Lightweight Web Supervisor Auto-Provisioning from Commissioned Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building management systems require manual, time-consuming, and error-prone processes for supervisor onboarding, which are costly due to the need for large, on-site computers and gateways, and lack efficient mechanisms for visualizing and managing schedules across multiple sites.
Innovation Solution
Automatically provisioning a lightweight web-based supervisor in a wireless mesh network using configuration information from commissioned devices, allowing for installation and configuration without manual input, and enabling visualization and management of schedules at a portfolio level.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual onboarding processes are used for supervisors, then configuration accuracy can be maintained through human review, but onboarding time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The supervisor system performs self-provisioning by automatically discovering commissioned devices in the network, retrieving their configuration information, and configuring itself without manual intervention. The supervisor autonomously executes discovery, configuration retrieval, and setup steps, eliminating the need for manual onboarding while maintaining configuration accuracy through automated processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Device configuration information is collected and prepared in advance during the device commissioning process. When the supervisor is deployed, this pre-prepared configuration information is automatically retrieved and applied, eliminating the need for manual configuration entry and reducing onboarding time while ensuring accuracy through pre-validated data.
2Reliability
If traditional supervisors with large memory and processing capability are deployed, then system performance and reliability are improved, but hardware cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The supervisor functionality is segmented into a lightweight web-based application that can operate with minimal local resources. Complex processing tasks are distributed to remote servers or cloud platforms, allowing the local supervisor instance to remain simple while maintaining system reliability through distributed computing architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
A web server acts as an intermediary between the lightweight supervisor and the network devices. The web server handles complex communication and processing tasks, allowing the supervisor to maintain a simple, reliable architecture while still accessing comprehensive device information and control capabilities through the web interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive manual configuration steps are performed, then complete device integration is achieved, but installation complexity and error potential increase
Solution Approach 1:
The supervisor automatically performs device discovery, configuration retrieval, and integration setup without manual intervention. The system self-configures by querying commissioned devices for their information and automatically integrating them into the network, achieving complete device integration while eliminating installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The supervisor continuously discovers and monitors the network for commissioned devices, automatically detecting new devices and retrieving their configuration information. This feedback mechanism ensures complete device integration is maintained as the network evolves, while the automated process keeps installation complexity low.
4Reliability
If on-site computers and gateways are deployed, then system functionality is ensured, but deployment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The supervisor functionality is extracted from dedicated on-site computer hardware and implemented as a web-based application that can run on existing network infrastructure. This eliminates the need for separate on-site computers and gateways, reducing hardware quantity while maintaining system functionality through the web server platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The web server infrastructure performs multiple functions including hosting the supervisor application, providing web interface access, and facilitating device communication. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated on-site computers and gateways, reducing hardware quantity while ensuring system functionality through the versatile web platform.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automatically onboarding an instance of a lightweight web-based supervisor in a network includes receiving configuration information associated with one or more commissioned devices in the network. The method includes automatically discovering an installation or initial execution of the instance of the lightweight web-based supervisor on the one or more commissioned devices in the network. The method includes subsequent to automatically discovering the installation or initial execution of the instance of the lightweight web-based supervisor, automatically provisioning the instance of the lightweight web-based supervisor based at least on the configuration information of the one or more commissioned devices. The method includes subsequent to automatically configuring the lightweight web-based supervisor, automatically mapping and displaying operational information and configuration information associated with the one or more commissioned devices via a dashboard of the instance of the lightweight web-based supervisor.