DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING CHARGE SETTINGS FOR A REFRIGERATION CIRCUIT

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/653,121, filed on May 29, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments described herein relate to the field of refrigeration circuits, and more particularly, to a device, system, and method for determining charge settings for a refrigeration circuit associated with an HVAC system.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is a system for determining charge settings for a refrigeration circuit of an HVAC unit. The system comprises the HVAC unit and a controller comprising one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the controller is configured to receive a set of data pertaining to an operating environment of the HVAC unit and an internal volume of the refrigeration circuit, estimate a saturated suction temperature of a refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit based on the operating environment, and determine a weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or a subcooling target temperature for a liquid line associated with the refrigeration circuit based on the estimated saturated suction temperature and the internal volume.

In one or more embodiments, the operating environment is selected from one of a humid condition, a semi-arid condition, and a desert condition.

In one or more embodiments, the humid condition pertains to a first range of humidity, a semi-arid condition pertains to a second range of humidity, and a desert condition pertains to a third range of humidity, wherein the first range is greater than the second range and the second range is greater than the third range.

In one or more embodiments, the controller is further configured to receive another set of data pertaining to one or more of an internal volume of an evaporator associated with the HVAC unit, configuration of the evaporator, and characteristics of the refrigerant, and determine the weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the evaporator based on the received another set of data and the operating environment of the HVAC unit.

In one or more embodiments, the controller is in communication with an input unit, the input unit configured to enable a registered user to select or enter the environment type and/or the internal volume into the controller.

In one or more embodiments, the controller is in communication with an output unit, the output unit configured to display the determined weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or the determined subcooling target temperature for the liquid line, and/or the determined weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the evaporator.

In one or more embodiments, the input unit and the output unit are associated with a thermostat of the HVAC unit, and the controller is associated with a central server.

In one or more embodiments, the input unit, the controller, and the output unit are associated with a thermostat of the HVAC unit.

In one or more embodiments, the system further comprises a humidity sensor in communication with the controller and configured to monitor specific humidity or relative humidity around an outdoor coil of the HVAC unit, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the operating environment of the HVAC unit based on the monitored humidity.

Also described herein is a device for determining charge settings for a refrigeration circuit of an HVAC unit. The device comprises an input unit configured to enable selection or entering of an operating environment of the HVAC unit and an internal volume of the refrigeration circuit, and a controller operatively connected to the input unit, the controller comprising one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the controller is configured to receive a set of data pertaining to the selected or entered operating environment and the internal volume, estimate a saturated suction temperature of a refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit based on the operating environment, and determine a weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or a subcooling target temperature for a liquid line associated with the refrigeration circuit based on the estimated saturated suction temperature and the internal volume.

In one or more embodiments, the device is further configured to receive another set of data pertaining to one or more of an internal volume of an evaporator associated with the HVAC unit, configuration of the evaporator, and characteristics of the refrigerant, and determine the weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the evaporator based on the received another set of data and the operating environment of the HVAC unit.

In one or more embodiments, the device further comprises an output unit operatively connected to the controller, the output unit configured to display the determined weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or the determined subcooling target temperature for the liquid line, and/or the weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the evaporator.

In one or more embodiments, the device is in communication with a humidity sensor to monitor specific humidity or relative humidity around an outdoor coil of the HVAC unit, wherein the controller is configured to determine the operating environment of the HVAC unit based on the monitored humidity.

In one or more embodiments, the device is a thermostat associated with the HVAC unit.

In one or more embodiments, the device is a mobile device associated with the registered user.

Further described herein is a method for determining charge settings for a refrigeration circuit of an HVAC unit. The method comprises receiving, by an input unit or a controller, a set of data pertaining to an operating environment of the HVAC unit and an internal volume of with the refrigeration circuit, estimating, by the controller, a saturated suction temperature of a refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit based on the operating environment, and determining, by the controller, a weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or a subcooling target temperature for a liquid line associated with the refrigeration circuit based on the estimated saturated suction temperature and the internal volume.

In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises the step of displaying, on an output unit, the determined weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or the determined subcooling target temperature for the liquid line.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, features, and techniques of the subject disclosure will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the subject disclosure of this disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the subject disclosure.

