processor of an HVAC gateway device comprising a bus communication interface and a remote communication interface, cause the processor to carry out the method according to  claim 14 .