IoT network with BACnet communication for various sensors in a building management system (BMS) platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current building management systems lack efficient integration of IoT sensory products for monitoring and managing restroom fixtures, particularly in commercial buildings, which limits real-time data transmission and user control over water management systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an IoT architecture that utilizes LoRa WAN RF communication protocols to convert data from restroom fixtures into a format compatible with BACnet systems, enabling seamless integration with building management solutions and providing cloud purge functionality for remote user control and customization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional building management systems are used without IoT integration, then system simplicity is maintained, but real-time monitoring capability and data transmission efficiency are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces gateway devices as intermediaries between IoT sensory products and the BACnet building management system. These gateways receive data from various sensors (water flow meters, pressure sensors, occupancy detectors) via LoRaWAN communication and convert/forward the data to the BACnet system, enabling real-time monitoring without requiring direct integration between all sensor components and the central BMS.
2Speed
If LoRa WAN RF communication protocols are implemented for data transmission, then real-time data transmission and remote control capability are improved, but device complexity and protocol conversion requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device serves as a protocol conversion intermediary that receives LoRaWAN RF communications from sensory products and translates them into BACnet protocol format for the building management system. This intermediary approach enables fast wireless data transmission while isolating the complexity of dual-protocol support to a single conversion device rather than requiring all system components to handle both protocols.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple gateway devices are deployed for comprehensive monitoring, then coverage and monitoring scope are improved, but network complexity and data management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the building monitoring system into multiple independent gateway devices, each responsible for a specific zone or fixture (e.g., individual restrooms or floors). Each gateway operates autonomously to collect and transmit data from its local sensors, allowing the system to scale coverage by simply adding more gateways without requiring complex centralized configuration management for the entire network.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems of monitoring and managing a facility including a plurality of end point devices. One system includes a first gateway device. The first gateway device includes a first electronic processor configured to receive fixture data from at least one electro-mechanical element of a fixture associated with the facility, the fixture data related to an operation of the fixture, and enable transmission of the fixture data to a remote device for virtual processing. The system also includes a second gateway device communicatively coupled with the first gateway device. The second gateway device includes a second electronic processor configured to receive, from the first gateway device, the processed fixture data. The second electronic processor configured to convert the processed fixture data pursuant to a networking protocol associated with a building management system and transmit the converted fixture data for display via a visual dashboard associated with the building management system.