Event manager for use in a facilities monitoring system having network-level and protocol-neutral communication with a physical device

• US 20060136558A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Modius, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Modius, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartley, Jay, Sheehan, Thomas, Zhang, Ziji
• Application Number:
  US11/313,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136558A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

A method and a system for the off site monitoring/diagnostics, command/control, alarm/event management, historical/trend analysis, and configuration/administration of building automation systems through an event manager for use in a facilities monitoring system having network-level and protocol-neutral communication with a physical device. The method includes managing a non internet protocol-based physical device, including coupling a device gateway with the physical device, wherein the device gateway is configured to expose the physical device as a networked device on a server. The method also includes receiving event information from the coupled physical device, wherein the event information includes an event and a device identifier; responsive to a determination that the event information includes an actionable event, processing the event, the device identifier, and the actionable event to determine a responsible process; and notifying the responsible process of the event.

Claims

1. A method of managing a non internet protocol-based physical device, comprising:

coupling a device gateway with a non internet protocol-based physical device, the device gateway configured to expose the physical device as a networked device on a server;

receiving event information from the physical device, wherein the event information includes an event and a device identifier;

responsive to a determination that the event information includes an actionable event, processing the event information, the device identifier, and the actionable event to determine a responsible process; and

notifying the responsible process of the event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the event information comprises information related to a discovery event, and wherein a discovery event occurs when a physical device is coupled with the device gateway.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the event information comprises information related to a discovery event, and wherein a discovery event occurs when a physical device is decoupled from the device gateway.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the event information comprises information related to a discovery event, and wherein a discovery event occurs when meta-information about the device gateway is changed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a change in a meta-information comprises a change selected from the group consisting of:

a change in the name, change in the make, change in the model, change in the point information, change in the alarm information, and combinations thereof, for a component of the device gateway.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the event information comprises data event information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein data event information comprises information related to an event selected from the group consisting of:

a raw data event, a state change event, an alarm event, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing the event information comprises updating an event database.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing the event information comprises inserting audit records into an event database.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the notifying comprises exchanging event data with a mail server.