Abstract:
A mobile device with a graphical user interface for remotely monitoring and/or remotely interacting with a configurable building automation systems (BAS). In particular, the mobile device&#39;s graphical user interface that has a portrait mode and a landscape mode, and the graphical user interface is displayed on the touchscreen in the portrait mode or the landscape mode based on the orientation of the mobile device.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure generally relates to a mobile device with a graphical user interface for remotely monitoring and/or operating a building automation system. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A Building automation system (BAS) is used to coordinate, manage, and automate control of diverse environmental, physical, and electrical building subsystems, particularly HVAC and climate control, but also including security, lighting, power, and the like. 
         [0003]    Hardwiring and programming of a BAS can create a robust fixed system customized for a particular installation. However, monitoring and maintenance of the BAS are still generally labor-intensive tasks that vary with each system implementation. In a common scenario, a user managing a building site must be at the location of the BAS and use a computer or other device hardwired to the BAS. If there is an issue with how the BAS is operating, the user managing the building site must physically be at the BAS to monitor the issue and to resolve the issue. If the user is not physically at the BAS location and receives notification that there is an issue with the BAS, generally, the user must physically go to the BAS location to monitor and to resolve the issue. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The embodiments described herein relate to a mobile device for interacting with a BAS remotely. Preferred embodiment relate to the mobile device for interacting with HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) related aspects of the BAS. 
         [0005]    The mobile device for remote operation of a building automation system includes a processor in communication with a memory, a network interface, a touchscreen, and an accelerometer that detects an orientation with respect to a gravitational center and communicates the orientation to the processor. The processor executes instructions for a graphical user interface (GUI) and displays the GUI on the touchscreen. The GUI includes a portrait mode and a landscape mode. The GUI is displayed on the touchscreen in the portrait mode or the landscape mode based on the orientation. Each of the portrait mode and the landscape mode of the GUI includes a screen and a navigation bar. The navigation bar includes a plurality of icons. Each of the icons is associated with an interactive screen, wherein a selection of one of the icons by touching the touchscreen is detectable by the processor to display in the screen the interactive screen associated with the one of the icons. The GUI is configured to receive operational instructions via the touchscreen, relay the operational instructions to the processor, and the processor is configured to send the operational instructions to the BAS via a transmission from the network interface. 
         [0006]    In an embodiment, the mobile device includes a portrait mode of the GUI that includes a screen having a longer length than width, and the navigation bar includes five icons disposed horizontally along the width of the GUI. 
         [0007]    In an embodiment, the mobile device includes a landscape mode of the GUI includes a screen having a shorter length than width, and the navigation bar includes seven icons disposed horizontally along the width of the GUI. 
         [0008]    In an embodiment, the mobile device includes an interactive screen that includes a portrait interactive screen and a landscape interactive screen, wherein the processor displays in the screen the portrait interactive screen or the landscape interactive screen based on the orientation. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment, the network interface of the mobile device receives operation schedule data from the BAS in real time, and the processor displays in the interactive screen the operation schedule data as an interactive graphic. In an embodiment, the interactive graphic includes a net operation schedule data of the BAS. In an embodiment, the interactive graphic includes an itemized operation schedule data of the BAS. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment, the interactive graphic includes a net operation schedule data of the BAS when the GUI is in the portrait mode, and the interactive graphic includes an itemized operation schedule data of the BAS when the GUI is in the landscape mode. In another embodiment, the interactive graphic does not include an itemized operation schedule data of the BAS when the GUI is in the portrait mode. 
         [0011]    The processor is configured to receive data in real time from the BAS via the network interface. Data received in real time includes status data of the BAS or any areas associated with the BAS. The term “area” describes, for example, but is not limited to, a building, a room, a system, a subsystem, a unit, a device, or any combinations thereof. The phrase “associated with a BAS” means something that is connected to, is a part of, is controlled by, is monitored by, and/or controls the BAS. 
         [0012]    In an embodiment, the network interface of the mobile device receives condition data of an area associated with the building automation system in real time, and the processor displays in the interactive screen the condition data as an interactive graphic. 
         [0013]    The condition data includes, but are not limited to, space temperature, space temperature setpoint, variance of space temp from setpoint, discharge air temperature, supply water or air temperature, space humidity, space power status, space light status, space airflow, and/or alarms for the space. Further, condition data includes equipment data, such as the operating information and setpoints for air handlers such as, but not limited to, duct static pressure, heating and cooling capacity, discharge air temperature and flow, and supply fan control, and for chillers such as, but not limited to, running mode, running capacity, evaporator leaving water temperature, chilled water setpoint, demand limit setpoints and active heating or cooling setpoints. Further, condition data includes system data, such as the operating information and setpoints for area systems such as, but not limited to, the same type of data as for spaces, economizing and humidity management, outdoor air conditions, optimal start conditions, night purge functions, and data about its space and equipment member participants; for chiller plant systems such as, but not limited to, chilled water data for sensors, request, return, pump, supply and cooling rate, chiller rotation schedule and priorities, and chiller operation shutdowns, lockouts, and delays, and data about its chiller equipment member participants; and for variable air systems such as, but not limited to, space temperature minimum and maximum settings, duct static optimization, ventilation optimization, calibration management, common space commands, and data about its space and air handler member participants. Further, condition data includes point data for user created points in the system such as their current value, their service state and values, the minimum and maximum values, and their alarm trigger conditions. Further, condition data includes override data for any of the above-mentioned controllable data including whether the setpoints can be overridden, are currently being overridden and at what priority level, and whether the override is permanent or will expire and at what time. Further, condition data includes schedule data including, but not limited to the schedule that is active to run at any time of any day, the normal schedule for any time and the exception schedules being applied for that time, and the transition values each time the schedule is expected to change, whether a schedule has optimization settings for start and stop times, and all the member equipment that is participating in the active schedule. 
         [0014]    In an embodiment, the interactive graphic includes an animated image of the area. In an embodiment, the interactive graphic includes a blueprint image of the area, wherein the condition data is shown in a portion of the blueprint image, wherein the condition data and the portion are associated according to the condition data received from the building automation system. 
         [0015]    In an embodiment of the mobile device, the interactive screen includes a portrait interactive screen and a landscape interactive screen, wherein the processor displays in the screen the portrait interactive screen or the landscape interactive screen based on the orientation of the mobile device. The network interface of the mobile device can receive condition data of an area associated with the building automation system in real time, and the condition data is displayed in the portrait interactive screen when the GUI is in the portrait mode, and the condition data is displayed in the landscape interactive screen as an interactive graphic when the GUI is in the landscape mode. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a cartoon diagram of a building automation system (BAS) connected to a mobile device according to one embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a mobile device according to one embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  4 A, and  4 B are illustrations of a mobile device with a GUI according to one embodiment.  FIG. 3A  shows an example of the GUI in portrait mode.  FIG. 3B  shows an example illustration of the GUI in landscape mode.  FIG. 4A  shows an example of the GUI in portrait mode.  FIG. 4B  shows an example illustration of the GUI in landscape mode. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an illustration of a portion of a GUI according to one embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of a portion of a GUI according to one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    The embodiments described herein are directed to a mobile device with a GUI for remotely monitoring and/or operating a building automation system. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a cartoon of a system  10  including an embodiment of a BAS  100  that includes a hardwired network  101  that uses a communication standard or protocol to link various subsystems, such as a system control unit  102   a , a unit control device  102   b ,  102   c , and/or other devices  102   d ,  102   e ,  102   f , and provide a system-wide user access and control from a computer  103  hardwired to the network. The BAS  100  is connected to the internet  105 , and includes a network security device  106 , such as a firewall, that secures and protects the BAS  100  from unwanted intrusion via the internet  105 . 
         [0024]    The embodiment includes a mobile device  110  connectable to the BAS  100  via the internet  105 , accessing the BAS  100  through the network security device  106 . The mobile device  110  can connect to the BAS  100  via a local wireless connection  112 . The local wireless connection  112  can be established behind the network security device  106 , so that the mobile device  110  can connect to one or more of the components or devices  102   a - f  of the BAS  100  without requiring the communication between the mobile device  110  and the BAS  100  to go through the network security device  106 . 
         [0025]    The mobile device  110  can connect to the BAS  100  via the internet  105  using cellular, 3G, 4G, or other wireless communication protocol. The mobile device  110  can connect to the BAS  100  via the local wireless connection  112  using WiFi, bluetooth, or other wireless communication protocol. The mobile device  110  can connect to the BAS  100  using a combination of the internet  105  and local wireless connection  112 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows an illustrated schematic diagram of an embodiment of a mobile device  110 . The mobile device  110  includes a processor  120  in communication with a network interface  122  and a touchscreen  124 . The touchscreen  124  is a combination display and a human-computer interface device. The touchscreen  124  displays images as instructed by the processor  120 . The touchscreen  124  can detect user input via touch or contact by a human finger or a stylus device, and sends the input to the processor  120 . A memory  126  is in communication with the processor  120 , and the memory  126  stores instructions for an operating system that is executed by the processor  120 . The memory  126  can also store instructions for a computer program that is executed by the processor  120 . The computer program includes a GUI for remote operation of a BAS  100 . 
         [0027]    The processor  120  is in communication with an accelerometer  128 . The accelerometer  128  can be, for example, a solid-state accelerometer. The accelerometer  128  detects its orientation with respect to a gravitational center and communicates its orientation information to the processor  120 . 
         [0028]    Orientation information is data based on, for example, acceleration applied to the accelerometer  128  due to gravitational pull. The data includes a direction of the gravitational pull, which generally is towards a gravitational center, e.g. center of the Earth. 
         [0029]    The processor  120  of the mobile device  110  can use the orientation information to calculate and/or determine the orientation of the mobile device  110  with respect to the center of the Earth. The processor  120  can use the orientation information to provide different outputs via the touchscreen  124  according to the instructions being executed by the processor  120 . 
         [0030]    Embodiments of the mobile device  110  include, but are not limited to, a smartphone, an iPhone, an iPad, an iPod, an Android phone, an Android tablet, a Windows phone, a Windows tablet, etc. Embodiments of the operating system include, but are not limited to, iOS, Android OS (e.g. Donut, Eclair, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, etc.), Windows, etc. Embodiments of the computer program include, but are not limited to, software for mobile device  110 s commonly called an “App” or “Mobile App,” a script written in a scripting language, etc. 
         [0031]    According to an embodiment, a GUI is displayed on the touchscreen  124  when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor  120 , the GUI displays information to a user and also provides various input points for the user to interact with the GUI so that the user is allowed to provide input, such as operational commands or data request, which is sent to the processor  120 . The processor  120  can then process the input according to the computer program instructions being executed and can communicate with the memory  126  and/or network interface  122  to provide data to be displayed on the touchscreen  124 . 
         [0032]    An embodiment of a computer program is stored on a computer readable medium, wherein the computer program includes computer readable instructions that can be executed by a processor  120  to display a GUI on a touchscreen  124  configured to provide data output on the touchscreen  124 , and at the same time, receive operational input for remotely monitoring and/or operating a BAS  100 . The data output provided can be in real time, as the data is received from the BAS  100  to the mobile device  110  via the network interface  122  of the mobile device  110 . 
         [0033]    Accordingly, a user of the mobile device  110  can be located almost anywhere and monitor and/or interact with the operation of the BAS  100 , as long as the mobile device  110  can wirelessly connect to the BAS  100 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  4 A, and  4 B show illustrations of an embodiment of a mobile device  110  for remote operation and/or monitoring of a BAS. The mobile device  110  has a touchscreen  124  displaying a GUI  200  which includes a screen portion  202  (or screen) and a navigation bar portion (or navigation bar)  204 . The navigation bar  204  includes a plurality of icons ( 206   a ,  206   b ,  206   c ,  206   d ,  206   e  in  FIGS. 3A and 4A ;  206   a ,  206   b ,  206   c ,  206   d ,  206   e ,  206   f ,  206   g  in  FIGS. 3B and 4B ). It is to be understood that the term icon describes a computer generated graphic image that is used in the GUI  200  for displaying information and/or for allowing a human to interact with the mobile device  110 . 
         [0035]      FIGS. 3A and 4A  show examples of the GUI  200  in the portrait mode, when, for example, the mobile device  110  is held with a top portion  150  “up,” i.e. farther away from the center of the Earth than a bottom portion  152  of the mobile device  110 . The GUI  200  can also be in the portrait mode when the mobile device  110  is held with the bottom portion  152  “up,” i.e. farther away from the center of the Earth than the top portion  150  of the mobile device  110 . 
         [0036]    This position of the mobile device  110  is detected by the accelerometer, and the GUI  200  is displayed on the touchscreen  124  in the portrait mode or the landscape mode based on the orientation. The navigation bar  204  includes a plurality of icons  206   a ,  206   b ,  206   c ,  206   d ,  206   e  wherein each of the icons  206   a - e  are associated with an interactive screen, so that when one of the icons is selected by touching the touchscreen  124 , the interactive screen associated with the selected icon is displayed in the screen  202  of the GUI  200 . The screen  202  is positioned above the navigation bar  204 . The navigation bar has the five icons  206   a - e  displayed therein, disposed horizontally along the width of the GUI. In the portrait mode of the GUI  200 , the screen  202  has a longer length (height) than width. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 3B and 4B  show examples of the GUI  200  in the landscape mode, when, for example, the mobile device  110  is held with one of the side portions  154  “up,” i.e. farther away from the center of the Earth than another side portion  156  of the mobile device  110 . This position of the mobile device  110  is detected by the accelerometer. The navigation bar  204  includes a plurality of icons  206   a ,  206   b ,  206   c ,  206   d ,  206   e ,  206   f ,  206   g  wherein each of the icons  206   a - g  are associated with an interactive screen, so that when one of the icons is selected by touching the touchscreen  124 , the interactive screen associated with the selected icon is displayed in the screen  202  of the GUI  200 . The screen  202  is positioned above the navigation bar  204 . The navigation bar has the seven icons  206   a - g  displayed therein, disposed horizontally along the width of the GUI. In the landscape mode of the GUI  200 , the screen  202  has a shorter length than width. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3A  shows the icon  206   c  having been selected. In  FIG. 3A , a portrait interactive screen  207  that is associated with the icon  206   c  is displayed in the screen  202  of the GUI  200  on the touchscreen  124  of the mobile device  110 . The portrait interactive screen  207  includes real time conditions of an area associated with the BAS. The term area associated with the BAS describes, but is not limited to, one or more of a component, a device, a unit, a system, a subsystem, a controller, a space, a building, a room, etc. The component may be the condenser or the evaporator, the unit may be a chiller, the system can be a HVAC system or circuit, the subsystem can be a control system for the HVAC system. 
         [0039]    The real time conditions are from real time data sent from the BAS, received by the network interface of the mobile device  110 , processed by the processor of the mobile device  110 , and displayed on the touchscreen  124  of the mobile device within the GUI  200 . A receipt of alarm data  208  is displayed in the screen  202 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3B  also shows the icon  206   c  having been selected. In  FIG. 3B , a landscape interactive screen  209  that is associated with the icon  206   c  is displayed in the screen  202  of the GUI  200  on the touchscreen  124  of the mobile device  110 . The landscape interactive screen  209 , like the portrait interactive screen  209  shown in  FIG. 3A , includes real time conditions of an area associated with the BAS. The real time conditions are from real time data sent from the BAS, received by the network interface of the mobile device  110 , processed by the processor of the mobile device  110 , and displayed on the touchscreen  124  of the mobile device within the GUI  200 . The receipt of alarm data  208  is also displayed in the screen  202 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 4A  shows the icon  206   b  having been selected. In  FIG. 4A , a portrait interactive screen  210  that is associated with the icon  206   c  is displayed in the screen  202  of the GUI  200  on the touchscreen  124  of the mobile device  110 . The portrait interactive screen  210  includes an operation schedule of the BAS displayed graphically and interactively. The network interface of the mobile device  110  can receive the operation schedule data from the BAS in real time, and when the icon  206   b  is selected, the processor displays the operation schedule data as an interactive graphic  212 , which can have multiple colors that can be interactively scrolled along the screen  202  by touching the touchscreen  124 . 
         [0042]    An example of the operation schedule of the BAS is described as follows. A BAS controls various conditions of an area, such as a room in a building, wherein it is known that, generally, the room is occupied by a person from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Mondays to Friday. In the other times, the room is not occupied. Further, during certain holidays, the room is unoccupied. Thus, the BAS can be set (i.e. programmed) to operate differently or in a same manner based on time data, i.e. the day of the week, the time of the day, and certain holidays. Further, any component, device, system, subsystem, unit, space, or any combinations thereof, which are associated with the BAS can be set to operate differently or in a same manner based on the time data. 
         [0043]    For example, when the room is known to be generally occupied, the BAS can be set to turn on the lights in the room, allow HVAC to provide air to the room, and set the temperature of the room to 75° F. Further, for example, when the room is unoccupied, the BAS can be set to turn off the lights in the room, stop providing air from the HVAC, and set the temperature of the room to 85° F. (if it is summer) or 55° F. (if it is winter). Other conditions, such as water temperature, power, humidity level, air flow rate, etc. can be set based on the time data. 
         [0044]    This “setting” or “programming” of how the BAS is to operate based on the time data is an example of the operation schedule of the BAS. The operation schedule can provide efficient use of resources, for example, to use power to provide desired conditions of a room or a building only when those spaces are expected to be in use by a person. 
         [0045]    Further, the operation schedule of the BAS can change based on a person or the people who use the room or the building. For example, in addition to a first setting of the operation schedule of the BAS, additional settings can be made to the operation schedule of the BAS. These additional settings that would change the first setting of the operation schedule of the BAS is described herein as an “exception.” More than one exception can be made to the operation schedule of the BAS. When all of the exceptions are considered and combined with the first setting of the operation schedule of the BAS, a net operation schedule can be obtained. When exceptions are made, certain settings can have priority over other settings. For example, a setting to turn off the lights at a particular time can be overridden by a higher priority setting of turn on the lights when an area is scheduled to be “Occupied.” As another example, conflicting settings can be settled based on the last entered setting overriding the previously set setting. Thus, an exception that is last set has higher priority than all other previously set exceptions (and the first setting) of the operation schedule of the BAS. 
         [0046]      FIG. 4A  shows the GUI  200  of the mobile device  110  displaying in the screen  202 , the net operation schedule of the BAS in real time. The net operation schedule includes time data  214 , which can include displayed in a linear format, and an operation data  216 , that is information of how the BAS will operate at particular times. The interactive screen  210  allows vertical scrolling of the net operation schedule by a user touching the touchscreen  124 . The net operation schedule data of the BAS is displayed in the screen  202  of the GUI  200  as the interactive graphic  212 . In an embodiment, the interactive graphic  210  does not include an itemized operation schedule data of the BAS when the GUI is in the portrait mode. 
         [0047]      FIG. 4B  shows the icon  206   b  having been selected. In  FIG. 4B , a landscape interactive screen  220  that is associated with the icon  206   c  is displayed in the screen  202  of the GUI  200  on the touchscreen  124  of the mobile device  110 . The landscape interactive screen  220  includes an operation schedule of the BAS displayed graphically and interactively. The network interface of the mobile device  110  can receive the operation schedule data from the BAS in real time, and when the icon  206   b  is selected, the processor displays the operation schedule data as an interactive graphic  222 , which can have multiple colors that can be interactively scrolled along the screen  202  by touching the touchscreen  124 . The time data  224  is also shown in the screen  202 . The interactive graphic  222  includes an itemized operation schedule, which includes a first operation setting  226   a  and one or more exceptions  226   b ,  226   c ,  226   d ,  226   e  of the BAS. The itemized operation schedule is received by the mobile device  110  and displayed in the screen  202  in real time. The combination, according to one or more of the priority described above, of the itemized operation schedule results in the net operation schedule, which is displayed in the portrait mode screen  210  shown in  FIG. 4A . 
         [0048]    Thus, advantageously, in the portrait position of the mobile device  110 , a user can quickly see how the BAS will operate at any given time, while in the landscape position of the mobile device  110 , the user can quickly see why the BAS will operate as it will at any given time. 
         [0049]      FIG. 5  shows an example of an interactive screen  300  that can be displayed in the screen of the GUI in the landscape mode, when the mobile device shown in  FIG. 3A  is turned to the side so that the mobile device is positioned similarly to the mobile device shown in  FIG. 3B . The interactive screen  300  shows an interactive graphic  302  representing an area, i.e. “Room  101 ,” which can include a static image and/or an animated image of the area associated with the BAS. The interactive screen  300  includes real time condition data  304   a ,  304   b ,  304   c  of the “Room  101 .” 
         [0050]      FIG. 6  shows another example of an interactive screen  400  that can be displayed in the screen of the GUI in the portrait mode and/or the landscape mode, when a mobile device is positioned similarly to the mobile device shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , respectively. The interactive screen  400  shows a graphic representation of an area, i.e. a floor of a building, as an interactive graphic  402 . The network interface of the mobile device receives condition data of the area in real time, and the processor displays in the interactive screen  400  the condition data as an interactive graphic  402 . The interactive graphic  402  includes a blueprint image  402  of the area, wherein the condition data  404   a ,  404   b ,  404   c ,  404   d ,  404   e ,  404   f ,  404   g ,  404   h  are shown. Some of the condition data  404   a - f  are associated with particular portions of the are (i.e. floor), and these condition data  404   a - f  are shown in various portions of the blueprint image  402 , as associated according to the condition data received from the BAS. Some of the condition data  404   g ,  404   h  are for the entire area (i.e. floor) and thus these condition data  404   g ,  404   h  can be shown without being particularly associated with a particular portion of the area. Touching any of the portions showing the condition data in the blueprint image  402  can be detected by the touchscreen and the processor to display in the screen of the GUI, an interactive screen similar to the interactive screen  300  shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0051]    With regard to the foregoing description, it is to be understood that changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of the construction materials employed and the shape, size and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is intended that the specification and depicted embodiment to be considered exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the broad meaning of the claims.