Smart Gateway Device for BMS and Proprietary Protocol Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building management systems (BMS) face challenges in interfacing with third-party devices that use proprietary communication protocols, leading to increased commissioning, maintenance, and monitoring times, as well as the need for costly and complex software to communicate with non-compatible networks.
Innovation Solution
A smart gateway device is introduced to create virtual devices that appear as part of the BMS network, allowing seamless interaction between the BMS network and non-BMS networks, including those with proprietary protocols, without requiring additional programming or configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If third-party devices use proprietary communication protocols, then device functionality is maintained, but system compatibility and ease of integration deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between the BMS network and third-party devices. The gateway translates proprietary communication protocols into standard BMS protocols, enabling compatibility without modifying the third-party devices themselves. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining device functionality while achieving system compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device dynamically changes communication parameters including protocol type, data format, and transmission format based on the target device. By adapting these parameters in real-time, the system achieves versatility in communicating with different proprietary devices while maintaining a standardized interface to the BMS network.
2Adaptability or versatility
If protocol translation software is added to interface with third-party networks, then communication capability is improved, but software complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway serves as a dedicated intermediary device that consolidates all protocol translation functionality in a single hardware unit. This approach simplifies the overall system architecture compared to adding translation software to multiple BMS components, as the gateway handles all communication protocol conversions centrally.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device is designed with multi-functionality, supporting multiple proprietary protocols simultaneously through a single device. This universal approach reduces the need for multiple specialized software solutions, thereby reducing overall software complexity and cost while maintaining broad communication capability.
3Ease of operation
If technicians plug into third-party communication networks, then access to devices is enabled, but commissioning and maintenance time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway provides a standardized interface that technicians can access using standard BMS tools and protocols. This eliminates the need for technicians to plug into multiple proprietary networks, as all device access is routed through the gateway's unified interface, significantly reducing commissioning and maintenance time.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway presents a homogeneous interface to the BMS network, making all third-party devices appear as standard BMS devices. This uniformity allows technicians to operate with a single set of tools and procedures across all devices, improving ease of operation and reducing time loss during maintenance activities.
4Adaptability or versatility
If expensive interface software is used to communicate with third-party networks, then communication functionality is achieved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway consolidates expensive protocol translation capabilities into a single hardware device, eliminating the need for multiple licenses of expensive interface software. This approach reduces overall system cost while maintaining full communication functionality with third-party devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway provides universal communication support for multiple proprietary protocols through a single device, replacing the need for multiple specialized software packages. This multi-functional approach significantly reduces software licensing costs while maintaining comprehensive communication functionality across different device types.
Data Source
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AI summary
A smart gateway device (530) for providing communications between multiple networks associated with a building management system (BMS) (500). The device includes a first network interface circuit (600) in communication with a first network (502) associated with a building management system (BMS) (500). The device further includes a second network interface circuit (602) in communication with a second network (504) associated with a subsystem of the BMS, wherein the second network (504) is not compatible with the first network (502). The second network interface circuit is configured to detect a physical device associated with the second network (504), and to receive a data packet associated with the physical device. The data packet is transmitted to the first network interface circuit. The first network interface circuit (600) is configured to receive the data packet and to generate a virtual device (710, 712) based on the received data packet. The virtual device is configured to represent the physical device on the first network (502).