SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING BUILDING SERVICES
First Claim
1. A method for attributing the costs of shared building resources for a building between a plurality of user groups, the method including the steps of:
- installing a plurality of access control devices at locations within the building;
configuring the access control devices for controlling access to respective shared building resources, wherein the access is functional rather than physical;
receiving, at the access control devices, data indicative of access requests, wherein each access request is indicative of a user group identifier for allowing identification of a user group to which a given access request is attributable;
processing each access request for respectively selectively granting an instance of access to the relevant shared building resource;
maintaining a database including data indicative of instances of access to the shared building resources, wherein each instance of access is associated with the user group identifier for the causal access request; and
on the basis of the data indicative of instances of access to the shared building resources and the associated user group identifiers, attributing the costs of the shared building resources between the plurality of user groups.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are systems and methods for managing building services. In overview, various embodiments provide software, hardware and methodologies underlying an approach to the management of building services as discussed herein. Generally speaking, data collected at an access control terminal is processed to determine building service costs, and appropriately attribute those costs to a relevant party or group of parties. In one example, a building has a conference room that is available for use by a plurality of tenants. To use the meeting room, an employee of one of the tenants provides an access control respective token to an access control terminal located in a conference room. This initiates a request, which is subsequently either granted or denied subject to an authorization/authentication procedure. Where the request is granted, the user is provided with access to a building service essentially defining usage of the conference room for a predetermined period of time. For example, lighting and air-conditioning is provided to the room for that predetermined period. A building service cost associated with that usage of the conference room is determined (for example in terms of power, maintenance, etc), and attributed to the relevant tenant.
128 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for attributing the costs of shared building resources for a building between a plurality of user groups, the method including the steps of:
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installing a plurality of access control devices at locations within the building; configuring the access control devices for controlling access to respective shared building resources, wherein the access is functional rather than physical; receiving, at the access control devices, data indicative of access requests, wherein each access request is indicative of a user group identifier for allowing identification of a user group to which a given access request is attributable; processing each access request for respectively selectively granting an instance of access to the relevant shared building resource; maintaining a database including data indicative of instances of access to the shared building resources, wherein each instance of access is associated with the user group identifier for the causal access request; and on the basis of the data indicative of instances of access to the shared building resources and the associated user group identifiers, attributing the costs of the shared building resources between the plurality of user groups. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer implemented method for attributing the costs of shared building resources for a building between a plurality of user groups for that building, the method including the steps of:
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maintaining data indicative of the configuration of a plurality of access control devices, wherein each access control device is configured for controlling access to a respective shared building resource, wherein the access is functional rather than physical; receiving, from the access control devices, data indicative of instances of access to the shared building resources, wherein each instance of access is able to be associated with a user group identifier for the causal access request for allowing identification of a user group to which a given access request is attributable; and on the basis of the data indicative of instances of access to the shared building resources and the associated user group identifiers, attributing the costs of the shared building resources between the plurality of user groups. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for attributing the costs of shared building resources for a building between a plurality of user groups for that building, the system including:
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a plurality of access control devices installed at locations within the building, wherein the access control devices are configured for controlling access to respective shared building resources, wherein the access is functional rather than physical, wherein controlling access to respective shared building resources includes, for a given device; (i) receiving, at the access control devices, data indicative of an access request, wherein the access request is indicative of a user group identifier for allowing identification of a user group to which the access request is attributable; and (ii) in response to the access request, selectively granting an instance of access to the relevant shared building resource; a database for maintaining data indicative of instances of access to the shared building resources, wherein each instance of access is associated with a user group identifier for the causal access request; and a computer system for, on the basis of the data indicative of instances of access to the shared building resources and the associated user group identifiers, attributing the costs of the shared building resources between the plurality of user groups. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16-20. -20. (canceled)
Specification