Fan coil thermostats can provide energy savings by, for example, operating a fan coil system more efficiently. Fan coil systems employing such a fan coil thermostat may be more energy efficient. A fan coil system may include a fan coil that is configured for fluid communication with a source of heated fluid and/or a source of cooled fluid, a valve that controls fluid flow through the fan coil and a fan that blows air across the fan coil. The fan coil thermostat may include a controller that implements a control algorithm that calculates an error percentage value relating to a temperature difference between the current temperature and the temperature set point. The error percentage value may include a proportional term related to the temperature difference and an integral term related to the temperature difference. The controller may regulate the fan speed in accordance with the calculated error percentage.

An automation operating and management system consolidates and analyzes inputs from multiple machines within an automated enterprise to predict failures and provide instructions for counteractions to prevent failures during machine operation, and to identify opportunities for efficiency improvement, including actions for reduction in peak power consumption demand within a facility including multiple machines. A machine can include a machine controller and at least one base layer controller, where the base layer controller acts as a low level controller to directly control the motion of elements in communication with the base layer control, according to parameters set by the machine controller. The base layer controller collects timing data for the elements under its control, compares the timing data with the parameters and sets an alarm when the timing data is outside of tolerance limits defined by the parameters.

An automation operating and management system consolidates and analyzes inputs from multiple machines within an automated enterprise to predict failures and provide instructions for counteractions to prevent failures during machine operation, and to identify opportunities for efficiency improvement, including actions for reduction in peak power consumption demand within a facility including multiple machines. A machine can include a machine controller and at least one base layer controller, where the base layer controller acts as a low level controller to directly control the motion of elements in communication with the base layer control, according to parameters set by the machine controller. The base layer controller collects timing data for the elements under its control, compares the timing data with the parameters and sets an alarm when the timing data is outside of tolerance limits defined by the parameters.

Meeting the safety requirements of automation systems in a more flexible manner, the invention provides a control and data transmission system for controlling safety-critical processes comprising a plurality of I/O modules connected via a first communication network to a gateway module. The gateway module is connected to a second communication network hierarchically superior to the first communication network and acts as a gateway between the first and the second communication networks. At least one of the I/O modules comprises a diagnosis unit for generating status data relating to the functional state of an input and/or output and/or of a process device. The gateway module and the I/O modules communicate via the first communication network in a safe manner to transfer status data and input and/or output data. The gateway module performs safety processing of the status data and/or of the input and/or output data.

Meeting the safety requirements of automation systems in a more flexible manner, the invention provides a control and data transmission system for controlling safety-critical processes comprising a plurality of I/O modules connected via a first communication network to a gateway module. The gateway module is connected to a second communication network hierarchically superior to the first communication network and acts as a gateway between the first and the second communication networks. At least one of the I/O modules comprises a diagnosis unit for generating status data relating to the functional state of an input and/or output and/or of a process device. The gateway module and the I/O modules communicate via the first communication network in a safe manner to transfer status data and input and/or output data. The gateway module performs safety processing of the status data and/or of the input and/or output data.

Techniques include systems, computerized methods, and computer readable media for creating a graphical program in a graphical program development environment. A spreadsheet node having an input terminal in the graphical program is instantiated. The spreadsheet node is associated with a spreadsheet that specifies a list of functions to be executed in a computing device, and the input terminal is connected to the first terminal of the first node, indicating a data connection between the first terminal of the first node and the input terminal of the spreadsheet node. The input terminal of the spreadsheet node is associated with a first cell in the spreadsheet, indicating that the first cell in the spreadsheet be populated with any data received by the input terminal. A human readable file is generated specifying the graphical program, including the spreadsheet node.

Techniques include systems, computerized methods, and computer readable media for creating a graphical program in a graphical program development environment. A spreadsheet node having an input terminal in the graphical program is instantiated. The spreadsheet node is associated with a spreadsheet that specifies a list of functions to be executed in a computing device, and the input terminal is connected to the first terminal of the first node, indicating a data connection between the first terminal of the first node and the input terminal of the spreadsheet node. The input terminal of the spreadsheet node is associated with a first cell in the spreadsheet, indicating that the first cell in the spreadsheet be populated with any data received by the input terminal. A human readable file is generated specifying the graphical program, including the spreadsheet node.

A sensor for sensing environmental characteristics of a space may include a visible light sensing circuit for recording an image of the space and a control circuit responsive to the visible light sensing circuit. The control circuit may detect an occupancy or vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit, and measure a light level in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit. The control circuit may also include a low-energy occupancy sensing circuit for detecting an occupancy condition in the space. The control circuit may disable the visible light sensing circuit when the space is vacant. The control circuit may detect an occupancy condition in the space in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit and subsequently enable the visible light sensing circuit. The visible light sensor may be configured in a way that protects the privacy of the occupants of the space.

A sensor for sensing environmental characteristics of a space may include a visible light sensing circuit for recording an image of the space and a control circuit responsive to the visible light sensing circuit. The control circuit may detect an occupancy or vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit, and measure a light level in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit. The control circuit may also include a low-energy occupancy sensing circuit for detecting an occupancy condition in the space. The control circuit may disable the visible light sensing circuit when the space is vacant. The control circuit may detect an occupancy condition in the space in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit and subsequently enable the visible light sensing circuit. The visible light sensor may be configured in a way that protects the privacy of the occupants of the space.

According to an aspect, there is provided a method for evaluating safety of a speed of a motor controlled by a frequency converter. The method comprises, first, measuring first, second and third phase currents of three-phase electric power fed from the frequency converter to the motor and forming first, second and third current measurement pairs based thereon. Then, the speed of the motor is estimated separately based on each measurement pair to produce respective first, second and third estimates for the speed of the motor. A voting logic is applied to the first, second and third estimates. An output of the voting logic is fed to a safety logic controlling at least one safety function of the frequency converter. The output of the voting logic comprises an estimate for the speed of the motor and an indication whether or not said final estimate is valid according to the voting logic.