BACnet Alarm Object Pairing for Custom Building Automation Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building automation systems using the BACnet protocol lack enhanced alarming capabilities compared to proprietary protocols, which are more sophisticated and customizable.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that utilizes pairs of event enrollment objects and notification class objects, along with command objects, to generate and communicate alarms based on user-defined parameters, enabling enhanced alarming functionality within the BACnet protocol framework.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If BACnet protocol is used for building automation communication, then open standard compatibility is achieved, but enhanced alarming capabilities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer that maps BACnet protocol objects to enhanced alarming functionality. Event enrollment objects and notification class objects act as mediators between the simple BACnet protocol and the sophisticated alarming capabilities, enabling proprietary-like alarm monitoring and notification features while maintaining BACnet open standard compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters and configuration of BACnet objects to enable enhanced alarming. By configuring event enrollment objects with specific monitoring parameters and notification class objects with alarm notification parameters, the system achieves sophisticated alarming capabilities through parameter customization rather than requiring a different protocol.
2Reliability
If proprietary protocols are used, then enhanced alarming capabilities are achieved, but open standard compatibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes BACnet objects multi-functional by enabling them to perform both standard communication functions and enhanced alarming functions. Event enrollment objects not only handle standard event monitoring but also configure alarm conditions, while notification class objects handle both general notifications and alarm-specific notifications, achieving universality without sacrificing open standard compatibility.
3Reliability
If event enrollment objects and notification class objects are configured for enhanced alarming, then alarming sophistication is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the alarming functionality into distinct BACnet objects with specific roles: event enrollment objects for monitoring configuration, notification class objects for alarm notification, and command objects for control. This segmentation allows each object to handle a specific aspect of alarming, reducing overall system complexity through modular design while achieving sophisticated alarming capabilities.
Data Source
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AI summary
Management systems, methods, and mediums are provided. A method includes monitoring a value of a data point associated with a device in an automation system using a set of pairs of event enrollment objects and notification class objects configured to generate and communicate an alarm according to a first protocol. Each of the pairs of objects corresponds to one of a set of offsets defined according to a second protocol. The method also includes writing property values of the pairs of objects for different alarm monitoring modes using a set of command objects. Additionally, the method includes generating and communicating, in response to detecting the value for the data point meeting conditions in at least one of the event enrollment objects, an alarm according to a notification class object paired with the at least one event enrollment object.