Systems and methods for optimizing data routing in HVAC networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building management systems (BMS) face inefficiencies in handling network traffic, particularly in converting multiple responses from data objects into a single response to satisfy application requests, which complicates post-processing and requires applications to know the services supported by each BACnet device.
Innovation Solution
A routing device within the BMS is configured to receive application requests, gather responses from data objects, and perform a conversion process to provide a single response containing the necessary data object properties, optimizing network traffic by simplifying the communication through BACnet protocols like BACnet/Ethernet, BACnet/IP, and BACnet/MSTP.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple responses are gathered from data objects to satisfy application requests, then the completeness of data is improved, but the complexity of post-processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (gateway or router) that sits between the control application and the BACnet devices. This intermediary automatically aggregates multiple responses from data objects into a single consolidated response, eliminating the need for the application to perform complex post-processing of multiple asynchronous responses while ensuring all required data is collected.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary aggregation of responses at the gateway level before delivering them to the application. By pre-processing and consolidating multiple responses into a single response in advance, the system eliminates the need for the application to track and combine multiple asynchronous responses, thereby reducing post-processing complexity.
2Measurement precision
If applications track asynchronous requests and responses, then the accuracy of data collection is improved, but the operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway acts as an intermediary that manages the tracking of asynchronous requests and responses. It maintains internal state to match responses with their corresponding requests, ensuring accurate data collection while shielding the application from the complexity of tracking multiple asynchronous operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by having the gateway automatically manage the matching and aggregation of asynchronous responses without requiring application intervention. The gateway autonomously tracks which responses correspond to which requests and consolidates them appropriately, freeing the application from operational complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple responses are converted to a single response, then the efficiency of network traffic is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the BACnet system into distinct functional layers: the control application layer, the gateway/router layer, and the device layer. By segmenting responsibilities, the gateway handles the complex task of response aggregation and conversion, while the application remains simple. This segmentation allows efficiency improvements at the network level without requiring the application to become complex.
Data Source
AI summary
A building management system (BMS) for optimizing network traffic. The system includes a user device that includes a user interface that is configured to display a control application for the BMS. The system further includes a routing device comprising a processing circuit, the processing circuit configured to receive an application request from the control application, gather a plurality of responses from one or more data objects, wherein the plurality of responses include a set of data object properties to satisfy the application request, perform a conversion process that converts the plurality of responses into a converted number of responses requested in the application request, wherein the converted number of responses contains the set of data object properties, and provide the converted number of responses to the control application to satisfy the application request.