Building Equipment Schedule-Setpoint Synchronization Across Sites
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current building management systems (BMS) face challenges in synchronizing and managing schedules across multiple building sites and equipment types, lacking efficient mechanisms for centralized control and data encryption for secure access to equipment logs.
Innovation Solution
A BMS with a system manager that facilitates synchronized schedules and setpoints across multiple sites, using a schedule manager to discover, create, update, and push schedules and setpoints to equipment, and encrypts data logs for secure access through a unique passcode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a centralized schedule manager is implemented to synchronize schedules across multiple building sites, then operational efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The schedule manager is designed to perform multiple functions including discovering schedules from equipment, creating unified schedules, updating equipment schedules, and synchronizing across multiple building sites. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single centralized platform, improving operational efficiency while managing complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The schedule manager acts as an intermediary between the central management system and various building equipment devices. It receives schedule data from equipment, processes it centrally, and pushes updated schedules back to equipment. This intermediary role enables centralized control without requiring direct complex connections between all equipment and the central system.
2Reliability
If data logs are encrypted with unique passcodes for secure access, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically generates unique passcodes for each data log and manages the encryption/decryption processes without requiring manual intervention. Users can access encrypted logs by providing the appropriate passcode, and the system handles the security protocols automatically. This self-service approach maintains security while reducing the operational burden on users.
3Productivity
If combined schedules control both setpoints and operation schedules, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges setpoint control and operation schedule control into a single combined schedule structure. Instead of maintaining separate schedules for setpoints and operational timing, the combined schedule integrates both control aspects, allowing simultaneous management of when equipment operates and what parameters it should maintain. This consolidation improves productivity by streamlining control operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A building management system comprises building equipment operable to affect a physical state or condition of a building. The building management system includes a system manager coupled to the building equipment via a system bus, the system manager comprising a schedule manager configured to control a first operation schedule of the building equipment. Combined schedules are configured to be controlled by the schedule manager. The combined schedules are configured to control both a first setpoint of the building equipment and first operation schedule of the building equipment. A client device is configured to communicate with the schedule manager to modify the first operation schedule of the building equipment to include the first schedule object.