Building Automation System Controller
A building control system is provided that receives information from devices of different subsystems. A trigger causes a zone controller to store the information in a database. The stored data is used to generate customized reports based on sequences or sets of related events. The information from multiple subsystems is consolidated, analyzed, and patterns of behavior are determined. The trigger also causes execution of control actions throughout the building spanning the multiple subsystems, devices, and areas based on the information. An access control subsystem and a non-access control subsystem of the building control system are linked using a common network such that a change in the state of an access control device can affect the state of a non-access control device and a change in the state of a non-access control device can affect the state of an access control device.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/695,784, filed Apr. 3, 2007, and claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/788,896, filed Apr. 4, 2006.
FIELD OF INVENTIONThis invention relates to building automation systems and, more particularly, to building automation systems having computer software-based controllers to monitor and control multiple locations in buildings.
BACKGROUNDComputer software-based controllers are often used in building automation systems to monitor and control building facilities. However, the operation and control of various functions relating to building facilities (such as lighting, HVAC, fire protection, security, utility metering, access control and the like) often are not integrated. Separate and distinct systems are generally utilized to perform such functions within a building. In many instances, these dedicated systems, which are used to perform different building functions, operate in an independent fashion and often do not effectively coordinate information with one another. The history of modification, creation, and communication of software objects, including the binary input objects, binary output objects, file objects, and command objects in existing systems disappears after their use. Even if a “trend log object” has been established to memorize a partial history of an object, this structure lacks the capability to follow sequences of varied system responses to a common trigger.
A building control system that provides simplified co-operation between building control subsystems is shown and described. Various control actions can be performed throughout a building spanning multiple subsystems, devices, and locations. A building control system that pulls information from multiple subsystems using different protocols is also provided. The building control system stores the information in a database and uses the stored data to generate customized reports based on sequences or sets of related events. The building control system addresses the persistent need to consolidate information from multiple building control subsystems, to analyze the data, and to determine patterns of behavior in a facility.
In particular, as disclosed herein, the building control system is provided with a zone controller that operates as a local area (such as a room or entrance area) controller. The zone controller reads in software objects sent via different protocols (such as Modbus, OPC, BACnet, and LONTalk) from third party building control system devices. The zone controller further processes electrical signals from sensors, actuators, and data ports coupled with various modules of a module assembly for the zone controller. The building control system has the capability to initiate the recording of IP (Internet protocol) video on a video recorder such as a digital video recorder or network video recorder. The zone controller includes a central processing unit and expandable input/output modules to allow for card access, lighting, HVAC control, and other building control functions. The zone controller uses an embedded operating system to house the graphics, configuration, and programming tools. In addition, the zone controller runs a database program used to store point objects associated with the resident area for the zone controller, as well as programs, graphics, pictures, and configuration files and gets its power via a Power Over Ethernet (PoE) connection.
The building control system may comprise a set of devices that automate the behavior of building or facility equipment. The devices, for instance, may be electrically operated devices. The building control system may, for example, comprise the total set of a combination of: HVAC equipment, fire protection equipment, access control equipment, intrusion control equipment, video surveillance equipment, audio intercommunication equipment, lighting equipment, utility metering and delivery equipment, public address equipment, irrigation equipment, or any other devices or equipment. A building control subsystem is a subset of the total building control system, based upon a limited sphere of influence. For example, access control may represent one type of building control subsystem, while lighting may represent another building control subsystem.
Referring to
As described further herein, zone controller 100 is a computer software-based controller employing various objects for performing actions at a building facility. An object is a data structure used to represent any entity within the field of computer science. For instance, building control system points such as physical sensors, actuators, displays, data ports, and combination devices may selectively be represented electronically as objects. The zone controller 100 is an intelligent electronic controller. The zone controller 100 is adapted to create images of points, comprising information associated with those points, and store the images inside memory as data structures called objects. Objects have identity (a name or identification that distinguishes it from other objects), state (the data currently stored in the object), and behavior (the method by which the objects act or can be used). The objects also have object properties. An object property is any field contained within an object that contains data. Examples of object properties include object identifiers, object names, present value, polarity, local dates, local times, etc. Objects may be classified by object type. An object type is a generic object classification defined by a set of object properties. Examples include binary input object, analog output object, area object, etc.
