Wireless Building Control Architecture
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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.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1-49. -49. (canceled)
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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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59-64. -64. (canceled)
Specification