FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20130311634A1
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raymond & LAE Engineering LLC
• Original Assignee: Raymond & Lae Engineering Inc.
• Inventors: Raymond, Donald M., Stelzer, Rick
• Granted Patent: US 9,420,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Disclosed is a facilities management system that utilizes embedded maps in nested facilities management devices. The facilities management devices are connected to a network and are linked in map images that indicate the location of the facilities management devices, as well as the locations of sensors. In addition, the links indicate the existence of an alarm condition, so that users can drill down on the links to locate a sensor that has created the alarm condition. The facilities management system utilizes various management systems and various protocols to provide a wide range of options for facilities managers.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring and managing systems in a facility comprising:

connecting a first facilities management device to a network with an address on said network;

embedding a first map image in said facilities management device;

connecting additional facilities management devices to said network that have additional addresses;

embedding additional map images in said additional facilities management devices by accessing said additional addresses;

placing links on said first map image that indicate a location of at least one of said additional facilities management devices and an operational state of a sensor coupled to said at least one of said additional facilities management devices

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said process of embedding a first map comprises:

embedding a first geographical map that indicates a location of said additional facilities management devices.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said process of embedding additional map images comprises:

embedding additional map images that indicate a location of sensors attached to said at least one additional facilities management devices.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said process of embedding additional map images comprises:

embedding additional geographical map images that indicate a location of said additional facilities management devices.

5. A facilities management system comprising:

a first level facilities management device that is connected to a network at a specified address that contains a first embedded map image;

additional facilities management devices connected to said network at additional connection levels to said first level facilities management device that have additional embedded map images;

at least one first level embedded link on said first embedded map image that links to at least one of said additional facilities management devices, said at least one first level embedded link disposed on said first embedded map image at a position that indicates a location of said at least one of said additional facilities management devices and an operational stage of a sensor linked to said at least one of said additional facilities management devices;

at least one additional level embedded link disposed on said additional embedded map images that links to said at least one of the group comprising said an additional facilities management device and a sensor, said at least one additional level embedded link disposed on said additional embedded map images at a location of at least one of the group comprising said additional facilities management device and said sensor and an operational state of at least one of the group comprising a sensor linked to said additional facilities management device and said sensor.

6. The facilities management system of claim 5 wherein said first embedded map image is a first geographical map.

7. The facilities management system of claim 6 wherein said additional embedded map images are selected from the group comprising a second geographical map and a sensor map.

8. The facilities management system of claim 6 wherein said additional embedded map images comprise at least one second geographical map and at least one sensor map.