In the drawings, similar components and/or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label with a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.

FIG. 1A illustrates an example schematic of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary schematic representation of the device for determining charge settings for a refrigeration circuit of an HVAC system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary schematic representation of the system for determining charge settings for a refrigeration circuit of an HVAC system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary steps involved in the method for determining charge settings for a refrigeration circuit of an HVAC system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Various terms are used herein. To the extent a term used in a claim is not defined below, it should be given the broadest definition persons in the pertinent art have given that term as reflected in printed publications and issued patents at the time of filing.

In the specification, reference may be made to the spatial relationships between various components and to the spatial orientation of various aspects of components as the devices are depicted in the attached drawings. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the subject disclosure, the components described herein may be positioned in any desired orientation. Thus, the use of terms such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” “first,” “second” or other like terms to describe a spatial relationship between various components or to describe the spatial orientation of aspects of such components should be understood to describe a relative relationship between the components or a spatial orientation of aspects of such components.

Split heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are employed for maintaining comfortable indoor environments in various climatic conditions. These systems operate by circulating a refrigerant through a closed refrigeration circuit, which may include a condenser and evaporators connected by refrigerant lines, to transfer heat either into or out of the indoor space. Proper charging of the refrigerant circuit is important for the HVAC system's efficiency, operational effectiveness, and longevity.

Traditional methods of charging refrigerant in HVAC systems involve either targeting a specific level of subcooling or charging the system with a (predetermined) weight/amount of refrigerant. The subcooling method adjusts the refrigerant charge based on the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the saturation temperature of the refrigerant in the vapor line of the refrigeration circuit, aiming to ensure the system operates efficiently under various conditions. However, the existing methods may not account for the dynamic conditions the system operates under. A significant limitation of existing charging methods may be their inability to account for the effect of environmental factors, particularly humidity, on the system's refrigerant requirements. The amount of refrigerant needed in the system, especially in the vapor line during cooling operations, may vary with the humidity levels in the environment. Lower humidity environments may necessitate less refrigerant compared to higher humidity conditions. This variation may be due to the impact of air moisture levels on the thermal properties and pressure of the refrigerant, affecting its efficiency in heat exchange processes.

Existing solutions do not consider the dynamic nature of the operating environment, leading to inefficiencies in system operation. Undercharging or overcharging the system may result in decreased efficiency, increased energy consumption, reduced comfort levels, and potentially, premature system failure. Thus, there is a need for an improved solution for charging residential split HVAC systems which dynamically accounts for environmental humidity, ensuring optimal system performance and efficiency.

This disclosure addresses these issues by providing a solution for optimizing the refrigerant charge in residential split HVAC systems based on real-time environmental humidity conditions. This approach allows for precise adjustment of the refrigerant charge, improving HVAC system's efficiency, performance, and longevity, while also reducing energy consumption and operational costs.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a schematic representation of a refrigerant circuit of a HVAC unit is shown. Components of the HVAC unit may be partially placed on an indoor side 152 and/or partially placed on an outdoor side 154, with respect to an enclosure to be cooled or heated. It may be appreciated that the refrigerant circuit may include other components, which may be arranged differently that the representation shown in FIG. 1A.

The refrigerant circuit may include a compressor 110 configured to pump a refrigerant through conduits or channels of the refrigerant circuit. Pumping the refrigerant may raise the pressure of the refrigerant. The conduits may fluidically couple the compressor 110 to a condenser 120.

The condenser 120 may include outdoor coils configured to allow the refrigerant to reject heat to outdoor air on the outdoor side 154, which may cause the refrigerant to condense and/or liquify. The liquid refrigerant may then be flowed through another conduit (also referred to as ‘liquid line’) fluidically coupling the condenser 120 to an expansion device 130.

The expansion device 130 may be configured to expand and reduce the pressure of the refrigerant. Then, a further conduit between the configured to flow the expanded refrigerant from the expansion device 130 to an evaporator 140.

The evaporator 140 may include indoor coils configured to facilitate transfer of heat from air in the indoor side 152 to the refrigerant. The refrigerant may vaporize as a result of the absorption of the heat from the indoor side 152. The vaporized refrigerant may be flowed from the evaporator 140 to the compressor 110 through yet another conduit (also referred to as ‘vapor line’).

