HK1248002A1 - System and method for generating a visualization of a building management system - Google Patents

Description

System and method for generating visualizations of building management systems

The invention relates to a system and a network (web) based method for generating a home or building visualization for a building management system or a building automation system, and to a user for an automated visualization in a building as a building management system or a building automation system.

Building management systems are used to control and monitor buildings or parts of buildings, for example, in functional buildings, hotels, office buildings, hospitals, apartment buildings, etc.

Implementing or commissioning functional buildings or parts of buildings, such as hotels, complex offices, hospitals or cinemas, usually follows a two-step approach.

In a first implementation step, all physical devices, for example fieldbus devices, must be equipped with special application parameters and data points for establishing communication with the bus system connecting the devices of the building automation system. Depending on the underlying technology, different tools must be used to run this implementation step.

The application parameters are commonly referred to as configuration properties in the Local Operating Network (LON) and parameters in the KNX standard. These are settings that are primarily stored in the device's persistent memory. They are used to configure the operation of the device, such as the fan coil device status as stand-alone, master, slave, etc., for the operation of the lights (dimming mode or on/off mode).

The data points are commonly referred to as network variables in the LON and group addresses in KNX. These are values that would, for example, allow for changing the temperature offset of the fan coil unit, e.g., the data points used to configure the temperature set point of the fan coil.

In a second implementation step, a visualization of the building must be provided. Additional debugging tools and releases (releases) are required, which exchange basic data functionality with the tools of the first step.

When in the first step all fieldbus devices have to be placed to their position within the building, the second step requires the positioning of the control elements within the visual building topology. Currently, both steps require manual work and are isolated and independent from each other. Import and export functionality is provided to use data exchange between different debugging tools, however information is lost during these steps and must be added again.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a system and network-based method for generating building or home visualizations to automatically or semi-automatically integrate information throughout a building, automate and control heating, cooling systems, ventilation and air conditioning, systems, lighting, sun shading systems, fire protection and/or security systems in building visualizations. New systems and methods are provided to provide simple and efficient possibilities for generating building visualizations.

The generation of the building or home visualization uses a user interface, e.g., a Human Machine Interface (HMI) for a building management system or a building automation system, and is integrated into the graphical engineering workflow.

The configuration data is data processed, transferred to the automation studio, transferred to the visualization server and/or transferred to the client device, which is done through an internet connection. In addition, the transmission of the generated page can use an internet connection.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a system for generating a building visualization. The inventive system includes a fieldbus commissioning tool with a template library and a graphics commissioning engine to implement a physical device of a building.

A device means, for example, a device connected to a field bus, which device is then composed of device objects. Device objects are different items of a device. For example, a device for lighting can be composed of several device objects, each of which represents a luminaire or a button or a remote control or the like.

The graphical commissioning engine locates (localizes) devices and their device objects, the use of devices, device objects and areas on a graphical architectural diagram and automatically generates a large amount of information needed for further enabling building visualization, e.g. in at least one user interface, e.g. a Human Machine Interface (HMI) for a building management system or a building automation system.

The device objects are configured and connected together using the device template, the device object template, and the region template with the fieldbus information based on the definition of the fieldbus template library.

The device containing the equipment (e.g. lights, fan coils, blinds provided in the building) and the equipment objects is placed on a floor plan (floor plan) and then the room is drawn to embed the equipment, from where the commissioning tool automatically configures and connects the equipment objects in the same room according to the definition of the previously defined template.

The present invention provides the ability to overlay the fieldbus template library with new information as an automation template and a network template.

A commissioning tool is provided to define a device template, a device object template, and a region template library. The region template library is a library that can therefore be reused later on other projects from the debugging tool.

The device template contains information on how to use the device and defines different types of devices (e.g., lights, fan coils, louvers) provided in the building (e.g., light device model 1 from company 1, light device model 2 from company 2, fan coil device model 1 from company 3, etc.).

The device object template contains information on how to use the device object and defines different object types within the device template, that is:

different equipment objects that make up the equipment (e.g., 8 luminaires, 4 remote switches.)

Their application parameters with their values

Data points they are common in building management systems.

