Graphical symbol animation with evaluations for building automation graphics

A method in a data processing system for displaying graphics, the method comprising:

• identifying a result of an expression comprising a variable dependent on a state of a device in a building as a value for a data point associated with the device in the building, the value received from a management system operably connected to the device;
• identifying a selection of an evaluation type from among a plurality of evaluation types;
• mapping the value for the data point to a graphical representation of the value for the data point according to the selected evaluation type;
• generating a display comprising a graphical representation of at least a portion of the building and a symbol representing the device, the symbol displayed in a location relative to the graphical representation of at least the portion of the building based on a location of the device in the building;
• displaying the graphical representation of the value for the data point in association with the symbol representing the device according to the selected evaluation type, wherein, when the selected evaluation type is an animated evaluation type, displaying the graphical representation of the value for the data point in association with the symbol representing the device comprises:
• determining whether the result of the expression is one of true and non-zero;
• and
• animating a display of the graphical representation of the value for the data point based on an animation interval in response to determining that the result of the expression is one of true and non-zero;
• and
• modifying the graphical representation of the value based on a change in the value in response to identifying the change in the value from the management system.

A data processing system configured to generate graphics for display, the data processing system comprising:

• a storage device comprising a system manager application;
• an accessible memory comprising instructions of the system manager application;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the instructions of the system manager application to:
• identify a result of an expression comprising a variable dependent on a state of a device in a building as a value for a data point associated with the device in the building, the value received from a management system operably connected to the device;
• identify a selection of an evaluation type from among a plurality of evaluation types;
• map the value for the data point to a graphical representation of the value for the data point according to the selected evaluation type, wherein, when the selected evaluation type is a linear evaluation type, to map the value for the data point to the graphical representation of the value, processor is further configured to execute the instructions of the system manager application to:
• identify a range of values for the result of the expression and a range of values for an evaluation;
• map the range of expression values to the range of evaluation values, wherein each of the expression values in the range of values for the result of the expression is mapped to a different one of the evaluation values in the range of values for the result of the evaluation;
• identify an evaluation value corresponding to the result based on the mapping;
• and
• identify a color corresponding to the evaluation value as a graphical representation of the value for the data point;
• generate a display comprising a graphical representation of at least a portion of the building and a symbol representing the device, the symbol displayed in a location relative to the graphical representation of at least the portion of the building based on a location of the device in the building;
• generate for display the graphical representation of the value for the data point in association with the symbol representing the device according to the selected evaluation type;
• and
• modify the graphical representation of the value based on a change in the value in response to identifying the change in the value from the management system.

A data processing system configured to generate graphics for display, the data processing system comprising:

• a storage device comprising a system manager application;
• an accessible memory comprising instructions of the system manager application;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the instructions of the system manager application to:
• identify a result of an expression comprising a variable dependent on a state of a device in a building as a value for a data point associated with the device in the building, the value received from a management system operably connected to the device;
• identify a selection of an evaluation type from among a plurality of evaluation types;
• map the value for the data point to a graphical representation of the value for the data point according to the selected evaluation type;
• generate a display comprising a graphical representation of at least a portion of the building and a symbol representing the device, the symbol displayed in a location relative to the graphical representation of at least the portion of the building based on a location of the device in the building;
• generate for display the graphical representation of the value for the data point in association with the symbol representing the device according to the selected evaluation type, wherein, when the selected evaluation type is an animated evaluation type, to generate for display the graphical representation of the value for the data point in association with the symbol representing the device, the processor is further configured to execute the instructions of the system manager application to:
• determine whether the result of the expression is one of true and non-zero;
• and
• cause animation of a display of the graphical representation of the value for the data point based on an animation interval in response to determining that the result of the expression is one of true and non-zero;
• and
• modify the graphical representation of the value based on a change in the value in response to identifying the change in the value from the management system.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more data processing systems to:

• identify a result of an expression comprising a variable dependent on a state of a device in a building as a value for a data point associated with the device in the building, the value received from a management system operably connected to the device;
• identify a selection of an evaluation type from among a plurality of evaluation types, wherein the evaluation type defines a type of illustration for a graphical representation for the value of the data point;
• map the value for the data point to the graphical representation of the value for the data point according to the selected evaluation type, wherein, when the selected evaluation type is a linear evaluation type, the instructions that cause the one or more data processing systems to map the value for the data point to the graphical representation of the value comprise instructions that cause the one or more data processing systems to:
• identify a range of values for the result of the expression and a range of values for an evaluation;
• map the range of expression values to the range of evaluation values, wherein each of the expression values in the range of values for the result of the expression is mapped to a different one of the evaluation values in the range of values for the result of the evaluation;
• identify an evaluation value corresponding to the result based on the mapping;
• and
• identify a color corresponding to the evaluation value as a graphical representation of the value for the data point;
• generate a display comprising a graphical representation of at least a portion of the building and a symbol representing the device, the symbol displayed in a location relative to the graphical representation of at least the portion of the building based on a location of the device in the building;
• generate for display the graphical representation of the value for the data point in association with the symbol representing the device according to the selected evaluation type;
• and
• modify the graphical representation of the value based on a change in the value in response to identifying the change in the value from the management system.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more data processing systems to:

• identify a result of an expression comprising a variable dependent on a state of a device in a building as a value for a data point associated with the device in the building, the value received from a management system operably connected to the device;
• identify a selection of an evaluation type from among a plurality of evaluation types;
• map the value for the data point to a graphical representation of the value for the data point according to the selected evaluation type;
• generate a display comprising a graphical representation of at least a portion of the building and a symbol representing the device, the symbol displayed in a location relative to the graphical representation of at least the portion of the building based on a location of the device in the building;
• generate for display the graphical representation of the value for the data point in association with the symbol representing the device according to the selected evaluation type, wherein, when the selected evaluation type is an animated evaluation type, the instructions that cause the one or more data processing systems to generate for display the graphical representation of the value for the data point in association with the symbol representing the device comprise instructions that cause the one or more data processing systems to:
• determine whether the result of the expression is one of true and non-zero;
• and
• cause animation of a display of the graphical representation of the value for the data point based on an animation interval in response to determining that the result of the expression is one of true and non-zero;
• and
• modify the graphical representation of the value based on a change in the value in response to identifying the change in the value from the management system.