Abstract: A system for filtering items to be displayed on a graphical user interface provided to a client and for interaction by a user, the graphical user interface for a building automation system, is provided. The system includes a processor and memory communicably coupled to the processor. The memory includes computer code for allowing the user to create a filter definition via a computer based form. The memory further includes computer code for saving the created filter definition to memory and computer code for applying the saved filter definition to a set of building automation system data items. The memory yet further includes computer code for generating the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including results of the applied filter definition.

Abstract: A building automation control system for use in a building having an IT network includes at least one BAS controller connected to the IT network and at least one BAS device located within the building and connected to the at least one BAS controller through the IT network. Further the system may be configured to use standards-based IT technologies over the IT network to manage the at least one BAS device. The standards-based IT technologies may include DHCP to obtain IP addresses and network parameters of the BAS devices, DNS to provide a mechanism for associating the BAS devices with human-friendly names, a distributed mechanism for storing the names, and a method for locating the BAS devices by resolving names and IP addresses, SNTP to synchronize time on the BAS devices, SNMP to monitor the BAS devices and report alarms, SMTP for delivery of e-mail alarms, web-services to provide Internet-friendly communications, and standards-based IT security mechanisms to protect software of the BAS devices.

Abstract: A building automation control system for use in a building having an IT network is disclosed. The building automation control system includes at least one BAS controller connected to the IT network and at least one BAS device located within the building and connected to the at least one BAS controller through the IT network. Further the system may be configured to use standards-based IT technologies over the IT network to manage the at least one BAS device.

Abstract: A system for filtering items to be displayed on a graphical user interface provided to a client and for interaction by a user, the graphical user interface for a building automation system, is provided. The system includes a processor and memory communicably coupled to the processor. The memory includes computer code for allowing the user to create a filter definition via a computer based form. The memory further includes computer code for saving the created filter definition to memory and computer code for applying the saved filter definition to a set of building automation system data items. The memory yet further includes computer code for generating the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including results of the applied filter definition.

Abstract: A computer-implemented building automation operating system for supporting applications that interact with building automation devices in different locations. A computer-human interface is provided for viewing data related to the applications. A master name data structure stores global identifiers and location specific names for each of the applications that interact with the building automation devices. The global identifiers uniquely identify the applications. A building automation master name processor is connected to the master name data structure and to the computer-human interface for providing to the computer-human interface a location specific name based upon its associated global identifier. These features significantly enhance the global distribution and use of new building automation software applications.

Abstract: A computer-implemented building automation system is provided with an asynchronous communication architecture for supporting object-oriented applications that interact with distributed building automation devices. Standard application objects which need to be informed of changes to the value of another object's attributes use a connection object to establish an asynchronous link between standard objects. A source object has a control attribute that changes based upon the execution of this object's control method which in turn is linked to a second control attribute of a destination object. By linking these attributes, a connection object is defined to manage information being passed between these two objects. Upon instantiation of the connection object, it registers the second control attribute with the source object to receive "significant" changes in the value of its control attribute.

Abstract: A computer-implemented building automation system is provided with an asynchronous object-oriented operating environment that is able to provide support for synchronous object execution with respect to real time, including those used to maintain closed-loop control over a system. The operating environment for supporting standard objects includes a clock mechanism for maintaining time and a scheduling mechanism for initiating the methods associated with the standard objects. A control method (i.e. PID control method) of a first standard object is scheduled for execution at a predefined schedule time with the schedule mechanism, and at some later time is initiated by the schedule mechanism. Upon execution, the control method determines an actual time of initiation by reading the clock mechanism and adjusts its control method using this actual time when the actual time exceeds the schedule time.

Abstract: An object-oriented building automation system architecture allows complex building automation applications to be developed and deployed as distributed objects across a network. Applications are distributed in the form of objects that may in turn be made up of other application objects, assembly objects and standard objects. All objects are inherited from a superclass that defines a command component and a view component. The command component identifies those methods within the object that may be executed by other objects, and ultimately by the user through the user interface. The view component identifies the attributes or data stored in the object that may be displayed on the user interface. The view component encapsulates the information needed to display the object's data, so that the user interface can be a generic browser. The standard objects encapsulate physically-constrained properties or human comfort-constrained properties.

Abstract: A computer-implemented building automation system provides a computer software architecture that supports object-oriented system development. An application engineer designs an application to perform a building automation function that solves a problem or customer need in the context of a building automation system. In the object-oriented paradigm, standard objects are the fundamental building block used to construct an application. Based on predetermined physical relationships defined by physical laws associated with building automation functions, the present invention defines a fundamental set of control-based standard objects for constructing an application. An additional set of information-type standard objects have also been defined for use in conjunction with this set of control-based standard objects. Standard objects are interconnected by "pulling" or "pushing" information from one standard object to another standard object using common communication methods.

Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.

Abstract: A distributed computer-implemented building automation system for supporting applications that interact with building automation devices. The building automation system has a first device and a second device interconnected across a network channel. A common object superclass stored in a computer readable memory defines a plurality of common objects through instantiation such that the common objects have attributes for storing data and have methods for processing stored data. A source object residing on the first device performs a first control method such that a first attribute of the source object is changed. A destination object residing on the second device performs a second control method using the first attribute of the source object. A surrogate object connected between the source object and the destination object has a value for the first attribute and represents the source object on the second device. The second object has access to the value of the first attribute for performing the second method.

Abstract: The building automation application framework defines an object-oriented class hierarchy in which a standard object superclass defines a plurality of different standard objects that may be assembled by a system designer into larger and more complex building automation systems. The standard objects include a view component that handles implementation details of displaying that object's contents on a standardized or generic user interface browser. The standard object also includes a command component that identifies to other objects what methods may be invoked by that object, thereby relieving the system developer from attending to this programming detail. The application framework defines a building automation model that is application-centric, as opposed to device-centric. Applications are constructed by interconnecting standard objects, assemblies formed from standard objects, and other application objects.

Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processsing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.

Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.

Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.

Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.

Abstract: A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features.

Abstract: A network system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems includes network controllers which continuously process data related to building and industrial, environmental, security and other automated system controls. Each network controller has a network address indicative of a communication link to which the network controller is connected, a local address and a node drop ID to determine whether the network controller is a configured or non-configured device. Data stored in an archive device is downloaded to a destination network controller in the absence of a routing table in the destination network controller by transmitting a download request message from the archive device to an intermediate network controller with a routing table. The intermediate network controller assumes control of the download request by transmitting the message to the destination controller.

Abstract: A timer manager for use in a network control system of one node of a connectionless communication network provides message receipt reliability. The network control system includes a buffer pool for storing messages to be transmitted from the one node and a data link stage for receiving the buffer pool storage address of a message to be transmitted and causing the message to be accessed and transmitted onto the bus. The timer manager is coupled to the buffer pool and to the data link stage and includes a table including a plurality of entry slots for storing the buffer pool storage address of a message to be transmitted with an associated timer entry index.

Abstract: A network control system controls the receipt and transmission of messages at one node of a communication network which includes a plurality of nodes coupled together on a bi-directional bus. Both short messages having a length less than a predetermined number of bytes and long messages having a length greater than the predetermined number of bytes may be conveyed between nodes. The network control system incudes a connectionless network control portion for controlling the receipt and transmission of the short messages and a connection-oriented network control portion for controlling the receipt and transmission of the long messages including establishing a connection between its node and another node before a long message is transmitted.