Sound-based HVAC system, method and device for diagnostics analysis

1. A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) analysis system, comprising:

a microphone positioned adjacent to one or more components of an HVAC system, wherein the one or more components of the HVAC system are configured to perform an operation that changes a temperature within a space, and wherein the microphone is configured to capture an audio signal of the one or more components of the HVAC system; and

an analysis device operably coupled to the microphone, comprising:

a memory operable to store an audio signature library comprising a plurality of audio signatures, wherein:

each audio signature identifies one or more attributes for a portion of an audio signal;

each audio signature is associated with a fault type for the HVAC system; and

each fault type is associated with a component identifier for a component of the HVAC system; and

a processor operably coupled to the memory, configured to:

send to the HVAC system instructions to perform the operation;

receive a first audio signal from the microphone while the HVAC system performs the operation;

generate a representation of the first audio signal;

identify one or more audio signatures from the audio signature library, wherein the one or more audio signatures are associated with the one or more components of the HVAC system;

compare the one or more audio signatures to the representation of the first audio signal;

determine that an audio signature from among the one or more audio signatures is not present within the representation of the first audio signal;

determine a fault type that is associated with the audio signature that is not present within the representation of the first audio signal;

identify a first component identifier for a first component of the HVAC system that is associated with the fault type; and

output the first component identifier.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to transition the microphone from an inactive state to an active state before operating the HVAC system, wherein:

the microphone is not configured to capture the first audio signal while in the inactive state; and

the microphone is configured to capture the first audio signal while in the active state.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a triggering event corresponding with a first fault for the HVAC system while operating the HVAC system; and

transition the microphone from an inactive state to an active state in response to the triggering event, wherein:

the microphone is not configured to capture the first audio signal while in the inactive state; and

the microphone is configured to capture the first audio signal while in the active state.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the representation of the first audio signal is a plot of amplitude over time for the first audio signal.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the representation of the first audio signal is a plot of frequencies over time for the first audio signal.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein outputting the first component identifier comprises displaying the first component identifier on a graphical user interface.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein outputting the first component identifier comprises sending the first component identifier to a device that is located outside of the space.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the memory is further operable to store instructions for servicing the components of the HVAC system; and

the processor is further configured to output instructions for servicing the first component of the HVAC system that is associated with the first component identifier.

9. A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) analysis method, comprising:

sending to an HVAC system instructions to perform an operation that changes a temperature within a space, wherein the HVAC system comprises one or more components configured toperform the operation;

receiving a first audio signal from a microphone while the HVAC system performs the operation;

generating a representation of the first audio signal, wherein:

the microphone is positioned adjacent to the one or more components of the HVAC system; and

the microphone is configured to capture the first audio signal of the one or more components of the HVAC system;

identifying one or more audio signatures from an audio signature library, wherein the one or more audio signatures are associated with the one or more components of the HVAC system;

comparing the one or more audio signatures to the representation of the first audio signal, wherein:

each audio signature identifies one or more attributes for a portion of an audio signal;

each audio signature is associated with a fault type for the HVAC system; and

each fault type is associated with a component identifier for a component of the HVAC system;

determining that an audio signature from among the one or more audio signatures is not present within the representation of the first audio signal;

determining a fault type that is associated with the audio signature that is not present within the representation of the first audio signal;

identifying a first component identifier for a first component of the HVAC system that is associated with the fault type; and

outputting the first component identifier.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transitioning the microphone from an inactive state to an active state before operating the HVAC system, wherein:

the microphone is not configured to capture the first audio signal while in the inactive state; and

the microphone is configured to capture the first audio signal while in the active state.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

detecting a triggering event corresponding with a first fault for the HVAC system while operating the HVAC system; and

transitioning the microphone from an inactive state to an active state in response to the triggering event, wherein:

the microphone is not configured to capture the first audio signal while in the inactive state; and

the microphone is configured to capture the first audio signal while in the active state.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the representation of the audio signal is a plot of amplitude over time for the first audio signal.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the representation of the audio signal is a plot of frequencies over time for the first audio signal.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein outputting the first component identifier comprises displaying the first component identifier on a graphical user interface.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein outputting the first component identifier comprises sending the first component identifier to a device that is located outside of the space.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising outputting instructions for servicing the first component of the HVAC system that is associated with the first component identifier.

17. A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) analysis device, comprising:

a memory operable to store an audio signature library comprising a plurality of audio signatures, wherein:

each audio signature identifies one or more attributes for a portion of an audio signal;

each audio signature is associated with a fault type for an HVAC system; and

each fault type is associated with a component identifier for a component of the HVAC system; and

a processor operably coupled to the memory, configured to:

send to the HVAC system instructions to perform an operation that changes a temperature within a space, wherein the HVAC system comprises one or more components configured to perform the operation;

receive a first audio signal from a microphone while HVAC system performs the operation;

generate a representation of the first audio signal;

identify one or more audio signatures from the audio signature library, wherein the one or more audio signatures are associated with the one or more components of the HVAC system;

compare the one or more audio signatures to the representation of the first audio signal;

determine that an audio signature from among the one or more audio signatures is not present within the representation of the first audio signal;

determine a fault type that is associated with the audio signature that is not present within the representation of the first audio signal;

identify a first component identifier for a first component of the HVAC system that is associated with the fault type; and

output the first component identifier.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to transition the microphone from an inactive state to an active state before operating the HVAC system, wherein:

the microphone is not configured to capture the first audio signal while in the inactive state; and

the microphone is configured to capture the first audio signal while in the active state.

19. The device of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a triggering event corresponding with a first fault for the HVAC system while operating the HVAC system; and

transition the microphone from an inactive state to an active state in response to the triggering event, wherein:

the microphone is not configured to capture the first audio signal while in the inactive state; and

the microphone is configured to capture the first audio signal while in the active state.

20. The device of claim 17 , wherein outputting the first component identifier comprises sending the first component identifier to a device that is located outside of the space.