# US 11,933,511 B2 · Systems for and methods of automatically scheduling and executing in situ tests on electrical and mechanical systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,933,511 B2 - Document ID: US11933511B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/176,477 - Filed: 2021-02-16 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Granted: 2024-03-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-30 - Assignees: Nextracker LLC - Applicants: NEXTracker LLC - Inventors: Bruce Christopher Wootton; Rory Joseph Timar; Colin Patrick Murphy; Francesco Borrelli; Allan Daly - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11933511B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/49: ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/38: Failure diagnosis - F24F 11/48: prior to normal operation, e.g. pre-heating or pre-cooling - F24F 11/52: Indication arrangements, e.g. displays - F24F 11/58: using Internet communication - F24F 11/61: using timers - F24F 11/63: Electronic processing - G05B 23/0251: {Abstraction hierarchy, e.g. "complex systems", i.e. system is divided in subsystems, subsystems are monitored and results are combined to decide on status of whole system} - G05B 23/0256: {injecting test signals and analyzing monitored process response, e.g. injecting the test signal while interrupting the normal operation of the monitored system; superimposing the test signal onto a control signal during normal operation of the monitored system} - G05B 2219/24053: Diagnostic of controlled machine - G05B 2219/2614: HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A testing platform tests an electrical and mechanical system such as an HVAC unit according to an algorithm that reduces the total testing time of the components of the system, while ensuring the safety of the system during system-wide testing. The platform uses constraints that are checked both before and during the testing to ensure that HVAC operating conditions are acceptable for starting and maintaining component tests. Preferably, the platform uses finite-state machines for each device to organize the component tests, allowing for monitoring of constraints and starting, pausing, and stopping component tests. Preferably, total test execution time is reduced by running component tests in parallel, running component tests based on loads of the components, or combinations of both. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of testing an electrical and mechanical system comprising a plurality of interconnected devices, each device of the plurality of interconnected devices comprising one or more components, each of the one or more components being associated with a corresponding component test, the method comprising: ranking the plurality of interconnected devices in order of decreasing loads on the plurality of interconnected devices; selecting a first set of conditions that allow component tests to be executed on a first set of components of devices of the plurality of interconnected devices having higher loads before component tests are executed on a second set of components of devices of the plurality of interconnected devices having smaller loads; and executing the component tests on the plurality of interconnected devices according to an execution schedule based on the first set of conditions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting a second set of conditions that postpone execution of the component tests on the second set of components until component tests have been executed on the first set of components; wherein the execution schedule for executing the component tests on the plurality of interconnected devices is based on the first set of conditions and the second set of conditions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the component tests are embodied in finite-state machines. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: grouping components of the plurality of interconnected devices into groups of components capable of being tested in parallel; wherein the execution schedule for executing the component tests is further based on criteria comprising the groups of components capable of being tested in parallel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the execution schedule for executing the component tests is further based on criteria comprising at least one constraint for starting execution of the component tests and at least one constraint for maintaining execution of the component tests to minimize a total execution time of the component tests. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the execution schedule for executing the component tests is further based on criteria comprising states of the finite-state machines. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: monitoring the states of the finite-state machines, and in response to a change in the state of any of the finite-state machines, updating the at least one constraint for starting execution of the component tests, or updating the at least one constraint for maintaining execution of the component tests. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: detecting that one of the components is unresponsive to the corresponding component test; placing the unresponsive component into a recovery state; and updating the constraints to indicate that the unresponsive component is removed from the groups of components capable of being tested in parallel.