The refrigerant circuit may be charged with the refrigerant. Charging refers to adding or increasing amount of refrigerant in liquid state. The refrigerant circuit may be charged either by adding or increasing weight of the refrigerant, or by subcooling the refrigerant to a subcooling target temperature increase amount of liquid refrigerant.

The performance of the refrigerant circuit change based on operating environment of the HVAC unit. The operating environment may be affected by humidity, among other parameters. For instance, at low humidity, less refrigerant may be required in comparison to high humidity environment, for optimal performance. The refrigerant may need to be charged according to the operating environment for optimal performance.

The refrigerant circuit may include a device 100 for determining charge setting of the refrigerant circuit, as shown in FIG. 1B. The device may be communicatively coupled to the components of the refrigerant circuit, and one or more sensors (not shown) of the refrigerant circuit.

Referring to FIG. 1B, the device 100 for determining charge settings for a refrigeration circuit of the HVAC unit is disclosed. The device 100 may include an input unit 102 that may enable users to select or enter an operating environment of the HVAC unit and/or an internal volume of a vapor line of the refrigeration circuit. The device 100 may also be configured to receive the operating environment using a set of sensors (such as humidity sensors) communicatively coupled to the HVAC unit.

In one or more embodiments, the operating environment may be selected from one of, a humid condition, a semi-arid condition, and a desert condition. The humid condition may pertain to a first range of humidity, a semi-arid condition may pertain to a second range of humidity, and a desert condition may pertain to a third range of humidity, where the first range may be greater than the second range and the second range may be greater than the third range. In an example, the humid condition may pertain to a humidity level of 50% or higher, the semi-arid condition may pertain to a humidity level of 25 and 50%, and the desert condition may pertain to a humidity level below 25%. In other embodiments, the operating environment may be represented by continuous valves of humidity, among other parameters.

Further, the device 100 may include a controller 104 that may be in communication with or operatively connected to the input unit 102. The controller 104 may receive a set of data pertaining to the operating environment of the HVAC unit (being selected in the input unit 102) and/or an internal volume of a vapor line and a liquid line of the refrigeration circuit, from corresponding sensors. The controller 104 may accordingly estimate/determine a saturated suction temperature of a refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit based on the selected operating environment.

In one or more embodiments, the controller 104 may associate the first range of humidity with a refrigerant saturation temperature of 51° F., the second range of humidity with a refrigerant saturation temperature of 44° F., and the third range of humidity with a refrigerant saturation temperature of 37° F.

The estimated/determined saturated suction temperature may be indicative of the operating pressure of the refrigerant at the vapor line or the vapor density of the refrigerant in the vapor line.

In one or more embodiments, the controller 104 may further determine the weight/amount of the refrigerant to be allocated for the vapor line and the liquid line, and/or a subcooling target temperature for the liquid line based on the estimated saturated suction temperature and the internal volume of the refrigeration circuit.

In one or more embodiments, the controller 104 may be configured to transmit electronic control signals to one or more flow control devices to charge the refrigerant circuit.

In one or more embodiments, a service port on the refrigerant circuit (not shown) may be used to physically add refrigerant to the refrigerant circuit according to the determined weight/amount. In one or more embodiments, the controller 104 may be configured to transmit electronic control signals to the service port to open to allow more refrigerant to enter into the refrigerant circuit from a reservoir. The controller 104 may be configured to close the service port, once the determined weight/amount of refrigerant has been added to the refrigerant circuit. This may facilitate the users to feed an optimized amount of refrigerant into the refrigeration circuit through the service port, such that the added refrigerant may move through the refrigeration circuit and the allocated weight of the refrigerant may distribute itself in the vapor line and the liquid line.

In one or more embodiments, the controller 104 may be configured to transmit electronic control signals to change operation of the components of the refrigerant circuit. In one or more embodiments, the controller 104 may be configured to transmit electronic control signals to increase or decrease speed of outdoor fans, for example, to increase or decrease, respectively, subcooling temperature of the refrigerant to a subcooling target temperature determined based on the determined saturated suction temperature.

