Patent application EP17189292A (EP), filed 2017-09-04
Publication number: EP3293941A1
Title: SMART GATEWAY DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HVAC SYSTEM NETWORKS
Abstract: [0001]    A smart gateway device (530) for providing communications between multiple networks associated with a building management system (BMS) (500). The device includes a first network interface circuit (600) in communication with a first network (502) associated with a building management system (BMS) (500). The device further includes a second network interface circuit (602) in communication with a second network (504) associated with a subsystem of the BMS, wherein the second network (504) is not compatible with the first network (502). The second network interface circuit is configured to detect a physical device associated with the second network (504), and to receive a data packet associated with the physical device. The data packet is transmitted to the first network interface circuit. The first network interface circuit (600) is configured to receive the data packet and to generate a virtual device (710, 712) based on the received data packet. The virtual device is configured to represent the physical device on the first network (502).
IPC codes: H04L  12/    66            A I
H04L  29/    08            A I
H04L  12/    28            A I
H04L  67/    08            A I
H04L  67/    12            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A smart gateway device for providing communications between multiple networks associated with an HVAC system, the device comprising:
number: 2
text: A method for integrating devices on a standalone network into a building management system (BMS) network using a gateway device, the method comprising:
number: 3
text: The device of claim 1, wherein the first network interface circuit comprises a virtual network simulation module stored in a memory of a processing circuit; or
the method of claim 2, wherein the second network interface circuit comprises a virtual network simulation module stored in a memory of a processing circuit.
number: 4
text: The device of claim 3, wherein the virtual network simulation module comprises a virtual network manager, the virtual network manager configured to generate a virtual device based on the received data packet; or
the method of claim 2 or of claim 3, wherein the virtual network simulation module comprises a virtual network manager, the virtual network manager configured to generate the virtual device.
number: 5
text: The device of claim 4, wherein the virtual network manager is configured to:
number: 6
text: The device of claim 5, wherein the first network interface circuit is configured to:
number: 7
text: The method of claim 2, wherein discovering the physical device comprises receiving a data packet associated with the physical device.
number: 8
text: The device of claim 1 or of any preceding device claim, wherein the data packet includes at least an address and a device type of the discovered device; or
the method of claim 7, or of any preceding method claim, wherein the data packet comprises an address and a device type.
number: 9
text: The device of claim 1 or of any preceding device claim, further comprising a webserver configured to allow a user to interface with the physical device.
number: 10
text: The device of claim 1 or of any preceding device claim, wherein the first network is a BACnet network; or
the method of claim 2, or of any preceding method claim, wherein the network is a BACnet network.
number: 11
text: The method of claim 8, wherein the data structure is generated based on the usual message content received from the device type of the physical device.
number: 12
text: A building management system (BMS), the system comprising:
number: 13
text: The system of claim 12, wherein the gateway device comprises:
number: 14
text: The system of claim 12 or of claim 13, wherein the first network is a BACnet network.
number: 15
text: The system or device of claim 12 or of claim 13, or of claim 14, wherein the first network interface circuit comprises a virtual network simulation module stored in a memory of a processing circuit, the virtual network simulation module configured to create the one or more virtual devices associated with each of the devices associated with the second network, and optionally or preferably,
wherein the first network interface circuit is configured to:
Office action: search_report, dated 2018-03-14
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
inventive_step_epc_56
Prior art cited: ref_id: EP1703684A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP2854374A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP1703684
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: EP2854374
ref_type: patent
severity: obviousness
Final disposition: pending (2018-03-14)