Abstract:
Diverse drawings, documents, files and notes in different formats describing buildings in their finished and installed state are electronically aggregated into sets of as-built drawings for convenient and rapid future access.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This application relates to a method and system for compiling as-built drawings, and in particular it relates to the aggregation, linking and storage of as-built drawings, documents, files and information from diverse sources and in different formats such that future access to them is facilitated. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    As-built drawings depict a final configuration of a building project, whether physical, functional or both. They indicate any construction or installation deviations and show features of a project as actually built. They are intended to provide a permanent record of the as-built configuration and to serve as a reference for future maintenance, repair, renovation or building modification. As-built drawings may show locations for security systems, wiring, plumbing and other hidden components. 
         [0003]    As-built drawings should include all the changes that have been made to the originally proposed construction drawings, including notes, modifications, and any other information that the builders decide should be included. While the original drawings are typically produced using computer-aided design software, as-built drawings usually contain handwritten notes, sketches, and changes. 
         [0004]    During the building process a building contractor usually runs across unforeseen conditions that require items to be installed differently than as shown on the plans. For simple changes, the contractor will often simply work the problem out himself and note the changes on his set of building plans. With more significant problems, the architect or owner may provide a sketch, a full drawing or a written instruction. Throughout the project, the owner may also issue formal change requests to the construction documents. The contractor will also include these changes on the as-built drawings as a record of the owner&#39;s requests. 
         [0005]    On large projects, major contractors and subcontractors may maintain their own set of as-built drawings. This allows the electrician, plumber, drywall contractor, and other professionals to make changes without holding up the job. At the end of the project, the set of as-built drawings are combined into a master set for the owner. 
         [0006]    Owners or building managers sometimes misplace the master set or parts of it, and sometimes it doesn&#39;t even exist as a compiled set. As years go by and building managers come and go, or as modifications are made without changing the as-built set of drawings, it becomes increasingly difficult to identify and locate the components and systems installed in the building. Further, as the as-built set of drawings is usually in the form of a physical binder, or set of binders, it is difficult to rapidly search for specific items or to do a stock take of installed items without having to do a time-consuming walk round. Even when walking round, many details are extremely difficult to determine, particularly if wires, sensors, pipes, etc. are hidden within the walls. Paper copies may also become degraded or damaged over time and back-up copies are rarely available. Furthermore, when as-built drawings are in paper format and stored in the building to which they relate, it is not convenient to retrieve them quickly when needed for dealing with an emergency. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed to a method and system for compiling and storing sets of as-built drawings, documents, files and information obtained from diverse sources and in different formats. It provides the ability to store physical facility data in a central location and provides a means to rapidly create drawings of the facility&#39;s portals (i.e. entry and/or exit points) that can be included with the as-built drawings. The compiled information is uploaded to central servers, ready for immediate retrieval, modification or printing from any web connected location, and to satisfy requirements of contingency planning. 
         [0008]    One aspect of the present invention is a system for compiling as-built drawings comprising a terminal and a processor connected to the terminal, the processor configured to: receive via the terminal a definition of at least one facility; receive via the terminal, for each facility, at least one facility file relating to a drawing thereof; receive via the terminal a definition of a portal that is installed in one of said facilities, receive via the terminal an identification of the facility to which the portal relates; store the at least one facility file; store a drawing of the portal; and store a relation between the portal and the facility to which the portal relates. 
         [0009]    Another aspect of the present invention is a processor-implemented method for compiling as-built drawings, the method comprising: receiving at a processor via input from a terminal a definition of at least one facility; receiving at the processor via input from the terminal, for each facility, at least one facility file relating to a drawing thereof; receiving at the processor via input from the terminal a definition of a portal; receiving at the processor via input from the terminal an identification of the facility to which the portal relates; storing by the processor in a database the at least one facility file; storing by the processor in the database a drawing of the portal; and storing by the processor in the database a relation between the portal and the identification of the facility to which the portal relates. 
         [0010]    A further aspect of the present invention is a processor-implemented method for compiling as-built drawings, the method comprising: receiving at a processor via input from a terminal a definition of at least one facility; receiving at the processor via input from the terminal, for each facility, at least one facility file relating to a drawing thereof; receiving at the processor via input from the terminal a definition of at least one room; receiving at the processor via input from the terminal, for each room, an identification of the facility in which the room is located; storing by the processor in the database, for each room, a relation between the room and the facility in which the room is located; receiving at the processor via input from the terminal a definition of a portal, receiving at the processor via input from the terminal an identification of the room to which the portal relates; storing by the processor in the database the at least one facility file; storing by the processor in the database a drawing of the portal; and storing by the processor in the database a relation between the portal and the room to which the portal relates. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The following drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention, but should not be construed as restricting the scope of the invention in any way. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a system for compiling and retrieving as-built drawings and related information. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a process for storing relations between portals and facilities. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a process for storing relations between portals and rooms within a facility. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a process for retrieving portal information 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart for selecting one or more portals. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a sitemap of a system for relating, storing and accessing portal, room and facility information. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot for defining a facility. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot that depicts a summary of the detail of a facility. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot for creating or identifying a portal drawing. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart for creating a portal drawing. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot of a portal drawing and related notes. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot showing a summary of a portal drawing. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot for defining a room. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot showing a summary of detail for a room. 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot for adding a file. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense. 
         [0028]    As-built drawings refer to a set of one or more drawings, files, notes, images and/or video clips that describe a building in its current, actual, constructed state. As-built drawings are described more fully in the Background. 
         [0029]    A portal refers to an entrance or exit such as a barrier gate, swing gate, garage door, single door right swing, single door left swing, double door, swivel door, elevator entrance or exit. A portal may be located between rooms or areas inside a building; it may serve as an entrance or exit to the building; or it may be an entrance or exit of a parking lot. 
         [0030]    A facility may be a building or a group of buildings. 
         [0031]    A user of the system may be a building owner, a building manager, an employee responsible for building related tasks, a security system installer or any professional or other person with an interest in accessing, compiling, modifying or updating as-built drawings. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system for compiling as-built drawings, generally designated  10 , according to an embodiment of the invention. The system  10  includes a server  12 , a network  14 , a data carrying communication link  16  connecting the server  12  to the network, and one or more terminals  18  (input devices) connected to the network  14  such as by wired connections  20 . The server  12  also includes a processor  22  in which is associated with a computer-readable medium  24  in which a series of computer-readable statements and instructions  26  are stored in the form of a program for controlling operation of the processor  22 . The network  14  may be the internet, a telecommunications network, or a combination of the internet and a telecommunications network. Users of the system  10  provide input to the network  14  via use of the one or more terminals  18  such as a personal computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a telephone, a wireless email device, a cable/satellite box, a television, a notebook, a tablet computer or any other device with sufficient memory, processing power and connectivity to be able to communicate with the server  12 . The one or more terminals  18  are used by one or more building managers, owners or other users in conjunction with the processor  22 , operated as per instructions  26 , to compile and access as-built records for their buildings. At the same time, one or more other terminals  18  may be used by other building managers. The terminals  18  may be remote from the server  12  and may provide input of information to and display output from the processor  22  via the network  14 . Thus, the output is produced by the processor  22  within the server  12  which acts on the computer-readable instructions  26  and the inputs and information provided by the users. The output is transmitted via wireless or wired connections  16 ,  20  to terminals  18 , in which other processors  28  cause the display of the output on screens  30  of the terminal. Terminals  18  may also include memories  32  carrying other computer-readable instructions for receiving the output from the server  12  and converting it into a format suitable for display, and for accepting inputs from users and transmitting them to the server. 
         [0033]    A database may be provided in the server  12 , such as in the computer readable medium  24 . The database may contain information relating to users and as-built sets of drawings, the information being accessible by execution of the program instructions  26  by the processor  22 . Such a database may be optionally provided in a further server  34 , which may include computer-readable information  36  on a computer-readable medium  38 . A plurality of such databases may be provided for different types of data storage, or the different types of data may be stored in different tables within the same database. Different users of the system may use different servers and different terminals. 
         [0034]    The program is written using known in the art methodology in one or more common computer programming languages known in the art such as C++, PHP, MySQL, HTML, AJAX, Java, SQL, Javascript, SSE, ASP or any other known computer programming language or any version or variation of these and the output can be presented to the user in the format of web pages, a print, a file, an email or any other known form for presenting information. 
