Approach for switching between point types without affecting control logic

摘要

An approach for switching between point types without affecting control logic. The control logic may have a function block, input and output points connected with links to the function block. A point may be changed from one type to another type of point without affecting its link. A type of point may be modulating, binary, software, constant, or other.

主权项

1. A method for changing types of points of a software control program configured to be executed on a processor of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controller to control an HVAC system, comprising:
providing a control logic of a software control program configured to be executed on a processor of an HVAC controller programmed to execute the software control program to control an HVAC system, the control logic comprising:
a function block;an input point connected to the function block; andan output point connected to the function block; and changing one of the input point and the output point from one type of HVAC system related point to another type of HVAC system related point by changing a type of point from a physical point to a software point; and wherein: a connection between the changed point and the function block of the control logic is not affected by the changing of the type of point of the one of the input point and the output point; the control logic is programmed with a computer programming tool which provides a graphical environment for building the control logic by selecting points and one or more function blocks and connecting them in a wiresheet; a point is an object which can be connected to a function block with a link; the point is a parent container point object having a child object; a type of a point is a child object; to change the type of point is to change the child object; a link between a point and a function block is a link between a parent container and the function block; and a change of a type of a point does not affect the link between the point and the function block.