GENERIC CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS SHARED AMONGST GROUPS OF STORE CONTROLLERS

• US 20170357535A1
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parker Intangibles LLC (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
• Inventors: BRASSARD, Jean-Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,545,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating

Abstract

A system for controlling a plurality of facilities includes a plurality of facility modules for controlling operation of a facility, each facility module corresponding to a respective facility of the plurality of facilities, and a control module communicatively coupled to the plurality of facility modules. The control module has access to a plurality of configuration parameter groups, each configuration parameter group of the plurality of configuration parameter groups including at least one configuration parameter, and association logic defining an association between at least some of the plurality of facility modules and at least one configuration parameter group. Upon a configuration parameter group being modified, the control module is configured to identify the modified configuration parameter group and identify from the association logic facilities associated with the modified configuration parameter group, and communicate the modified configuration parameter group to each associated facility modules.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a plurality of facilities, comprising:

a plurality of facility modules for controlling operation of a facility, each facility module corresponding to a respective facility of the plurality of facilities;

a control module communicatively coupled to the plurality of facility modules, the control module having access to

i) a plurality of configuration parameter groups, each configuration parameter group of the plurality of configuration parameter groups including at least one configuration parameter, and

ii) association logic defining an association between at least some of the plurality of facility modules and at least one configuration parameter group;

wherein upon a configuration parameter group being modified, the control module is configured to identify the modified configuration parameter group and identify from the association logic facilities associated with the modified configuration parameter group, and

communicate the modified configuration parameter group to each associated facility modules.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the configuration parameter groups correspond to one of a lighting schedule, a climate control schedule, or an alarm template.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of configuration parameter groups are stored only as a single copy.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein upon a configuration parameter group being changed, the control module sets a flag corresponding each facility associated with the changed configuration parameter group.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each facility module is configured to periodically request from the control module updates to the configuration parameter groups associated with the facility module.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control module and facility modules communicate via a network.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a database server and a database accessible by the database server, the database storing at least one of the configuration parameter groups and association logic.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control module further includes a web server configured to enable web access to the control module.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control module further includes a business rules server configured to implement access restrictions to the control module.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control module further includes a facilities server configured to enable communication between the control module and the plurality of facility modules.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of configuration parameter groups are stored only in a single centralized storage location.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the association logic comprises an association matrix.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the association matrix is one of a two-dimensional matrix or a three-dimensional matrix.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the association logic comprises templates defining generic parameters, the templates being assigned to a respective facility.