Patent ID: 8645495
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. A facility maintenance and management system comprising: a central command and control center comprising a wide area network (WAN) communication interface, a user interface, a memory, and a processor operatively coupled to the WAN communication interface, the user interface, and the memory; and a plurality of facilities located geographically remote from the central command and control center, wherein each of the plurality of facilities comprises: a control panel located at the facility and comprising a wide area network (WAN) communication interface, a local area network (LAN) communication interface, and a processor operatively coupled to the WAN communication interface and the LAN communication interface; one or more sensors located at the facility and each of the one or more sensors comprising a LAN communication interface, wherein each of the one or more sensors is configured to obtain data regarding facility operation and use its LAN communication interface to communicate the data to the control panel located at the facility; and at least one controller located at the facility and operatively coupled to an energy-using system device located at the facility to thereby control operation of the energy-using system device, the controller comprising a LAN communication interface to communicate with the control panel located at the facility, wherein the control panel located at the facility is configured to at least use its LAN communication interface to receive the data from the one or more sensors located at the facility and communicate with the at least one controller, and wherein the control panel located at the facility is configured to use its WAN communication interface to communicate the data from the facility to the central command and control center, wherein the central command and control center is configured to use its WAN communication interface to receive data regarding at least one monitorable facility operation from the control panel located at each of the plurality of facilities and to use its user interface to present data regarding at least one monitorable facility operation of the plurality of facilities, and to communicate a command to a control panel located at a facility, wherein the command is to be provided to the at least one controller, wherein the central command and control system is configured to generate the command automatically based on received data regarding at least one monitorable facility operation and on a rule stored in the memory, wherein the control panel located at the facility is configured to use its WAN communication interface to receive the command and use its LAN communication interface to communicate the command to a controller located at the facility, wherein the controller is configured to use its LAN communication interface to receive the command and further configured to operate an energy-using system device located at the facility based on the command.