Method and apparatus for representing a building system enabling facility viewing for maintenance purposes

• US 20060010388A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Ahmed, Osman, Songkakul, Pornsak, Rule, Thomas, Phoenix, George, Imhof, Raphael
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/734
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method of displaying information regarding a building includes a step of storing a model of a building system in a memory, the model comprising a plurality of building objects. The building objects include building space objects and building automation device objects. Each object has a first field referencing at least one related object. The method also includes generating display information regarding a first object. The method further includes identifying a second object referenced in the first field of the first object and generating display information regarding the second object.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information regarding a building, comprising:

a) storing a model of a building system in a memory, the model comprising a plurality of building objects, the building objects including building space objects and building automation device objects, each object having a first field referencing at least one related object;

b) generating display information regarding a first object,

c) identifying a second object referenced in the first field of the first object; and

d) generating display information regarding the second object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first field of the first object identifies at least one parent object of the first object, the at least one parent object including the second object.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first object further includes at least one child object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first field of the first object identifies a plurality of related objects including the second object, and wherein step c) further comprises filtering the plurality of related objects of the first field of the first object to identify the second object.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, prior to step b), receiving a request including information identifying the first object and at least one parameter for filtering objects from the first field of the first object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one parameter is one from the group consisting of:

HVAC device objects, security device objects, and architectural objects.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first object and the second object includes at least one second field containing information regarding a physical device represented by each respective object.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising generating display information including a selectable link which, when actuated by a user, provides access to information contained in the second field of each of the first object and the second object.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the information of the second field of the first object includes a reference to a file containing manufacturer-generated data regarding the associated physical device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information of the second field of the first object includes calibration information regarding the associated physical device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the information of the second field of the first object includes a reference to an executable software program regarding the associated physical device.