Referring now to
The zone controller 100 utilizes various objects for the monitoring and control of actions occurring at a building area. For example, area objects, subsystem objects, controller objects, and point objects are employed. An area object is an object type that represents a local space within a facility or building, such as a room. The area object may contain properties for area ID, area name, description, longitude, and latitude. Other sets of properties may also be used. The area object ID attaches to a point object as one of the properties of the point object. A point object, as stated earlier, is any object that represents a point. In building automation control, for example, a point may be a physical building control device capable of sensing, actuation, or transporting data. Examples of points may include a space temperature sensor, a card reader, or a video camera. Physical points undergo representation by objects for use within the zone controller software.
A subsystem object is an object type that represents information of the building control subsystem to which a point object has association. For example, a space-temperature point object may have association with a ROOM_X_HVAC subsystem object. Properties of a subsystem object may include system ID, system name, and description. The subsystem object ID also attaches to a point object as one of the properties of a point object. A controller object is an object type that may contain properties for controller ID, name, description, address, and protocol. The controller object ID also attaches to a point object as one of the properties of a point object. The controller object allows a sensor, actuator, HMI (human machine interface—e.g., a device having a display and keyboard) or an object of a combinational device to indicate that it is wired hierarchically underneath an intervening controller, and to indicate the communication protocol of that intervening controller.
In one example, the zone controller 100 may be used to monitor and control a sequence of actions such as activities related to an employee entering a place of employment. Referring to
The person entering the area presents an access control credential, such as a proximity card, to the credential reader 130. The credential reader, for example, may be an access control card reader. The zone controller 100 encapsulates the card data into a file object that represents the access control credential and the request to enter the building. The zone controller 100 accordingly time/date stamps the file object. The zone controller 100 then looks up the card identification number within an internal calendar object (schedule), and retrieves “access granted” status for the person (e.g., employee) seeking entry, for the current location, date, and time. A calendar object is an object type that contains a list of dates and times. The calendar object is used to actuate or sense processes at specific dates and times, to record data at specific dates and times, or to exchange information at a data terminal at specific dates and times. For example, the calendar object may designate certain days as holidays in order to modify the behavior of the building control system from its normally scheduled behavior.
The zone controller 100 next updates the binary output object representing the electrically operated door strike component 110 (such as an electric door lock) and unlocks the door 120. The zone controller 100 time/date stamps the binary output object. When the entrant opens the door 120 to enter, the magnetic door contacts 140 transfer to signal the open door state. The zone controller 100 updates a preconfigured binary input object representing the door position being in an open position. The zone controller 100 accordingly time/date stamps the binary input object. The zone controller 100 updates binary output objects representing predetermined lighting fixtures that illuminate the work area for the entrant and the path to the work area. The zone controller 100 then time/date stamps each binary output object.
The zone controller 100a,
The recording of control action sequences is provided. In particular, a number of steps are performed including: the collection of objects within a building control system; grouping of objects, from the set of all building control system objects into indexed subsets; the grouping of objects based on relevance, relationship, or causal relationship; the aggregation of objects triggered by a predetermined criterion or a logically tested set of occurrences; assignment of a name, label, identification number, address, or equivalent for the subset of objects; and the memorization of the resulting grouped object sequence in an accessible database.
A control action sequence refers to a series of related events caused or implemented by a zone controller. An example control action sequence may be illuminating the lights and warming an area (HVAC on) in response to an occupancy stimulus. Additionally, execution of predetermined sequences of control actions is also accomplished. In doing so, various steps are performed including: the predetermination (i.e. programming into a zone controller), collection and memorization of objects within an automation system; grouping of objects, from the set of all objects, into indexed subsets; the grouping of objects based on a desired, prescribed sequence of automated control actions; assignment of a name, label, identification number, address, or equivalent for the sequence (or subset); and execution of the control action sequence in response to a logical trigger criterion. A logical trigger criterion may be defined as a logically tested set of occurrences and object property values.
