Automated position detection for wireless building automation devices

• US 7,382,271 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: McFarland, Norman R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US10/953,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20060074494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.6, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/539.1, 340/540, 340/541, 340/539.13, 340/539.14, 340/539.2, 340/525, 340/3.1, 340/3.5
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

In a building environment, a coordinate location or local position of various automation devices is determined. The location or position may be determined using a wireless distance measurement. Applications, associations, and utilizations for wireless building automation devices are developed according to location and/or positions of the devices. The position may be determined based on techniques for determining a relative distance of device from other devices and/or a reference point. The position may be mapped to the coordinate location within the building. Devices may be grouped, a commissioning table of binding associations between devices may be created, and addresses assigned to the building automation devices according to the location, the position and/or distances between the devices. Associations between devices may be established and updated based on proximity of the devices. Device communication also may be controlled according to position and distance information.

Claims

1. A method for locating building automation devices, the method comprising:

determining locations of a plurality of building automation devices, the locations being determined using distance information acquired from wireless communication between the plurality of building automation devices;

using the distance information acquired from wireless communication between the plurality of building automation devices to create an electronic map illustrating the locations of the plurality of building automation devices with respect to a building structure;

displaying the electronic map; and

assigning a process application to at least one of the plurality of building automation devices based upon a corresponding location of the at least one of the plurality of building automation devices calculated as a function of wireless communication between the plurality of building automation devices.

2. The method of claim 1 where the locations are determined according to a distance to a reference point for at least one of the plurality of building automation devices.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a proximate building automation device of at least one building automation device.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising assigning a binding association between the at least one building automation device and the proximate building automation device based upon distance data acquired via wireless communication or position information derived therefrom.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising controlling wireless communication between the at least one building automation device and the proximate building automation device based on determined locations of the at least one building automation device and the proximate building automation device calculated from data acquired via wireless communication.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising assigning a network address to each of the plurality of building automation devices according to the locations of the plurality of building automation devices determined using data acquired from wireless communication between the plurality of building automation devices.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning a network address to a building automation device according to the locations for the plurality of building automation devices determined using data acquired from wireless communication between the plurality of building automation devices.

8. The method of claim 1 where the distances are determined automatically by a processor performing a triangulation technique.

9. The method of claim 1 where the electronic map includes a location of interest associated with at least one of the plurality of building automation devices.

10. A method for controlling building automation, the method comprising:

determining a local position for at least one building automation device, the local position being determined with respect to a reference point using data acquired via wireless communication with the building automation device;

assigning an application process to the at least one building automation device according to the local position for the at least one building automation device determined with respect to a reference point using data acquired via wireless communication; and

assigning a binding association between the at least one building automation device and a controller according to a proximity between the at least one building automation device and the controller determined as a function of wireless communication between two or more building automation nodes.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising using distance information acquired via wireless communication to map the local position for the at least one building automation device to a system plan.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising assigning an address to the at least one building automation device according to the local position for the at least one building automation device.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising controlling communication with the at least one building automation device according to the local position for the at least one building automation device determined using data acquired via wireless communication with the at least one building automation device.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining local positions for a plurality of building automation devices, the local position being determined using wireless communications; and

automatically populating a system plan with the local position for the plurality of building automation devices.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising assigning an address to the plurality of building automation devices according to the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices determined using data acquired via wireless communication.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising controlling communication among the plurality of building automation devices according to the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices determined using data acquired via wireless communication.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising assigning an association between at least two of the plurality of building automation devices according to the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices determined using data acquired via wireless communication.

18. The method of claim 14 where the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices are determined according to the local position for the at least one building automation device.

19. The method of claim 14 where the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices are determined according to a building reference, the system plan associating the plurality of devices with respect to the building reference.

20. The method of claim 14 where the local position is determined using a triangulation technique.

21. The method of claim 20 where the local position is further determined as a function of a set time delay and time of transmission of radio communication signals.

22. A building automation system comprising:

at least one building automation device; and

a processor configured to determine a local position for at least one building automation device, the local position being determined using distance information acquired via wireless communication with the at least one building automation device and to assign (1) an application process to the at least one building automation device and (2) a binding association to the at least one building automation device, the binding association being between the at least one building automation and another building automation device, according to the distance information acquired via wireless communication or the local position determined using the distance information acquired via wireless communication.

23. The system of claim 22 where the at least one building automation device is assigned an address according to the local position for the at least one building automation device determined using distance information acquired via wireless communication with the at least one building automation device.