         [0035]      FIG. 2  relates to a basic method carried out by the processor  22  of the system  10 , executing the programmed instructions  26 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The processor  22  is configured in step  40  to receive a definition of a facility via a terminal  18 , for example via a form in a web page displayed in a browser program. The processor  22  may simply accept a facility name in order to define a facility. Further information may be received to describe the facility in more detail, such as a brief description, a detailed description, a facility number, notes and/or images. The processor  22  is configured in step  42  to receive an identification of a portal drawing. The user may be prompted to enter a portal name via another form displayed on the terminal  18 . The user of the system  10  may already have available an existing portal drawing, in which case it is selected and uploaded by the processor  22 , for example using a file browse button incorporated in the form. If there is no existing drawing, a user with no drawing skills may create one by selecting choices presented by the system  10  as pull-down options in the form. Whether the portal drawing pre-exists or it is created by the processor  22 , an identification of it is provided to the system  10 . Such an identification may be a portal name, number or both. In step  44 , the user on the terminal  18  enters an identification of the facility in which the portal is located, or to which it is associated. When the processor  22  has received this identification, in step  46  it stores a relation, or link, between the facility and the portal. This can be repeated for numerous portals and numerous facilities. The result may be one or more database tables defining the relations between facilities and portals. As can be appreciated, there are many other ways in which this and other features of the invention may be realized. 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  shows a method with further steps carried out by the processor  22  of the system  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Since facilities usually contain more than one room, the processor  22  may be configured to allow the users to define rooms and associate the portals to the rooms. In step  50 , the processor  22  is configured to receive a definition of a room, again via terminal  18 , for example via a form in a web page displayed in a browser program. The processor  22  may simply receive a room name in order to define a facility. Further information may be received to describe the room in more detail, such as a brief description, a detailed description, a room number, notes and/or images. In step  52 , the user via terminal  18  enters and the processor  22  receives an identification of the facility in which the room is located. After receiving this identification, the processor  22  in step  54  stores a relation between the room and the facility. The processor  22  may then in step  42  receive an identification of a portal drawing, as described in relation to  FIG. 2 . In step  58 , via the terminal  18  the user enters, or selects via a pull-down option menu for example, an identification of the room in which the portal is located. When the processor  22  has received this identification, in step  60  it stores a relation between the room and the portal. This can be repeated for numerous portals and rooms. The result may be one or more database tables defining the relations between portals, rooms and facilities. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  shows a flowchart of a process for retrieving data pertaining to the portals. In step  70 , the processor  22  of the system  10  receives, via a terminal  18  for example, a selection of the portal or portals in which a user is interested. Upon receiving the selection, in step  72  the processor  22  accesses its database and, in step  74 , retrieves the information pertaining to the selected portals. The processor  22 , as per step  76 , is configured to display the portal information and drawings and/or, as per step  78 , to export it, depending on the user&#39;s choice received. 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  shows more detail of the steps the processor  22  of the system  10  may perform when receiving a portal selection. Portals may be searched for or selected by name, number and/or by any other filter that may be applied. For example, they may be selected when the processor  22 , in step  80 , receives a selection of a facility or facilities in which they are located, followed optionally, in step  82 , by receiving a selection of the room or rooms in which they are located, and optionally, in step  84 , by receiving a selection of the portal type. Portals may be also selected by type, installation date, manufacturer, part number, scheduled maintenance date, repair status, etc. depending on the amount of information provided to the system. 
         [0039]    As a result, information relating to all the portals in a facility and how they relate to that facility may be stored in a central location that is easily accessible via use of one of the terminals  18  and the processor  22  of the system  10 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 6  shows an example sitemap of an embodiment of the invention. Displayed on the home page  100  are links to main pages as follows: facilities page  110 , drawings page  130 , rooms page  150 , files page  170  and export page  180 . 
         [0041]    On the facilities page  110  a further link is displayed which takes a user to a page  112  for adding or defining a facility. Also displayed on the facilities page  110  is a list of existing facilities stored in the system  10 , such as facilities 1 to n. Each existing facility listed has a link to the detail pages  114 ,  116  of the corresponding facility. For example, the Facility 1 detail page  114  lists the rooms that are located in Facility 1 and the files that are associated with Facility 1, and likewise for other facilities. Each listed room may have a link to the corresponding room detail page  118 ,  120 , and each listed file may have a link to a file page  122 ,  124  that opens the file. Also displayed is a link for taking the user to a page  126  for editing the details of the facility. 
         [0042]    On the drawings page  130  a link is displayed which takes the user to a page  132  for creating or uploading a new portal drawing. The drawings page  130  also displays a list of the existing drawings, with links that take the user to detail pages  134 ,  136  for such drawings. For each listed drawing there is also a link displayed that will take the user to a facility detail page  138 ,  140  to which the drawing corresponds. In an alternate embodiment, for example, links may also be shown to the room pages to which the drawings may correspond. Table 1 shows an example of a list of drawings that may be displayed on drawings page  130 . Each row relating to a portal drawing may include links to the template used for the drawing, the notes and a preview. The template shows the options that were selected from the pull-down menus when the drawing was created. The notes, if any, are those added by the user and the preview link will display the drawing. A search function may be applied to the table in order to show a filtered selection of the portal drawings. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 Portal 
                 Technology 
                   
