Systems and methods for auto-commissioning and self-diagnostics

• US 9,581,985 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Walser, J. Carlin, Beyhaghi, Saman, Asmus, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bodden, Evral E
• Application Number:
  US14/186,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20150241856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24053 Diagnostic of controlled machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

Systems and methods for auto-commissioning and self-diagnostics of equipment in a building management system are provided. A self-testing module is implemented in a control unit of the building management system. The self-testing module exercises equipment of the building management system using a state-based testing procedure that differs from normal operation of the equipment and monitors feedback received from a sensor of the building management system in response to exercising the equipment. The self-testing module uses the feedback from the sensor to evaluate a state transition condition of the state-based testing procedure and to transition between states of the state-based testing procedure using a result of the evaluation.

Claims

1. A building management system for performing automated testing and self-diagnostics of equipment in the building management system, the building management system comprising:

a sensor configured to measure a variable in the building management system and to provide feedback indicating a value of the measured variable;

equipment operable to affect the measured variable by exercising the equipment;

a control unit in communication with the sensor and the equipment, the control unit comprising a self-testing module configured to exercise the equipment using a state-based testing procedure, wherein exercising the equipment using the state-based testing procedure comprises providing the equipment with a sequence of control outputs that differs from normal operation of the equipment and enhances an effect of exercising the equipment on the measured variable relative to the normal operation of the equipment;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to concurrently operate in multiple different operating states, each of the multiple different operating states corresponding to a current operating state of a different state-based test of the equipment;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to monitor the feedback received from the sensor in response to exercising the equipment during the state-based testing procedure;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to use the feedback from the sensor to evaluate a state transition condition of the state-based testing procedure and to transition from a first state of the state-based testing procedure to one of a plurality of result states of the state-based testing procedure in response to the feedback satisfying the state transition condition;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to transition from the first state into another of the plurality of result states in response to the feedback not satisfying the state transition condition; and

wherein the self-testing module is configured to end the state-based testing procedure in response to transitioning into any of the plurality of result states, each of the result states indicating a result of the state-based testing procedure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the self-testing module is configured to operate as a finite state machine, using feedback from the building management system to control transitions between operating states of the state-based testing procedure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the state-based tests comprise at least two of:

a state-based fan diagnostic;

a state-based cooling diagnostic;

a state-based heating diagnostic;

a state-based economizer diagnostic; and

a state-based exhaust diagnostic.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the state-based testing procedure comprises at least one of:

a state-based fan diagnostic;

a state-based cooling diagnostic;

a state-based heating diagnostic;

a state-based economizer diagnostic; and

a state-based exhaust diagnostic.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the self-testing module is configured to monitor a set of test selection inputs received at the self-testing module, each of the test selection inputs corresponding to a different diagnostic test;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to use the set of test selection inputs to determine which of a plurality of diagnostic tests to perform during the state-based testing procedure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the self-testing module is configured to identify a plurality of state transition conditions, each state transition condition comprising a criterion for transitioning into a different potential operating state;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to use feedback from the building management system to evaluate the plurality of state transition conditions and to transition into one of the potential operating states using a result of the evaluation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the potential operating states indicates a different result of the state-based testing procedure;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to output a result of the state-based testing procedure by identifying and reporting an operating state into which a state transition has occurred as a result of the evaluation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a user interface configured to present results of the state-based testing procedure, the results comprising an indication of a particular state-based test and a current state status of the particular state-based test.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary control unit in communication with the self-testing module, wherein the auxiliary control unit is configured to provide a control output to the equipment of the building management system;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to output a testing state to the auxiliary control unit, the testing state causing the auxiliary control unit to enter a testing mode in which the self-testing module controls the control output provided from the auxiliary control unit to the equipment of the building management system.

10. A method for performing automated testing and self-diagnostics of equipment in a building management system, the method comprising:

exercising equipment of the building management system using a state-based testing procedure that differs from normal operation of the equipment and enhances an effect of exercising the equipment on a measured variable relative to the normal operation of the equipment, the state-based testing procedure comprising multiple different state-based tests, each of the multiple different state-based tests having a plurality of operating states;

concurrently operating in multiple different operating states, each of the multiple different operating states corresponding to a current operating state of one of the multiple different state-based tests;

monitoring feedback received from a sensor of the building management system in response to exercising the equipment during the state-based testing procedure, wherein the feedback from the sensor indicates a value of the measured variable, wherein the equipment is configured to affect the measured variable by exercising the equipment;

using the feedback from the sensor to evaluate a state transition condition of the state-based testing procedure, wherein the state-based testing procedure is performed by a control unit in communication with the sensor and the equipment;

transitioning from a first state of the state-based testing procedure to one of a plurality of result states of the state-based testing procedure in response to the feedback satisfying the state transition condition;

transitioning from the first state into another of the plurality of result states in response to the feedback not satisfying the state transition condition; and

ending the state-based testing procedure in response to transitioning into any of the plurality of result states, each of the result states indicating a result of the state-based testing procedure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the exercising, monitoring, using, and transitioning steps are performed automatically by a self-testing module implemented in the control unit of the building management system;

wherein the self-testing module is configured to operate as a finite state machine, using feedback from the building management system to control transitions between operating states of the state-based testing procedure.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the state-based tests comprise at least two of:

a state-based fan diagnostic;

a state-based cooling diagnostic;

a state-based heating diagnostic;

a state-based economizer diagnostic; and

a state-based exhaust diagnostic.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

monitoring a set of test selection inputs, each of the test selection inputs corresponding to a different diagnostic test; and

using the set of test selection inputs to determine which of a plurality of diagnostic tests to perform during the state-based testing procedure.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of state transition conditions, each state transition condition comprising a criterion for transitioning into a different potential operating state;

using feedback from the building management system to evaluate the plurality of state transition conditions; and

transitioning into one of the potential operating states using a result of the evaluation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the potential operating states indicates a different result of the state-based testing procedure, the method further comprising:

outputting a result of the state-based testing procedure by identifying and reporting an operating state into which a state transition has occurred as a result of the evaluation.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

presenting results of the state-based testing procedure via a user interface, the results comprising an indication of a particular state-based test and a current state status of the particular state-based test.

17. A system for performing automated diagnostics of building equipment, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to measure a variable and to provide feedback indicating a value of the measured variable;

building equipment operable to affect the measured variable by exercising the building equipment; and

a control unit in communication with the sensor and the building equipment, wherein the control unit is configured to test multiple components of the building equipment using multiple different state-based diagnostic tests, each of the multiple different state-based diagnostic tests having a current operating state, wherein the control unit is configured to operate in each of the current operating states concurrently;

wherein the control unit is configured to test the building equipment using a state-based diagnostic test comprising a first state and a plurality of result states, wherein testing the building equipment using the state-based diagnostic test comprises;

exercising the building equipment in the first state of the state-based diagnostic test by providing the equipment with a sequence of control outputs that differs from normal operation of the equipment and enhances an effect of exercising the equipment on the measured variable relative to the normal operation of the equipment;

monitoring the feedback from the sensor in response to the exercising;

using the feedback from the sensor to evaluate a state transition condition of the state-based diagnostic test;

transitioning from the first state into one of the plurality of result states of the state-based diagnostic test in response to the feedback from the sensor satisfying the state transition condition;

transitioning from the first state into another of the plurality of result states of the state-based diagnostic test in response to the feedback from the sensor not satisfying the state transition condition; and

ending the state-based diagnostic test in response to transitioning into any of the plurality of result states, each of the result states indicating a result of the state-based diagnostic test.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to:

use the feedback from the sensor to evaluate a plurality of state transition conditions, each of the state transition conditions comprising a criterion for transitioning into a different potential result state of the state-based diagnostic test;

transition into one of the potential result states using a result of the evaluation; and

output a result of the state-based diagnostic test by identifying and reporting the result state into which a state transition has occurred as a result of the evaluation.