Centralized Building Automation Control via Protocol Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional building automation systems operate as disparate entities, lacking integration and data aggregation, which hinders real-time decision-making and interoperability across multiple buildings, due to the use of proprietary protocols and legacy technologies.
Innovation Solution
A framework with a data access layer that extracts and prioritizes data from various building automation systems, storing it in a standard format in a database, and representing it in OPC UA format for processing and central control through a service layer, enabling integration and real-time monitoring across multiple locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary protocols and legacy technologies (OPC, BACNet, Lon Works, MODBUS) are used for data communication, then device compatibility is achieved, but system interoperability and scalability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary translation layer that converts proprietary protocols (OPC, BACNet, Lon Works, MODBUS) into a standardized web service format. This mediator enables different building automation systems to communicate through common HTTP/HTTPS interfaces, resolving the interoperability issue without requiring changes to existing devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms communication parameters by converting data from proprietary protocol formats into standardized XML-based web service messages. This parameter transformation allows heterogeneous systems to exchange information using universal HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and JSON/XML data structures.
2Productivity
If building automation systems operate as stand-alone systems, then system simplicity is maintained, but real-time centralized monitoring and control is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the building automation architecture into independent modular components: local building automation systems remain autonomous at the edge, while a centralized web service layer provides aggregation. This segmentation allows real-time centralized monitoring without forcing tight coupling between distributed systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The web service layer provides universal functionality by implementing standard HTTP interfaces that can handle multiple building automation systems simultaneously. The same RESTful endpoints serve different clients (mobile devices, web browsers, control systems) with consistent data formats and communication protocols.
3Loss of time
If manual data collection from different building automation subsystems is performed, then data aggregation is achieved, but time consumption increases and real-time monitoring is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The building automation systems automatically publish their data through standardized web service interfaces without requiring manual intervention. The centralized platform autonomously subscribes to and retrieves data from multiple building automation systems via HTTP requests, eliminating the need for operators to manually collect and aggregate data from different subsystems.
Data Source
AI summary
A framework for centrally controlling a plurality of building automation systems. The architecture and method automates a plurality of existing and new building automation systems comprising access control, HVAC, fire safety etc. in such a way that the plurality of building automation systems can be monitored and controlled from a central dashboard. The central dashboard effectively monitors, takes right decisions and remotely controls the buildings across the globe from a centralized location.