HVAC system that controls an asset via a wide area network in accordance with a business strategy using predictor and responder data points

• US 8,090,675 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tutenlabs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Prenova, Inc. (ENGIE SA)
• Inventors: Chambers, Gregory L., Van Meter, Kenneth D.
• Primary Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US12/133,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 706/12, 706/20, 706/25, 706/45, 706/62, 703/1, 700/1, 700/28, 700/30, 700276-279, 700/299, 700/300
• US Class Current: 706/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/00 Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion G05B19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002

Abstract

Included are embodiments for asset commissioning. At least one embodiment of a method includes classifying at least one data point of an environment controlling asset as a responder data point and classifying at least one other data point of the environment controlling asset as a predictor data point, the at least one predictor data point configured to provide operation validation data regarding the at least one responder data point. Some embodiments include validating operation of the at least one responder data point by monitoring sensor data associated with the at least one responder data point and the at least one predictor data point.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a commissioning server operative to receive information, via a wide area network, corresponding to monitored air temperatures associated with an environment;

operating an environment controlling asset in accordance with a predetermined business strategy to control a temperature of the environment, the environment controlling asset being located remotely from the commissioning server and comprising at least one of a heating ventilation air condition (HVAC) system, a variable air volume component, an air handler unit, and a chiller, the environment controlling asset providing an input that affects the temperature associated with the environment, the commissioning server in communication with the environment controlling asset via the wide area network;

identifying responder data points associated with the environment controlling asset, each of the responder data points corresponding to one of the monitored air temperatures associated with the environment controlling asset;

storing information corresponding to the responder data points in the commissioning server;

identifying predictor data points associated with the environment controlling asset, each of the predictor data points corresponding to one of the monitored air temperatures and one of the responder data points such that an operational correlation exists between each of the predictor data points and its corresponding responder data point, each one of the predictor data points and corresponding one of the responder data points defining a predictor/responder pair;

storing information corresponding to the predictor data points in the commissioning server;

monitoring the air temperatures;

comparing the air temperatures associated with each of the predictor/responder pairs to determine deviations from predefined standards for the pairs; and

identifying an error in operation of the environment controlling asset in accordance with the predetermined business strategy responsive to determining that any of the deviations fails to correspond to a respective predefined standard for the respective predictor/responder pair.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording instantaneous results from the responder data points.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording instantaneous results from the predictor data points.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically recording results from the predictor data points.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically recording results from the responder data points.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment controlling asset includes a heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions;

periodically recording results from the predictor data points;

periodically recording results from the responder data points;

recording instantaneous results from the predictor data points;

recording instantaneous results from the responder data points; and

comparing at least a portion of the periodically recorded data with at least a portion of the instantaneous results.

8. A system comprising:

a commissioning server in communication with an environment controlling asset via a wide area network, the environment controlling asset comprising at least one of a heating ventilation air condition (HVAC) system, a variable air volume component, an air handler unit, and a chiller, the environment controlling asset providing an input that affects an interior temperature associated with at least one respective zone of an interior environment in accordance with a predetermined business strategy;

a first classifying component executed in the commissioning server classifying at least one data point of the environment controlling asset as a responder data point;

a second classifying component executed in the commissioning server classifying at least one other data point of the environment controlling asset as a predictor data point, the at least one predictor data point providing operation validation data regarding the at least one responder data point, the at least one predictor data point comprising an outside air temperature exterior to the interior environment captured by a remote temperature reading source accessible to the commissioning server via the wide area network; and

a validating component executed in the commissioning server validating an effect on the interior temperature of the interior environment of the at least one responder data point by monitoring sensor data associated with the at least one responder data point and the at least one predictor data point, the at least one predictor data point and the at least one responder data point defining a predictor/responder pair, the validating component being further operative to validate proper operation of the environment controlling asset in accordance with the predetermined business strategy based on behavior of the predictor/responder pair.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a first operating component operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions; and

a first recording component recording instantaneous results from the responder data point.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second operating component operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions; and

a second recording component configured to record instantaneous results from the predictor data point.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a third operating component operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions; and

a third recording component periodically recording results from the predictor data point.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a fourth operating component operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions; and

a fourth recording component periodically recording results from the responder data point.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein system is implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a fifth operating component operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions;

a fifth recording component periodically recording results from the predictor data point;

a sixth recording component periodically recording results from the responder data point;

a seventh recording component recording instantaneous results from the predictor data point;

an eighth recording component recording instantaneous results from the responder data point; and

a comparing component comparing at least a portion of the periodically recorded data with at least a portion of the instantaneous results.

15. A system comprising:

means for remote commissioning of an environment controlling asset via a wide area network the environment controlling asset comprising at least one of a heating ventilation air condition (HVAC) system, a variable air volume component, an air handler unit, and a chiller, the environment controlling asset providing an input that affects an interior temperature associated with at least one respective zone of an interior environment in accordance with a predetermined business strategy;

means for classifying at least one data point of the environment controlling asset as a responder data point;

means for classifying at least one other data point of the environment controlling asset as a predictor data point, the at least one predictor data point providing operation validation data regarding the at least one responder data point, the at least one predictor data point comprising an outside air temperature captured by a remote temperature reading source accessible to the commissioning means via the wide area network; and

means for validating an effect on the interior temperature of the interior environment of the at least one responder data point by monitoring sensor data associated with the at least one responder data point and the at least one predictor data point, the at least one predictor data point and the at least one responder data point defining a predictor/responder pair, the means for validating being further operative to validate proper operation of the environment controlling asset in accordance with the predetermined business strategy based on behavior of the predictor/responder pair.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions; and

means for recording instantaneous results from the responder data point.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions; and

means for recording instantaneous results from the predictor data point.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions; and

means for periodically recording results from the predictor data point.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions; and

means for periodically recording results from the responder data point.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for operating the environment controlling asset under normal conditions;

means for periodically recording results from the predictor data point;

means for periodically recording results from the responder data point;

means for recording instantaneous results from the predictor data point;

means for recording instantaneous results from the responder data point; and

means for comparing at least a portion of the periodically recorded data with at least a portion of the instantaneous results.