Failure mode determination means

Abstract

A method for determining a failure mode of a comfort device, the method includes obtaining a first input during a first operation of the comfort device, wherein the first operation is a known normal operation; classifying the first input into a class including a series of attributes and storing the first input in a database of input classes; obtaining a second input during a second operation of the comfort device; and classifying the second input into a class including a series of attributes and comparing the class of the second input to the class of the first input in a first comparison, wherein if a match exists, comparing the series of attributes of the second input to the series of attributes of the first input in a second comparison, wherein if a discrepancy is detected, a warning is raised.

What is claimed herein is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining a failure mode of a comfort device disposed in an environment, said method comprises:
 (a) obtaining a first input of the environment during a first operation of the comfort device, wherein said first operation is a known normal operation;   (b) classifying said first input into a class comprising a series of attributes and storing said first input in a database of input classes;   (c) obtaining a second input of the environment during a second operation of the comfort device; and   (d) classifying said second input into a class comprising a series of attributes and comparing said class of said second input to said class of said first input in a first comparison, wherein if a match exists, comparing said series of attributes of said second input to said series of attributes of said first input in a second comparison, wherein if a discrepancy is detected, a warning is raised.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second comparison comprises comparing an order of said series of attributes of said second input to an order of said series of attributes of said first input. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second comparison comprises comparing a frequency of at least one attribute of said series of attributes of said second input to a frequency of at least one corresponding attribute of said series of attributes of said first input. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second comparison comprises comparing the magnitude of an attribute of said series of attributes of said second input to the magnitude of an attribute of said series of attributes of said first input. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second comparison comprises comparing the duration between two successive attributes of said series of attributes of said second input to the duration between two successive attributes of said series of attributes of said first input. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said class corresponding to said first input and said class corresponding to said second input comprises an audio input. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said class corresponding to said first input and said class corresponding to said second input comprises a non-audio input. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said series of attributes of said class of said first input and said series of attributes of said class of said second input comprises the following attributes: blower turn-on, igniter sparking and flame establishment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said series of attributes of said class of said first input and said series of attributes of said class of said second input comprises the following attributes: fuel valve current and igniter sparking. 
     
     
         10 . A failure mode determination means adapted to detect failure modes of a comfort device, said failure mode determination means comprising at least one audio input device configured for receiving an audio input of the comfort device, said audio input of the comfort device is compared to a plurality of pre-determined failure modes retrieved from a failure mode database, wherein if a match is found, the failure mode of the comfort device is determined. 
     
     
         11 . The failure mode determination means of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one audio input device comprises a first audio input device configured to receive a first audio input and be pointed towards a first direction relative to the comfort device and a second audio input device configured to receive a second audio input and be pointed towards a second direction relative to the comfort device and if the match is found, a prominence of the audio input corresponding to the match is determined within each said audio input device such that a predicted source of the audio input corresponding to the match is determined to be the audio input device pointed at by the audio input device having the more prominent audio input of said first and second audio inputs. 
     
     
         12 . A method for controlling a drain pump in a control system having a controller operably connected to the drain pump and weather data having rain data, said method comprising using the controller for:
 (a) determining a current frequency of overlap of a second event with respect to a first event, wherein said current frequency of overlap comprises the number of occurrences of said second event within said first event and a period after said first event; and   (b) determining the existence of a fault by comparing said current frequency of overlap to a threshold frequency of overlap, wherein if said current frequency of overlap is lower than said threshold frequency of overlap by a first gap, a pump-dead fault is raised and if said current frequency of overlap is higher than said threshold frequency of overlap by a second gap, a pump-stuck-on fault is raised.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the drain pump is a sump pump. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein if one of said pump-dead and said pump-stuck-on faults has been raised, an action is executed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said action comprises sending an alert to a stakeholder of the drain pump. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first event comprises a time span of a day in which rain of an intensity level occurs over said time span of a day. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first event comprises a time span of a day in which snow of an intensity level occurs over said time span of a day. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said second event comprises an event in which the drain pump is activated and de-activated.