QUERY ENGINE FOR BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

• US 20120011141A1
• Filed: 07/07/2010
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Park, Youngchoon, Eidson, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,682,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24522 Translation of natural language queries to structured queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3349 Reuse of stored results of previous queries

Abstract

A computer-implemented system for facilitating cross-subsystem queries of a plurality of building automation subsystems includes a first database storing a logical model for a building automation system. The system further includes a second database storing information for the plurality of building automation subsystems. The second database relates information for the plurality of building automation subsystems based on the logical model of the first database. The system also includes a query engine configured to decompose a cross-subsystem query received from an application into a plurality of subsystem queries using the information of the second database.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for facilitating cross-subsystem queries of a plurality of building automation subsystems, comprising:

a first database storing a logical model for a building automation system;

a second database storing information for the plurality of building automation subsystems, wherein the second database relates information for the plurality of building automation subsystems based on the logical model of the first database; and

a query engine configured to decompose a cross-subsystem query received from an application into a plurality of subsystem queries using the information of the second database.

2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the first database is an ontology database and the second database is a fact database.

3. The computer-implemented system of claim 2, wherein the query engine utilizes the fact database to determine ordering for the subsystem queries.

4. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the query engine retrieves the subsystem queries from sets of pre-built and pre-stored subsystem queries.

5. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the query engine builds the subsystem queries by processing the cross-subsystem query.

6. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the query engine stores the plurality of subsystem queries and provides an updated message to the application originating the cross-subsystem query when results of the cross-subsystem query change.

7. The computer-implemented system of claim 6, wherein the query engine provides the changed results through a messaging engine that uses the query result to build a message for the application.

8. The computer-implemented system of claim 6, wherein a messaging engine appends hierarchical information from the second database to the message for the application.

9. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the message for the application includes at least one string representing the hierarchical information associated with the message contents and based on the logical model of the first database.

10. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of disparate building systems comprise a first heating, cooling or air-conditioning (HVAC) system, a second HVAC system, an access control system, and a security system.

11. A computer-implemented method for facilitating cross-subsystem queries of a plurality of building automation subsystems, comprising:

receiving a cross-subsystem query from an application;

recognizing the cross-subsystem query as requiring access to more than one of the plurality of building automation subsystems; and

decomposing the cross-subsystem query into a plurality of subsystem queries using a database system that relates information for the plurality of building automation subsystems according to a cross-subsystem hierarchical model.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining ordering for the subsystem queries using the hierarchical model.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

retrieving the subsystem queries from sets of pre-built and pre-stored subsystem queries.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

building the subsystem queries by processing the cross-subsystem query.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing the plurality of subsystem queries and providing an updated message to the application originating the cross-subsystem query when results of the cross-subsystem query change.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing the changed results to a messaging engine that uses the query result to build a message for the application.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

appending hierarchical information from the database system to the message for the application.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein appending the hierarchical information includes appending at least one string representing the hierarchical information associated with the message contents;

wherein the string is a projected semantic type string relating to the subsystem type of the message contents.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of building automation subsystems comprise a first heating, cooling or air-conditioning (HVAC) system and a second HVAC system;

wherein the plurality of building automation subsystems comprise an access control system and a security system.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of building automation subsystems are disparately protocolled.