In one or more embodiments, the controller 104 may additionally receive another set of data pertaining to one or more of the internal volume of the evaporator 140 of the HVAC unit, configuration of the evaporator 140, and characteristics of the refrigerant. Accordingly, the controller 104 may determine the weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the evaporator 140 based on the received another set of data and the operating environment of the HVAC unit. Accordingly, an optimized amount of refrigerant may feed into the refrigeration circuit through the service port, such that the refrigerant may move through the refrigeration circuit and the allocated weight of the refrigerant may distribute itself in the evaporator 140.

In one or more embodiments, the input unit 102 may enable users to enter the internal volume of the refrigeration circuit, the internal volume of the vapor line and liquid line, the internal volume of the evaporator, the configuration of the evaporator, and/or characteristics (type) of the refrigerant being used into the controller 104. These inputs may then be stored in a database 104-4 associated with the controller 104 at the time of installation of the HVAC unit or at the time of charging the refrigeration circuit. Further, at the time of charging the refrigeration circuit, the users may select the operating environment, and the controller 104 may retrieve the stored data pertaining to the internal volume of the vapor line and liquid line, the internal volume of the evaporator 140, the configuration of the evaporator, and/or characteristics of the refrigerant from the database 104-4, and correspondingly determine the weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the vapor line and the liquid line, or the subcooling target temperature for the liquid line, and/or the weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the evaporator 140.

In one or more embodiments, the input unit 106 may include one or more human-machine interfaces (HMIs), such as buttons, switches, knobs, keypads, touchscreens, levers, and the like, but not limited thereto. In one or more embodiments, the input unit 102 may include a touchscreen display device, a keyboard, and a set of buttons for different environmental conditions, but not limited to like.

In addition, the device 100 may include an output unit 106 operatively connected to the controller 104. The controller 104 may enable the output unit 106 to display the determined weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or the determined weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the vapor line and the liquid line or the determined subcooling target temperature for the liquid line, and/or the weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the evaporator 140.

In one or more embodiments, the output unit 106 may include a display or a monitor. The display may be configured to graphically display weight/amount of the refrigerant to be allocated for the vapor line and the liquid line, or the determined subcooling target temperature. Further, the output unit 106 may include a display device, and a speaker, but not limited to the like.

Further, in one or more embodiments, the device 100 may include a humidity sensor (not shown) operatively coupled to or in communication with the controller 104. The humidity sensor may monitor specific humidity or relative humidity around the outdoor coil of the HVAC unit and transmit the monitored humidity data to the controller 104. Accordingly, the controller 104 may determine the operating environment of the HVAC unit based on the monitored humidity. This may enable an automated operating environment selection by the device 100, allowing the device 100 to automatically determine and display the weight of the refrigerant to be added to refrigeration circuit or the subcooling target temperature for the liquid line, and/or the weight of the refrigerant to be allocated for the evaporator 140.

In one or more embodiments, the input unit 102, the output unit 106, and the controller 104 may be enclosed in a housing or an enclosure to secure the corresponding components therein and define the shape of the device 100. Further, in some embodiments, the humidity sensor may also be enclosed within the housing or enclosure of the device 100. The device 100 or housing may be adapted to be removably secured to an HVAC outdoor unit (i.e., set of components on the outdoor side 154) of the HVAC unit or inside a space where the HVAC unit is installed, allowing the users to select the operating environment and monitor the determined weight of the refrigerant or the subcooling data. In one or more embodiments, the users may be technicians or registered personnel.

In addition, the controller 104 may include a communication unit 104-3 that may enable the controller 104 to be operatively connected to or establish communication with the input unit 102 and the output unit 106. Further, the device 100 may include a battery with a power management system that may enable the supply of electrical power to the components of the device 100. Further, the device 100 may be configured to be electrically connected to an external power source, where the power management system may enable and control the supply of electrical power from the external power source to the battery and/or to the components of the device 100.

In one or more embodiments, the device 100 may be a thermostat associated with the HVAC unit. Further, in other embodiments, the device 100 may also be a mobile device 100 associated with the users. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the device 100 may also be a user interface device installed near the HVAC unit or in the space where the HVAC system is installed, which may be capable of allowing the entering of data, processing of the data, and displaying results in an audio or visual format.

Referring to FIG. 2, a system 200 for determining charge settings for the refrigeration circuit of the HVAC unit is disclosed. The system 200 may include the input unit 102, the controller 104, the output unit 106, and other components of the device 100 of FIG. 1, where the input unit 102 and the output unit 106 may be in communication with the controller 104 via a wired or wireless network (not shown). In one or more embodiments, the input unit 102, the controller 104, and the output unit 106 may be secured at the same location. However, in other embodiments, the input unit 102, the controller 104, and/or the output unit 106 may also be secured at different locations.

Further, in one or more embodiments, the device 100 may include the humidity sensor that may be in communication with the controller 104 via the network. The humidity sensor may enable the controller 104 to monitor specific humidity or relative humidity around the outdoor coil of the HVAC unit and correspondingly determine the operating environment of the HVAC unit based on the monitored humidity.

In one or more embodiments, the input unit 102 and the output unit 106 may be associated with a thermostat or a user interface associated with the HVAC unit, and the controller 104 may be associated with a central server or an HVAC control of the HVAC unit or air conditioning unit. In such embodiments, the thermostat may allow users to select the environment type and/or enter the additional data (such as those pertaining to both sets of data). The selected environment type or the entered data may then be transmitted to the central server via the network for further processing, where the central server or controller 104 may determine the weight/amount of the refrigerant or the subcooling target temperature. Further, the determined weight of the refrigerant or the subcooling target temperature may then be transmitted back to the thermostat via the network for further displaying over the output unit 106 (or display) of the thermostat.

In one or more embodiments, the input unit 102, the controller 104, and the output unit 106 may be associated with the same thermostat or user interface associated with the HVAC unit, where the thermostat or a user interface may be configured to allow entering of the data (environment type, internal volume, and other data), processing of the entered data to estimate the saturated suction temperature, and displaying results pertaining to the weight of the refrigerant to be added/allocated or the subcooling target temperature in an audio or visual format.

Referring to FIG. 3, method 300 for determining charge settings (or charging parameters such as weight of refrigerant to be added and/or subcooling target temperature, and the like) for a refrigeration circuit of an HVAC unit is disclosed. The refrigerant circuit and the HVAC unit may correspond to those shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

The method 300 may include providing a device (such as device 100) or an input unit (such as input unit 102), a controller (such as controller 104), an output unit (such as output unit 102), and other components of the device 100 and system 200 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2.

In one or more embodiments, the method 300 may include step 302 of receiving, by the input unit or the controller, a set of data pertaining to an operating environment of the HVAC unit and an internal volume of the refrigeration circuit.

The set of data may be selected or entered at step by users or technicians associated with charging of the refrigeration circuit. The operating environment may be selected from one of, a humid condition, a semi-arid condition, and a desert condition. The humid condition may pertain to a first range of humidity, a semi-arid condition may pertain to a second range of humidity, and a desert condition may pertain to a third range of humidity, where the first range may be greater than the second range and the second range may be greater than the third range.

Further, method 300 may include step 304 of estimating/determining, by the controller, a saturated suction temperature of a refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit, indicative of an operating pressure of the vapor line or a vapor density of the refrigerant in the vapor line, based on the operating environment selected at step 302.

Furthermore, method 300 may include step 306 of determining, by the controller, a weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or a subcooling target temperature for the liquid line associated with the refrigeration circuit based on the saturated suction temperature estimated at step 304 and the internal volume of the vapor line entered at step 302.

In addition, in one or more embodiments, method 300 may include step 308 of displaying, on the output unit, the determined weight of the refrigerant to be added to the refrigeration circuit or the determined subcooling target temperature for the liquid line, facilitating the users to feed an optimized amount (weight) of refrigerant into the refrigeration circuit.

In one or more embodiments, once the weight of the refrigerant or the subcooling target temperature has been determined, the method 300 may include charging the refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant circuit may be charged based on the determined weight and subcooling target temperature.

In one or more embodiments, a service port on the refrigerant circuit (not shown) may be used to physically add refrigerant to the refrigerant circuit according to the determined weight/amount.

In one or more embodiments, the method 300 may include transmitting, by the controller, electronic control signals to the service port to open to allow more refrigerant to enter into the refrigerant circuit from a reservoir. Further, the method 300 may include transmitting control signals to close the service port, once the determined weight/amount of refrigerant has been added to the refrigerant circuit.

