Diagnostic system for use in an environment control network

• US 5,446,677 A
• Filed: 04/28/1994
• Issued: 08/29/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson Service Company
• Original Assignee: Johnson Service Company
• Inventors: Albinger, Donald R., Wainscott, Barrett G. Jr., Jensen, Howard A., Monroe, Richard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ellis B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEESO, THOMAS R
• Application Number:
  US08/234,827
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 364/550, 364/510, 364/505, 236/49.3, 236/49.5, 236/45, 236/25 R, 62/93, 62/126, 62/129, 165/2, 165/16, 165/100
• US Class Current: 700/277
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means

Abstract

The present invention relates to a diagnostic system for use in a network control system. The diagnostic system is preferably utilized to analyze VAV box performance in an environmental control system such as a network facilities management system. The diagnostic system advantageously allows the serviceperson to perform diagnostic tests on VAV boxes from a remote location. Flat box warnings, starved box warnings, box excessive damper hysteresis warnings, oversized box warnings, damper stroke out of bounds warnings, as well as other box and damper warnings may be provided by the diagnostic system. Preferably, the diagnostic system formats the air flow data so that it can be displayed for graphing. The diagnostic system causes individual controls to adjust the damper positions. Air flow parameters for each position are communicated to the remote location.

Claims

1. An environment control network, comprising:

a plurality of box units, each of said plurality of box units having a controller operatively associated with said box unit, said box unit including a damper driven by an actuator, said damper controlling air flow to an environment, said box unit being coupled to a sensor for providing a parameter signal, each controller including a parameter input, coupled to said sensor, for receiving the parameter signal and an actuator output coupled with said actuator, said controller providing an actuator signal at said actuator output to position said actuator;

a communication bus coupled to each said controller; and

a computer operatively couplable with said communication bus, said computer configured to cause said controller to position said actuator to a plurality of particular positions, said computer configured to receive a plurality of particular parameter signals associated with said plurality of particular positions, wherein said computer is configured to display said plurality of particular positions with said plurality of parameter signals.

2. The environment control network of claim 1 wherein said parameter signal is related to said air flow.

3. The environment control network of claim 2 wherein said computer is configured to cause said controller to provide a plurality of actuator test signals representative of a plurality of tests actuator positions of said actuator and to receive from said sensor a plurality of test parameter signals associated with said test actuator positions, said controller providing said plurality of test parameter signals to said computer.

4. The environment control network of claim 3 wherein said computer is configured to provide an excessive damper hysteresis warning in response to linear regression analysis of said test parameter signals.

5. The environment control network of claim 1 wherein said computer is configured to position said actuator to a first particular position to fully open said damper and a second particular position to fully close said damper.

6. The environment control network of claim 5 wherein said computer is configured to receive a first particular parameter signal associated with said first particular position and a second particular parameter signal associated with said second particular position.

7. The environment control network of claim 1 wherein said computer is configured to cause said controller to fully open said actuator at a first time and fully open said actuator at a second time and wherein said computer is configured to receive a first particular parameter data associated with said first time and a second particular parameter data associated with said second time.

8. An environment control network, comprising:

a plurality of box units, each of said plurality of box units having a controller operatively associated with said box unit, said box unit including a damper driven by an actuator, said damper controlling air flow to an environment, said box units being coupled to a sensor for providing a parameter signal, each controller including a parameter input, coupled to said sensor, for receiving the parameter signal and an actuator output coupled with said actuator, said controller providing an actuator signal at said actuator output to position said actuator;

a communication bus coupled to each said controller; and

a computer operatively couplable with said communication bus, said computer configured to cause said controller to position said actuator to a particular position, said computer configured to receive a particular parameter signal associated with said particular position, wherein said computer is configured to receive a first particular parameter signal associated with a fully open position of said damper and a second particular parameter signal associated with a fully closed position of said damper, wherein said computer is configured to provide a flat response warning in response to a comparison of said first particular parameter signal and said second particular parameter signal.

9. An environment control network, comprising:

a plurality of box units, each of said plurality box units having a controller operatively associated with said box unit, said box unit including a damper driven by an actuator, said damper controlling air flow to an environment, said box unit be coupled to a sensor for providing a parameter signal, each controller including a parameter input, coupled to said sensor, for receiving the parameter signal and an actuator output coupled with said actuator, said controller providing and actuator signal at said actuator output to position said actuator;

a communication bus coupled to each said controllers; and

a computer operatively couplable with said communication bus, said computer configured to cause said controller to position said actuator to a particular position, said computer configured to receive a particular parameter signal associated with said particular position, wherein said computer is configured to cause said controller to fully open said actuator at a first time and fully open said actuator at a second time and wherein said computer is configured to receive a first particular parameter data associated with said first time and a second particular parameter data associated with said second time, wherein said computer is configured to provide a starved box warning in response to a comparison of said first particular parameter data and said second particular parameter data.

