Building Alarm Ledger for Trusted Remediation Audits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building automation systems face inefficiencies in maintenance and auditing processes, with manual handoffs and limited access to transaction records, leading to high costs and difficulties in regulatory compliance, particularly due to the lack of trust among parties participating in the building management system environment.
Innovation Solution
A blockchain-based alarm information management system that enables all participants to securely record and access transaction records, allowing multiple parties to add and view transactions, thereby promoting transparency and trust, and facilitating efficient alarm management and compliance auditing through a decentralized ledger validated by peer-to-peer nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a centralized management station is used for alarm management, then operational control is maintained, but access to transaction records is limited and manual handoffs are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized management system into distributed nodes across the blockchain network. Each participant (building owner, service provider, auditor) runs their own node, eliminating the single-point centralized management station while maintaining system coordination through consensus mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional centralized hierarchy to a multi-dimensional decentralized network structure. The blockchain ledger adds a temporal dimension with immutable transaction records, allowing participants to access historical data without relying on centralized management station archives.
2Productivity
If manual handoffs are used at the central operator station, then transaction processing is controlled, but efficiency is reduced and time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The blockchain network enables automatic self-service transaction processing. Nodes automatically validate, record, and propagate transactions without requiring manual handoffs between operators. Smart contracts execute predefined logic automatically, eliminating human intervention in routine transaction processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual handoff process with automated digital validation and consensus mechanisms. The physical act of passing documents between operators is substituted by cryptographic verification and distributed ledger updates occurring automatically across the network.
3Reliability
If historical records are kept in a centralized system, then data is stored, but trust among parties is limited due to lack of transparency
Solution Approach 1:
The blockchain ledger serves multiple functions simultaneously: it stores historical records, provides transparent verification, enables audit trails, and builds trust among participants. The same distributed ledger that stores data also serves as the verification mechanism, eliminating the need for separate trust-building processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The blockchain network acts as a neutral intermediary between participants. Rather than relying on centralized management station records that parties must trust, the decentralized ledger provides a mutually trusted third-party record-keeping system that no single participant can manipulate unilaterally.
4Measurement precision
If auditors manually investigate regulatory compliance, then compliance is verified, but significant time and effort are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary compliance verification through automated smart contracts that enforce regulatory requirements at the point of transaction. Rather than waiting for manual audits, the blockchain network continuously validates transactions against predefined compliance criteria, preparing verification results in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The blockchain network provides continuous feedback on compliance status through the immutable ledger. Auditors can query the distributed ledger to receive immediate feedback on compliance verification, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual investigation while maintaining high measurement precision through cryptographic proof of compliance.
Data Source
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AI summary
Alarm issue management for a building automation system comprising a decentralized ledger (210) as well as first, second, and third systems (204, 206, 208). The decentralized ledger (210) has immutable transaction records validated and secured by a network of peer-to-peer nodes, and the ledger (210) utilizes proof of work to synchronize the nodes. The first, second, and third systems (204, 206, 208) access the transaction records of the ledger (210) relating to a remediation type of a building automation system. The first system (204) provides a first transaction record to the ledger (210) relating to the remediation type. The second system (206) reads the first transaction record of the ledger (210) and provides a second transaction record to the ledger (210) relating to the remediation type based on the first transaction record. The third system (208) reads the first and second transaction records of the ledger (210) and performs an audit of the first and second transaction records of the ledger (210) relating to the remediation type.