초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for controlling evaporator and condenser fans in a refrigeration system. The apparatus is a refrigeration system including a refrigerant circuit defined by a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator. The apparatus includes an evaporator fan and a condens

A method and apparatus for controlling evaporator and condenser fans in a refrigeration system. The apparatus is a refrigeration system including a refrigerant circuit defined by a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator. The apparatus includes an evaporator fan and a condenser fan. The apparatus also includes a controller coupled to the fans. The controller includes a variable frequency drive unit. For the method of the invention, the speed of the fans is controlled by the controller.

대표청구항 ▼

A method and apparatus for controlling evaporator and condenser fans in a refrigeration system. The apparatus is a refrigeration system including a refrigerant circuit defined by a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator. The apparatus includes an evaporator fan and a condens

A method and apparatus for controlling evaporator and condenser fans in a refrigeration system. The apparatus is a refrigeration system including a refrigerant circuit defined by a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator. The apparatus includes an evaporator fan and a condenser fan. The apparatus also includes a controller coupled to the fans. The controller includes a variable frequency drive unit. For the method of the invention, the speed of the fans is controlled by the controller. pparatus for controlling the selection of signals in one of a plurality of network elements distributed along a transmission path, the apparatus comprising: means for deriving signal status information about a signal at any point along the transmission path; means for encoding the signal status information corresponding to the signal in at least one of a plurality of signal status layers in the signal for transmission with the signal along the transmission path to each of the plurality of network elements, wherein the signal status information is indicative of one or more prescribed status conditions corresponding to the signal; and means for selectively extracting and decoding the encoded signal status information from at least one of the plurality of signal status layers to facilitate a selection decision for the corresponding signal, wherein the selection decision for a particular signal is made locally at a respective network element based on the encoded signal status information corresponding to the particular signal that is decoded at the respective network element. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of network elements includes a corresponding control element, the control elements being substantially decoupled from each other, and wherein each control element is capable of receiving the encoded signal status information as local input and supplying a control signal as a function of the encoded signal status information to its corresponding network element. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for deriving and the means for encoding jointly define a signal interface portion, and wherein the signal interface portion is coupled to at least a second signal interface portion in a concatenated arrangement, the signal interface portions together being capable of cumulatively adding multiple layers of signal status to the signal. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of network elements comprise distributed switch fabrics. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the distributed switch fabrics support path-in-line protection switching in a SONET-based digital transmission network. 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein existing encoded signal status information in one of the plurality of signal status layers is capable of being overwritten with updated signal status information at a point along the transmission path. 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the encoded signal status information is cumulatively added to different signal status layers as the signal propagates through successive points along the transmission path so that the signal is capable of retaining a cumulative signal status. 15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a different type of signal status information is encoded in each of the plurality of signal status layers to provide multiple levels of control for the selection decision. 16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the encoded signal status information comprises status codes, and wherein each of the plurality of signal status layers is capable of carrying a plurality of status codes corresponding to given signal status parameters. 17. An apparatus for controlling the selection of signals in one of a plurality of network elements distributed along a transmission path, the apparatus comprising: at least one signal monitoring element corresponding to a signal, the at least one signal monitoring element disposed along the transmission path for deriving signal status information about the signal; at least one status encoding element corresponding to the signal, the at least one status encoding element being operable to encode the signal status information corresponding to the signal in at least one of a plurality of signal status layers in the signal for transmission with the signal along the transmission path to each of the plurality of network elements, wherein the signal status information is indicative of one or more prescribed status conditions corr