System and method for acquisition and storage of data from a BACnet standard HVAC system
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Solution Overview
Problem
BACnet standard systems face network congestion and limited data collection, which restricts data analysis for building energy management, particularly in HVAC systems, due to the selection of logging methods like 'COV' or 'Polling', limiting the availability of data for trend analysis.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that concatenates data changes from BACnet objects into system-specific data packets, transmitted over the BACnet network, using a data conversion unit to store data in a main acquisition database, with optional cloud replication, and employs machine learning for optimization, minimizing network load and enhancing data availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If data logging is performed using COV or Polling methods in BACnet systems, then network bandwidth is conserved, but data collection completeness is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data collection into two pathways: critical data is collected via COV/Polling methods to conserve bandwidth, while comprehensive data from all BACnet objects is captured through passive monitoring and stored in an external database, achieving both bandwidth efficiency and data completeness
Solution Approach 2:
An external database system acts as an intermediary between the BACnet network and data analysis tools, capturing comprehensive data without burdening the BACnet network bandwidth, while still providing complete data access for machine learning applications
2Loss of information
If comprehensive data from all BACnet objects is collected, then data analysis capability is improved, but network congestion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the data collection function from the BACnet network protocol itself and relocates it to an external database system that passively monitors and captures data, thereby taking the harmful data collection load out of the BACnet network while preserving complete data capture
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the BACnet data environment in an external database, where comprehensive data from all objects is replicated and stored without affecting the original BACnet network performance, enabling full data analysis capability
3Loss of time
If data is stored locally in BACnet systems, then data access speed is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external database system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a data repository, a communication bridge between different BACnet systems, a backup storage facility, and an interface for machine learning tools, reducing the need for multiple separate systems and thereby managing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A system for acquisition and storage of data relative to BACnet objects of a BACnet standard HVAC system having BACnet network, where BACnet objects each generate change data upon occurrence of a change in a value thereof and a controller receives and concatenates the change data of the plurality of BACnet objects into payloads encapsulated into system specific data packets conforming to the BACnet data packet standards and transmitted over the BACnet network. The system also has a data conversion unit receiving the system specific data packets, retrieving the change data therefrom and generating database write commands including the change data. The system also comprises a main data acquisition database in data communication with the data conversion unit and receiving the database write commands therefrom. The main data acquisition database stores the data relative to all data changes of the standard BACnet objects over time.