System for monitoring multiple building automation systems

• US 9,262,371 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2012
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Finnerty, Shaun, Hriljac, Jeffrey, Knobloch, Drew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOROBOV, VITALI A
• Application Number:
  US13/631,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20140095654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,235 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 700/1, 700/17
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25168 Domotique, access through internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17306 Intercommunication techniques

Abstract

A method for execution on a computing device includes transmitting first identification information to a server processing circuit via the Internet. The server processing circuit identifies a plurality of geographically dispersed systems corresponding to the first identification information. Information including geographical coordinates and system status information is received for each system. A set of geographical boundary coordinates are determined. Moreover, a visible characteristic value for each system is determined based on the corresponding system status information. A map presentation function executed by a second processing circuit displays a map based on the geographic boundary coordinates, and displays a plurality of visible indicators on the map. Each of the plurality of visible indicators has a position on the map corresponding the geographical coordinates of a corresponding system. Each of the plurality of visible indicators has a visible characteristic corresponding to the visible characteristic value of the corresponding system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving into a processing circuit from a requesting device via the Internet first identification information;

using the processing circuit to identify a plurality of geographically dispersed systems associated with the first identification information;

generating a data inquiry to a data system, the data inquiry including information identifying each of the plurality of geographically dispersed systems;

obtaining information from the data system for each of the plurality of geographically dispersed systems in a fat XML string format which is repackaged by the processing circuit into a thin XML string format, resulting in a second mark-up language format, such information including geographical coordinates and system status information; and

transmitting the obtained information via the Internet to the requesting device in the second mark-up language format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data system is a cloud computing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of geographically dispersed

systems comprises a building automation system including a building automation system

control device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein upon receiving the obtained information via the Internet, the requesting device parses the second mark-up language format to obtain information associated with each of the plurality of geographically dispersed systems.

5. A method for execution on a computing device, comprising:

transmitting first identification information to a server processing circuit via the Internet, the server processing circuit configured to determine a plurality of geographically dispersed systems based on the first identification information;

receiving from the server processing circuit, via the Internet, information for each of the plurality of geographically dispersed systems in a second mark-up language format,

the second mark-up language format resulting from the server processing circuit repacking data received from a data system in a first mark-up language format, which is a fat XML string format, into a thin XML string format, such information including geographical coordinates and system status information corresponding to each of the plurality of geographically dispersed systems;

determining a set of geographical boundary coordinates defining a geographical area containing a plurality of the geographical coordinates;

determining for each system of the plurality of geographically dispersed systems a visible characteristic value based on the corresponding system status information; and

employing a map presentation function executed by a second processing circuit to display a map based on the geographic boundary coordinates, and to display a plurality of visible indicators on the map, each of the plurality of visible indicators having a position on the map corresponding the geographical coordinates of a corresponding system of the plurality of geographically dispersed systems, each of the plurality of visible indicators having a visible characteristic corresponding to the visible characteristic value of the corresponding system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second processing circuit is disposed within a housing of a tablet computing device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting step further comprises:

transmitting the first identification information wirelessly to the server processing circuit.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting an input signal indicating a selection of a first system of the plurality of geographically dispersed systems;

transmitting an identifier of the first system to the server processing circuit;

receiving from the server processing circuit measurement values and set point values of the first system;

removing the map from the display; and

displaying the received measurement values and set point values of the first system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting an input signal indicating a command value for a point within the first system, the command value configured to alter an operation of the first system;

transmitting an identifier of the first system, a point identifier, and a command value to the server processing circuit.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving into a processing circuit from a requesting device via the Internet first identification information;

using the processing circuit to identify a plurality of building automation systems associated with the first identification information;

generating a data inquiry to a data system, the data inquiry including information identifying each of the plurality of building automation systems;

obtaining information from the data system for each of the plurality of building automation systems in a fat XML string format which is repackaged by the processing circuit into a thin XML string format, resulting in a second mark-up language format, such information including geographical coordinates and system status information; and

transmitting the obtained information via the Internet to the requesting device in the second mark-up language format.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, providing to the requesting device computer software instructions that, when executed by a processing circuit cause the processing circuit to:

receive the obtained information;

determine a set of geographical boundary coordinates defining a geographical area containing a plurality of the geographical coordinates;

determine for each system of the plurality of building automation systems a visible characteristic value based on the corresponding system status information; and

employ a map presentation function to display a map based on the geographic boundary coordinates, and to display a plurality of visible indicators on the map, each of the plurality of visible indicators having a position on the map corresponding the geographical coordinates of a corresponding system of the plurality of building automation systems, each of the plurality of visible indicators having a visible characteristic corresponding to the visible characteristic value of the corresponding system.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the data system is a cloud computing system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein upon receiving the obtained information via the Internet, the requesting device parses the second mark-up language format to obtain information associated with each of the plurality of building automation systems.