HVAC service tool with internet capability

• US 7,383,158 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Johnson, Kirk W., Baier, Terence D., Rentmeester, Paul C., Renaud, Merle A., Krocker, Robert E., Wilson, Patrick J., Swanson, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US10/125,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/32, 701/33, 701/36, 600/300, 607/30, 340/459, 340/505, 340/525, 702/183, 702/184, 702/188, 706/45, 700/9, 700/10, 700/17, 700/65, 700/83, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 702/186
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A system for servicing a computer controlled machine comprising: a computer controlled machine including a device operable to perform a function, a controller controlling the operation of that device, and a data access port for transferring data and commands from the controller; and a service tool operably connected to the data access port, the service tool including a remote communications capability, a computer, and diagnostics and graphing software; and an expert observer system operably linked to the remote communications capability of the service tool and including historical machine data, machine sales information, software revisions for the controller, additional diagnostics software, and an expert observer capable of providing a mentor capability to the operator of a service tool.

Claims

1. A diagnostic system comprising:

an on-site service tool operatively connected to and capable of interfacing with a process system and obtaining data and/or information from the process system;

a display associated with the service tool and operatively capable of displaying the data and/or information;

an on-site technician operating the on-site service tool and reviewing the data and/or information;

a remote service tool;

a remote duplication capability remotely duplicating to the remote service tool the data and/or information displayed by the display or obtained from the process system;

an off-site observer operating the remote service tool and receiving the data and/or information from the remote duplication capability and providing instructions and/or advice to the on-site technician; and

a remote communicator link of the remote service tool wherin the off-site observer can send information, data, and commands to the on-site technician by means of the remote communicator portion wherein the on-site service tool is operatively capable of receiving software upgrades, software fixes, sales, repair, and replacement information, and parts information and availability by transmissions over the remote link from the remote service tool; and

wherein either of the remote or the on-site service tools are operatively capable of performing maintenance and efficiency measuring test, including historical, current and real time graphing capabilities, including the capability to benchmark the process system in terms of other similar systems, and showing the present value of data being measured and the relationship of that data to associated trip points and limits.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the off-site observer communicates with the on-site technician by wired or wireless telephones.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the on-site technician is relatively inexperienced and wherein the off-site observer is relatively expert.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the on-site service tool is operatively capable of receiving software upgrades and software fixes over the remote link and installing said software upgrades and software fixes in the process system.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the software upgrades, software fixes, sales, repair, and replacement information, and parts information and availability are transmitted over the remote link from the remote service tool.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the process system is an HVAC or BAS system.

7. A method of servicing an automated system comprising the steps of:

dispatching a service technician to the automated system;

connecting a portable service tool to the automated system;

connecting the service tool via a remote link to a remote location;

performing diagnostics on the automated system;

forwarding the results of the diagnostics to the remote location;

analyzing the diagnostic results at the remote location; and

providing advice and direction to the service technician from the remote location using the internet;

wherein the analyzing step includes diagnostics including historical, current and real time graphic capabilities.

8. A method of servicing an automated system comprising the steps of:

dispatching a service technician to the automated system;

connecting a portable service tool to the automated system;

connecting the service tool via a remote link to a remote location;

performing diagnostics on the automated system;

forwarding the results of the diagnostics to the remote location;

analyzing the diagnostic results at the remote location;

providing advice and direction to the service technician from the remote location using the internet; and

benchmarking the system being analyzed in terms of other similar systems.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the service technician is inexperienced.

10. The method of claim 8 including the further steps of performing maintenance and efficiency measuring tests.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the remote location includes an additional service tool and including the further step of displaying diagnostic results on both of the additional and the portable service tools.

12. The method of claim 8 including the further step of providing the service technician with sales, repair and replacement information in response to an identified problem.

13. A method of servicing an automated system comprising the steps of:

dispatching a service technician to the automated system;

connecting a portable service tool to the automated system;

connecting the service tool via a remote link to a remote location;

performing diagnostics on the automated system;

forwarding the results of the diagnostics to the remote location;

analyzing the diagnostic results at the remote location; and

providing advice and direction to the service technician from the remote location using the internet; and

providing up-to-date service literature, installation, operation and maintenance manuals, wiring diagrams and service bulletins to the service technician while at the location of the automated system.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the field service technician is inexperienced.

15. The method of claim 13 including the further steps of performing maintenance and efficiency measuring tests.

16. A method of improving diagnostics of an HVAC system comprising the steps of:

providing a field service technician at the location of the HVAC system;

linking an expert observer at a remote site to the field service technician;

analyzing the HVAC system on location;

substantially simultaneously providing the analysis to both the service technician and the expert observer;

analyzing the results at the remote site using the expert observer;

providing the analysis from the expert observer to the service technician at the HVAC system location using the internet; and

wherein the analyzing step includes diagnostics including historical, current and real time graphic capabilities.

17. The method of claim 16 including the further step of providing the service technician with sales, repair and replacement information in response to an identified problem.

