SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MODELING BUILDING RESOURCES

• US 20110154265A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Yen, Peter N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for modeling building resources. In overview, building resources are represented by points defined in an information system. These points are defined in a manner so as to allow the generation of a hierarchical structure on their basis. A logical representation of this hierarchical structure, or part of this hierarchical structure, is viewable by a client, for example by way of a browser application. In various embodiments, the logical representation implements functionalities including alarm aggregation and/or scope of responsibility filtering.

Claims

1. A method for modeling building resources, the method including the steps of:

(a) receiving data indicative of a plurality of points, each point including data indicative of an item name, data indicative of a containment parent, and data indicative of an operational state;

(b) for the plurality of points, on the basis of their respective data indicative of containment parents, generating a construct indicative of a hierarchical structure wherein each point is nested beneath its containment parent;

(c) in the case that, for a given one of the points, the data indicative of an operational state meets predefined characteristics, associating an alarm condition with that point;

(d) upwardly aggregating alarm conditions in the hierarchical structure such that an alarm condition associated with a given one of the points is identifiable based on one or more points beneath which that point is nested.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the points include process points, which are configured for monitoring respective monitorable resources, and location points, which describe locations of either one or more process points or one or more location points in the construct.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the points each belong to one of a plurality of point categories, and wherein points belonging to a similar category are hierarchically nested beneath a common root parent representative of that category, and wherein the point categories include:

(a) a facility category, wherein the points belonging to the facility category are hierarchically nested beneath a common facility root parent, and wherein the points belonging to the facility category are representative of either a facility monitorable resource or a building descriptor; and

(b) a system category, wherein the points belonging to the system category are hierarchically nested beneath a common system root parent, and wherein the points belonging to the system category are representative of either a system device or a system descriptor.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein the point categories include further a user category, wherein the points belonging to the user category are hierarchically nested beneath a common user root parent, and wherein the points belonging to the user category are representative of either a user device or a user descriptor.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of points include one or more SOR assignable points that are selectively SOR assignable to one or more clients on the basis of a scope of responsibility protocol.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein a given client is able to view an SOR assignable point, and therefore points nested beneath that SOR assignable point;

only in the case that the SOR assignable point has been SOR assigned to that client.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the hierarchical structure is at least in part representable as an expandable tree-structure in a graphical user interface.

8. A computer-readable carrier medium carrying a set of instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to carry out a method according to claim 1.

9. A system for managing building resources, the system including a processor configured for performing a method according to claim 1.

10. A method for modeling building resources, the method including the steps of:

(a) reading from a storage location data indicative of a plurality of points, each point including data indicative of an item name, data indicative of a containment parent, and data indicative of an operational state;

(b) for the plurality of points, on the basis of their respective data indicative of containment parents, generating a construct indicative of a hierarchical structure wherein each point is nested beneath its containment parent;

(c) being responsive to a request from a client to access the construct for determining a scope of responsibility for the client;

(d) on the basis of the scope of responsibility, identifying one or more of the points in the construct that are to be made available to the client;

(e) making available to the client data indicative of the identified one or more points such that the client is able to view an interactive representation of those points in a hierarchical structure.

11. A method according to claim 10 including the steps of:

(f) in the case that, for a given one of the points, the data indicative of an operational state meets predefined characteristics, associating an alarm condition with that point;

(g) upwardly aggregating alarm conditions in the hierarchical structure such that an alarm condition associated with a given one of the points is identifiable based on one or more points beneath which that point is nested.

13. A method according to claim 10 wherein the points each belong to one of a plurality of point categories, and wherein points belonging to a similar category are hierarchically nested beneath a common root parent representative of that category, and wherein the point categories include:

(a) a facility category, wherein the points belonging to the facility category are hierarchically nested beneath a common facility root parent, and wherein the points belonging to the facility category are representative of either a facility monitorable resource or a building descriptor; and

(b) a system category, wherein the points belonging to the system category are hierarchically nested beneath a common system root parent, and wherein the points belonging to the system category are representative of either a system device or a system descriptor.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the point categories include a user category, wherein the points belonging to the user category are hierarchically nested beneath a common system root parent, and wherein the points belonging to the system category are representative of either a user device or a user descriptor.

15. A method according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of points include one or more SOR assignable points that are selectively SOR assignable to one or more users on the basis of a scope of responsibility protocol.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein a given user is able to view an SOR assignable point, and therefore points nested beneath that SOR assignable point;

only in the case that the SOR assignable point has been SOR assigned to that user.

17. A method according to claim 10 wherein the hierarchical structure is representable as an expandable tree-structure in a graphical user interface.

18. A computer-readable carrier medium carrying a set of instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to carry out a method according to claim 10.

19. A system for managing building resources, the system including a processor configured for performing a method according to claim 10.

12. A method according to claim 12 wherein the points include process points, which are configured for monitoring respective monitorable resources, and location points, which describe locations of either one or more process points or one or more location points in the construct.

20. A method for modeling building resources, the method including the steps of:

(a) identifying data indicative of a plurality of points, each point including data indicative of an item name, and data indicative of a containment parent, wherein the points have a common containment parent describing a first building zone; and

(b) creating a duplicate branch based on the common containment parent, wherein the duplicate branch provides a template for describing a second building zone, and wherein respective duplications of one or more of the plurality of points are assigned respective adjusted item names.