Wireless building control architecture
DCFirst Claim
1. A control system for wireless building automation control, the control system comprising:
- a first wireless network in a building having first wireless communications protocol; and
a second wireless network in the building having a second wireless communications protocol, the first wireless communications protocol different than the second wireless communications protocol;
wherein the first wireless network is operable to control, free of communications with the second wireless network, building components in response to sensors operable within the first wireless network, and wherein the first wireless network is also operable to control the building components in response to data from the second wireless network.
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Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
On a first level of the wireless building automation architecture, sensors and associated actuators communicate directly. The sensor performs control processes appropriate for the sensor and regardless of the type of actuator being used. The actuator performs control processes specific to the actuator regardless of the type of sensor being used. By direct wireless communication between sensors and actuators, the opportunity for a failed communications link using a hub and spoke arrangement may be avoided. Communication redundancy is provided by receiving the outputs of sensors at a controller, such as a controller on a second high speed or high bandwidth tier of the architecture. Regional control is implemented in the higher level tier. The higher level tier may override or control operation of components of the lower level tier as needed. The distributed control processing allows for more convenient room level integration. Where a problem is detected, such as a fire, corrective action begins within the immediate region of the sensor generating an alarm signal. The corrective action occurs without routing the alarm signal to upper levels of control processes or across different systems. The alarm signal is also propagated to upper level control systems for generating appropriate responses in other zones. To provide the different zones and avoid interference, the transmit power of the sensors and actuators is controlled as a function of two or more other devices.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A control system for wireless building automation control, the control system comprising:
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a first wireless network in a building having first wireless communications protocol; and a second wireless network in the building having a second wireless communications protocol, the first wireless communications protocol different than the second wireless communications protocol; wherein the first wireless network is operable to control, free of communications with the second wireless network, building components in response to sensors operable within the first wireless network, and wherein the first wireless network is also operable to control the building components in response to data from the second wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for wireless building automation control, the method comprising:
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(a) wirelessly controlling building actuator outputs in response to sensor inputs without an intervening controller; (b) performing the wireless communications of (a) pursuant to a first communications protocol; and (c) wirelessly controlling the building actuator outputs in response to sensor inputs, the building actuator outputs operating free of any intervening controller in a first time period and being in response to an intervening controller in a second, different time period; (d) communicating with the intervening controller with a second communications protocol different than the first communications protocol;
wherein the control of the building actuator outputs of (c) is responsive to wireless communication from the sensors pursuant to the first communications protocol and information of the communications of (d). - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A control system for wireless building automation control, the control system comprising:
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a sensor arrangement having a sensor, a sensor processor and a radio frequency transmitter; an actuator arrangement having an actuator, an actuator processor and a radio frequency receiver, the sensor arrangement spaced from the actuator arrangement such that the radio frequency receiver is operable to receive information from the radio frequency transmitter; and a control algorithm distributed on both the sensor processor and the actuator processor; a first wireless network comprising the sensor and actuator arrangements, the first wireless network operable pursuant to a first wireless communications protocol; and a second wireless network operable pursuant to a second wireless communications protocol different than the first wireless communications protocol; wherein the portion of the control algorithm on the sensor processor is specific to the sensor and the portion of the control algorithm on the actuator processor is specific to the actuator, the sensor processor being free of control algorithms for other devices; wherein the control algorithm is operable to control, free of input from an external controller, a parameter as a function of the sensor and the actuator; and wherein the control algorithm is operable in a first mode free of control from the second wireless network and in a second mode as a function of control from the second wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method for wireless building automation control, the method comprising:
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(a) performing a sensor control process on a sensor, the sensor control process specific to the sensor without control processes for other sensors and other actuators; (b) wirelessly transmitting an output from the sensor responsive to the sensor control process; (c) receiving the output at an actuator; (d) performing an actuator control process on the actuator as a function of the output, the actuator control process specific to the actuator without control processes for other sensors and other actuators; (e) performing (b) and (c) pursuant to a first wireless communications protocol of the first wireless network; (f) receiving the output at a second wireless network operable pursuant to a second wireless communications protocol different than the first wireless communications protocol; (g) operating the sensor and actuator in a first mode free of control from the second wireless network and in a second mode as a function of control from the second wireless network; wherein the sensor and actuator control processes are operable without control from any external controller. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification