Building Control System

• US 20100142535A1
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Buildings AB (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: TAC AB (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Swainston, Michael Johnson
• Granted Patent: US 9,325,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]

Abstract

A method of operating a building control system includes installing a plurality of network devices to a communications network. Each of the plurality of network devices performs a device operation. The method also includes assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of network devices. The identifier is based on the device operation and a device location. The method further includes communicating information and coordinating operations automatically among the plurality of network devices based on the identifier.

Claims

1. A method of operating a building control system, the method comprising:

installing a plurality of network devices to a communications network, wherein each of the plurality of network devices includes a control application for performing a device operation;

assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of network devices, wherein the identifier is based on the device operation and a device location; and

;

communicating information and coordinating operations automatically among the plurality of network devices on the communications network based on the identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating and coordinating operations automatically among the plurality of network devices based on the identifier and a relative reference notation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the identifier comprises assigning a logical address having a range of 0 to 3,999,999 to each of the plurality of network devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the identifier comprises assigning a plurality of level designations having a hierarchical relationship.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein assigning the plurality of level designations comprises:

assigning a universe level designation to each of the plurality of network devices;

assigning a building level designation to each of the plurality of network devices;

assigning a zone level designation to each of the plurality of network devices; and

assigning a node level designation to each of the plurality of network devices.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein assigning the plurality of level designations comprises assigning a subdivision to at least one of the plurality of level designations.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein communicating information and coordinating operations comprises communicating information and coordinating operations automatically among network devices having common level designations.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising developing the control application of each of the plurality of network devices separate from installation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein developing the control application comprises developing a function related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

10. A building control system, comprising:

a communications network;

a plurality of network devices operably coupled to the communications network, wherein each of the plurality of network devices communicates information on the communications network;

a control unit operably coupled to each of the plurality of network devices, wherein the control unit is configured to control a device operation of each of the plurality of network devices;

an identification unit operably coupled to each of the plurality of network devices, wherein the identification unit is configured to assign an identifier to each of the plurality of network devices, wherein the identifier is based on the device operation and a device location; and

a communications unit operably coupled to each of the plurality of network devices, wherein the communications unit is configured to communicate information and to coordinate device operations automatically among the plurality of network devices on the communications network based on the identifier.

11. The building control system of claim 10, wherein the communications unit is further configured to communicate information and to coordinate device operations automatically based on the identifier and a relative reference notation.

12. The building control system of claim 10, wherein the identifier comprises a logical address having a range of 0 to 3,999,999.

13. The building control system of claim 10, wherein the identifier comprises a plurality of level designations having a hierarchical relationship.

14. The building control system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of level designations comprises a universe level designation, a building level designation, a zone level designation, and a node level designation.

15. The building control system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of level designations comprises a subdivision.

16. The building control system of claim 13, wherein the communications unit is configured to communicate information and to coordinate device operations automatically among network devices having common level designations.

17. The building control system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of network devices comprises a plurality of predefined object structures.

18. The building control system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of predefined object structures comprise an object type category, an object name category, a unit category, or an object identifier category.

19. The building control system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of predefined object structures comprise an outside air temperature, an occupancy status, a scheduled output, or a setpoint.

20. The building control system of claim 10, wherein the device operation comprises a function related to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

21. The building control system of claim 20, wherein the function comprises an air handling unit (AHU) function, a variable air volume (VAV) function, a rooftop function, a heat pump function, or a unit ventilator function.

22. The building control system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of network devices is manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers.

23. The building control system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of network devices communicates information over the communications network using a Building Automation and Controls Network (BACnet) protocol.

24. A network device, comprising:

a control unit configured to control a device operation of the network device;

an identification unit operably coupled to the control unit, wherein the identification unit is configured to assign an identifier for the network device, wherein the identifier is based on the device operation and a device location; and

a communications unit operably coupled to the identification unit, wherein the communications unit is configured to communicate information and to coordinate device operations automatically with another network device on a communications network based on the identifier.

25. The network device of claim 24, wherein the communications unit is further configured to communicate information and to coordinate device operations automatically with another network device on the communications network based on the identifier and a relative reference notation.

26. The network device of claim 24, wherein the identifier comprises a logical address having a range of 0 to 3,999,999.

27. The network device of claim 24, wherein the identifier comprises a plurality of level designations having a hierarchical relationship.

28. The network device of claim 27, wherein the plurality of level designations comprises a universe level designation, a building level designation, a zone level designation, and a node level designation.

29. The network device of claim 27, wherein at least one of the plurality of level designations comprises a subdivision.

30. The network device of claim 27, wherein the communications unit is configured to communicates information and to coordinate device operations automatically among network devices having common level designations.

31. The network device of claim 24, further comprising a plurality of predefined object structures.

32. The network device of claim 31, wherein the plurality of predefined object structures comprise an object type category, an object name category, a unit category, or an object identifier category.

33. The network device of claim 31, wherein the plurality of predefined object structures comprise an outside air temperature, an occupancy status, a scheduled output, or a setpoint.

34. The network device of claim 24, wherein the device operation comprises a function related to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

35. The network device of claim 34, wherein the function comprises an air handling unit (AHU) function, a variable air volume (VAV) function, a rooftop function, a heat pump function, or a unit ventilator function.