Building Automation System with Dynamic Extensible Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building automation systems (BAS) are inflexible and labor-intensive, requiring extensive customization and manual integration for each installation, with proprietary communication standards and protocols making integration with different vendors' systems difficult, and lacking user-friendly customization and management tools.
Innovation Solution
A dynamically extensible and automatically configurable BAS with a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to customize and manage building automation systems, enabling integration of legacy and new components, and supporting multiple protocols through an enterprise server engine that automatically discovers and configures devices, providing a scalable and adaptable system architecture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hardwired systems and proprietary communication standards are used, then system robustness and customization for particular installations are improved, but device complexity and difficulty of integration with different vendors' systems increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system supports multiple communication protocols (BACnet, Modbus, LonWorks, proprietary) within a single platform, allowing it to interface with different vendors' systems without requiring separate hardwired installations for each protocol type
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs protocol translation and gateway functionality as intermediary mechanisms to bridge between proprietary protocols and standard protocols, enabling integration without direct hardwired connections to each device type
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual programming and extensive customization are performed for each installation, then system adaptability to specific buildings is improved, but installation time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system includes pre-configured protocol stacks, device templates, and integration profiles that are prepared in advance, allowing rapid deployment without requiring manual programming of communication parameters during installation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs automatic device discovery, configuration, and integration through self-service mechanisms including automated protocol detection and plug-and-play functionality, eliminating the need for extensive manual customization
3Adaptability or versatility
If systems integrators are involved for manual service and programming, then system integration capability is improved, but installation cost and project duration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated device discovery, protocol detection, and configuration capabilities that enable non-expert users to perform integration tasks independently, eliminating the need for specialized systems integrators
4Device complexity
If single protocol architecture is used, then system simplicity is improved, but interoperability across different protocol versions and vendors decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a multi-protocol architecture that natively supports BACnet, Modbus, LonWorks, and proprietary protocols simultaneously, enabling interoperability across different vendors and protocol versions while maintaining a unified system interface
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for interacting with and customizing a dynamically extensible and automatically configurable building automation system (BAS). In one embodiment, a graphical user interface (GUI) of the BAS comprises a BAS summary page, at least one building summary page, at least one building space page, at least one end device page, and at least on subsystem page. The invention is also directed to methods for creating pages for a GUI of a BAS.