Method and system for service verification using access control system

• US 10,735,418 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2017
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Fire Protection LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Norton, Alexandra K., Brown, Tyler H., Galvez, Miguel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeudy, Josnel
• Application Number:
  US15/707,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20190089703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/12 Checking intermittently signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/121 Timestamp cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements involving time stamps H04L9/3297
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A service management system facilitates and validates service on building management systems installed in a building with an access control system. A service workflow module receives device events from control panels of the building management systems and combines them with local service data from mobile computing devices of technicians performing the service, generating service events. A validation module receives the service events and retrieves access control events from an access control system controller of the access control system and determines whether they are coherent. The service workflow module also infers the location of the technician based on the access control events and sends service eligible devices to be displayed on the mobile computing devices of the technicians. In an alternative embodiment, device events from a building automation system such as a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system are further used to validate the service events.

Claims

1. A service management system for facilitating testing of a building management system of a building, comprising:

a service workflow module for receiving device events from the building management system and local service data from a mobile computing device operated by a technician and generating service events;

an access control system interface for receiving access control events from an access control system for the building; and

a validation module for analyzing the service events from the service workflow module and the access control events to validate the service on the building management system, wherein the validation module validates service events on the building management system based on whether the access control events indicate that access was granted to the technician by the access control system to zones of the building containing distributed devices and/or control panels of the building management system that were indicated in the service events.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the validation module further validates service on the building management system based on a comparison of a duration of time spent in zones of the building containing the distributed devices and/or control panels with a predetermined threshold.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the building management system is a fire alarm system.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the validation module validates testing the release of a fire door of the fire alarm system by determining whether the access control events indicate that the fire door closed.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the validation module validates testing of egress routes unlocked in response to an alarm state of the fire alarm system by determining whether the access control events indicate that the access points along the egress routes were unlocked and/or accessed.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein, during the service on the building management system, the service workflow module infers a zone of the building in which the technician is located based on the access control events, provides service eligibility information to the mobile computing device of the technician based on the inferred zone, and logs the local service data received from the mobile computing device.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising graphical user interfaces of the mobile computing devices for displaying the service eligibility information and for detecting input from the technician indicating local service data.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the service eligibility information includes an indication of distributed devices and/or control panels of the building management system located in the same zone as the inferred zone.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inferred zone is based on the most recent access control event and/or a sequence of access control events.

10. A method for facilitating testing of a building management system of a building, comprising:

a service workflow module receiving device events from the building management system and local service data from a mobile computing device operated by a technician, generating service events, and sending the service events to a validation module;

the validation module receiving access control events from an access control system for the building via an access control system interface and analyzing the service events from the service workflow module and the access control events to validate the service on the building management system, wherein the validation module validates service events on the building management system based on whether the access control events indicate that access was granted to the technician by the access control system to zones of the building containing distributed devices and/or control panels of the building management system that were indicated in the service events.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the validation module further validating service on the building management system based on a duration of time spent in the zones of the building containing the distributed devices and/or control panels.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the building management system is a fire alarm system.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the validation module validating testing the release of a fire door of the fire alarm system by determining whether the access control events indicate that the fire door closed.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the validation module validating testing of egress routes unlocked in response to an alarm state of the fire alarm system by determining whether the access control events indicate that the access points along the egress routes were unlocked and/or accessed.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising

the service workflow module, during the service on the building management system, receiving the access control events from the access control system via the access control system interface, inferring a zone of the building in which the technician is located based on the access control events, providing service eligibility information to the mobile computing device of the technician based on the inferred zone, and logging the local service data received from the mobile computing device.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising graphical user interfaces of the mobile computing devices displaying the service eligibility information and detecting input from the technician indicating the local service data.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the service eligibility information includes an indication of distributed devices and/or control panels of the building management system located in the same zone as the inferred zone.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising inferring the zone in which the technician is located based on the most recent access control event and/or a sequence of access control events.

19. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the building management system is a fire alarm system, and the method further comprises:

a fire alarm control panel, during the service on the building management system, sending instructions to release fire doors of the fire alarm system and/or unlock doors along egress routes of the building in response to an alarm state;

the service workflow module receiving the local service data, including results of inspections of the fire doors and/or the doors along the egress routes from the mobile computing device; and

the validation module determining whether the access control events indicate that the fire door closed and/or that the doors along the egress routes were unlocked, wherein the access control events include door position information generated by door position sensors for the fire door and/or for the doors along the egress route.