Referring now to
Object sequences may include two copies of each elemental object, to show the content of each object before and after modification by the zone controller 100. This preserves useful information, since changes to objects become easier to identify and quantify. Each stimulus of the zone controller 100,
Control actions may be recorded using a pre-trigger object buffer. The zone controller records control actions into a buffer located within its electronic memory, or within the building control system network database server, using a predetermined number of pre-trigger objects. Incorporation of several objects into the buffer, for example, in association with an area entrance as described with reference to
Logical expressions may also be employed as triggers. Logical combinations of objects are used to trigger either memorization of actual transpired object sequences or initiation of prescribed control action object sequences. For example, consider the act of forced entry by “jimmying” a door open with a pry bar. The zone controller 100,
Any number of elemental objects may provide inputs to a logical or mathematical criterion to trigger the generation of an object sequence. For instance, any number or manner of logical, numeric, arithmetic, or mathematical operators may be applied to system data in order to evaluate and satisfy a predetermined trigger criterion. In other words, several inputs, outputs, and variables may selectively undergo mathematical processing with well known, familiar operators such as <, >, =, AND, OR, IF, +, −, ×, ÷, timer values, and the like. Non-object values also may be used to trigger the generation of object sequences. One example may include an input to a zone controller that has no representation as a BACnet object. Thus, activation of a proprietary tamper switch on an equipment enclosure, even if unrepresented by an object, for example, may trigger an object sequence. The result of an arbitrary internal calculation within the zone controller 100,
In cases where the zone controller 100,
As seen in
The building control system may have the capability to collect all information relevant to grouping diverse elemental objects into indexed or ordered object sequences. The object sequence structures may include elemental objects that originate from a number of networked building control system devices. The building control system, of
These actions may be completed by the initiating controller, by a second zone controller or by a networked database server programmed to mine these threads of related sequences. The retrieval of such information may also be undertaken during normal, periodic heartbeat communications to a building network user interface 830 residing on the network.
In another example embodiment, area objects, system objects, and controller objects may be associated with point objects. This aspect of the zone controller involves logical grouping of point objects according to the physical areas in which they reside. A point object again is an object that represents a sensor, actuator, or data port. The various point objects can also form groups based on the subsystems and controllers to which the objects have association. Point objects, for example, can undergo logical association with more than one area object, subsystem object, and controller object, in order to simplify integration. One example of a point object residing in two areas may include an object type, “door with access control”, representing a physical door set that separates two rooms, such as DOOR_XY in
In the embodiment of
In an alternative embodiment, shown in
Configuration of objects is performed by a user. The user defines each area object, subsystem object, and controller object, and then attaches each to specific point objects in the database associated with a zone controller 100. A zone controller 100a,
Referring to
By monitoring and controlling actions within areas of a building through employment of the zone controller, various reports can be created. For example, the zone controller 100a,
The zone controllers 100a and 100b,
The reports can also be customized and may accumulate and include the occurrences in an area over a specified time interval. In this example, the user enters an area ID, a beginning time, and an end time to generate the report. The reports can also generate or recall object sequences using any of the other logical trigger criteria and indices as described above. Another example of a sequence report may involve an “audit trail” which provides for retrieval of all transactions of a specific access card, associated with a specific person, on a specific date or date range. A further example of a sequence report may include retrieval of all access cards currently inside a building, which may be useful for emergency evacuation requirements. This example can provide information indicative of occupants still inside a building, requiring evacuation from a fire.
The zone controller supports data logging to provide trend log objects. The zone controller 100 can log any property value of any point object as defined by the user. Each log datum entry has an associated time/date stamp to indicate the period for which the log was taken. A user may selectively configure alarms for each point object if the point property value falls outside a predetermined range. In the event of an alarm, the area, subsystem, point identifier and value from each point object associated with the area object are written locally in a zone-controller-event-table of the zone controller database, and all assigned the same alarm identifier. Logs and alarms are stored for a predefined interval. After the predefined interval has expired, the alarms can be archived in a central database located on a file server (network database server).
The zone controller 100 reads software objects using multiple protocols such as BACnet, Modbus, OPC, LONTaIk, Johnson Controls N2, and others. A user manually programs or configures each point object. Alternatively, a networked “find” request (if available from the open protocol) causes all zone controllers to report all of the available objects and attributes. A localized database, residing in the zone controller 100, FIG. 8., stores all point objects and configurations.
In addition to the local configuration of the zone controller, an enterprise software program suite, resident in the network user interface PC 830, allows for configuration of multiple zone controllers over the Ethernet communication path or backbone. The enterprise software allows users to relate point objects resident in multiple zone controllers into a single, common building control system. For example, a number of different zone controllers may monitor and control the chilled water subsystem of a building. The enterprise software views all of the information concerning the chilled water subsystem. The enterprise software provides for the generation of custom reports that show how such an area or subsystem reacted to a specific occurrence. The reports contain information collected from recorded system object sequences as described above.
