Configuration output system

• US 20060058922A1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Lambert, R. Scott, Kruk, James L., Gardner, Latasha, Gillespie, Brian P., Lange, Toby
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

A configuration output system for use with a building automation system is provided. The configuration output system includes a database and an output engine block. The database contains a configuration data set selected by a user. The output engine block is operable to generate a plurality of types of outputs representing the configured building automation system as a function of the configuration data set.

Claims

1. A configuration output system for use with a building automation system, the output system comprising:

a database containing a configuration data set selected by a user; and

an output engine block operable to generate a plurality of types of outputs representing the configured building automation system as a function of the configuration data set.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the output engine block formats the configuration data set to be suitable for the plurality of types of outputs.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the output engine block comprises a plurality of engines and each engine is operable to generate a different type of output based on the configuration data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the output engine is operable to generate a graphical output representing the configured building automation system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the output engine is operable to generate an electrical schematic drawing.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the output engine is operable to generate a mechanical schematic drawing.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the output engine is operable to generate a graphical drawing.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the graphical drawing includes at least one of symbol and icon, or combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the output engine is operable to provide a textual output representing the configured building automation system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the output engine is operable to provide a summary of the configured building automation system.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the output engine is operable to provide an estimate cost of the configured building automation system.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the output engine is operable to provide a detailed description of operation of the configured building automation system.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the output engine is operable to provide a programmed specification of the configured building automation system.

14. A computer-readable medium having instructions executable on a computer stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

receiving data associated with user-selected features for a configured building automation system;

filtering the received data to form at least one data group; and

generating a plurality of types of outputs based on the filtered data.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the filtering instruction comprises:

identifying at least one device from the data associated with user-selected features.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form an element data group; and

determining at least one element from the element data group, the element representing the identified device.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

determining coordinates of the determined element; and

displaying the element at a location set by the determined coordinates.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form a page data group; and

determining at least one page from the page data group, the page associated with the determined element.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying the element at the location set by the determined coordinates on the associated page.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

assigning a different level of hierarchy to the data group.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form a device data group, at least one device being identified from the data associated with user-selected features;

filtering the data to form an element data group, an element representing the device; and

filtering the data to form a page data group, a page being associated with the element.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the assigning instruction comprises:

assigning a higher level of hierarchy to the device data group; and

assigning the same level of hierarchy to the graphic element data group and the page data group.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the assigning instruction comprises:

assigning a high level of hierarchy to the device data group;

assigning an intermediate level of hierarchy to the graphic element data group; and

assigning a low level of hierarchy to the page data group.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form a coordinates data group, a coordinates indicating a location of the element to be displayed.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the assigning instruction comprises:

assigning a lower level of hierarchy to the coordinates data group than the page data group.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form a budget data group including information for a budget detail instance, the budget detail instance being identified from the data associated with user-selected features;

filtering the budget data group to form an estimating ID data group, an estimating ID identifying at least one device associated with user-selected features; and

filtering the budget data group to form a budget quantity data group, a budget quantity being associated with the number of device.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form a section data group, at least one section being identified from the data associated with user-selected features and including a textual representation of the user-selected features;

filtering the section data group to form a table data group, wherein the user-selected features are described in a table; and

filtering the table data group to form a row data group and a column data group, a row and a column identifying a cell of the table.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form a section data group, at least one section being identified from the data associated with user-selected features and including a textual representation of the user-selected features;

filtering the section data group to form a sentence data group, a sentence textually describing the user-selected features; and

filtering the sentence data group to form a text data group, a text being associated with the sentence.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form a section data group, at least one section being identified from the data associated with user-selected features and including a textual representation of the user-selected features;

filtering the section data group to form a comment data group, a comment including non-executable lines of code providing a textual description of the user-selected features; and

filtering the comment data group to form a text data group, a text being associated with the comment.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the filtering instruction further comprises:

filtering the data to form a section data group, at least one section being identified from the data associated with user-selected features and including a textual representation of the user-selected features;

filtering the section data group to form a code data group including at least one executable code line; and

filtering the code data group to form at least one subdata group of the code data group, the subdata group including information associating the code line with the user-selected features.

31. A method for generating an output for a building automation system configuration, comprising:

receiving data associated with user-selected features for the configured system;

processing the received data to form a set of output data; and

generating a plurality of types of outputs based on the one set of output data.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

providing options for selecting the plurality of types of outputs using a tool bar.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

displaying one of the plurality of types of outputs upon selection using the tool bar.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the plurality of types of outputs further comprises generating a graphical output and a textual output.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

operating a plurality of data processing engines, wherein the received data is imported to the plurality of data processing engines.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

formatting the set of output data to be suitable for the plurality of types of outputs.