Enterprise control and monitoring system and method

• US 7,885,961 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Cold Chain LP
• Original Assignee: Computer Process Controls Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Horowitz, Stephen A., Azurmendi, Alain, Clark, E. Todd, Strawser, Bridget
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DEBBIE M
• Application Number:
  US11/394,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 707 5- 7, 707/102
• US Class Current: 707/737
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25086 Assign functions to group of complete or partial cells, modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration

Abstract

A method comprises grouping a plurality of building system controllers into at least one control system group, the at least one control system group corresponding to at least one connected group of building system controllers. The method also comprises grouping the at least one control system group into at least one site group, the at least one site group corresponding to a physical location of the at least one control system group. The method also comprises selecting a group from the at least one site group and the at least one control system group, and performing an activity on each controller within the selected group.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

grouping a plurality of building system controllers into at least one group, each of said building system controllers controlling a corresponding building system based on a closing time operating parameter, said grouping being performed by a server that is in communication with each of said building system controllers, wherein said closing time operating parameter indicates a time of day when each of the building system controllers performs a corresponding set of operations on the corresponding building system;

receiving input with said server indicating a modification of said closing time operating parameter;

receiving input with said server indicating a selected group of building system controllers from said at least one group of building system controllers;

sending said modification of said closing time operating parameter to each building system controller in said selected group of building system controllers, said sending being performed by said server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said grouping is performed such that each group of said at least one group includes building system controllers that are communicatively connected to each other.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said grouping is performed such that each group of said at least one group includes building system controllers that are located at the same site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said grouping is performed such that each group of said at least one group includes building system controllers that are at least one of communicatively connected to each other or located at the same site.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of building system controllers includes a building system controller for an HVAC system that is configured to decrease a heating set point temperature for said HVAC system at a time of day corresponding to said closing time operating parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of building system controllers includes a building system controller for an HVAC system that is configured to increase a cooling set point temperature for said HVAC system at a time of day corresponding to said closing time operating parameter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of building system controllers includes a building system controller for a lighting system that is configured to turn off at least one light of said lighting system at a time of day corresponding to said closing time operating parameter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving said input indicating said modification of said closing time operating parameter and said receiving said input indicating said selected group includes receiving input data from a client located remotely from said server.

9. A system comprising:

a plurality of building system controllers, each building system controller of said plurality controlling a corresponding building system based on a closing time operating parameter;

a server in communication with each of said building system controllers, said server being operable to group said building system controllers into at least one group, wherein said closing time operating parameter indicates a time of day when each of the building system controllers performs a corresponding set of operations on the corresponding building system, to receive input indicating a modification of said closing time operating parameter, to receive input indicating a selected group of building system controllers from said at least one group of building system controllers, and to send said modification of said closing time operating parameter to each building system controller in said selected group of building system controllers.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one group includes building system controllers that are communicatively connected to each other.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one group includes building system controllers that are located at the same site.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein each group of said at least one group includes building system controllers that are at least one of communicatively connected to each other or located at the same site.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of building system controllers includes a building system controller for an HVAC system that is configured to decrease a heating set point temperature for said HVAC system at a time of day corresponding to said closing time operating parameter.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of building system controllers includes a building system controller for an HVAC system that is configured to increase a cooling set point temperature for said HVAC system at a time of day corresponding to said closing time operating parameter.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of building system controllers includes a building system controller for a lighting system that is configured to turn off at least one light of said lighting system at a time of day corresponding to said closing time operating parameter.

16. The system of claim 9 further comprising a client located remotely from said server, wherein said server is configured to receive from said client said input indicating said modification of said closing time operating parameter and said input indicating said selected group of building controllers from said at least one group of building system controllers.