IoT Building Safety System with Cloud-Local Fallback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional building safety systems, particularly fire safety systems, suffer from limited control and visibility due to their architecture, which is often based on hardwired circuits and sensors, making it difficult to effectively manage and respond to emergencies across multiple zones within a building.
Innovation Solution
A networked building safety system architecture that includes safety control devices and gateways communicating over a packet data network, allowing for continuous heartbeat communications, status monitoring, aggregation, and control commands, with the ability to operate independently if disconnected from the cloud system, and integration with HVAC and building control systems for coordinated emergency responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional hardwired circuit architecture is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but control and visibility into individual sensors is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical hardwired circuit system with a network-based communication system. Individual sensors and control devices communicate over a packet data network (such as Ethernet or wireless networks) instead of being connected through physical wiring loops. This substitution enables digital addressing, individual device identification, and enhanced monitoring capabilities while maintaining system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The network infrastructure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides communication between devices, enables individual device addressing and identification, supports data transmission for monitoring and control, and allows integration with building management systems. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by using a single network platform to achieve enhanced control and visibility without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cloud-based system is used, then system scalability and elasticity are improved, but system availability deteriorates when internet connectivity is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its operational mode based on cloud connectivity status. When connected to the cloud, the system operates in cloud-managed mode with full scalability and remote access capabilities. When connectivity is lost, the system automatically transitions to local autonomous mode, maintaining core safety functions and device control. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by ensuring scalability when needed while guaranteeing availability during cloud disconnection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential cloud disconnection by implementing local buffering capabilities and autonomous operation modes in advance. Status data from safety devices is buffered locally, and the system can continue monitoring and controlling devices without cloud connectivity. This beforehand preparation ensures that system availability is maintained even when internet connection is lost, while still providing cloud-based scalability when available.
3Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring of all devices is implemented, then real-time detection capability is improved, but data transmission volume and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements selective monitoring where only critical status changes and alarm conditions trigger immediate cloud transmission. Routine status updates are aggregated and transmitted periodically or in batches. This partial action approach maintains real-time detection capability for safety-critical events while reducing overall data transmission volume by not continuously transmitting all device states to the cloud.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple status updates from different devices into aggregated data packets for efficient transmission. Instead of sending individual messages from each sensor, the gateway consolidates status information from multiple devices into single batch transmissions. This combining strategy maintains comprehensive monitoring coverage while significantly reducing the total volume of data transmitted over the network.
Data Source
AI summary
Building safety system architecture, methods, and mediums. A method includes receiving substantially-continuous heartbeat communications from a plurality of safety control devices over a packet data network. The method includes monitoring a status of each of the safety control devices. The method includes aggregating the received statuses of the plurality of safety control devices. The method includes transmitting the aggregated statuses to a cloud safety system. The method includes receiving control commands from the cloud safety system. The method includes controlling the safety control devices according to the received control commands.