Building Controller Setpoint Switching Under Cloud Connectivity Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building systems that rely on remote services for control decisions face economic and comfort issues due to intermittent connectivity, leading to inefficient operation and increased costs when occupants must manually adjust environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that includes processors and non-transitory computer-readable media to manage building equipment, obtaining setpoint trajectories from a cloud system, determining active setpoints based on connectivity status, and operating equipment to maintain occupant comfort, with features like storing trajectories and generating setpoints using cost optimization when connectivity is lost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the building system relies on remote cloud services for control decisions, then operational costs are reduced and occupant comfort is maintained, but the system becomes vulnerable to connectivity interruptions causing comfort degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The controller stores multiple setpoint trajectories (e.g., first setpoint trajectory from cloud, second setpoint trajectory locally generated) in advance before connectivity is lost. When connectivity interruption occurs, the controller seamlessly switches to using the pre-stored alternative trajectory, ensuring continuous automated control without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the source of setpoint trajectories based on connectivity status. When connected, it uses cloud-generated trajectories; when disconnected, it switches to locally stored or locally generated trajectories. This parameter switching resolves the contradiction by adapting the system's operational mode to current connectivity conditions.
2Device complexity
If occupants manually adjust environmental conditions when connectivity is lost, then system complexity is reduced, but occupant time and energy are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The controller automatically performs the function of selecting and switching between different setpoint trajectories based on connectivity status without requiring occupant intervention. The system serves itself by monitoring connectivity and autonomously transitioning between cloud-based and local control modes, eliminating the need for manual adjustments by occupants.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the system switches to standard control methods during prolonged disconnection, then energy consumption is reduced, but occupant comfort may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The controller dynamically monitors the duration of connectivity interruptions and adapts its control strategy accordingly. For short interruptions, it maintains comfort-oriented trajectories from storage. For prolonged disconnections exceeding a threshold, it transitions to energy-efficient standard control methods. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by optimizing the trade-off between comfort and energy consumption based on real-time conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller for operating building equipment of a building including processors and non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations including obtaining a first setpoint trajectory from a cloud computation system. The first setpoint trajectory includes setpoints for the building equipment or for a space of the building. The setpoints correspond to time steps of an optimization period. The operations include determining whether a connection between the controller and the cloud computation system is active or inactive at a time step of the optimization period and determining an active setpoint for the time step of the optimization period using either the first or second setpoint trajectory based on whether the connection between the controller and the cloud computation system is active or inactive at the time step. The operations include operating the building equipment based on the active setpoint.