Building Control Application Migration Between Server and Gateway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building control systems face challenges with central servers, including connection losses that can lead to device control failures, and local gateways require regular maintenance to avoid security flaws, making them difficult to coordinate and manage efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A method that selectively transfers applications between a central server and local gateways based on predefined transfer rules, allowing for centralized management and local implementation, ensuring devices can be controlled independently of communication connections and maintaining security by optimizing application placement based on functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If control is implemented via a central server, then software management efficiency is improved, but connection reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into multiple independent gateways distributed across different locations, each capable of autonomous operation. This segmentation allows the system to maintain centralized software management benefits while eliminating the single-point-failure vulnerability of central servers, as each gateway can continue controlling its local devices even if connections to other gateways or central management are interrupted.
2Reliability
If control is implemented via local gateways, then connection reliability is improved, but coordination difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple distributed gateways into a coordinated network where each gateway maintains autonomous local control capabilities while also participating in a broader system. The gateways can operate independently for local reliability but can also coordinate with each other and with central management when needed, combining the benefits of both decentralized and centralized approaches without the full coordination overhead of purely decentralized systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If applications are transferred between server and gateways, then system adaptability is improved, but transfer overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-transferring applications from the central server to appropriate gateways before they are needed for local operation. This allows applications to be staged in advance on gateway devices, so when local control is required, the applications are already available and can be activated immediately without waiting for transfer during critical operations, thus reducing actual transfer time overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling at least one device in at least one building includes: selectively transferring, by a control system comprising a server and a number of gateways, at least one application from the server to a particular gateway or from a particular gateway to the server based on at least one transfer rule; and controlling, by the control system, the at least one device via the at least one application.