Building Automation Rule Verification for HVAC Conflict Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building automation systems (BAS) face conflicts in logic rules controlling HVAC sub-systems, leading to contradictory device activation, violating comfort constraints and causing equipment issues due to frequent duty cycling.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using a test case generation framework to identify and adjust conflicts in static and dynamic variables of HVAC sub-systems, incorporating a supervisory control layer with a receiving, verification, identification, and controlling module to manage these variables and prevent conflicts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If operators provide logic rules for controlling HVAC sub-systems, then operational knowledge and intuitive understanding are utilized, but conflicts in rules may occur leading to contradictory device activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a supervisory control layer with a rule verification module that acts as an intermediary between operator-provided rules and HVAC sub-system execution. This module automatically detects and resolves conflicts in logic rules before they are executed, ensuring that contradictory device activations are prevented while maintaining operator ease of rule provision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the supervisory control layer monitors the execution of logic rules and provides information back to operators about potential conflicts. This allows operators to refine their rules based on system feedback, improving rule consistency while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple persons provide control rules, then diverse operational perspectives are incorporated, but rule conflicts increase leading to device duty cycling
Solution Approach 1:
The supervisory control layer serves as a mediator that consolidates and harmonizes rules from multiple operators. It detects conflicts between diverse operational perspectives and resolves them through predefined priority schemes or automated negotiation logic, allowing diverse input while preventing excessive device duty cycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary verification and conflict resolution of rules from multiple operators before executing them on HVAC devices. By pre-resolving conflicts in the supervisory layer, it prevents contradictory commands from reaching the devices, thereby reducing duty cycling while preserving the benefits of multiple operational perspectives.
3Speed
If logic rules are executed without verification, then system responsiveness is maintained, but constraints on occupant comfort and equipment may be violated
Solution Approach 1:
The supervisory control layer performs preliminary verification of logic rules against comfort constraints and equipment specifications before execution. This pre-check ensures that rules comply with necessary constraints while maintaining system responsiveness, as the verification occurs in advance rather than during device operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is segmented into multiple layers: a supervisory control layer that handles verification and conflict resolution, and an execution layer that handles rapid device control. This segmentation allows verification to occur without slowing down the actual device response time, maintaining speed while ensuring reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates generally to a system and method to identify at least one conflict and for controlling both static and dynamic variables in one or more operations of at least one subsystem of a plurality of building automation sub-systems. It includes a supervisory control layer that orchestrates multiple underlying sub-systems like heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) sub-systems and at least one access control sub-system. A test case generation framework is used to verify static and dynamic variables of operations of the sub-systems. It identifies conflicts in the static and dynamic variables. Therefore, the system provides controls to the sub-systems using the identified and adjusted conflict of static and dynamic variables on operations.