               
               
                 Template 
                 Notes 
                 Preview 
                 Facility 
                 Portal Name 
                 Number 
                 Type 
                 Room 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 link 
                 link 
                 link 
                 123 
                 Front 
                 A1 
                 Freedom 
                 Main 
               
               
                 link 
                 link 
                 link 
                 123 
                 Rear 
                 A2 
                 Freedom 
                 Main 
               
               
                 link 
                 link 
                 link 
                 239 
                 Entry 
                 B33 
                 Control Panel 
                 Office 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 Remote 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 Freedom 
               
               
                 link 
                 link 
                 link 
                 239 
                 Exit 
                 B34 
                 No System 
                 Office 
               
               
                 link 
                 link 
                 link 
                 239 
                 Side door 
                 C35 
                 No System 
                 Labs 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0043]    On the rooms page  150  a link is displayed that takes the user to a page  152  for adding a new room. Also displayed is a list of existing rooms. With each listed room there is a link to the room detail page  118 ,  156  for the corresponding room. If a user goes to the detail page  118  for Room 1, for example, a list of the files associated with that room is displayed, with links that take the user to file pages  158 ,  160  displaying the files. Also, on the Room 1 detail page  118  there is a link that takes the user to an edit page  162  for that room. The same applies to other room detail pages. A portion of the list may be displayed as a result of filtering the data associated with the rooms. 
         [0044]    On the files page  170 , a list of all the facility files uploaded or created in the system  10  is displayed. As is common, the list may be displayed in portions or in full depending on the number of files, the preference of the user, the size of the screen or the choices made when programming the system  10 . With each listing there is a link that takes the user to a file page  172 ,  174  that displays the listed file. Files that may be uploaded include architectural plans, annotated architectural plans representing as-built conditions, plumbing diagrams, electrical wiring diagrams, lighting fixture locations, ethernet cabling, HVAC, details of contractors, invoices, bills of material, original bid specifications, room functions, room occupants, scanned files, electronically created files, photographs, etc. Types of files that may be uploaded include DWG, JPG, TXT, DOC, GIF, TIFF, PDF, etc. 
         [0045]    Also linking from the home page  100  is an export page  180  that allows the user to download some or all of the files, drawings, thumbnails, notes and other information relating to a room, a facility or a selection of portals. A parts list for the components in the portals may be included or downloaded separately from the files with the drawings. Previews of the data may be shown to the user before export. Export may be achieved, for example, by zipping the files and data etc. and then transmitting the zipped file via the Internet to the user&#39;s terminal. The user may then store the exported data locally or make copies as needed. Information exported may be used in a contingency situation, such as an emergency. Data downloaded may include floor plans, locations of portals, details of portal types, wiring, other documents, etc. 
         [0046]    There may of course be further links to other pages, such as a page detailing the drawing legend used. Many different configurations of the sitemap may be employed to achieve an equivalent effect, and it is not necessary to include all the site pages shown in the site map. 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  shows a schematic diagram of a screenshot for defining a facility, as discussed in step  40  of  FIG. 2  and web page  112  of  FIG. 6 . The screen displayed has a heading zone  200  for allowing the user to enter an identification and description of the facility. For example, there are labels  202  that are displayed alongside entry boxes  204  for the user to enter text and/or numbers. For example, the labels  202  could be Facility Name, Short Description and Long Description. Other descriptors may also be used. Another, notes zone  210  is displayed, comprising a field into which a user may optionally type and/or drag images. Toolbar  220  comprises editing buttons  222  that allow the user to format the notes that are entered. The zone  