Protocol Bridge for Building Facility and IP Network Coordination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing building facility device managing systems and IP network device managing systems, which use different communication protocols such as BACnet/Lontalk and IP protocols respectively, face difficulties in coordinating the operation of building facility monitoring devices with IP network monitoring devices, leading to limitations in providing advanced building environments and effective control of devices like IP monitoring cameras.
Innovation Solution
A connection system that includes a management database and a coordinated-packet-generation transmitting/receiving unit to bridge the protocol gap between BACnet/Lontalk and IP protocols, allowing for the storage and transmission of status and parameter information between building facility and IP network monitoring devices, enabling coordinated operation across different protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If building facility device managing system and IP network device managing system use different communication protocols (BACnet/Lontalk vs IP protocols), then each system can independently manage its own devices, but the two systems cannot coordinate operation between building facility monitoring devices and IP network monitoring devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protocol conversion system that acts as an intermediary between the building facility device managing system and the IP network device managing system. This converter translates messages between different protocols (BACnet/Lontalk and IP protocols), enabling coordinated operation without requiring direct compatibility between the two systems. The intermediary handles protocol differences while maintaining independent device management capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If protocol conversion is implemented between BACnet/Lontalk and IP protocols, then coordinated operation between different device types becomes possible, but system complexity increases due to protocol translation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol conversion system serves as a specialized intermediary that handles the complexity of protocol translation internally, presenting a simplified interface to both systems. The converter maintains translation rules and message format mappings, absorbing the complexity away from the primary managing systems while enabling cross-protocol coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements protocol conversion by transforming message parameters between different protocol formats. The system maps parameters from BACnet/Lontalk protocol structures to IP protocol structures and vice versa, changing parameter representations while preserving the semantic meaning and operational intent of the messages.
3Adaptability or versatility
If unified monitoring and control of multiple device types is achieved through protocol conversion, then advanced building environment management becomes possible, but information loss may occur during protocol translation
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol conversion system incorporates feedback mechanisms to verify successful translation and maintain data integrity. The system monitors translated messages and can detect information loss or translation errors, allowing for corrective actions or alternative translation paths to preserve critical information during protocol conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent carefully manages parameter transformations during protocol conversion, maintaining precise mappings between source and target protocol parameters. The system tracks parameter changes and ensures that critical information is preserved through the translation process, using parameter validation and consistency checks to prevent information loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Operations of a building facility monitoring device and an IP network monitoring device are coordinated with each other. In a connection system of a building facility device managing system, when a status of the IP network monitoring device is changed, a monitoring-device-status managing unit 301 provides parameter information unique for a BACnet protocol to the changed status and stores it. If the status is not an operation command, a coordinated-packet-generation transmitting/receiving unit 302 generates a packet of the BACnet protocol based on a status and parameter information of a specific IP network monitoring device to transmit it to a building facility device managing system 103. If the status is the operation command, it acquires a status and parameter information of the specific IP network monitoring device from a management database 401, and generates a packet of the BACnet protocol based on the status and the parameter information to transmit it to the building facility device managing system 103.