In one or more embodiments, the method 300 may include transmitting, by the controller, electronic control signals to change operation of the components of the refrigerant circuit. In one or more embodiments, the method 300 may include transmitting, by the controller, electronic control signals to increase or decrease speed of outdoor fans, for example, to increase or decrease, respectively, subcooling target temperature of the refrigerant, based on the determined saturated suction temperature.

In one or more embodiments, the subcooling target temperature may be determined as a function of the operating environment, and/or the saturated suction temperature. In one or more embodiments, the subcooling target temperature for each operating environment may be predetermined, and stored as a baseline target in a database, such as database 104-4. In such embodiments, the controller 104 may be configured to retrieve the corresponding subcooling target temperature for the operating environment/set of data received.

HVAC units/refrigerant circuits with longer conduits may have greater charge variation as a result of the operating environment. Further, the HVAC units/refrigerant circuits with smaller outdoor coils may have greater sensitivity of subcooling to charge differences. The refrigerant circuits with long conduits and smaller volume outdoor coils may be impacted more from changes in humidity, and accordingly make the device 100, system 200, and/or method 300 suitable for determining the weight or subcooling target temperature for charging.

Thus, this disclosure (device 100, system 200, and method 300) provides a solution for optimizing the refrigerant charge in HVAC unit based on real-time environmental humidity conditions. This approach allows for precise adjustment of the refrigerant charge within the HVAC unit, thereby improving the efficiency, performance, and longevity of the overall HVAC system, while also reducing energy consumption and operational costs.

Although the subject disclosure has been explained considering that device 100 is implemented by the controller 104 such as a thermostat or user interface, it may be understood that the device 100 may also be implemented in a variety of computing systems, such as a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a notebook, a workstation, a server, a network server, a cloud-based environment and the like. The controller 104 includes one or more processor(s) 104-1 operatively coupled to a memory 104-2. The processors 104-1 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the processors 104-1 are configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 104-2. The memory 104-2 may store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines, which may be fetched and executed to create or share the data units over a network service. The memory 104-2 may comprise any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as RAM, or non-volatile memory such as EPROM, flash memory, and the like.

The controller 104 may also include an interface(s) that may comprise a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for the input unit 102, the output unit 106, the database 104-4, and the like. The communication unit 104-3 of the controller 104 may be a wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) module, transceiver, Bluetooth module, cellular connection modules such as 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, and the like to facilitate communication of the controller 104 with the input unit 102, the output unit 106, the database 104-4, and mobile devices associated with users of the subject disclosure, through the network. The interface(s) may also provide a communication pathway for one or more internal components or units of the controller. Examples of such internal components include, but are not limited to, processing engine(s) and database.

Further, the controller 104 may be configured to receive and transmit electronic control signals. For instance, the controller 104 may be configured to receive humidity data from the humidity sensors as electronic control signals. Further, the controller 104 may also be configured to transmit electronic control signals to other components, such as the output unit 106. The controller 104 may also be configured to transmit electronic control signals to either control/actuate other components (such as flow control devices like valves, pumps, and the like) of the refrigerant circuit, which may be outside the device 100.

The operation of the controller 104 may reduce operational latency between the controller 104, and the components of the refrigerant circuit, thereby improving precision of control and performance of the HVAC unit. Furthermore, the communication of the electronic control signals between the controller 104 and the refrigerant circuit may be achieved through an encryption authorization protocol, such as Transport Layer Security (TLS), Internet Protocol Security (IPsec), Symmetric-Key Encryption, custom cryptographic protocols, Secure Boot/Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs), Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), Building Automation and Control Network (BACnet) or BACnet Secure Connect (BACnet/SC), Modbus TLS, and the like, but not limited thereto. This secure transmission allows for security of the controller 104 by preventing unauthorized access by nature of the secure transmission between the controller 104, and other components of the refrigeration circuit, such as the compressor 110 and/or the expansion device 130.

While the subject disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the subject disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the subject disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the subject disclosure includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

In interpreting the specification, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the specification claims refer to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C . . . and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus N, etc.