The region template specifies application-specific parameter values to the device objects and how the device objects are connected together within the region. For example, the area contains devices, which are for example a group of rooms or parts of a room related to the whole building, automated and used to control heating, cooling systems, ventilation and air conditioning, systems, lighting, sun protection systems, fire protection and/or safety systems.

The defined zone template contains information about how the device objects are connected together (e.g., when the zone template is in a room-used to illuminate a button on a light). At this level, it is possible to override any previously defined application parameters to have a particular value written under particular conditions (e.g., the device object is the primary object in the zone, the device object is independent in the zone).

It is also provided to define data points that will be available in the building management system for the template for monitoring the area.

An example of the method used to create the region template data points is described below:

in an open space room, the temperature is given by the fan coil master (master), in the template the identified (itis defensed) common point is the zone temperature, and it is represented by the corresponding data point on the main fan coil device.

Once the template is defined, instances of devices and device objects are placed on the floor plan. The region is then drawn and an instance of the device object is embedded inside the region, so finally the debug tool is put together so that he can write the correct application parameters to configure the devices and make the correct connections to communicate them together.

On top of this fieldbus template it is then possible to define an automation template. This means for each data point defined in the device/device object/area template. It is possible to configure for example alarms, trends or schedulers (schedulers) on it.

Since this is defined at the "template level", the definition will apply to each instance in the device/device object/area, so this will generate as many actual alarms or trends from the first configuration as the number of device instances in the building.

The visualization always has a generic page for all alarms, trends, and/or dispatchers generated from the automation template. Thus, all of this automation information is always accessible from the private page from the visualization.

Visualization templates provide a method for defining how devices, device objects and regions defined in a template library are handled by visualization.

For example, it is possible to define at the template level:

how to represent devices and device objects ON a floor plan (example: the luminaire must be blue when ON and white when OFF)

How the zones are represented on the floor plan (example: green when unoccupied, etc.).

What the detailed information related to the area is (thumbnail, detailed view, remote switch, alarm, trend, scheduler, etc.).

Compilation of building information at the debug level with information from the device template, the device object template, the region template, the automation template, and the network template will automatically generate a visual website.

The generation of building visualizations uses visualization templates to display alarm management, schedule management, and/or trend/history management.

The field bus debugging tool is connected with the configuration data input unit and the automation working room. The automation studio receives building topology information created by the fieldbus commissioning tool. Building topology information is information relating to areas, control components, devices, networks, zones, spaces, equipment and/or their use or functionality (e.g., lights can operate in a dimming mode or an on/off mode, fan coils can operate in a standalone mode or a master/slave mode), used in a building management system or building automation system.

The building topology information is supplied by a fieldbus commissioning tool. Based on the building topology, the automation studio generates navigation structures for the building to allow access to different areas of the building and automatically generates web pages with visualization views of the building by using web templates. The automation studio is connected to the visualization server to transmit the web page to the visualization server as a visualization runtime and to forward the web page to the client device.

It provides to segment the visualization in:

visual database site (or building)

-a visualization server

Visualization Engine (or visualization runtime)

The visualization site database is a database that contains all the information used to display the sites in the visualization and is located on the visualization server.

The visualization server is a web server application that responds to web requests and sends web pages back to the client web browser using:

-visualization engine script

Part of the visual database necessary for generating the page (for example, the positions of the different graphic elements, their animations, their actions-write/click, etc.)

The visualization engine or visualization runtime is a script running on the client side that can interpret the visualization site database and render it on the client side.

The configuration data is data processed, transferred to the automation studio, transferred to the visualization server and/or transferred to the client device, which is done through an internet connection. In addition, the transmission of the generated page can use an internet connection.

In addition, the automation studio contains a library of visual elements (e.g., text boxes, check boxes, meters, chart pie charts, trend displays, alarm displays, image animations, etc.) that allow for changing values at the fieldbus level and creating groupings of control elements onto a right page view of at least one functionality and/or architectural visualization of the control elements.

The new elements of the present invention are visualizations generated from templates, so configurations are only defined once at the template level, and these configurations are applied to as many instances as defined in the field to generate a visualization site.

In an advantageous embodiment, the automation studio provides at least one interface for entering additional configuration data. These data are combined with data that provides a fieldbus debugging tool, which is used to automatically generate a page view.