10. An environment control network, comprising:

a plurality of box units, each of said plurality box units having a controller operatively associated with said box unit, said box unit including a damper driven by an actuator, said damper controlling air flow to an environment, said box unit being coupled to a sensor for providing a parameter signal, each controller including a parameter input, coupled to said sensor, for receiving the parameter signal and an actuator output coupled to said actuator, said controller providing an actuator signal at said actuator output to position said actuator;

a communication bus coupled to each said controller; and

a computer operatively coupled with said communication bus, said computer configured to cause said controller to position said actuator to a particular position, said computer configured to receive a particular parameter signal associated with said particular position, wherein said computer is configured to cause said controller to provide at said actuator output a plurality of actuator test signals representative of a plurality of test actuator positions of said actuator and to receive from said sensor a plurality of test parameter signals associated with said test actuator positions, said controller providing said plurality of test parameter signals to said computer, wherein said computer is configured to provide an excessive damper hysteresis warning in response to an analysis of said plurality of test parameter signals.

11. The environment control network of claim 10 wherein said computer is configured to perform linear regressions during said analysis.

12. The environment control network of claim 11 wherein said computer is configured to provide a damper stroke out of bonds warning in response to T_stroke values stored in said controller.

13. An environment control system for use with a VAV box, said VAV box receiving airflow from a source and providing said air flow to an environment, said VAV box including a damper for controlling said air flow, said damper being controlled by an actuator, said environment control system comprising:

a first communication bus;

a second communication bus;

a VAV controller operatively associated with said VAV box, to control said VAV box, said VAV controller means including a parameter input means for receiving a parameter value related to said environment, a communication port coupled with said first communication bus, and an actuator output means for providing an actuator signal to said actuator, said VAV controller means positioning said actuator in response to said actuator signal;

station means, coupled with said second communication bus and said first communication bus, for receiving said parameter data from said first communication bus and providing said parameter data on said second communication bus; and

computer means, operatively couplable to said second communication bus, for employing diagnostic software, said diagnostic software causing said computer to communicate with said controller via said first communication bus, said station means, and said second communication bus, said diagnostic software causing said computer to receive said parameter data associated with a position of said actuator, wherein said computer means receives a first parameter data associated with said damper in a fully open position and a second parameter data associated with said damper in a fully closed position in response to said diagnostic software, and wherein said computer means provides a starved box warning, an oversized box warning, an excessive damper hysteresis warning, or a flat response warning in response to said first parameter data and said second parameter data.

14. The environment control system of claim 13 wherein said parameter value is related to said air flow.

15. The environment control system of claim 14 wherein said parameter data is related to temperature in said environment and said air flow.

16. The environment control system of claim 13 wherein said first communication bus is an RS485 bus.

17. A diagnostic system for use in an environment control system, said environment control system including a box unit and a controller operatively associated with said box unit, said box unit includes a damper, said damper controlling air flow to an environment, and a parameter sensor for providing parameter data, and said controller for providing an output signal to position said damper, said diagnostic system comprising:

a communication port operatively couplable to said communication bus; and

a processor coupled with said communication port, said processor configured to communicate with said controller, said processor configured to cause said controller to provide a particular output signal and to receive said parameter data associated with said particular output signal, wherein said processor is configured to cause said controller to receive a first parameter data associated with said output signal representative of a first fully opened position of said damper and a second parameter data associated with said output signal representative of a second fully opened position of said damper, wherein said processor provides a starved box warning or an oversized box warning in response to said first parameter data and said second parameter data.

18. The diagnostic system of claim 17 wherein said parameter data is air flow in said environment.

19. The diagnostic system of claim 17 wherein said processor is configured to cause said controller to position said actuator in a plurality of particular positions and for receiving a plurality of parameter data associated with said particular positions.

20. A diagnostic system for use in an environment control system, said environment control system including a box unit and a controller operatively associated with said box unit, said box unit including a damper, said damper controlling air flow to an environment, and a parameter sensor for providing parameter data, and said controller for providing an output signal to position said damper, said diagnostic system comprising:

a communication port operatively couplable to said communication bus; and

a processor coupled with said communication port, said processor configured to communicate with said controller, said processor configured to cause said controller to provide a particular output signal and to receive said parameter data associated with said particular output signal, wherein said processor is configured to cause said controller to position said actuator in a plurality of particular positions and to receive a plurality of parameter data associated with said plurality of particular positions, wherein said processor is configured to display said plurality of particular positions with said plurality of particular parameter data.