Building Management System Agent Dispatch via Natural Language
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current building management systems (BMS) are complex and require skilled personnel for operation, making it labor-intensive to control and adjust various building functions, especially in large facilities with dynamic HVAC requirements, and users face difficulties in adjusting parameters like temperature and lighting due to the system's complexity.
Innovation Solution
A BMS with an adaptive interaction manager and agent manager that uses software agents to process user inputs, determine required actions, and automatically dispatch capable software agents to perform tasks, allowing for easy control through voice or natural language commands and dynamic adjustments based on contextual information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a building management system controls entire facility functions (HVAC, security, lighting), then the system provides comprehensive building management capability, but the system complexity increases and requires skilled personnel for operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the building management system into multiple independent software agents, each responsible for specific building functions (HVAC, lighting, security). These agents operate autonomously and can be individually managed, reducing the complexity of controlling the entire system while maintaining comprehensive functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a natural language processing interface as an intermediary between users and the complex BMS. This intermediary translates simple voice commands into appropriate agent actions, shielding users from the underlying system complexity while enabling comprehensive building management control.
2Ease of operation
If skilled personnel manually adjust and control building management parameters, then precise control is achieved, but labor intensity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through autonomous software agents that automatically monitor building conditions, make control decisions, and adjust parameters without human intervention. The agents use sensor data and pre-programmed logic to autonomously optimize HVAC, lighting, and security systems, eliminating manual labor while maintaining precise control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates continuous feedback loops where software agents monitor building conditions through sensors, compare actual states with target states, and automatically adjust parameters to achieve optimal performance. This closed-loop control system maintains precision while eliminating the need for manual adjustment labor.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the building management system requires constant adjustment for dynamic use, then the system adapts to changing building conditions, but the operational complexity and planning requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation through software agents that continuously respond to changing building conditions in real-time. The agents adjust their behavior based on current sensor data, occupancy patterns, and environmental conditions, enabling the system to adapt dynamically without requiring complex advance planning for each scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses preliminary action by pre-programming software agents with decision-making algorithms and control strategies for various building scenarios. The agents are prepared in advance with the knowledge and authority to autonomously handle dynamic conditions, reducing the need for complex real-time human planning while maintaining adaptability.
4Ease of operation
If users directly adjust building parameters (temperature, lighting), then immediate control is achieved, but users face difficulty due to system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a natural language processing interface as an intermediary between users and the complex BMS. Users can issue simple voice commands or natural language requests (e.g., 'make it warmer' or 'turn on lights'), and the intermediary translates these into appropriate agent actions, completely shielding users from the underlying system complexity while maintaining full control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling users to simply state their comfort preferences without needing to understand or navigate complex control interfaces. The software agents interpret user intent and automatically adjust parameters, allowing users to control the building environment through simple natural language rather than complex interface interactions.
Data Source
AI summary
A building management system (BMS) including a controller having an adaptive interaction manager and an agent manager. The system further includes one or more input-output (I/O) devices, in communication with the adaptive interaction manager. The controller further including a number of BMS field devices. The I/O devices are configured to receive an input from a user, and further configured to communicate the input to the adaptive interaction manager. The agent manager is configured to determine if one or more existing software agents are capable of performing the desired action, and to automatically transmit the existing software agents to one or more of the BMS field devices based on the agent manager determining the existing software agents are capable of performing the desired action. The software agents are configured to automatically be installed in a processing circuit of the BMS field device to perform the required action.