Building automation system and method

Abstract

Building automation system and method. According to one embodiment of the invention, building automation system may comprise a controller area network (CAN) bus. At least one control device is operatively associated with the CAN bus, the at least one control device issuing a signal over the CAN bus. At least one controlled device is operatively associated with the CAN bus, the at least one controlled device responding to the signal.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A building automation system, comprising: 
 a controller area network (CAN) bus for a building;    at least one control device operatively associated with said CAN bus, said at least one control device issuing a signal over said CAN bus; and    at least one controlled device operatively associated with said CAN bus, said at least one controlled device responding to said signal.    
     
     
         2 . The building automation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller operatively associated with said CAN bus, said controller generating at least one instruction corresponding to said signal, said controller issuing said instruction over said CAN bus for said at least one controlled device.  
     
     
         3 . The building automation system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is a central controller.  
     
     
         4 . The building automation system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is a distributed controller.  
     
     
         5 . The building automation system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one control device issues said signal by broadcasting said signal over said CAN bus.  
     
     
         6 . The building automation system of  claim 1 , wherein said CAN bus comprises separate busses operatively associated with one another.  
     
     
         7 . The building automation system of  claim 6 , wherein each of said separate busses is a dedicated bus.  
     
     
         8 . The building automation system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one repeater operatively associated with said CAN bus.  
     
     
         9 . The building automation system of  claim 1 , further comprising an external link from said CAN bus, said external link providing access to said CAN bus.  
     
     
         10 . A building automation system, comprising: 
 a controller area network (CAN) bus for a building;    at least one control device operatively associated with said CAN bus, said at least one control device receiving input;    at least one distributed controller operatively associated with said at least one control device, said at least one controller generating a signal corresponding to said input received by said at least one control device;    at least one controlled device operatively associated with said CAN bus, said at least one controlled device responding to said signal.    
     
     
         11 . The building automation system of  claim 10 , further comprising at least another distributed controller operatively associated with said at least one controlled device.  
     
     
         12 . The building automation system of  claim 10 , wherein said signal comprises an instruction.  
     
     
         13 . The building automation system of  claim 10 , wherein said signal comprises an address, said address identifying said at least one controlled device.  
     
     
         14 . The building automation system of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one controlled device comprises a device identification.  
     
     
         15 . The building automation system of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one controlled device comprises a dynamic address corresponding to said device identification.  
     
     
         16 . The building automation system of  claim 10 , further comprising an external link.  
     
     
         17 . The building automation system of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one map, said at least one map comprising a status of devices on said CAN bus.  
     
     
         18 . A building automation system, comprising: 
 a controller area network (CAN) bus;    at least one control device operatively associated with said CAN bus, said at least one control device issuing a signal corresponding to input received at said at least one control device;    at least one controlled device operatively associated with said CAN bus, said at least one controlled device receiving said signal;    at least one distributed controller operatively associated with said at least one controlled device, said at least one distributed controller generating an instruction corresponding to said signal received by said at least one controlled device, said at least one controlled device responding to said signal based on said instruction generated by said at least one controller.    
     
     
         19 . The building automation system of  claim 18 , further comprising at least another distributed controller operatively associated with said at least one control device.  
     
     
         20 . The building automation system of  claim 18 , wherein said signal comprises an address field, said address field having an address for identifying said at least one control device.  
     
     
         21 . The building automation system of  claim 18 , wherein said at least one control device and said at least one controlled device each comprise unique device identifications.  
     
     
         22 . The building automation system of  claim 21 , wherein said at least one control device and said at least one controlled device each comprise dynamic addresses corresponding to said unique device identifications.  
     
     
         23 . The building automation system of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one map, said at least one map comprising a status of devices on said CAN bus.  
     
     
         24 . The building automation system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one control device is operatively associated with said CAN bus via a remote link.  
     
     
         25 . The building automation system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one controlled device is operatively associated with said CAN bus via a remote link.  
     
     
         26 . A building automation method, comprising: 
 receiving input at a control device for a building;    generating a signal corresponding to the input;    issuing the signal over a controller area network (CAN) bus; and    responding to the signal at a controlled device for the building.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising generating an instruction corresponding to the input received at the control device for the building, the signal having the instruction.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising identifying the control device in the signal.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising identifying the controlled device in the signal.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising issuing an acknowledgement from the controlled device over the CAN bus for the control device.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising automatically determining the status of the control device and the controlled device.