24. The system of claim 22 where communication with the at least one building automation device is controlled according to the local position for the at least one building automation device determined using distance information acquired via wireless communication.

25. The system of claim 22 further comprising a processor configured to determine a local position for a plurality of building automation devices using wireless communications and to populate a system plan according to the local position for the plurality of building automation devices determined via wireless communications.

26. The system of claim 25 where addresses are assigned to the plurality of building automation devices according to the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices determined using data acquired via wireless communication.

27. The system of claim 25 where communication among the plurality of building automation devices is controlled according to the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices determined using data acquired via wireless communication.

28. The system of claim 25 where the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices are determined according to the local position for the at least one building automation device.

29. The system of claim 25 where the local positions for the plurality of building automation devices are determined according to the building reference.

30. The system of claim 25 where the local position is determined using a triangulation technique.

31. The system of claim 22 where the local position is determined as a function of a set time delay and time from transmission of radio communication signals.

32. A building automation system, comprising:

at least one wireless building sensor configured to communicate over a wireless network using a wireless network communication protocol; and

at least one building actuator in communication with the at least one wireless building sensor over the wireless network, the building sensor having (1) a process application and (2) a binding association with the building actuator determined as a function of a wireless communication distance determination, the process application being assigned to the building sensor via wireless communication, wherein the process application and binding association are associated with controlling a building environmental condition.

33. The system of claim 32 where a communication signal between the building sensor and the building actuator is controlled according to a wireless communication distance determination.

34. The system of claim 32 where the distance determination includes a radio communication distance measurement between the building sensor and the building actuator.

35. The system of claim 32 where the distance determination includes a radio communication distance measurement between the building sensor and a building reference.

36. The system of claim 32 where the at least one building sensor and the at least one building actuator are assigned network addresses according to a wireless communication distance determination.

37. The system of claim 32 where the distance determination includes a radio communication distance measurement between the building actuator and a building reference.

38. The system of claim 32, comprising:

a plurality of wireless building sensors configured to communicate over the wireless network using a wireless network communication protocol; and

a plurality of building actuators configured to communicate over the wireless network using wireless network communication protocol, each of the plurality of building actuators in communication with at least one corresponding building sensor over the wireless network, the plurality of building sensors being assigned to the at least one corresponding building actuator according to a wireless communication distance determination.

39. The system of claim 38 where a communication signal between a building sensor and corresponding building actuator is controlled according to a wireless communication distance determination.

40. The system of claim 38 further comprising a display configured to illustrate a plot of the plurality of wireless building sensors with reference to building structure.

41. The system of claim 40 where the display is configured to illustrate a location of interest for at least one of the sensors.

42. The system of claim 38 further comprising a display configured to illustrate a plot of the plurality of wireless building actuators with reference to building structure.

43. The system of claim 42 where the display is configured to illustrate a location of interest for at least one of the actuators.

44. A building control network, the system comprising:

a plurality of distally located building automation devices within a building; and

a controller operable to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of distally located building automation devices, the controller (1) determining a coordinate location for at least one of the distally located building automation devices using time-of-flight information associated with wireless communication with the at least one of the distally located building automation devices, and (2) automatically mapping the coordinate location determined via wireless communication to a system plan for the building, (3) assigning an address to at least one of the distally located building automation devices according to the coordinate location determined via wireless communication of the at least one distally located building automation devices, and (4) assigning a binding association between the at least one of the distally located building automation devices and the controller according to the coordinate location determined via wireless communication of the at least one distally located building automation devices.

45. A method for controlling building automation, the method comprising:

determining a local position for at least one building automation device, the local position being determined with respect to a reference point using information acquired via wireless communication with the at least one building automation device;

assigning an address to the at least one building automation device according to the local position for the at least one building automation device determined using the information acquired via wireless communication with the at least one building automation device;

controlling wireless communication with the at least one building automation device according to the address for the at least one building automation device determined as a function of wireless communication with the at least one building automation device; and

subsequently using the assigned address to determine the local position for the at least one building automation device.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising using data obtained from wireless communication with the at least one building automation device to automatically map the local position for the at least one building automation device to a system plan.

47. The method of claim 45 further comprising:

determining local positions for a plurality of building automation devices, the local position being determined using time-of-flight data acquired from wireless communications; and

assigning addresses to the plurality of building automation devices according to the determined local positions for the building automation devices.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising controlling communication among the plurality of building automation devices according to the addresses for the plurality of building automation devices.