Building control system using network global data

An arrangement in a building control system, comprising:

• a field panel device configured to receive control inputs and further configured to provide control outputs to at least one building control device, the field panel device further comprising:
• a data store maintaining a set of global data, the set of global data shared by a number of other field panel devices, the number of other field panel devices operably coupled through a logical internet protocol network;
• a logical protocol network communication circuit operably connected to at least one of the number of other field panel devices;
• a processing circuit configured to communicate changes of any of the set of global data to at least one other field panel device via the logical internet network communication circuit.

A method of adding a new node to a logical network, the logical network including a plurality of existing nodes, each of the existing nodes including a memory device storing global data, the method comprising:

• a) transmitting from a first node of the plurality of existing nodes a first message identifying the first node as a member of the logical network;
• b) receiving the first message at the new node, and transmitting from the new node to the first node a request for global data;
• c) transmitting to the new node from the first node global data stored at the first node;
• and
• d) determining a first set of partner nodes at the new node, the first set of partner nodes comprising a subset of the plurality of nodes.

An arrangement in a building control system, comprising:

• a plurality of field panel devices, each field panel device configured to receive control inputs and further configured to provide control outputs to at least one building control device, each field panel device further comprising:
• a data store maintaining a set of global data, the set of global data shared by all of the plurality of field panel devices;
• a communication circuit operably connected to others of the plurality of field panel devices;
• and
• a processing circuit configured to communicate changes of any of the set of global data to at least one other field panel device via the communication circuit, the processing circuit further configured to maintain version information regarding the global data.