Abstract: A full body safety harness system comprising a full body safety harness frame configured to safely protect a worker in a fall arrest situation and comprising shoulder straps, back straps, leg straps and a torso assembly. The torso assembly comprises an elongated horizontal element attached to at least a lower back region of the back straps at about waist or hip level of a user when the harness is in use. The elongated horizontal element comprises first and second tool bag holding areas defined by end members and located at either hip of a user when the harness is in use, the tool bag holding areas each comprising at least one retaining element configured to selectively and securely retain a tool bag at any one of a plurality of desired locations within the respective tool bag holding area.

Abstract: A full body safety harness system comprising a full body safety harness frame configured to safely protect a worker in a fall arrest situation. The frame comprises two opposed shoulder straps that extend from a central crossing point corresponding to a middle of a user's back when the harness is in use, over a user's shoulders and down a user's chest to a chest portion of the shoulder straps. The chest portion comprises an integrated chest strap extending from and joining one shoulder strap to the other, and the integrated chest strap is vertically immovable along the chest portions of the shoulder straps.

Abstract: A full body safety harness system wherein at least 50% of its outwardly visible surface comprises highly visible outer material comprising at least one of a high visibility background material in combination with retroreflective material or a dual purpose retroreflective material.

Abstract: Full body safety harnesses for fall arrest comprising one or more of: 1) A substantially rigid, resilient and water-resistant core throughout substantially the entire body harness frame 2) Serpentine shoulder straps having an S-configuration from at least the central crossing point of the back-shoulder straps. 3) An integrated, fixed chest strap disposed between shoulder straps. 4) An integrated tool bag attachment configuration that comprises an elongated horizontal element configured to comfortably, safely and reliably hold the heavy tool bag that a construction worker may wear. 5) A safety line attachment element guard configured to hold a safety line attachment element such as a D-ring out of the way when not in use. 6) A unitized harness frame wherein substantially all of the harness has the substantially rigid, resilient and water-resistant core.

Abstract: A plurality of nodes are coupled via a serial data bus A transition from a first state to a second state is repeatedly transmitted onto the bus from a node arbitrarily selected from the plurality of nodes and is defined as the bit master. One or more of the nodes transmits onto the bus dominant and recessive states at a first predetermined time after each transition. The transmitted states represent respective dominant and recessive bits of an attempted message. The plurality of nodes detect dominant and recessive states of the bus at a second predetermined time after each transition. Any of the one or more nodes that transmits a recessive bit at the first predetermined time and detects a dominant bit at the second predetermined time ceases transmission of bits onto the bus.

Abstract: An autodiscovery system for configuration information about an HVAC system being provided to a controller or thermostat. Configurations or parameters may be autodiscovered from communicating equipment. Also, this equipment may be manually selected and set without affecting the autodiscovery status of the remaining equipment. There may also be non-communicating equipment that does not provide information to the thermostat. However, the thermostat may control the non-communicating equipment via an equipment interface module.

Abstract: A communication system has a number of nodes connected to a serial data bus. Nodes communicate with each other by transmitting dominant and recessive bits during bit intervals as taught by the CAN (controller area network) arbitration protocol. According to the CAN arbitration protocol, any dominant bit transmitted during a bit interval causes the bit value received to be a dominant bit regardless of the number of recessive bits being sent. The system is arranged so that two or more nodes each respond to a report query message sent by one of the nodes, with a report message sent simultaneously by each of the nodes. The headers (leading bits) of each of the report messages sent by nodes responding to a report query message are the same, allowing arbitration on a trailing node data field. This results in the message having the numerically largest (or smallest) node data field value to survive arbitration.

Abstract: First and second serial data busses are arranged so that simultaneous transmission on the respective bus of a dominant state by one node and a recessive state by other nodes results in the dominant state being detectable on the respective bus. Transitions from a first state to a second state signal the start of a bit on the first bus. Dominant and recessive states are detected on the first and second busses at first and second predetermined times after each transition. The states represent respective dominant and recessive bits of attempted messages transmitted by nodes of the first and second busses. The dominant state is transmitted on both busses after the first and second predetermined times if the dominant state was detected on one of the first and the second busses at the first and second predetermined times.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of nodes communicating with each other on a serial data path using dominant and recessive signal levels. A dominant signal level sent on the data path by any of the nodes creates a dominant signal level on the data path irrespective of the number of recessive signal levels sent by other nodes. The dominant and recessive signal levels form a series of bits organized into messages by the nodes. Each sending node senses the signal level on the data path bit by bit, and if different from that sent by that sending node, halts further sending of signal levels by that sending node. A priority value generator in each node provides a priority signal encoding a value whose magnitude indicates a relative priority. A message priority module in each node receives the priority signal, and stores the priority value in predetermined leading bits of the message to be sent.

Abstract: Communicating between first and second serial data busses is described. Each bus includes one or more nodes coupled via the respective data bus so that simultaneous transmission on the respective bus of a dominant state by at least one of the nodes and a recessive state by the other nodes results in the dominant state being detectable on the respective bus. Transitions from a first state to a second state are transmitted onto the first bus. The first and second states are complementary states selected from the dominant and recessive states. Each of the transitions signal the start of a bit on the first bus. Dominant and recessive states are detected on the first bus at a first predetermined time after each transition and on the second bus at a second predetermined time after each transition. The states represent respective dominant and recessive bits of attempted messages transmitted by nodes of the first and second busses.