Advantageously, by using the available configuration data in two ways. The first way is the commissioning of the physical device. This work step is quite common and well known. However, semi-automatic generation of information that is repeatedly available for building visualization is new and has many advantages. The speed of visualization generation is increased. It is possible to configure a site with thousands of instances from one template.

Furthermore, it is easier to perform system maintenance because errors made at the template level need to be repaired only at the template level, not at every instance. In addition, the development cost of a system for generating a building or home visualization is reduced.

According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a new network-based method for generating a building visualization. The generation of building visualizations uses knowledge of different parts of the building (e.g., devices, device objects, areas) and the functionality of those building parts. At least one portion is automatically generated.

A new network-based method for generating a building or home visualization comprises the steps of:

-implementing the physical devices of the building with a fieldbus commissioning tool by using a template library and a graphical commissioning engine,

-receiving building topology information delivered to an automation studio by a fieldbus commissioning tool,

-generating a navigation structure of the building to allow access to different zones of the building based on the building topology and automatically generating at least one web page with a view of the building visualization by an automation studio,

-transmitting the web page to a visualization server, and

-providing the web page to the client device.

The commissioning tool is used to:

defining a fieldbus template (device/device object/area),

defining the positioning of different instances of devices, device objects and areas,

-a commissioning field bus for the commissioning of the field bus,

and this gives a "site database".

Once this is done, the automation studio will start adding the following additional template data on top of it:

-an automated template for the production of a plurality of templates,

-web site templates

Once these templates are defined, the automation studio passes through the "site database," and applies the automation templates and network templates to each instance of the device, device object, and area, and generates from there automation parts (e.g., alarms, trends, dispatchers) and web pages (e.g., for alarms, trends, dispatchers).

Exemplary embodiments of the invention and advantageous refinements are described in more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an innovative system for generating a building or home visualization based on at least one user interface for a building management system or a building automation system, wherein a user interface is provided for inputting configuration data.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the inventive system comprises a fieldbus debug tool 10 having a template library 12 and a graphics debug engine 11. The fieldbus commissioning tool 10 provides at least one user interface for inputting configuration data 13. The template library 12 contains a set of device templates, device object templates, area templates, automation templates, and network templates.

The device template and the device object template contain information how to use the device for a dedicated purpose, such as switching/dimming off the lights, changing the set point of a parameter (e.g. temperature), presence detection, moving or controlling blinds.

The zone templates specify which functionalities within the zone are available, e.g. zones for air conditioning, lighting and/or blinds. A region is a collection of device objects, links, rules and parameter sets and is associated with a physical room, such as an office, but this is not required.

Advantageously, all devices of the building automation system are logically assigned to their appropriate counterparts (e.g., sensor-actuator assignments) and will generate a complete building topology that encompasses the number of zones, their positioning within the building topology and the available functionality.

The fieldbus commissioning tool 10 is connected to a configuration data input unit 13 and an automation studio 20. The automation studio 20 receives all available information (e.g., area, functionality and devices) including the building topology from the fieldbus commissioning tool 10.

Based on the building topology, the automation studio 20 generates a navigational structure for the building to access different sections of the building. The navigational structure includes a structure of a portion, floor, room, zone and/or space of a building.

The building visualization includes at least one page view generated by the automation studio 20. With knowledge of the region, automation studio 20 builds and names the appropriate number of page views within the building visualization.

The automation studio 20 provides an internal engine (which processes all information conveyed by the fieldbus commissioning tool 10) and an interface to enter additional configuration data 22 to semi-automatically generate building visualizations.

Advantageously, all information of the site database and automation templates and network templates can be processed and building visualizations can be generated semi-automatically by the internal engine of the automation studio 20. The building visualization includes at least one page view generated by the automation studio 20.

As an additional resource, the automation studio 20 contains a predefined library of visual elements 21, e.g. controls, which allow changing values (e.g. switching on/off lights) on the fieldbus level. Based on the information of functionality and resources provided by visual elements library 21, automation studio 20 assigns/creates functionality to the appropriate control elements and groups the control elements on the right page view of the building visualization.

Automation studio 20 provides an interface for additional configuration data input 22, since fieldbus commissioning tool 10 requires that not all information be needed.

