Patents Assigned to Siemens Building Technologies
  • Patent number: 7345591
    Abstract: An intelligent sensor module with an electrical sensor element and a printed circuit board comprises a bipartite guiding device through which electrical connecting wires are guided to the printed circuit board in an insulated fashion at a certain spacing from one another. The guiding device is configured in such a way that it can be used directly as a production tool during mounting of the sensor element. The intelligent sensor module can be produced cost effectively with high quality through the use of the guiding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies AG
    Inventor: Ralph Kayser
  • Patent number: 7341193
    Abstract: A portable, preferably hand-held device is provided which may be used to test device loops in fire safety systems for short circuits, open circuits, ground faults and can test the response of the devices in the loop before or after the device loop is connected to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Iasso, Peter Sun, Michael Pierce, Brian Stouchko
  • Publication number: 20080051024
    Abstract: A damper actuator assembly comprises a gear train including a follower gear. The follower gear is arranged such that the position of the follower gear indicates the position of at least one blocking member of a damper that the actuator is connected to. A sensor is positioned within the damper actuator and is configured to monitor the position of the follower gear. Accordingly, the sensor is configured to provide an electrical signal indicative of the position of the follower gear to a processor. A driving member is connected to the gear train and is configured to drive the gear train at two or more variable speeds depending on the electrical signal provided to the processor from the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Caliendo, Dean Anderson, Pankaj Kalore
  • Patent number: 7337191
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for communicating service and maintenance information about equipment located at distributed building sites. A customer web portal is provided with a database for storing the equipment service information. The web portal provides an efficient way of determining the service activity for equipment located at distributed sites without the need for maintaining service related information at each site. The user can also obtain information about individual service orders and service agreements for individual pieces of equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad Haeberle, Michael Dehart, Karen Wisniewski, Doug Emery
  • Patent number: 7335015
    Abstract: Method for controlling or regulating a burner (5) to which a defined air quantity (3) and fuel quantity (4) are fed, the exhaust gas (6) formed during the combustion being fed to a sensor (7), and the actual value (8) detected by the sensor being compared with a desired value (9), and a control deviation being obtained from the difference between desired value and actual value, which control deviation is converted into a control variable (11) which is independent of the burner power, characterized in that a power-dependent control variable (15) is generated from the power-independent control variable (11) and from burner-specific parameters (13) which are determined during setting of the burner for the respective power points of the burner, and in that the power-dependent control variable (15) is converted into a control signal (17, 18) in order to influence the ratio of the air quantity (3) to the fuel quantity (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies AG
    Inventor: Alexander Meier
  • Patent number: 7317970
    Abstract: A line of sight temperature sensor in a thermostat allows placement at locations other than on a wall. For example, the thermostat is positioned in a ceiling, allowing easier wiring access. Wall placement may be used. By remotely sensing user selection associated with a remote location, control of the building automation is provided without requiring user contact. For example, the user places a finger or hand on a graphic for increasing or decreasing temperature set point. The placement is detected with an optical or other remote sensor. The set point for heating or cooling control is altered based on the remote sensing of the user selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William Thomas Pienta, Scott Harvey, Michael Hjelm
  • Patent number: 7308323
    Abstract: A configuration output system for use with a building automation system is provided. The configuration output system includes a database and an output engine block. The database contains a configuration data set selected by a user. The output engine block is operable to generate a plurality of types of outputs representing the configured building automation system as a function of the configuration data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Kruk, R. Scott Lambert, Brian P. Gillespie, Toby Lange, Latasha Gardner
  • Patent number: 7283936
    Abstract: A building control system, such as an HVAC system, has a field unit incorporating a control panel (a field panel) with a local user interface allowing user selected parameters for collecting trend information when the system detects a change of value for a point in the system or a timed instruction in the memory of the field panel to begin collecting trend data for a point. The resulting trend data collected by the field panel can be uploaded to a workstation in the building control system, where the trend data can be formatted into a report, and then digitally authenticated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christine M. Brindac, John M. Skowron, Nellie Martin
  • Patent number: 7281221
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a network based graphical user interface allowing individuals at a facility such as a factory work to efficiently communicate problems at the facility in real time. The graphical user interface of is comprised of one or more icons, with each icon representing a work site in a facility. Using the icons, workers at a work site can quickly communicate problems about the work site. The present invention allows managers at the facility to use the same graphical interface to drill down and quickly obtain information about potential problems in the facility. The present invention also allows managers to predesignate departments or individuals to respond to different types of problems at a work site, so that when a worker at a work site identifies a problem, notifications may be sent out in real-time to the department or individuals that need to respond to the problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald J. Zver, Nicholas P. Fowler
  • Patent number: 7271752
    Abstract: An interface component (10) for a universal in-/output module with connection points (X0, M) for field devices includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DCA), a power source (25) and a combinational circuit, through which, as required, the analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) or the power source (25) are each able to be automatically connected to connection points of the interface component (10). The interface component (10) is able to be connected via a microcomputer to a digital data bus of a control and/or regulation device. A connection point (X0, M) for a field device includes a terminal (X0) able to be configured via the interface component (10) for the field device as an input and/or as an output for bidirectional signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies AG
