Sensor installation in a building management system

A sensor is installed in a building management system by determining a sensor type of the sensor from among a plurality of supported sensor types based on information collected by a mobile device of a user; identifying configuration information required by the building management system for the determined sensor type; obtaining the required configuration information from the user using an interface on the mobile device, wherein at least a portion of the interface is generated to accommodate one or more requirements of the building management system with respect to the determined sensor type; and providing the obtained required configuration information to the building management system. The sensor type and unique identifier of the sensor can be automatically determined. Portions of the required configuration information for the determined sensor type can be automatically populated using default information for the determined sensor type.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to techniques for installing sensors in a building management system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Building management systems (BMSs) are computer-based control systems that are installed in buildings to monitor and manage environmental conditions and/or the equipment in the building, such as mechanical and electrical equipment (e.g., lighting, power, ventilation and alarm systems). For example, the building management system may control the heating and cooling of a building, and the distribution of air throughout the building.

A building management system is typically comprised of a centralized BMS controller, as well as a plurality of sensors distributed throughout the building. The installation of the sensors typically requires a technician to make a number of trips back and forth between the area where the sensor is being installed and the location of the BMS controller, to install and configure the sensor and to verify that the sensor was successfully installed and is correctly reporting data. In addition, the installation of a single sensor may require coordination among multiple technicians as several systems must be directly configured to work with the new sensor (e.g., BMS hardware, BMS software and possibly other software or hardware directly interfacing with the sensor).

A need therefore exists for more efficient and accurate techniques for installing a sensor in a building management system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally, methods and apparatus are provided for installing a sensor in a building management system. According to one aspect of the invention, a sensor is installed in a building management system by determining a sensor type of the sensor from among a plurality of supported sensor types based on information collected by a mobile device of a user; identifying configuration information required by the building management system for the determined sensor type; obtaining the required configuration information from the user using an interface on the mobile device, wherein at least a portion of the interface is generated to accommodate one or more requirements of the building management system with respect to the determined sensor type; and providing the obtained required configuration information to the building management system.

According to further aspects of the invention, some of the required configuration information for the determined sensor type can be automatically populated using default information for the determined sensor type. In addition, the user can optionally be prompted to connect the sensor to the building management system.

Another aspect of the invention provides a sensor installation and verification software application. The sensor installation and verification software application is optionally installed on a smart phone. In addition, the sensor installation and verification software application optionally communicates with the building management system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides more efficient and accurate methods and apparatus for installing a sensor in a building management system. The present invention recognizes that buildings often have a number of different systems (e.g., electrical, security, HVAC, and building management software), each with different individuals responsible for individual components, as well as various types of sensors. The installation of a sensor requires diverse skillsets and expertise, and typically involves physical installation tasks (e.g., installing the physical sensor and connecting wires for data and electricity), configuration tasks in software (potentially involving more than one software system) and verification and/or troubleshooting.

According to one aspect of the invention, a sensor installation and verification (SIV) software application is provided that can communicate with and configure a plurality of different sensor types by stepping a technician through the physical and logical sensor installation processes. In addition, the SIV software application includes information about the building management system (BMS) configuration. In this manner, the SIV software application can perform sensor configuration, registration and verification with the BMS.

As discussed hereinafter, a technician can utilize the SIV software application to enter logical information about the sensor into the BMS. The SIV software application also optionally sends the entered information (along with other collected and/or configured information) to any other applications that may have registered an interest in knowing about sensor installations of the given type. The SIV software application allows sensors to be installed and verified without requiring the technician to go back-and-forth between the installation location, the physical BMS, the BMS software terminal and other areas.

FIG. 1illustrates an exemplary indoor environment100, such as an office, where the present invention can be employed. The term “building,” as used herein, is intended to refer to a variety of facilities, including, but not limited to, offices, data centers, manufacturing facilities, industrial office space, and residential buildings. While the present invention is illustrated in the context of an exemplary office building, the present invention can be employed in any environment where sensors are deployed to integrate with a building management system.

The exemplary indoor environment100ofFIG. 1comprises a lobby (reception area), a number of offices, an equipment room and a conference room. The exemplary indoor environment100comprises a number of sensors150-1through150-N distributed throughout the indoor environment100for monitoring and/or managing one or more environmental conditions and/or equipment and other devices in the building. In addition, a building management system (BMS)160and an installation coordination server190are located, for example, in an equipment room.

A technician (not shown) employs a smart phone120to install one or more sensors150, such as an exemplary sensor150-1. The exemplary smart phone120has an installed sensor installation and verification (SIV) software application (app)130. In another variation, the sensor installation and verification software application130is installed on a different device and the smart phone120is capable of sending information to, and receiving information from, the sensor installation and verification software application130. The smart phone120communicates with the building management software170via the SIV software application130, for example, using a wireless connection110. In one exemplary embodiment, each sensor150is uniquely identified, for example, using a scannable identifier, such as an attached barcode (not shown) or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

As shown inFIG. 1, and as discussed further below in conjunction withFIGS. 2A and 2B, the building management system160comprises BMS software170, one or more BMS hardware controllers180-1through180-M typically distributed around the building100(for example, mounted on one or more walls of the building100), and a BMS hardware termination point195that the BMS hardware controllers180are wired into. The BMS hardware termination point195can be positioned in an exemplary equipment room, or anywhere in the building100, or remotely, such as on a cloud. Generally, the sensors150get wired into the BMS hardware controllers180, in a known manner. There are typically a number of BMS hardware controllers180for a given building, or even for a given floor of a given building.

The functionality of the sensor installation and verification software application130, the BMS software170, and the installation coordination server190, is as discussed further below in conjunction withFIGS. 2A and 2B. Generally, the sensor installation and verification software application130executes on the smart phone120(or communicates with the smart phone120) and communicates with the installation coordination server190. The SIV software application130communicates with and configures a plurality of different types of sensors150by stepping a technician through the physical and logical sensor installation processes. The SIV software application130performs sensor installation and registration with the BMS160and optionally with any other applications that have registered an interest in the particular sensor type. In addition, the SIV software application130can optionally also perform one or more of the following support functions: tracking progress and current status of a sensor installation; listing points-of-contact for various subsystems; notifying stakeholders of sensor information; providing facilities to calibrate installed sensors; and supporting detailed logging of the activities performed during installation.

The BMS software170provides a limited user interface (UI) for associating sensors with the BMS hardware controllers180, and for verifying that the BMS hardware controllers180are receiving data from the sensors150.

The installation coordination server190maintains a list of fields that need to be filled out for the installation of different types of sensors (e.g., temperature sensors and motion sensors). The list of fields may be BMS-dependent. The installation coordination server190optionally also maintains a list of possible default values for these fields, input types, and bounds on allowable values (which may be BMS-dependent). Once filled out, the installation coordination server190also maintains a repository of deployed sensors and associated data. The installation coordination server190sends the data to the BMS160and optionally to other applications registering a need to know about the sensors150. The installation coordination server190optionally also maintains a list of BMS hardware controllers180and their locations within one or more buildings so technicians can query this information and are not required to memorize this information.

In one exemplary embodiment, discussed further below in conjunction withFIG. 2A, a barcode generation application generates a unique barcode for each sensor150. The barcode generation application may optionally be part of the sensor installation and verification software application130.

FIGS. 2A and 2B, collectively, are a flow chart describing an exemplary implementation of a sensor installation process200incorporating aspects of the present invention. As discussed hereinafter, various functions of the sensor installation process200are performed by the sensor installation and verification software application130, the BMS software170, the installation coordination server190and other entities.

As shown inFIG. 2A, the exemplary sensor installation process200begins during step1with the sensor installation and verification software application130or a dedicated barcode generation application220generating one or more barcodes210. For example, a technician230can generate the barcodes210prior to leaving to install a set of sensors150. The barcode210is a unique identifier (at least within the environment of a given building management system160). The barcode210should be unique for a given BMS installation (i.e., no two sensors150known to the same BMS160should have the same barcode). The identifiers can be, for example, sequential, non-repeating integers.

During step2, a technician230installing a sensor150applies a barcode210to the sensor150. During step3, the technician230initiates the sensor installation and verification software application130, selecting, for example, an option to “Install a new Sensor.”

The technician230is prompted during step4to identify, for example, the building, floor and other relevant information regarding where the installation is taking place in sufficient detail to allow the sensor installation and verification software application130to determine the closest BMS hardware controller180for the technician to connect to.

The sensor installation and verification software application130prompts the technician during step5to take a picture of the barcode210, for example, using the smart phone120. Once the picture is taken, the application130can determine the unique identifier of the sensor150being installed. If the sensor installation and verification software application130is not running on a device120that has a camera, then the technician230can enter the identifier.