18. A method of improving diagnostics of an HVAC system comprising the steps of:

providing a field service technician at the location of the HVAC system;

linking an expert observer at a remote site to the field service technician;

analyzing the HVAC system on location;

substantially simultaneously providing the analysis to both the service technician and the expert observer;

analyzing the results at the remote site using the expert observer;

providing the analysis from the expert observer to the service technician at the HVAC system location using the internet; and

benchmarking the system being analyzed in terms of other similar systems.

19. A method of improving diagnostics of an HVAC system comprising the steps of:

providing a field service technician at the location of the HVAC system;

linking an expert observer at a remote site to the field service technician;

analyzing the HVAC system on location;

substantially simultaneously providing the analysis to both the service technician and the expert observer;

analyzing the results at the remote site using the expert observer;

providing the analysis from the expert observer to the service technician at the HVAC system location using the internet; and

providing up-to-date service literature, installation, operation and maintenance manuals, wiring diagrams and service bulletins to the service technician while at the location of the HVAC system.

20. A system for servicing a computer controlled machine comprising:

a computer controlled machine including a device operable to perform a function, a controller controlling the operation of that device, and a data access port for transferring data and commands from the controller; and

a service tool operably connected to the data access port, the service tool including a remote communications capability, a computer, and diagnostics and graphing software; and

an expert observer system operably linked to the remote communications capability of the service tool and including historical machine data, machine sales information, software revisions for the controller, additional diagnostics software, and an expert observer capable of providing a mentor capability to the operator of a service tool; and

wherein the diagnostics and graphing software has an operative capability to graph historical, current and real time data.

21. The system of claim 20 including an operative capability displaying a precise value of data being measured and the relationship of that data to associated trip points and limit points.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the computer controlled machine is operatively connected to and controlling an HVAC or BAS system.

23. A service arrangement comprising:

a computer or control system;

a local observer in proximity to the system and operatively capable of accessing, maintaining, repairing, modifying, servicing, or upgrading the system;

a remote observer located elsewhere;

a service tool operatively capable of providing data and/or information to the local and remote observers, receiving data and information from the local observer and modifying the system accordingly and including a remote duplication capability which is operatively capable of displaying the same information to both the local and the remote observer; and

means for analyzing diagnostics including historical, current and real time graphic capabilities.

24. The arrangement of claim 23 further including means for performing maintains and efficiency measuring test.

25. A service arrangement comprising:

a computer or control system;

a local observer in proximity to the system and operatively capable of accessing, maintaining, repairing, modifying, servicing, or upgrading the system;

a remote observer located elsewhere;

a service tool operatively capable of providing data and/or information to the local and remote observers, receiving data and information from the local observer and modifying the system accordingly and including a remote duplication capability which is operatively capable of displaying the same information to both the local and the remote observer; and

means for benchmarking the system being analyzed in terms of other similar systems.

26. The arrangement of claim 25 further including means for providing the local observer with sales, repair and replacement information in response to an identified problem.

27. A service arrangement comprising:

a computer or control system;

a local observer in proximity to the system and operatively capable of accessing, maintaining, repairing, modifying, servicing, or upgrading the system;

a remote observer located elsewhere;

a service tool operatively capable of providing data and/or information to the local and remote observers, receiving data and information from the local observer and modifying the system accordingly and including a remote duplication capability which is operatively capable of displaying the same information to both the local and the remote observer; and

means for providing up-to-date service literature, installation, operation and maintenance manuals, wiring diagrams and service bulletins to the local observer while at the location of the system.

28. A method of servicing, upgrading or maintaining a computer or control system comprising the steps of:

monitoring, analyzing including diagnostics including historical, current and real time graphic capabilities, servicing or diagnosing a computer or control system to obtain specific information about the status, condition and operational capabilities of the system;

providing, substantially at the same time, the information to a local observer in the area of the system and to a remote observer located out of the proximity of the system; and

communicating advice or commentary from the remote observer to the local observer;

wherein the local observer receives the advice and commentary from the remote observer and monitors, analyzes, services or diagnoses the computer control system.

29. The method of claim 28 including the further step of providing the local observer with sales, repair and replacement information in response to an identified problem.

30. A method of servicing, upgrading or maintaining a computer or control system comprising the steps of:

monitoring, analyzing, servicing or diagnosing a computer or control system to obtain specific information about the status, condition and operational capabilities of the system;

providing, substantially at the same time, the information to a local observer in the area of the system and to a remote observer located out of the proximity of the system;

communicating advice or commentary from the remote observer to the local observer; and

benchmarking the system being analyzed in terms of other similar systems;

wherein the local observer receives the advice and commentary from the remote observer and monitors, analyzes, services or diagnoses the computer control system.

31. A method of servicing, upgrading or maintaining a computer or control system comprising the steps of:

monitoring, analyzing, servicing or diagnosing a computer or control system to obtain specific information about the status, condition and operational capabilities of the system;

providing, substantially at the same time, the information to a local observer in the area of the system and to a remote observer located out of the proximity of the system;

communicating advice or commentary from the remote observer to the local observer; and

providing up-to-date service literature, installation, operation and maintenance manuals, wiring diagrams and service bulletins to the local observer while at the location of the system;

wherein the local observer receives the advice and commentary from the remote observer and monitors, analyzes, services or diagnoses the computer control system.

32. The method of claim 31 including the further steps of performing maintenance and efficiency measuring tests.