Permanent low cost radio frequency compressor identification
A sealed compressor assembly has a compressor and a housing enclosing the compressor. The housing for the compressor has a receiver and a memory unit. The receiver receives a first signal, which is stored on a memory unit on the housing.
This invention relates to an apparatus for remotely storing and retrieving data from a compressor.
Refrigeration systems frequently use a compressor to compress refrigerant as part of a refrigeration cycle. Modern compressors are typically enclosed in a sealed housing, which also houses a motor that drives the pump unit. The motor may be driven by a single phase or three phase power supply.
Compressors operate under many extreme conditions. Consequently, some compressors have relatively complex operational parts. In one popular modern type compressor, the pump unit includes two spiral scroll wraps which orbit relative to each other to compress entrapped refrigerant. These scroll-type compressors are gaining in popularity.
Compressors, such as scroll compressors, are generally mass produced. While each compressor may conform to the same specifications, they may vary within tolerances of the specifications. Consequently, compressors may vary from production run to production run. Moreover, each compressor may be shipped to different locations and be used in different operating environments, thereby causing each compressor to be subject to differing amounts and types of wear. Also, each compressor will have its own unique service history at each location.
Manufacturers find it useful to keep track of the history of a particular compressor. Such information, for example, may assist the manufacturer in identifying root cause problems from field failures. In the past, manufacturers have used bar code labels to distinguish one compressor from another. However, these labels serve only to identify a specific compressor. A person keeping track of the history of the compressor must then access a separate and remote database to retrieve information specific to the compressor. This additional step may be time consuming. It would be useful to write information at the compressor's location regarding the manufacturing and service history of a particular compressor.
The assignee of this application has developed a compressor diagnostic system on the compressor itself that tracks data relating to the compressor and stores this information in memory at the compressor. This system is described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,265 B1 to Hahn, et al., which issued on Jun. 18, 2002.
In the foregoing system, data is obtained from sensors within the compressor and stored at a microprocessor. This data may be subsequently retrieved through an output jack, which allows information to be downloaded through the jack to another computer for subsequent analysis. Such a system for storing and retrieving information may be inconvenient when dealing with large numbers of compressors as each jack of each compressor must be accessed to obtain this information.
A need, therefore exists for a convenient way to read and write information regarding a particular compressor on-site.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention comprises a compressor having a housing. In contrast to existing compressors, the housing has a receiver for receiving a transmitted signal, which is subsequently stored in a memory unit on the housing. A microprocessor controls the receiver and the memory unit. The microprocessor may be mounted to the housing. In this way, information may be remotely transmitted to the receiver of a particular compressor. This information is then stored with the compressor on the memory unit.
In addition, the inventive compressor assembly may have a transmitter, which is also controlled by the microprocessor. The transmitter serves to communicate information stored on the memory unit to allow remote access of this information. This feature permits information to be stored at the compressor while still being written and read from a distance from the compressor.
Information stored at the compressor may include manufacturing information, such as the manufacturing date and the manufacturing location of the compressor. In addition, the memory unit of the compressor may store information relating to the service history of the compressor, such as dates when the compressor was serviced and the reasons for the service. Environmental information, such as weather conditions in which the compressor has operated, as well as its operational use may be stored on the compressor memory unit too.
The information may be communicated to the receiver and transmitted by the transmitter by an electric signal, such as a radio frequency signal. Accordingly, a device having another receiver and another transmitter may communicate with the memory unit on the compressor. In this way, information may be downloaded and retrieved from the memory unit of the compressor by a remote unit, such as a handheld device. This feature permits the quick reading and writing of information to the memory unit of the compressor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:
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The aforementioned description is exemplary rather that limiting. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. Hence, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For this reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
Claims
1. A sealed compressor assembly comprising:
- a compressor comprising a compressor pump unit and a motor for driving said compressor pump unit;
- a housing enclosing said compressor pump unit;
- a receiver for receiving a first signal; and
- a memory unit in communication with said receiver, said memory unit for storing information relating to said compressor, said receiver and said memory unit mounted to said compressor.
2. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 1 including a microprocessor in communication with said receiver and said memory unit.
3. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 2 including a transmitter in communication with said microprocessor, said transmitter for transmitting a second signal.
4. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 1 wherein said information relating to said compressor comprises information relating to the manufacture of said compressor.
5. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 1 wherein said information relating to said compressor comprises information relating to the service of said compressor.
6. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 1 wherein said information relating to said compressor comprises information relating to the environment of said compressor.
7. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 1 wherein said information relating to said compressor comprises information relating to the use of said compressor.
8. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 1 wherein said first signal is an electric signal.
9. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 9 wherein said electric signal is a radio frequency signal.
10. The sealed compressor assembly of claim 1 wherein said receiver and said memory unit are mounted to said housing.
11. A sealed compressor system comprising:
- a compressor comprising a compressor pump unit and a motor for driving said compressor pump unit;
- a housing enclosing said compressor pump unit;
- a first receiver for receiving a first electric signal a first transmitter for transmitting a second electric signal;
- a compressor microprocessor in communication with said first receiver and said first transmitter;
- a memory unit in communication with said first receiver, said first transmitter and said compressor microprocessor, said memory unit for storing information relating to said compressor; and
- wherein said first receiver, said first transmitter, said memory unit and said compressor microprocessor are mounted to said compressor.
12. The sealed compressor system of claim 11 wherein said information relating to said compressor comprises information relating to the manufacture of the compressor.
13. The sealed compressor system of claim 11 wherein said information relating to said compressor comprises information relating to the service of the compressor.
14. The sealed compressor system of claim 11 wherein said information relating to said compressor comprises information relating to the environment of the compressor.
15. The sealed compressor system of claim 11 wherein said information relating to said compressor comprises information relating to the use of the compressor.
16. The sealed compressor system of claim 11 wherein said receiver and said memory unit are mounted to said housing.
17. The sealed compressor system of claim 11 including a second receiver and a second transmitter, said second receiver and said second transmitter for remote communication with said first receiver and said first transmitter.
18. The sealed compressor system of claim 17 wherein said second transmitter and said second receiver form part of a portable remote unit.
19. The sealed compressor system of claim 18 wherein said portable remote unit includes a remote unit microprocessor in communication with said second transmitter and said second receiver.
20. A method of manufacturing a compressor, comprising the steps of:
- mounting a receiver on a compressor assembly;
- mounting a transmitter on the compressor assembly;
- mounting a memory unit on the compressor assembly; and
- placing the receiver and the transmitter in communication with the memory unit.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 19, 2004
Publication Date: Oct 20, 2005
Inventors: Jay Herbert (Arkadelphia, AR), Janet Brady (Arkadelphia, AR), John Joehnk (Bismarck, AR)
Application Number: 10/827,466