Building Automation System with Multi-Protocol Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current building automation systems (BAS) are inflexible and labor-intensive, requiring extensive manual customization and integration with various subsystems and vendors, leading to high costs and complexity, especially when upgrading or expanding systems, and lack user-friendly customization and management tools.
Innovation Solution
A dynamically extensible and automatically configurable BAS with a graphical user interface that allows users to customize and manage building automation systems through a scalable, protocol-agnostic architecture, enabling integration of legacy and new components, and providing customizable user interfaces for enhanced user control and management.
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 components from different vendors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication interface that supports multiple communication protocols (BACnet, Modbus, LonWorks, etc.) within a single BAS platform. This allows the system to integrate components from different vendors and generations without requiring separate integration solutions for each protocol, thereby reducing integration complexity while maintaining system robustness through standardized multi-protocol support
2Reliability
If extensive manual programming and customization are performed, then system reliability for specific installations is improved, but loss of time and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides pre-configured communication templates, default parameter sets, and automated discovery mechanisms that perform preliminary configuration work before actual system deployment. The system can automatically detect devices, assign appropriate communication protocols, and configure basic parameters without requiring extensive manual programming during installation, thereby reducing installation time while maintaining system reliability through pre-tested configurations
Solution Approach 2:
The BAS system automatically performs self-configuration by discovering connected devices, identifying their communication protocols, and configuring appropriate communication parameters without human intervention. This self-service capability eliminates the need for extensive manual programming while ensuring reliable communication through automated protocol detection and configuration
3Adaptability or versatility
If systems integrators are involved for integration and customization, then system adaptability to different installations is improved, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated device discovery and protocol detection mechanisms that enable the BAS to automatically adapt to different devices and communication protocols without requiring systems integrators. The system self-configures communication parameters, identifies device types, and establishes appropriate communication channels autonomously, thereby maintaining system adaptability while eliminating the need for complex integrator involvement
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 building summary pages. The invention is also directed to a space summary page and an equipment summary page.