Small building automation control system
First Claim
1. A control system for controlling automated applications in a building environment comprising:
- a communications network;
a plurality of application controllers connected to said communications network, each of said application controllers including means for controlling operation of a corresponding automated device, each of said application controllers including a controller type;
a control interface connected to said communications network, said control interface including a database of at least one profile for an application controller type; and
self-configuration means for providing automated configuration of each of said application controllers on said network, said self-configuration means including means for conveying said controller type of said application controller from said application controller to said control interface, said self-configuration means further including means for configuring said application controller based on said profile corresponding to said controller type of said application controller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for operating and integrating automated applications in a small building environment. The control system includes a plurality of application controllers that control the operation of various automated applications, such as HVAC, lighting, access control and security. The control system further includes a local control interface that integrates and coordinates/controls operation of the various application controllers. The local control interface is preprogrammed with profiles for each of the different types of application controllers designed to operate with the system, but also is able to acquire new profiles from new or custom application controllers that are unknown to the local control interface at the time of installation. The profiles include control variable definitions for each of the control variables supported by the corresponding application controller. This information permits self-configuration of the application controllers. The control interface and application controllers communicate with explicit messages using explicit addressing. The structure of the explicit messages is preferably preprogrammed into the control interface and the application controllers.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A control system for controlling automated applications in a building environment comprising:
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a communications network;
a plurality of application controllers connected to said communications network, each of said application controllers including means for controlling operation of a corresponding automated device, each of said application controllers including a controller type;
a control interface connected to said communications network, said control interface including a database of at least one profile for an application controller type; and
self-configuration means for providing automated configuration of each of said application controllers on said network, said self-configuration means including means for conveying said controller type of said application controller from said application controller to said control interface, said self-configuration means further including means for configuring said application controller based on said profile corresponding to said controller type of said application controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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19. A control system for automated applications in a building environment comprising:
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a communications network;
a plurality of application controllers connected to said network, each of said application controllers providing automated operation of a corresponding application, each of said application controllers being capable of providing automated operation of said corresponding application in accordance with a plurality of control variables; and
a control interface connected to said network, said control interface including means for transmitting explicit messages to each of said application controllers, said explicit messages including commands for adjusting said control variables of said application controller;
wherein each of said application controllers includes means for processing said commands received from said control interface in said explicit messages and means for adjusting a value of said control variables in accordance with said command, whereby said control interface is capable of controlling operation of said application controllers.
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32. A control system for controlling operation of automated applications within a building environment comprising:
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a communications network;
a plurality of application controllers connected to said network, each of said application controllers having a controller type and including means for controlling operation of a corresponding application in accordance with a plurality of control variables, each of said application controllers including means for exchanging explicit messages over said network;
a control interface connected to said network, said control interface including means for exchanging explicit messages with said application controllers, said control interface including a profile database containing at least one profile, said profile providing an identification of and data structure for said control variables for said controller type; and
configuration means for configuring said application controllers within said control interface, said configuration means including means for exchanging explicit messages with an application controller to obtain said controller type of said application controller and means for accessing said profile database to determine said control variables relevant to operation of said application controller and said data structure of said control variables. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for configuring a control system for automated applications in a building environment, comprising the steps of:
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providing a control interface and an application controller connected to a communications network;
pre-storing in the control interface a profile database containing at least one profile for at least one controller type, said profile including information required for configuration of an application controller of corresponding controller type;
pre-storing in the application controller a controller type;
providing the controller type to the control interface;
retrieving the profile from the database of profiles corresponding to the controller type provided to the control interface; and
configuring the application controller in accordance with the retrieved profile. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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49. A method for controlling operation of automated applications within a building environment, comprising the steps of:
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providing a communication network;
providing an application controller for each application to be controlled, each application controller controlling operation of the corresponding application in accordance with a plurality of control variables, each application controller having a controller type and being connected to the network;
providing a control interface connected to the network, the control interface being preprogrammed with at least one profile of control variables supported by at least one of said controller types; and
configuring an application controller of said at least one controller type within the control interface by retrieving the corresponding preprogrammed profile.
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62. A method for configuring a control system for controlling operation of automated applications, comprising the steps of:
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providing a communications network;
installing a control interface on the network, the control interface including a software image database containing at least one application controller control software image;
installing an application controller on the network, the application controller configured to operate in accordance with an application controller control software image;
downloading the application controller control software image from the control interface to the application controller via the network;
installing the control software image on the application controller; and
operating the application controller in accordance with the application controller control software image. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification