Self-healing control network for building automation systems
AssigneeSiemens Building Technologies, Inc.
InventorNorman R. McFarland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In building automation architectures, components may be associated through physical communications paths and at a different level through building automation applications. Building automation applications implement control processes for a building function. Due to changing needs, such as a failure of a physical communications path or the addition or removal of components, the building automation application may be more appropriately performed in a different device. By dynamically positioning or determining a processor for implementing a building automation application, an architecture or network may more optimally control building functions, such as by requiring less user input, more rapid response and/or avoiding building function failures.
Claims20
A self-healing automating building control system, the system comprising:
- a first controller configured to control a building environment according to wirelessly receiving data associated with a sensed environmental condition;
- and
- a second controller configured to control the building environment according to wirelessly receiving data associated with a failure of a communications path between the first controller and a source of the data,
- wherein control of the building environment switches from the controller to the second controller in conjunction with or response to a switch in the communications path.
A method for automating building control, the method comprising:
- automatically controlling a building environment with a building automation application implemented on a first controller according to a wireless communication via a communications path with a second controller;
- detecting a failure of a communications path between the first controller and second controller using a time-out mechanism that provides a time period for an expected communication;
- and
- switching the building automation application to a third controller in response to the failure of the communications path between the first controller and second controller, the third controller automatically controlling the building environment based upon a communication with the second controller.
A method for self-healing automating control, the method comprising:
- (a) automating control of a function with an automation application on a first processor, communications associated with the automation application being wireless;
- (b) detecting a reconfiguration of a communications path associated with the first processor;
- and then
- (c) implementing the automation application on a second processor remote from the first processor in response to (b) and independent of physical network communications paths interconnecting the first and second processors.
A system for self-healing automating control, the system comprising:
- a first processor operable to run a control application for automation and direct a network having a plurality of processors;
- a second processor remote from the first processor, the second processor operable to communicate with the control application via a communications path;
- and
- a third processor remote from the first and second processors;
- wherein the control application is operable to be implemented on the third processor in response to a reconfiguration of the network, and implementation of the control application on the third processor is independent of physical network communications paths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.