230  comprises a save button  232  and a cancel button  234 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot that depicts the detail of a facility, and may, for example, correspond to web page  114  of  FIG. 6 . Heading zone  240  displays the names  242  of the heading labels, such as Facility Name, Short Description, Long Description, Number of Images, Time and Date Created, some of which may be included in headings  202  of  FIG. 7 . Alongside the heading sections are the values or entries  246  of the heading sections as entered by the user or automatically determined by the system. Notes zone  250  shows the notes  252  and images  254  added by the user. Rooms zone  260  displays room names  262  and room descriptions  264  that are associated with the facility. Files zone  270  lists the files  272  that are associated with the facility. List entries such as room names  262  and file names  272  may actually be hyperlinks to the room detail pages or file display pages respectively. Zone  280  comprises an edit button  282  and a back button  284 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot for creating or identifying a portal drawing. Template or summary zone  310  displays option headings  312  and pull-down choices  314  containing options that may be selected by the user. For example, the option headings may be Technology Type, Portal Type, Power Over Ethernet, Facility, Room etc. For Technology Type, the user may, for example, be provided with a choice that includes different access control technologies as follows: (1) Control panel (legacy) based access control systems; (2) Freedom™ Access Control System by Viscount Systems Inc., needing no control panels and is IP centric; and (3) No electronic access control system, i.e. mechanical components only. Wiring diagrams may automatically be created based on this selection. For Portal Type, options may, for example, be barrier gate, swing gate, garage door, single door right swing, single door left swing and double door. The Power Over Ethernet (POE) choice may be POE Reader, POE Lock or No POE. If a room needs to be specified for the drawing, and it has not yet been created, then a link  318  may be displayed that will switch to a page that will permit the user to create a room. Other headings  322  may not require a pull-down menu of options, and may simply require the input by the user of a name for the portal, and/or a number in an input field  324 . The upload zone  330  displays an entry box  332  that permits the user to enter a filename of an existing portal drawing that can be uploaded. Such a file may be selected using a browse button  334 . The lower zone  340  includes a save button  342 , a back button  344  and an Add Facility button  346 . When the save button  342  is clicked, the portal drawing is associated with the room and/or facility specified by the user and, if an existing portal drawing has not been entered, a portal drawing is automatically created based on the options selected by the user from the pull-down menus. 
         [0050]      FIG. 10  is an example flowchart that is followed by the processor  22  of the system  10  when creating a portal drawing, as a result of a user entering information into the fields displayed in  FIG. 9  and clicking the save button  342 . In alternate embodiments, steps may be performed in a different order to that shown. In step  400 , the processor  22  causes display of the primary options using the pull-down menus as described in relation to  FIG. 9 . The processor  22  then receives and accepts, in step  402 , the choices made by the user. In step  406 , the processor  22  offers the user a choice of entering an existing filename, and if so, the file is uploaded in step  408 . If not, the processor  22  automatically creates and displays in step  404  a drawing based on the user&#39;s selections. On the same screen as the drawing, a zone containing secondary options is displayed in step  410 . For example, a secondary option heading may be, “1 st  Electronic Exit Reader”, and the choice presented to the user may be mullion reader, Wiegand reader, single gang reader or none. As another example, a further secondary option heading may be, “Electronic Entry Means”, offering the choice of Wiegand mullion, Wiegand mini reader, Wiegand keypad and reader, Wiegand long range reader, mullion reader, single gang reader and none. As each secondary option is selected in step  412 , or unselected or changed, the automatically created drawing is updated in step  414  to show or hide the corresponding secondary feature and any wiring that may be associated with it. In Table 2, further examples of secondary options are shown, of which some or all may be employed. Others not included may be used as well, or instead. When a user is satisfied with the options selected, the portal drawing may be saved in step  416 . 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Secondary Option 
                 Options 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Alarm state 
                 Alarmed, none 
               
