Systems and methods for auto-commissioning and self-diagnostics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015241856-A1
Application number	US-201414186999-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Aug 27, 2015
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for performing automated testing and self-diagnostics of equipment in a building management system, the system comprising:
a self-testing module implemented in a control unit of the building management system, wherein the self-testing module is configured to exercise equipment of the building management system using a state-based testing procedure that differs from normal operation of the equipment; wherein the self-testing module is configured to monitor feedback received from a sensor of the building management system 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 between states of the state-based testing procedure using a result of the evaluation.

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 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.

4 . The system of claim 3 , 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.

5 . 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.

6 . 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.

7 . 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.

8 . The system of claim 7 , 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.

9 . 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.

10 . 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.

11 . 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; monitoring feedback received from a sensor of the building management system in response to exercising the equipment during the state-based testing procedure; using the feedback from the sensor to evaluate a state transition condition of the state-based testing procedure; and transitioning between states of the state-based testing procedure using a result of the evaluation.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the exercising, monitoring, using, and transitioning steps are performed automatically by a self-testing module implemented in a 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

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
concurrently operating 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.

14 . The method of claim 13 , 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.

15 . The method of claim 11 , 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.

16 . The method of claim 11 , 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.

17 . The method of claim 16 , 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.

18 . The method of claim 11 , 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.

19 . A system for performing automated diagnostics of building equipment, the system comprising:
a control unit in communication with building equipment, wherein the control unit is configured to test the building equipment using a state-based diagnostic test comprising:
exercising the building equipment in a first state of the state-based diagnostic test;
monitoring feedback from the build

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Walser J Carlin
• Beyhaghi Saman
• Asmus Matthew J

Classifications

• G05B2219/2642

  Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house · CPC title

• G05B2219/2614

  HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control · CPC title

• G05B19/048

  Monitoring; Safety · CPC title

• G05B2219/24053

  Diagnostic of controlled machine · CPC title

• F24F11/30 Primary

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title