Activity based equipment scheduling method and system
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the scheduling and operation of a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system in a building that has a plurality of operating zones corresponding to areas within the building, wherein the system includes a user interface with a display and graphical calendar software the method comprising the steps of:
- inputting activity definition data for at least one predetermined activity including a name, said activity definition data including operational mode data identifying the zones that are affected be said predetermined activity and specifying how the system operates with respect to the identified zones;
storing said predetermined activity definition data;
selecting said stored predetermined activity name and associating said name with at least one date on the calendar;
said associating step resulting in the system operating in accordance with said activity definition in said identified zones at said at least one date.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer based equipment scheduling system uses activity definition data to schedule equipment. The method may be carried out by a networked computer system that receives activity definition data representing an activity, such as a volleyball game or board meeting, that occurs in a building. This data is stored in a database for use by multiple nodes. The activity definition data may include text or graphical data indicating an activity name, data representing a list of zones that the activity will affect and data representing the mode of possible operation of each building zone affected by the activity. The method also includes assigning zone mode data to the activity data for use in controlling building resources and then automatically controlling the building resources to attain a zone mode of operation assigned to the activity definition data.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the scheduling and operation of a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system in a building that has a plurality of operating zones corresponding to areas within the building, wherein the system includes a user interface with a display and graphical calendar software the method comprising the steps of:
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inputting activity definition data for at least one predetermined activity including a name, said activity definition data including operational mode data identifying the zones that are affected be said predetermined activity and specifying how the system operates with respect to the identified zones; storing said predetermined activity definition data; selecting said stored predetermined activity name and associating said name with at least one date on the calendar; said associating step resulting in the system operating in accordance with said activity definition in said identified zones at said at least one date. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A networked building control system for primarily controlling the scheduling and operation of heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, the system having a plurality of operating zones corresponding to areas within the building comprising:
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a first node, said first node having; input means for receiving activity definition data representing predetermined activities that occur in the building, said activity definition data for each predetermined activity including activity name data and zone mode data for identifying the zones that are affected by said predetermined activity and specifying how the identified zones in the building control system operate during the predetermined activity, storing means for storing said activity definition data for present and future use in scheduling building equipment, schedule means for displaying a user interface, said user interface being adapted to selectively display each of said predetermined activities by its name data and a calendar, and permit a user to schedule a predetermined activity by associating the name of said predetermined activity with said calendar, transmission means for transmitting said zone mode data of each predetermined activity that has been scheduled through said schedule means; and
,a second node for receiving said transmitted zone mode data and automatically controlling the equipment in accordance with said zone mode data. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification