Systems and methods for using rule-based fault detection in a building management system

• US 9,568,910 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Drees, Kirk H., Boettcher, Andrew J., Kummer, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stevens, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/320,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 714/2, 714/25, 714/26, 700 1- 10, 700275-278
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/00 Testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof monitoring of programme-control systems G05B19/048, G05B19/406
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A controller for a building management system includes a first data interface configured to receive data from the building management system and a processing circuit including a processor and a memory device storing a fault detection rule having an initial threshold value. The processing circuit is configured to detect a first fault in the building management system using the stored fault detection rule having the initial threshold value and to use the data from the building management system to determine whether an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is needed. In response to a determination that an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is needed, the processing circuit is configured to calculate a new threshold value for the stored fault detection rule and update the stored fault detection rule by replacing the initial threshold value with the new threshold value.

Claims

1. A controller for a building management system, the controller comprising:

a first data interface configured to receive data from the building management system; and

a processing circuit comprising an electronic processor and a memory device storing a fault detection rule having an initial threshold value, wherein the processing circuit is configured to;

detect a first fault in the building management system by evaluating the stored fault detection rule, wherein evaluating the stored fault detection rule comprises comparing the data from the building management system to the initial threshold value;

use the data from the building management system to determine whether an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is needed, wherein the adjustment comprises replacing the initial threshold value with a new threshold value;

in response to a determination that an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is not needed, maintaining the initial threshold value in the stored fault detection rule such that the initial threshold value is compared to the data from the building management system when the stored fault detection rule is subsequently evaluated; and

in response to a determination that an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is needed, calculate the new threshold value for the stored fault detection rule and update the stored fault detection rule by replacing the initial threshold value with the new threshold value such that the new threshold value is compared to the data from the building management system when the stored fault detection rule is subsequently evaluated.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to use the stored fault detection rule having the new threshold value to detect a second fault in the building management system subsequent to updating the stored fault detection rule.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to use the stored fault detection rule having the initial threshold value to detect a second fault in the building management system subsequent to a determination that an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is not needed.

4. The controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a second data interface separate from the first data interface;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to use first data received via the first data interface to determine whether an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is needed; and

wherein the processing circuit is configured to use second data received via the second data interface to calculate the new threshold value.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to use at least one of performance indices and a history of fault detection data from the building management system to determine whether an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is needed.

6. The controller of claim 5, wherein the history of fault detection data comprises a number of faults detected according to the stored fault detection rule having the initial threshold value that were subsequently determined to be not actual faults.

7. The controller of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic display device;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause a graphical user interface to be displayed on the electronic display device and to update the stored fault detection rule in response to a user input received via the graphical user interface.

8. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine whether an adjustment to the stored fault detection rule is needed, calculate the new threshold value, and update the stored fault detection rule automatically and without user input.

9. The controller of claim 1, wherein calculating the new threshold value comprises:

estimating at least one of an amount of time needed for a controlled device to reach a steady state and an amount of power consumed by the controlled device; and

using at least one of the estimated time and the estimated amount of power as the new threshold value.

10. The controller of claim 1, wherein calculating the new threshold value comprises:

identifying a number of faults detected according to the stored fault detection rule having the initial threshold value; and

adjusting the initial threshold value to decrease the number of faults detected according to the stored fault detection rule.

11. A controller for detecting faults in a building management system, the controller comprising:

a communications port coupled to a master controller via a communications bus and configured to receive a control signal from the master controller; and

a processing circuit comprising an electronic processor and memory, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of stored fault detection rules, wherein the processing circuit is configured to;

collect building equipment data from building equipment;

use the collected building equipment data to control the building equipment;

determine a current operating state of the controller;

identify a first subset of the stored fault detection rules that apply to the determined operating state and a second subset of the stored fault detection rules that do not apply to the current operating state;

selectively evaluate the first subset of the stored fault detection rules to detect a fault in the building equipment using the collected building equipment data without evaluating the second subset of the stored fault detection rules; and

report the detected fault to the master controller via the communications port and the communications bus.

12. The controller of claim 11, wherein the controller is an equipment controller that directly controls the building equipment.

13. The controller of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is configured to collect the building equipment data and to use the collected building equipment data to detect the fault in the building equipment without receiving data from the master controller or any other controller.

14. The controller of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

identify a trigger condition and a content condition of the stored fault detection rule, wherein the trigger condition comprises a criterion which, if satisfied, triggers evaluation of the content condition;

use the building equipment data from the building management system to evaluate the trigger condition; and

in response to a determination that the trigger condition is satisfied, evaluate the content condition to detect a fault in the building management system.

15. A controller for detecting faults in a building management system, the controller comprising:

a communications port coupled to a master controller via a communications bus and configured to receive a control signal from the master controller; and

a processing circuit comprising an electronic processor and memory, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of stored fault detection rules, wherein the processing circuit is configured to;

collect building equipment data from building equipment;

use the collected building equipment data to control the building equipment;

determine a current operating state of the controller;

identify a first subset of the stored fault detection rules that apply to the determined operating state and a second subset of the stored fault detection rules that do not apply to the current operating state;

selectively evaluate the first subset of the stored fault detection rules to detect a fault in the building equipment using the collected building equipment data without evaluating the second subset of the stored fault detection rules;

report the detected fault to the master controller via the communications port and the communications bus;

evaluate the collected building equipment data relative to a state transition condition; and

cause the controller to transition between a plurality of operating states based on a result of the evaluation.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein the controller is an equipment controller that directly controls the building equipment.

17. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is configured to collect the building equipment data and to use the collected building equipment data to detect the fault in the building equipment without receiving data from the master controller or any other controller.