Wireless building control architecture
First Claim
1. A control system for wireless building automation control, the control system comprising:
- a first wireless network in a building having first wireless communications protocol; and
a second wireless network in the building having a second wireless communications protocol, the first wireless communications protocol different than the second wireless communications protocol;
wherein the first wireless network is operable to control, free of communications with the second wireless network, building components in response to sensors, and wherein the first wireless network is also operable to control the building components in response to data from the second wireless network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
On a first level of the wireless building automation architecture, sensors and associated actuators communicate directly. The sensor performs control processes appropriate for the sensor and regardless of the type of actuator being used. The actuator performs control processes specific to the actuator regardless of the type of sensor being used. By direct wireless communication between sensors and actuators, the opportunity for a failed communications link using a hub and spoke arrangement may be avoided. Communication redundancy is provided by receiving the outputs of sensors at a controller, such as a controller on a second high speed or high bandwidth tier of the architecture. Regional control is implemented in the higher level tier. The higher level tier may override or control operation of components of the lower level tier as needed. The distributed control processing allows for more convenient room level integration. Where a problem is detected, such as a fire, corrective action begins within the immediate region of the sensor generating an alarm signal. The corrective action occurs without routing the alarm signal to upper levels of control processes or across different systems. The alarm signal is also propagated to upper level control systems for generating appropriate responses in other zones. To provide the different zones and avoid interference, the transmit power of the sensors and actuators is controlled as a function of two or more other devices.
163 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A control system for wireless building automation control, the control system comprising:
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a first wireless network in a building having first wireless communications protocol; and
a second wireless network in the building having a second wireless communications protocol, the first wireless communications protocol different than the second wireless communications protocol;
wherein the first wireless network is operable to control, free of communications with the second wireless network, building components in response to sensors, and wherein the first wireless network is also operable to control the building components in response to data from the second wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 62)
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15. A method for wireless building automation control, the method comprising:
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(a) wirelessly controlling building actuator outputs in response to sensor inputs without an intervening controller;
(b) performing the wireless communications of (a) pursuant to a first communications protocol; and
(c) wirelessly controlling the building actuator outputs with the intervening controller in response to sensor inputs, the building actuator outputs operating free of the intervening controller in a first time period and being in response to the intervening controller in a second, different time period. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 63)
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28. A control system for wireless building automation control, the control system comprising:
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a sensor arrangement having a sensor, a sensor processor and a radio frequency transmitter;
an actuator arrangement having an actuator, an actuator processor and a radio frequency receiver, the sensor arrangement spaced from the actuator arrangement such that the radio frequency receiver is operable to receive information from the radio frequency transmitter; and
a control algorithm distributed on both the sensor processor and the actuator processor;
wherein the portion of the control algorithm on the sensor processor is specific to the sensor and the portion of the control algorithm on the actuator processor is specific to the actuator, the sensor processor being free of control algorithms for other devices; and
wherein the control algorithm is operable to control, free of input from an external controller, a parameter as a function of the sensor and the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 33)
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31. A method for wireless building automation control, the method comprising:
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(a) performing a sensor control process on a sensor, the sensor control process specific to the sensor without control processes for other sensors and other actuators;
(b) wirelessly transmitting an output from the sensor responsive to the sensor control process;
(c) receiving the output at an actuator;
(d) performing an actuator control process on the actuator as a function of the output, the actuator control process specific to the actuator without control processes for other sensors and other actuators;
wherein the sensor and actuator control processes are operable without control from any external controller. - View Dependent Claims (32, 64)
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34. A system for wireless building automation control, the system comprising:
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a first building control system device having a transmitter;
second and third building control system devices having second and third receivers, respectively; and
a control processor operable to set a transmit power of the transmitter as a function of information from the second and third receivers. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for wireless building automation control, the method comprising:
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(a) transmitting a radio frequency signal from a first building control system device;
(b) attempting receipt of the radio frequency signal at second and third building control system devices; and
(c) setting a transmit power of the transmitter as a function of information from the second and third building control system devices. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for wireless building automation control, the method comprising:
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(a) wirelessly transmitting from a sensor within a room of a building an alarm signal;
(b) receiving the alarm signal directly from the sensor at an actuator associated with the room;
(c) operating the actuator in response to the alarm signal;
(d) wirelessly propagating the alarm signal outside the room and within the building; and
(e) responding to the alarm signal differently in another room. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A device for wireless building automation control, the device comprising:
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a processor;
a first transceiver connected with the processor, the first transceiver operable for wireless communication with building control sensors, building control actuators or combinations thereof; and
a second transceiver connected with the processor, the second transceiver operable for wireless communication different than the wireless communication of the first transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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Specification