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  Method and apparatus for accessing a building system modelUSPTO Application #: 20060009862Title: Method and apparatus for accessing a building system model Abstract: A software interface is disclosed for a model of a building system stored in a memory, wherein the model comprises a plurality of building space objects. The software interface comprises: (a) logic for receiving a call comprising a function identifier and at least one object identifier, the function identifier representative of a function applicable to a plurality of object types; and (b) logic for employing the function identifier and the at least one object to call a software function in a function library, the software function corresponding to the function applicable to the object type that corresponds to the at least one object. (end of abstract) Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department - Iselin, NJ, US Inventors: Raphael Imhof, Thomas Rule, Osman Ahmed, Pornsak Songkakul, George Phoenix USPTO Applicaton #: 20060009862 - Class: 700019000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Generic Control Systems Or Specific Applications, Generic Control System, Apparatus Or Process, Sequential Or Selective, Plural Controlled Systems, Mechanisms, Or Elements The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060009862. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 60/583,519, 60/583,572, and 60/583,585, each filed Jun. 28, 2004, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to building automation systems, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for representing and/or storing building automation system data. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Building automation systems are comprehensive and distributed control and data collection systems for a variety of building automation functions. Such functions may include comfort systems (also known as heating, ventilation and air condition or HVAC systems), security systems, fire safety systems, as well as others. Building automation systems include various end points from which data is collected. Examples of such end points include temperature sensors, smoke sensors, and light sensors. Building automation systems further include elements that may be controlled, for example, heating coil valves, ventilation dampers, and sprinkler systems. Between the data collection end points and controlled elements are various control logic elements or processors that use the collected data to control the various elements to carry out the ends of providing a comfortable, safe and efficient building. [0004] Building automation systems often employ one or more data networks to facilitate data communication between the various elements. These networks may include local area networks, wide area networks, and the like. Such networks allow for single point user access to many variables in the system, including collected end point data as well as command values for controlling elements. To this end, a supervisory computer having a graphical user interface is connected to one of the networks. The supervisory computer can then obtain selected data from elements on the system and provide commands to selected elements of the system. The graphical display allows for an intuitive representation of the elements of the system, thereby facilitating comprehension of system data. One commercially available building automation system that incorporates the above described elements is the Apogee system available from Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. of Buffalo Grove, Ill. [0005] Increasingly, building automation systems have acquired more useful features to assist in the smooth operation of building systems. For example, in addition to controlling physical devices based on sensor readings to achieve a particular result, building automation systems increasingly are capable of providing trending data from sensors, alarm indications when thresholds are crossed, and other elements that directly or indirectly contribute to improved building system services. [0006] However, most building systems have limited ability to associate sensor values with other building system or general building attributes. Advanced systems allow graphic representations of portions of the building to be generated, and for multiple sensor and/or actuator points to be associated with that graphic representation. By way of example, the Insight.TM. Workstation, also available from Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. is capable of complex graphical representations of rooms or large devices of the building system. While systems with such graphics provide at least some integrated visible representation of portions of the building automation system, the ability to use such data is limited. [0007] Accordingly, there is a need for a more comprehensive manner in representing various types of data related to a building system. Such manner of representation could facilitate the development of significant new automated services. Such manner of representation could preferably facilitate remote building control. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention provides an improved building system model and method for accessing the same for use in software applications. The model is a data mode that links information regarding building topology and building automation devices, among other things. The model facilitates a large set of extended services. [0009] A first embodiment of the invention is a model of a building system that is stored in a memory. The model comprises a plurality of building space objects and at least one building automation device object. At least one building space object includes a reference to at least one of the group consisting of a parent building space object and a child building space object, a reference to at least one graphic file containing a graphic image representation of the building space, and a reference to information regarding one or more building automation devices associated with the building space object. Each building automation device object includes a reference to a corresponding building space object, and a reference to at least one operating value of the building automation device. Optionally building automation device objects may further include a reference to a link to a file containing information regarding the at least one building automation device object. [0010] A second embodiment is a method of generating a model of a building system that includes a step of selecting an object template for an element of a building system from an object template library, the object template library including building space object templates and building automation device objects. The method also includes instantiating first information into at least one building space object using the selected object template if the selected object template is a building space object template. In such a case, the first information comprises information associated with the space within a building with which the building system is associated. Another step includes instantiating second information into at least one building automation device object using the selected object template if the selected object template is a building automation device template. The second information in such a case is information associated with a building automation device within the building. The second information includes at least a reference to a building space object corresponding to a building space associated with the building automation device. [0011] Each of the above embodiments links building automation device information to a building structure or space information, and the building structure or space information is preferably arranged in a hierarchical manner. The resulting model of these embodiments thus provides a useful representation of a building system. [0012] The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 shows a mechanical top view floor plan diagram of a building space wherein various HVAC elements are schematically represented; [0014] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the building automation system that employs the HVAC elements of the building space of FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram representation of an exemplary model of the building system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the model incorporating aspects of the invention; [0016] FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary set of operations performed to generate a model in accordance with aspects of the invention; [0017] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an exemplary building zone template for use in generating building zone objects in a model according to an embodiment of the invention; [0018] FIG. 5a shows a block diagram of a building zone object of the model of FIG. 4 generated from the building zone template of FIG. 5; [0019] FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of an exemplary room space template for use in generating room space objects in a model according to an embodiment of the invention; [0020] FIGS. 6a and 6b shows a block diagram of room space objects of the model of FIG. 4 generated from the room space template of FIG. 6; Continue reading... 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