               
                 Fire status 
                 Fire exit, none 
               
               
                 Relay security 
                 Reader relay, remote relay, none 
               
               
                 1 st  electronic exit 
                 floor mat, Wiegand mini reader, Wiegand 
               
               
                   
                 mullion, motion sensor, electronic panic bar, 
               
               
                   
                 push button, electronic and manual panic bar, 
               
               
                   
                 Wiegand single gang, mullion reader, Wiegand 
               
               
                   
                 keypad, single gang reader, Wiegand long 
               
               
                   
                 range reader, none 
               
               
                 1 st  mechanical exit 
                 push plate, thumb latch, handle, panic bar hard, 
               
               
                   
                 door knob, none 
               
               
                 Lock type 
                 fail safe strike, fail secure strike, upper mortise, 
               
               
                   
                 floor mortise, shear magnetic lock, none 
               
               
                 Emergency exit pull 
                 pull station, none 
               
               
                 Cable feed 
                 Flexible conduit, coiled cable door feed, electric 
               
               
                   
                 hinge, none 
               
               
                 Panel type 
                 touch, touch keypad, pedestal, none 
               
               
                 Electronic hold open 
                 hold open, none 
               
               
                 Door pinning 
                 upper pin, floor pin, dual pins, dead bolt, none 
               
               
                 Door open mechanism 
                 door knob, handle, none 
               
               
                 Public override 
                 key switch. none 
               
               
                 2 nd  electronic exit 
                 floor mat, Wiegand mini reader, Wiegand 
               
               
                   
                 mullion, motion sensor, electronic panic bar, 
               
               
                   
                 push button, electronic and manual panic bar, 
               
               
                   
                 Wiegand single gang, mullion reader, Wiegand 
               
               
                   
                 keypad, single gang reader, Wiegand long 
               
               
                   
                 range reader, none 
               
               
                 2 nd  mechanical exit 
                 push plate, thumb latch, handle, panic bar hard, 
               
               
                   