Users have the ability to define rules, carried out in the event an alarm occurs. For example, in the event a door contact 140,
The zone controller 100 allows for cooperation with a number of modules of a system controller module assembly and their associated i/o as seen in
In order to manage power, the zone controller 100 recognizes the various modules that it is connected to, knows the required power draw of each module, sums the individual demands, and arrives at the total required power. As modules are added or subtracted, the zone controller then adapts its power consumption class in accordance with the true demand of the connected modules for operating power. The tables of
The zone controller 100 has the capability to recognize its downstream modules, tally their power demands, and sum the demands to request the smallest possible maximum power delivery. The zone controller further determines the discrete actuator and sensor load sum for each module. In other words, in a zone controller with eight digital output ports, the load current draw for each output could be determined by typing configuration data into controller memory. To accommodate this, each input and output is represented by an object within the zone controller main processor module. Each object then contains property fields for voltage and current, which can be assigned values by configuration by the standard browser software for the user. A microprocessor calculates the total required power as the sum of all voltage-current products from its input and output objects. Alternatively, the zone controller 100 measures the current drawn from its loads during system commissioning. The zone controller subsequently tallies the total power demand to select the correct powered device (PD) power classification for communication to the power supplying equipment (PSE). The dynamic PD classification scheme described accurately reports power demand to PSEs, improves the reliability of the power management system, and requests only the quantity of power actually required. This, in turn, provides the PSE equipment with a realistic power demand. Additionally, PSE devices may automatically shut down loads that demand more power than the supply can deliver reliably.
The zone controller 100 is further able to characterize its loads in terms of not only the required operating current, but also by the required operating voltage of the loads. Thus, the zone controller (PD) can accept the standard −48VDC from the PSE, and forward any arbitrary voltage to the downstream module. This is beneficial since building control systems commonly utilize components requiring 5VDC, 9VDC, 12VDC, 24VDC, and so on.
Referring now to
In
Switch module 1400 is shown in
An infrared data port (IRDA) module 1600 is shown in
Analog input module 2400,
Referring to
The module design allows electrical and mechanical connection by sliding the various modules together as part of a system controller module assembly 2700 as illustrated in
Side mounting plate 2800 is shown in
The service connector 3060 provides a means for entering information into the microprocessor 3010, which may also contain a limited amount of both volatile and nonvolatile memory. The service connector 3060 also can inject operating power, as represented by the path to the power conditioning circuit 3020. Information flowing to the microprocessor 3010 may also be stored in nonvolatile memory 3075. An example use of the service connector 3060 includes a software update to the database, the operating system code, or the application code. While information path 3080 is shown through the microprocessor 3010, then to memory 3050, a path may alternatively be provided directly to the memory, bypassing the microprocessor.
The microprocessor 3010 executes an application program that contains instructions defining how to service the various bidirectional information flowing through the Ethernet port 3025, serial port 3030, USB port 3035, GPIO port 3040, and subnet port 3045. These ports facilitate the normal operation of the processor module 1300 to interface with the outside Ethernet network. This includes the Ethernet network with connected equipment such as additional controllers, actuators, sensors, displays, and devices with a combination of these elements. As described, the ports also connect to other networks such as serial 3030, USB 3035, and the zone controller sub-network 3045. Various zone controller add-on modules may, in turn, wire to sensors, actuators, displays, or combinational devices. These ports allow the communication of information, by means of various protocols or signals, to affect measurement and control of a building environmental parameter, such as temperature, humidity, light level, air quality, energy usage rate, smoke level, or physical access.
Claims
1. A building control system comprising:
- a plurality of subsystems including an access control subsystem containing a plurality of access control devices and a non-access control subsystem containing a plurality of non-access control devices, at least some of the access control devices and non-access control devices distributed on a common communication network;
- a plurality of zone controllers each having a central processing unit, a database, an embedded operating system, and a module assembly with a plurality of input/output (i/o) modules, each zone controller configurable via the common communication network, each zone controller operational as a local area controller; and
- a network management system configured to manage the zone controllers and the subsystems via the common communication network.
2. The building control system of claim 1, wherein each zone controller is configured to receive information from devices of multiple subsystems using different protocols through the i/o modules.
3. The building control system of claim 1, wherein the non-access control subsystem comprises a security subsystem, a lighting subsystem, a HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) subsystem, a fire protection subsystem, and a utility metering subsystem, the non-access control devices comprising: HVAC equipment, fire protection equipment, intrusion control equipment, irrigation equipment, video surveillance equipment, audio intercommunication equipment, lighting equipment, utility metering and delivery equipment, or public address equipment.