    Inventor: Walter Stoll
  • Publication number: 20070208438
    Abstract: A method includes receiving at a first computer at least one interpreted program over the Internet using a web-browser. The method further includes executing at the first computer at least one interpreted software program to display at least a first graphical element, each graphical element having characteristics dependent upon a status of a corresponding building control system device in a remote location. The method also includes transmitting to the first computer first information regarding a change in status of at least one building control system device, and then transmitting to the first computer second information regarding a subsequent change in status of at least one building control system device. The transmission of second information is provided in the absence of a request transmitted by the first computer for updated information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Emad El-Mankabady, Karen Lontka
  • Publication number: 20070175624
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for temperature regulation/limitation in a heat generating installation, said device comprising at least one probe (Tk) that is connected to a regulator (20) which, in turn, is connected to an automatic heating system (40) by means of a communication interface (30). The inventive device is characterised in that the automatic heating system (40) comprises a safety module (41) which compares the temperature detected by the probe, forwarded to the regulator and transmitted from the regulator to the automatic heating system by means of the communication interface, with a maximum admissible safety temperature (TSTB) stored in the safety module (41), and in that, once the safety temperature is reached or exceeded, the safety module (41) generates a cut-off signal which causes the installation to be cut off by the automatic heating system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: Siemens Building Technologies AG
    Inventors: Erhard Affolter, Rene Joubert, Josef Lelle, Lothar Schafer
  • Patent number: 7228234
    Abstract: A method and system for performing quality control checks upon weather data are provided. The weather data includes information pertaining to a plurality of weather parameters. The quality control checks may identify inaccurate weather parameters or be used to rank weather data sets. The quality control checks include hourly, daily, and forecast quality control checks performed upon hourly, daily, and forecast weather parameter data. The method and system may exclude the inaccurate weather parameters identified from a reasonable weather database. The method and system may determine reasonable or approximate weather parameters that approximate the actual weather parameters. The system may rank a plurality of weather data sets based upon the accuracy determination. The reasonable weather data or the weather data ranked as the most accurate may be used to calculate energy or cost savings for building energy conservation measures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James T. McNally, Jeffrey U. Price, Boris Vaiser, Robert C. Allen
  • Patent number: 7226007
    Abstract: Fabric material having a backing, such as carpet, is used as a biomass fuel component. The fabric material is shredded and substantially separated into constituent backing and fabric components. The backing component is stored in a first storage unit. The fabric component may be mixed with another biomass fuel component before introduction into a gasifier. The gasifier produces synthetic gas, which is subsequently used to produce steam. The hot ash generated as a by-product of gasification is stored in a second storage unit. Each waste product may be confined to a distinct waste path such that the waste products remain isolated from each other, at least until the ash cools down to approximately the melting point of the backing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Tuzson, Robert McMillin
  • Publication number: 20070084937
    Abstract: An arrangement includes a plurality of wireless microsystems. Each microsystem is operable to measure at least relative humidity and temperature, and to communicate temperature and relative humidity information wirelessly to a network device. The network device is operable to communicate the temperature and relative humidity information to at least a first processor configured to cause a change in a building control condition based on the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Applicant: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Osman Ahmed
  • Publication number: 20070067063
    Abstract: An arrangement includes a plurality of wireless microsystems and a central data processor. Each microsystem is operable to measure a plurality of indoor environmental quality-related parameters and is operable to communicate first information pertaining to the measured parameters wirelessly to a network device. The central data processor is operably coupled to receive the first information from the network device, and further configured to generate a metric value of an indoor environmental quality of at least a first space based at least in part on the first information, the metric value dependent upon each of the measured parameters of at least a first of the plurality of Microsystems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Osman Ahmed
  • Patent number: 7177776
    Abstract: A test tool enables the testing of multiple variable air volume (VAV) boxes from a single location in a building environmental system. The test tool includes a building level network interface and a test program for sending a test parameter to a plurality of VAV boxes so that measurements of air flow characteristics may be obtained at the plurality of VAV boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Whitehead
  • Patent number: 7164972
    Abstract: An arrangement for coordinating data representative of a building system includes a process connected to a memory. The memory stores a plurality of building space objects and at least one building automation device object. At least one building space object includes a reference to at least one of the group consisting of a parent building space object and a child building space object, a reference to at least one graphic file containing a graphic image representation of the building space, and a reference to information regarding one or more building automation devices associated with the building space object. At least one building automation device object includes a reference to a corresponding building space object, a reference to at least one operating value of the building automation device, and a reference to a link to a file containing information regarding the at least one building automation device object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Raphael Imhof, Thomas Rule, Osman Ahmed, Pornsak Songkakul, George Phoenix
  • Patent number: D541679
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Disselkoen, Jim Wille
  • Patent number: D542160
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Disselkoen, Jim Wille