BAS Network Manager Protocol Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building automation systems (BAS) face challenges in managing and coordinating multiple networks with different protocols and versions, particularly in large-scale, geographically dispersed environments, leading to communication cumbersome and lack of adaptability and extensibility.
Innovation Solution
A BAS network management system that includes a central server engine capable of supporting multiple protocols, with a dynamic extensibility capability to communicate with and control devices across various networks, using a BAS network manager that becomes a member device on each network, storing device identifiers and address binding tables for seamless communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple BAS networks with different protocols and versions are integrated into a centralized management system, then adaptability and interoperability are improved, but device complexity and management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a gateway device that acts as an intermediary between BAS networks using different protocols. The gateway translates messages between various BACnet versions (Classic, LP, IP) and other protocols, enabling interoperability without requiring direct compatibility between all network pairs. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by centralizing protocol conversion logic in the gateway, preventing system complexity from proliferating across all devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the protocol conversion and management functionality into a separate gateway component rather than embedding it in every BAS device. This segmentation allows the main BAS devices to remain simple while the gateway handles the complexity of multiple protocol versions, message routing, and device registration. The segmentation principle resolves the contradiction by isolating complexity to a dedicated management layer.
2Ease of operation
If a centralized server manages multiple BAS networks across different locations, then coordination and control are improved, but communication overhead and network traffic increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the network architecture, with gateways operating at the network level and a centralized server operating at the management level. This dimensional separation allows local protocol conversion to occur at the gateway level without requiring constant communication with the central server, reducing communication overhead while maintaining centralized management capabilities for high-level coordination and monitoring.
3Ease of operation
If device identifiers are unique across all BAS networks, then device identification is simplified, but conflicts arise when devices are moved between networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the device identification function from the physical device itself and places it in the gateway's device identifier table. When a device moves between networks, its identifier is updated in the gateway's registration table rather than reconfiguring the device. This extraction principle resolves the contradiction by decoupling device identity management from device hardware, enabling seamless device mobility while maintaining unique identification.
4Adaptability or versatility
If protocol translation is performed at the message level, then interoperability is improved, but processing overhead and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a gateway that serves as an intermediary for protocol translation, concentrating the translation complexity in a single device rather than distributing it across all BAS devices. The gateway maintains translation tables for different BACnet versions and protocol formats, performing message-level translation only when necessary. This approach improves interoperability while containing translation complexity within the gateway's processing capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A building automation system (BAS) network manager supporting a plurality of device protocols coupled to at least one communication network, and a plurality of logical connections to individual BAS networks to multiple end devices of a BAS. The BAS network manager can communicate with each of the end devices regardless of the protocol or protocol version of the BAS network by implementing a protocol stack above the link layer for each protocol or protocol version, providing an integrated multi-BAS network interface, and maintaining a device identifier for each BAS network the network manager is coupled to in the protocol stack.