                 door knob, none 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0051]      FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot of an automatically created portal drawing, with related notes and secondary options. In screenshot panel  500  the system displays zones  530 ,  536  and  542  which each relate to a secondary option. For example, in zone  530  a note  532  is displayed relating to a secondary option. The user may write or edit the note  532  in this view. Also displayed in zone  530  are the available choices  534  for the secondary option, which may be changed by the user. Likewise, zone  536  contains notes  538  and selectable options  540 . Similarly, zone  542  contains notes  544  and selectable options  546 . Notes may include models, serial numbers and warranty information, for example. Screenshot panel  502  depict the automatically created portal drawing. There is an exit view  504  and a front view  506 . Depending on the type of portal, other views may be included. For example, for barrier portals, a top view showing the in-ground wiring loops may be included (e.g. arm loop, close loop, exit loop). View  504  shows secondary option features that have been selected by the user, such as a door knob  508 , push plate  510 , Wiegand reader  512 , exit sign  514 , panel  516 , wiring  518  and, on view  506 , handle  520 . These features may be automatically toggled on and off as and when the user changes the selection of secondary options  534 ,  540 ,  546 . Also shown in panel  502  are one or more automatically created notes zones  522  that refer to the selected primary and/or secondary features of the portal. These notes may include installation tips, recommended cable gauges, etc. 
         [0052]    Portal drawings may be created before actual installation as a guideline to the installer. Such drawings may include generic definitions of the components to be used, the actual choice being determined by the installer or the building manager. During installation the installer may access the system to enter notes, dimensions, part numbers, serial numbers or to amend the portal drawings if necessary. An administrator of the system may grant the installer the necessary access to make such changes. In a more sophisticated embodiment, the components of the standard portals drawings may be selected and dragged to different positions on the screen in order to correspond to the desired location or actual installed location. Also, the sizes of the components may be changed. 
         [0053]    In other cases, the portal drawings may be created after installation, from sketches and notes made by the installer. 
         [0054]      FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot showing a summary of a portal drawing. Zone  600  includes a thumbnail image  602  of the portal drawing that may be clicked. Zone  610  includes summary information, with headings  612  such as portal name, portal number, type of drawing, date and time created, completeness. The values  614  of those headings may be shown alongside them. Zone  620  lists the files related to the portal. For each file  624  listed, there may be a delete button  622 , a time/date field  626  and a size  628 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot for defining a room. Zone  630  includes a box  632  for entering the name of the room. Zone  640  contains a field  642  for entering a note about the room. Zone  650  includes a pull-down option box  652  for selecting the facility in which the room is located. Link  654  allows a user to create a new facility if one needs to be defined. 
         [0056]      FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot showing detail of a room. Title zone  660  contains the title  662  of the room. Notes zone  670  contains the notes  672  relating to the room. Zone  680  contains a list of files related to the room, including in each row, for example, a delete button  682 , a file name  684 , a date and time created  686  and a size  688 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 15  is a schematic diagram of a screenshot for adding a file. Zone  700  includes a set of radio buttons  702  from which the user selects one to specify whether to associate the file to a portal drawing, a facility, a room or a part number. Other objects to which an association may be made can be included depending on the embodiment chosen. Zone  710  includes a box  712  for entering a filename and a browse button  714  for finding a file to upload. Notes zone  720  includes notes  722  that can be added about the file. Zone  730  includes the same number of pull-down options  732  as there are radio buttons. Only the pull-down menu relating to the selected radio button can be accessed. If the portal drawing radio button is selected, the pull-down menu gives the user a choice of existing portal drawings. Other pull down options give the user a choice of existing facilities, existing rooms or existing part numbers. Zone  740  contains an upload button  742 , which, when clicked, causes the system to upload the selected file to the server and store a relation in one of its databases linking the file to the relevant portal, facility, room or part number. Files are stored without significant amendment to the content therein. 
       Automated Bill of Material Generation 
       [0058]    As part of the definition of a portal, each component of the portal may be specified by its part number and stored in a database. For example, a portal may have a reader that is specified by its part number and manufacturer. Likewise, it may have a magnetic lock that is in turn specified by its part number and manufacturer. The same applies to the other components necessary for the portal. At the time of an upgrade, by selecting the portals that need to be upgraded, the data pertaining to the components of the selected portals may be selected and automatically aggregated to form a bill of materials containing part numbers, manufacturers and quantities required. Details (e.g. parts numbers, manufacturer names) of equivalent components may be stored in the system and the user may be able to select different manufacturers, so that the system generates alternate bills of materials. Broken or malfunctioning components or portals may be flagged in the database, and such components or portals may be searched for in order to create a bill of materials for their replacement. 
       Variations 
       [0059]    In addition to the types of information specified above, which may be included with a compiled set of as-built set of drawings, further types of information may additionally be included. This may include, for example, information about elevators, escalators, security devices, alarms, any other installed devices, gates, electrical wiring, fiber optic cabling, network cabling, door material, material around the door, window locations, cameras, camera coverage area, camera alignment, live video, records of live video, installed dates, etc. Photographs may be included in the files uploaded. Photographs that include superimposed drawings generated by users may also be included. Video clips may be included of rooms within the facilities, or corridors, and may be taken with a 180° camera, for example. Video clips of the operation of portals may be included. Video clips may be linked or related to a floor plan of the building, as may be the rooms and portal drawings. Audio clips may also be added. Many variations of the sitemap may be made. 
         [0060]    Users of the system may purchase the system as a stand alone system, to which only they alone have access. Alternately, users may purchase a subscription to it as software as a solution. Other methods of charging for it may be on a per-download basis, per-access period, per number of items stored, per amount of memory used, etc. Manufacturers that are listed in the portal definitions and that are named on automatically generated bills of material may pay the owner or operator of the system a fee or a commission depending on the number or value of units sold. The system may be configured to transmit the bill of materials directly to the manufacturer in the form of a purchase order. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0061]    A particular benefit of the system and method disclosed herein is that portals, drawings and any other installed devices can be grouped by room so that access to and manipulation of data is facilitated. The system may be used as a tool by building managers who need to maintain, modify or change the buildings for which they are responsible. It may be used for school districts or government departments that need to manage large numbers of buildings. It may be used by consultants who are charged with upgrades to security systems, it may be used to provide parts lists to bidders or it may be used by auditors. It may be used as a remote vault and a source of detailed information to be provided to emergency services at short notice. Emergency situations that may be helped by rapid access to building information include fires, floods, earthquakes, bombs or bomb threats, hostage taking, etc. These are only a few examples of the ways in which the method and system may be used, and many more embodiments are possible. 
         [0062]    As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the claims below.