The interface 22 is used to feed additional configuration data, such as scheduling programs, trends, and/or user levels, into the automation studio. These configuration data are ultimately combined/processed with the data that provides the fieldbus debug tool 10 and used to automatically generate the page view. These page views are transmitted as visualization runtime to the visualization server 31.

Advantageously, the generating is performed automatically by at least one of:

based on the building topology and area, the automation studio 20 generates navigation structures to access different sections of the building via building visualizations.

With knowledge of the region, automation studio 20 builds and names the appropriate number of page views within the building visualization.

With the information of the usage and resource visual element library 21, the automation studio 20 can assign usage to the appropriate control elements and group the control elements on the right page view.

With the information of the usage and resource visual element library 21, the automation studio 20 can assign usage to the appropriate control elements and group the control elements on the right page view.

The described semi-automatic generation of building automation in a user interface (e.g., Human Machine Interface (HMI) for a building management system or building automation system) is integrated into a graphical engineering workflow and uses visualization templates to display alarm management, schedule management, and/or trend/history management.

REFERENCE LIST

10 field bus debugging tool

11 graphic debug engine

12 template library

13 configuration data input unit

20 automated working chamber

21 visual element library

22 interface for feeding/inputting additional configuration data into an automation studio

31 visualization server

32 client device.

Claims (12)

1. A system for generating home or building visualizations, comprising a Fieldbus commissioning tool (10) with a template library (12) and a graphical commissioning engine (11) for implementing physical devices of a building, wherein

-said template library (12) comprising

A set of device templates and device object templates containing information on how to use the device,

a set of region templates for specifying the use of devices available in the region,

a set of automation templates and a set of network templates, wherein

-the fieldbus commissioning tool (10) is connected with a configuration data input unit (13) and an automation studio (20), the automation studio (20) receiving building topology information, which is supplied by the fieldbus commissioning tool (10), wherein

-based on building topology, the automation studio (20) generates navigation structures of the building to allow access to different zones of the building and automatically generates a web page with a visualization view of the building by using the web template, wherein

-the automation studio (20) connects with a visualization server (31) to transmit the web page to the visualization server (31), and the web page is provided to a client device (32) or is accessible to the client device (32).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical commissioning engine (11) locates devices, functionalities and areas on a graphical building map and automatically generates information required for implementing building visualization by using the set of device templates, automation templates, network templates and/or area templates at least one user interface for a building management system or a building automation system.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the automation studio (20) contains a library of visual elements (21), such as controls, which allow changing values on the fieldbus level and create at least one functionality to a control element and/or group control elements on a page view of the building visualization.

4. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the automation studio (20) provides at least one interface for the input of additional configuration data (22), the configuration data (22) being combined with data providing the fieldbus commissioning tool (10) which is used to automatically generate a page view.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the additional configuration data is a scheduler, a trend, and/or a user level.

6. System according to claims 4-5, wherein the additional configuration data and the data providing the Fieldbus commissioning tool (10) are used to generate the page views and these page views are transmitted to the visualization server (31).

7. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the zone template locates zones for air conditioning, lighting and/or blinds, and a zone is a set of device objects, links, rules and/or parameters of a zone on a graphical architectural drawing.

8. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the device template is used to switch light/dimming, change set points for parameters, presence detection, control lighting and/or move blinds.

9. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the building topology information is information about areas, control components, devices, device objects, networks, zones, spaces, equipment and/or their functionality used in a building management system or a building automation system.

10. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the navigation structure comprises a structure of a part, floor, room, zone and/or space of the building.

11. A user interface for visualization of automation in a building as a building management system or building automation system according to any of the preceding claims.

12. A network-based method for generating a building or home visualization, comprising the steps of:

-implementing physical devices of a building in a fieldbus commissioning tool (10) by using a template library (12) and a graphical commissioning engine (11),

-receiving building topology information delivered by the Fieldbus commissioning tool (10) to an automation studio (20),

-generating a navigation structure of the building to allow access to different areas of the building based on building topology, and automatically generating at least one web page with a view of the building visualization by the automation studio (20),

-transmitting the web page to a visualization server (31) and providing the web page to a client device (32).