Building Utility Data Platform for Real-Time Monitoring and Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of multiple utility data into a common platform is challenging due to different communications protocols and incompatible data types used by various utility providers, limiting customers' access to real-time utility usage information and their ability to optimize consumption.
Innovation Solution
A system that deconstructs utility consumption information into individual data streams, allowing real-time monitoring and control, and automatically generates control signals for building environmental equipment to regulate usage within prescribed thresholds, using a common interface platform that aggregates data from multiple sources and provides customizable dashboards for users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple utility data sources with different communications protocols are integrated into a common platform, then real-time monitoring capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common interface platform that acts as an intermediary between multiple utility data sources and the user. This platform receives data from various utility providers through their respective communications protocols, standardizes and aggregates the data, then presents it in a unified format. The intermediary absorbs the complexity of multiple protocols while providing a simple unified interface to users, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive data access and system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The common interface platform is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple types of utility data (electricity, gas, water, etc.) from different providers through a single unified interface. The platform performs multiple functions including data collection, parsing, aggregation, and presentation across various devices, eliminating the need for separate systems for each utility type and reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If utility data is aggregated and parsed through a common interface platform, then data accessibility is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-parsing and pre-aggregating utility data as it arrives from various sources, organizing it into standardized formats and storing it in accessible structures before user requests. This advance preparation reduces the processing time required when users request data, as the heavy lifting of parsing and aggregation has already been completed, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive data processing and rapid access.
3Productivity
If real-time monitoring and control features are added to the system, then utility optimization capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges monitoring and control functions into a single integrated common interface platform. The system combines real-time data aggregation, analysis, and control signal generation in one unified system rather than using separate monitoring and control systems. This consolidation improves utility optimization by enabling closed-loop control while managing complexity through integration and standardization.
4Loss of information
If data is collected and stored from multiple utility devices, then information completeness is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies homogeneity by standardizing all utility data from different sources into a unified data structure and format. The common interface platform parses diverse utility data formats and converts them into a consistent standardized structure for storage and processing. This standardization maintains complete information from all utility devices while simplifying data management through uniform handling, resolving the contradiction between data completeness and management complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of monitoring and controlling multiple utility consumption in a building includes: obtaining, by a first server, real-time utility usage data from a plurality of utility devices associated with the building; parsing the utility usage data obtained by the first server to generate individual data streams including utility consumption information; and storing the individual data streams in a database. The method further includes: obtaining, by a second server, at least a subset of the individual data streams from the database based on a client request for the utility consumption information; parsing and aggregating, by the second server, at least the subset of the obtained individual data streams and returning the parsed and aggregated data streams to a requesting client; and displaying the parsed and aggregated data streams, presenting to the client information regarding the multiple utility consumption associated with the building in a prescribed format controlled by the client.