Portable Sensor Commissioning for Reliable Building Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of commissioning environmental sensors in buildings is often expensive and unreliable, with no easy way to identify compromised sensor operations, limiting the number and types of devices that can be installed, and disrupting ongoing occupant activities during system identification procedures.
Innovation Solution
A portable electronic device is programmed to autonomously detect and commission building environmental sensors by retrieving sensor identifiers, determining registration with a control system, and implementing a commissioning process that includes calibration and configuration parameter transfer, using methods such as image recognition and wireless communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual commissioning processes are used for sensor devices, then comprehensive calibration and registration can be achieved, but the process becomes expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device automatically performs commissioning operations including self-registration with the facility management system, self-calibration using environmental sensors in the portable device, and automatic configuration parameter application. This eliminates the need for manual commissioning while ensuring comprehensive sensor setup and validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary registration and configuration of sensor devices during installation, so that when the sensor becomes operational, it is already integrated into the facility management system. This preliminary setup reduces the commissioning burden and accelerates deployment.
2Productivity
If comprehensive sensor monitoring is implemented, then better building control and efficiency can be achieved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The portable electronic device serves multiple functions: it acts as a commissioning tool, a calibration device, a registration system, and a verification instrument all in one unit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized devices and simplifies the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The facility management system serves as an intermediary that coordinates between sensor devices, portable commissioning devices, and building control systems. It manages sensor registration, stores configuration parameters, and orchestrates calibration processes, thereby reducing direct complexity at the sensor level.
3Measurement precision
If system identification procedures are performed to determine sensor-actuator relationships, then accurate building control can be achieved, but ongoing occupant activities are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
System identification and calibration procedures are performed periodically during scheduled maintenance windows rather than continuously or on-demand. This allows the building system to be re-calibrated at appropriate intervals without requiring constant intervention that would disrupt occupants.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and analyzes sensor-actuator relationships during off-peak periods when building operations are less sensitive to adjustments. This separates the identification process from normal building operations, minimizing impact on occupants while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems to commission building environmental sensors are disclosed. The system includes a device that will move about the environment of a building (inside and/or outside) and detect building environmental sensor devices that are installed in the environment. For each of the sensor devices, in response to detecting the sensor device, the system will retrieve an identifier for the sensor device, and it will determine whether the sensor device is registered with a control system. If the sensor device is registered with the control system, the system will not automatically implement a commissioning process with the sensor device. If the sensor device is not registered with the control system, the system will automatically implement the commissioning process with the sensor device.