Method and device for upgrading a building control system

• US 7,464,339 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Keenan, Duane Jr., Wesonga, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US10/770,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20040260431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 715771-773, 715/747, 715964-965, 715/809, 715/810, 717/101, 717/169, 717/175, 455/420, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 700/90, 700/92, 705/27, 705/29, 709/223, 709/224, 709/226, 707/200
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23008 Computer aided software engineering, program generation, case tools, CASE
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00976 Arrangements for regulating environment, e.g. removing static electricity

Abstract

An integration tool is presented for integrating and/or commissioning a new device or system into a building control system. The integration tool is incorporated into the building control system and is operative to create one or more databases and/or applications for the new device that is then flashed to an appropriate building system controller. In one form, the present invention is a software tool for integrating a building control device into the building control system. In another form, the present invention is an integration tool for defining applications for new devices. In yet another form, the present invention is a seamless software tool that allows field personnel to create databases and define applications by simply following the defined point structure.

Claims

1. A method of integrating a third party device into a building control system, the building control system having a workstation running building control system program instructions and a separately housed field panel in communication with the workstation, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a user interface separate from the field panel for the input of data regarding a third party building control device that is on the field panel, wherein said third party building control device is one of the group consisting of a sensor or actuator or actuator controller, in an environmental and fire safety system;

accepting data input from the user regarding the third party building control device through the user interface;

launching an integration tool in response to the data input from the user regarding the third party building control device;

generating an integration file by the launched integration tool for use by a driver at the field panel associated with the third party building control device; and

loading the generated integration file into the separately housed field panel for use by the driver associated with the third party building control device to allow the third party building control device to operate in conjunction with the building control system software.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of launching an integration tool in response to the data input from the user regarding the third party device comprises launching an application builder.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating an integration file by the launched integration tool for use by a driver associated with the third party device comprises generating an integration file comprising an integration application file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a user interface for the input of data regarding the third party device includes providing a user interface comprising at least one dialog box for the input of data regarding the third party device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of loading the generated integration file into a field panel for use by the driver associated with the third party device comprises flashing the generated integration file into memory of the field panel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user interface for the input of data regarding the third party device comprises providing the user interface workstation.

6. A building control system comprising:

a workstation running building control system software;

a field panel in electronic communication with, and separately housed from, said workstation via a network; and

a software integration tool configured to generate a database that will run in conjunction with said building control system software and to aid in integrating a third party building control device into the building control system, said software integration tool operative to a) provide a user interface separate from the field panel for the input of data regarding a third party building control device that is on the field panel, wherein said third party building control device is one of the group consisting of a sensor or actuator or actuator controller, in an environmental and fire safety system, b) accept data input from the user regarding the third party building control device through the user interface, c) launch an application builder in response to the data input from the user regarding the third party building control device, d) generate an application file by the launched application builder for use by a driver associated with the third party building control device, and e) load the generated application file into the field panel for use by the driver associated with the third party building control device.

7. The building control system of claim 6, wherein the integration tool is operative to provide a user interface for the input of data regarding the third party device by providing at least one dialog box for the input of data regarding the third party device.

8. The building control system of claim 6, wherein the integration tool is operative to load the generated application file into said field panel for use by a driver associated with the third party device by flashing the generated application file into memory of the field panel.

9. The building control system of claim 6, wherein said software integration tool is stored on a computer of a user.