Abstract: A communication system has a number of nodes connected to a serial data bus. Nodes communicate with each other by transmitting dominant and recessive bits during bit intervals as taught by the CAN (controller area network) arbitration protocol. According to the CAN arbitration protocol, any dominant bit transmitted during a bit interval causes the bit value received to be a dominant bit regardless of the number of recessive bits being sent. The system is arranged so that two or more nodes each respond to a report query message sent by one of the nodes, with a report message sent simultaneously by each of the nodes. The headers (leading bits) of each of the report messages sent by nodes responding to a report query message are the same, allowing arbitration on a trailing node data field. This results in the message having the numerically largest (or smallest) node data field value to survive arbitration.

Abstract: An autodiscovery system for configuration information about an HVAC system being provided to a controller or thermostat. Configurations or parameters may be autodiscovered from communicating equipment. Also, this equipment may be manually selected and set without affecting the autodiscovery status of the remaining equipment. There may also be non-communicating equipment that does not provide information to the thermostat. However, the thermostat may control the non-communicating equipment via an equipment interface module.

Abstract: Flow is managed within a fluid delivery system. One illustrative fluid delivery system is a zoned HVAC system. In one illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for controlling the airflow and thus the heat or cool delivery rate to a room serviced by the zoned HVAC system. The zoned HVAC system includes a duct system that is in fluid communication with various rooms through zone dampers. An open/closed state of the zone dampers is determined, and an open time for at least selected zone dampers are adjusted based on the state of the dampers.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of nodes communicating with each other on a serial data path using dominant and recessive signal levels. A dominant signal level sent on the data path by any of the nodes creates a dominant signal level on the data path irrespective of the number of recessive signal levels sent by other nodes. The dominant and recessive signal levels form a series of bits organized into messages by the nodes. Each sending node senses the signal level on the data path bit by bit, and if different from that sent by that sending node, halts further sending of signal levels by that sending node. A priority value generator in each node provides a priority signal encoding a value whose magnitude indicates a relative priority. A message priority module in each node receives the priority signal, and stores the priority value in predetermined leading bits of the message to be sent.

Abstract: A communication system has a number of nodes connected to a serial data bus. Nodes communicate with each other by transmitting dominant and recessive bits during bit intervals as taught by the CAN (controller area network) arbitration protocol. According to the CAN arbitration protocol, any dominant bit transmitted during a bit interval causes the bit value received to be a dominant bit regardless of the number of recessive bits being sent. The system is arranged so that two or more nodes each respond to a report query message sent by one of the nodes, with a report message sent simultaneously by each of the nodes. The headers (leading bits) of each of the report messages sent by nodes responding to a report query message are the same, allowing arbitration on a trailing node data field. This results in the message having the numerically largest (or smallest) node data field value to survive arbitration.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of nodes communicating with each other on a serial data path using dominant and recessive signal levels. A dominant signal level sent on the data path by any of the nodes creates a dominant signal level on the data path irrespective of the number of recessive signal levels sent by other nodes. The dominant and recessive signal levels form a series of bits organized into messages by the nodes. Each sending node senses the signal level on the data path bit by bit, and if different from that sent by that sending node, halts further sending of signal levels by that sending node. A priority value generator in each node provides a priority signal encoding a value whose magnitude indicates a relative priority. A message priority module in each node receives the priority signal, and stores the priority value in predetermined leading bits of the message to be sent.

Abstract: A controller area network (CAN) has a plurality of nodes connected to transmit and receive data over a serial data line using an interface circuit to connect the node to the data line. Each interface circuit includes an isolation element, typically a diode, to connect the interface circuit to the data line. An indicator element in the interface circuit is powered when the node is transmitting. The isolation element in each node prevents other nodes while transmitting, from powering the indicator element in its node.

Abstract: A controller area network (CAN) has a plurality of nodes connected to transmit and receive data over a serial data line. An AC power source is also connected to each node. Each node senses the AC power waveform and synchronizes bit transmission and bit detection with the waveform. In a preferred embodiment, each node includes a circuit that detects zero crossings by the AC waveform, providing two accurately synchronized bit intervals per complete AC cycle. A preferred version of the invention includes hardware and software that detects miswires of the node to the data and power lines.

Abstract: A method of communicating between a plurality of devices in a controller area network is disclosed. The method includes authorizing a first device to transmit messages with a first identifier over the network, the first device transmitting a first message with the first identifier and a first value, and the devices which receive the first message assuming the first value as their respective values. The method may be used with a number of devices and a listening device in a system. At startup of the system, any device which saved its value in a non-volatile memory will become the master of the identifier and transmit a message with the value over the network. Devices which did not save their values in non-volatile memories will transmit requests for the data value. If they do not receive any response, they will become the master and transmit messages with their data. Devices which receive the message will assume the value as theirs.