4. The building control system of claim 1, wherein the access control subsystem comprises access control devices associated with different doors in different physical areas of a building, the building control system configured such that a state of an access control device associated with a first door is capable of affecting a state of an access control device associated with a second door, the state of the access control device associated with the first door is capable of affecting a state of a non-access control device associated with a physical area adjacent to the first door, and a state of a non-access control device associated with multiple physical areas is capable of affecting the state of the access control device associated with at least one of the first or second doors.
5. The building control system of claim 1, wherein each zone controller is configured to read in software objects sent via different protocols from third party devices and to process signals from sensors and actuators coupled with the i/o modules to affect measurement and control of a building environmental parameter including at least one of: temperature, humidity, light level, air quality, energy usage rate, smoke level, or physical access
6. The building control system of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises an Ethernet network and at least one of the zone controllers is configured to receive power via a Power Over Ethernet (PoE) connection.
7. The building control system of claim 1, wherein the network management system is configured to interact with a user using web-based tools.
8. The building control system of claim 1, wherein the database comprises stored data, the zone controller configured to use the stored data to generate customized reports based on sequences or sets of related events.
9. The building control system of claim 1, wherein in response to a triggering event the zone controller is configured to at least one of: record a predetermined sequence of data or execute a control action sequence.
10. The building control system of claim 1, wherein modules of the zone controller comprise a processor module, a switch module, a memory expansion module, an infrared data port (IRDA) module, a transceiver module, an access control door module, an access control reader module, a lighting control module, a utility meter module, a digital input module, a digital output module, and an analog input module.
11. A method of event management in a building control system having multiple building control subsystems each including a plurality of devices, the building control system comprising a zone controller operating as a local area controller, the method comprising the zone controller:
- collecting data from the subsystems;
- storing the collected data;
- analyzing the stored data to determine patterns of behavior in the building and to generate customized reports based on sequences of related events.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring a plurality of zone controllers using a network management system connected to the zone controllers via a common communication network.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising supplying power to the zone controller via a Power Over Ethernet (PoE) connection.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting the data comprises reading in software objects sent via different protocols from devices in the subsystems.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the zone controller recording a grouped object sequence by:
- grouping software objects from the building control system into subsets, the grouping triggered by a predetermined criterion or a logically tested set of occurrences;
- indexing the subsets based on at least one of: relevance, relationship, or causal relationship to form indexed subsets;
- assigning a name, label, identification number, address, or equivalent for the indexed subsets to form a grouped object sequence; and
- storing the grouped object sequence.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising executing a control action sequence in response to the predetermined criterion or the logically tested set of occurrences, the control action sequence comprising a predetermined sequence of control actions each of which affects a state of one of the devices.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the building control system comprises a plurality of point objects, the grouping of software objects comprising associating each point object with an area object, a system object, a controller object, and a subsystem object, the point objects able to undergo logical association with more than one area object, more than one system object, more than one controller object, and more than one subsystem object.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the building control system comprises an access control subsystem having access control devices associated with different doors in a building and a non-access control subsystem having non-access control devices, the method comprising at least one of:
- affecting a state of an access control device associated with a first door when a state of an access control device associated with a second door is changed;
- affecting a state of a non-access control device associated at least one physical area adjacent to at least one of the first or second doors when the state of the access control device associated with the second door is changed; or
- affecting a state of a non-access control device associated with multiple physical areas when the state of the access control device associated with at least one of the first or second doors is changed.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting the data comprises receiving signals from sensors and actuators coupled with i/o modules of the zone controller, the method further comprising controlling a building environmental parameter in response to the signals, the building environmental parameter including at least one of: temperature, humidity, light level, air quality, energy usage rate, smoke level, or physical access
20. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing web-based tools to allow interaction between the building control system and a user.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 4, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 23, 2010
Applicant: PANDUIT CORP. (Tinley Park, IL)
Inventors: James F. Wiemeyer (Homer Glen, IL), Ronald A. Nordin (Naperville, IL), Jack D. Tison (Bourbonnais, IL), Andrew J. Stroede (Frankfort, IL), Timothy M. Nitsch (Naperville, IL)
Application Number: 12/794,310
International Classification: G05B 11/01 (20060101); G06F 7/00 (20060101);