Field Device Management

• US 20090009298A1
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Buildings AB (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Buildings AB (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Hallgren, Lars-Goran, Brissman, Jan, Scheja, Christer
• Granted Patent: US 7,924,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.510
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23406 Programmer device, portable, handheld detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25061 Configuration stored in central database
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25062 Detect physical location of field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31328 Objects report their location to directory service
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31334 Database with devices, configuration, of plant
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33199 Transponder
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system for facility management is disclosed, comprising a plurality of system devices each provided with an identity tag uniquely identifying the system device; a system layout database comprising facility layout data including intentional positions of the system devices; a system device database comprising data and identity for each system device; and an operator tool enabled to communicate with the system layout database and system device database, the operator tool being provided with a tag reader enabled to read an identity from the tags of the system devices when being in the vicinity of the system devices, wherein the operator tool is arranged to access data from the system device database about the system device and include said identity in an item of the system layout database. An operator tool and methods for managing the facility management system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for facility management, comprising:

a plurality of system devices each provided with an identity tag uniquely identifying said system device;

a system layout database comprising facility layout data including intentional positions of said system devices;

a system device database comprising, for each of said system devices, data and identity; and

an operator tool enabled to communicate with said system layout database and said system device database, said operator tool being provided with a tag reader enabled to read an identity from a tag of a system device when being in the vicinity of said system device, wherein said operator tool is arranged to access data from said system device database about said system device and include said identity in an item of the system layout database, said item being related to said system device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system layout database is enabled to communicate with said device database.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said identity tag comprises a transponder for wireless communication with said tag reader of said operator tool.

4. The system according to claim 1, comprising means for determining actual positions of said system devices for updating said system layout database.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said tags is a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said RFID transponder is re-programmable.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said RFID transponder is a passive transponder.

8. The system device according to claim 5, wherein said RFID transponder is an active transponder.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least on of said tags is a Bluetooth device, an optical tranceiver, an infrared data association (IRDA) device, an infra red communications device, a light scanned device, a bar code, a magnetic device, or an acoustic device, or any combination thereof.

24. The system according to claim 2, wherein said identity tag comprises a transponder for wireless communication with said tag reader of said operator tool.

25. The system according to claim 6, wherein said RFID transponder is a passive transponder.

26. The system device according to claim 6, wherein said RFID transponder is an active transponder.

10. An operator tool comprising:

a communication interface for communication with a system layout database of a system for facility management and a system device database;

a tag reader for reading a tag of a system device; and

a processing unit connected to said communication interface and said tag reader for processing items received via said communication interface in response to information received by said tag reader.

11. The operator tool of claim 10, wherein said tag reader is a scanner for a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder.

12. The operator tool of claim 11, wherein said scanner is enabled to write information to a RFID transponder.

13. The operator tool according to claim 10, wherein said tag reader is adapted to read a Bluetooth device, an optical tranceiver, an infrared data association (IRDA) device, an infra red communications device, a light scanned device, a bar code, a magnetic device, or an acoustic device, or any combination thereof.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said updating further comprises including said data from said system device database.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising presenting said data to a user.

19. A method for managing a facility management system, comprising the steps of:

sending a signal from an operator tool to a system device;

receiving an echo from said system device, wherein said echo comprises a unique identity of said system device;

accessing a database item from a system device database, said item comprising data and identity of said system device;

mapping said identity to a first database item of a system layout database; and

updating said first database item to include said identity.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said updating further comprises including said data from said system device database.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of downloading an item from a system layout database to said operator tool, wherein said item of said system layout database comprises said first database item.

22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

communicating said updated first item to said system layout database;

creating a logical connection between said item of said layout database and an item of a system device database corresponding to said unique identity of said system device; and

adding information from said item of said system device database to said item of said system layout database.

23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising presenting said data to a user.

28. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of downloading an item from a system layout database to said operator tool, wherein said item of said system layout database comprises said first database item.

27. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

mapping said identity to a first database item of a system layout database; and

updating said first database item to include said identity.