During step6, the sensor installation and verification software application130prompts the technician230to specify the type of sensor150being installed. This information may be specified, for example, by means of a drop-down list populated with supported sensor types for the given BMS160. In one implementation, the sensor type could be populated automatically, with the aid of computer-vision, if the technician230takes a picture of the sensor150, and the sensor type is recognized from the image, or if the unique identifier obtained in step5also encodes the sensor type.

Once the sensor installation and verification software application130identifies the type of sensor150being installed, the sensor installation and verification software application130communicates during step7with the installation coordination server190to obtain a list of all required fields that need to be filled out by the technician230for that particular sensor type and its associated BMS160.

During step8, the technician230is presented with a set of fields that need to be filled out or verified. If a given field can be filled out automatically (such as location of sensor, name of technician (by virtue of log-in), time of day), this is optionally done by the sensor installation and verification software application130. For the location, the sensor installation and verification software application130can optionally present a map of the building, and given that the sensor installation and verification software application130already knows the region of the building where the installation is taking place (for example, by virtue of step4), the technician230can further click on a precise location in the map for a more precise indication of the location. Further, such fields may be available for review and modification by the technician230. For some fields, the default values may be specified by the installation coordination server190.

Once the necessary information is completed, the entered information is relayed to the installation coordination server190during step9(FIG. 2B).

The installation coordination server190uses the provided information, along with existing default values, during step10, to communicate with the building management system160and any third-party software290(e.g., OSIsoft's PI System™—an enterprise infrastructure for managing sensed data and events) that needs to be made aware of the sensor150being installed without requiring the technician230to have to log in and enter information separately into these various systems. Communication between the installation coordination server190and the BMS160or third-party software290will typically occur using well-defined application programming interfaces (APIs). In cases where such a well-defined API does not exist, the installation coordination server190can make use of screen-scraping and automation technology to operate the user interface of the BMS160or third-party software.

During step11, the technician230is prompted to install the sensor150and connect it to the BMS hardware controller180.

The technician230connects the sensor150to the BMS hardware controller180during step12. During step13, the technician230is optionally prompted to verify that an electrical signal is being sent from the sensor150to the BMS hardware controller180, for example, using a current clamp or another electronic device.

If the BMS hardware controller180receives successful confirmation that the new sensor150has been installed during step14(from the BMS160and each application that has registered an interest in this sensor type), the BMS hardware controller180relays this confirmation to the sensor installation and verification software application130on the smart phone120. If a failure is encountered, the installation coordination server190can automatically and immediately notify any responsible parties, as identified on system setup (such as responsible parties identified for the building as a whole, or for sensor installation of a given type) of the condition (e.g., via a page based on a pager schedule). Further, the installation coordination server190can provide diagnostic information to the sensor installation and verification software application130, which can then be presented to the technician230, as well as to any responsible parties.

In the case of a successful installation of the sensor150, the technician230may be shown the live data collected by the sensor150during step15.

The sensor installation and verification software application130optionally supports a guided verification procedure during step16, where a technician230is instructed to perform a set of tests that verify correctness of the data reported by the sensor150. In this case, the technician230initiates a test and potentially applies a stimulus (e.g., in the case of a motion detector, the sensor installation and verification software application130may instruct the technician230to have the room empty for two minutes followed by moving around the room for two minutes). The technician230or the installation coordination server190can monitor the sensor data stream to verify that expected sensor readings are observed. In the case of faulty sensor readings, the sensor installation and verification software application130can inform the technician230and/or some other responsible party of the result.

WhileFIGS. 2A and 2Bshow an exemplary sequence of steps, it is also an embodiment of the present invention that these sequences may be varied. Various permutations of the algorithms are contemplated as alternate embodiments of the invention.

While exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described with respect to processing steps in a software program, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art, various functions may be implemented in the digital domain as processing steps in a software program, in hardware by a programmed general-purpose computer, circuit elements or state machines, or in combination of both software and hardware. Such software may be employed in, for example, a hardware device, such as a digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, micro-controller, or general-purpose computer. Such hardware and software may be embodied within circuits implemented within an integrated circuit.

FIG. 3is a block diagram of a sensor installation system300that can implement the processes of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 3, memory330configures the processor320to implement the sensor installation methods, steps, and functions disclosed herein (collectively, shown as380inFIG. 3). The memory330could be distributed or local and the processor320could be distributed or singular. The memory330could be implemented as an electrical, magnetic or optical memory, or any combination of these or other types of storage devices. It should be noted that each distributed processor that makes up processor320generally contains its own addressable memory space. It should also be noted that some or all of computer system300can be incorporated into a personal computer, laptop computer, handheld computing device, application-specific circuit or general-use integrated circuit.