System and approach to manage versioning of field devices in a multi-site enterprise

Abstract

An energy management and control system that may manage versioning firmware for devices. The system may be structured in a hierarchy of enterprise, site and field levels, with one or more computing platforms at the various levels. An enterprise supervisor may detect and obtain new version firmware for the devices at the field level. The new version firmware may be transferred from the supervisor to one or more site controllers. The one or more site controllers may transfer the new version firmware to eligible field devices. The devices may report to their respective site controllers a status of a transfer of the new version hardware. The site controllers may report to the supervisor the status of the transfer. Detection of new version firmware may be automatic. Transfer of the new version firmware to virtually all of the eligible devices may be automatic.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An energy management and control system comprising:
 a supervisor controller;   one or more site controllers connected to the supervisor controller; and   one or more field devices, each having firmware, connected to at least one of the one or more site controllers; and   wherein:   the supervisor controller is configured to automatically initiate and manage transfer of a new version firmware to the one or more compatible field devices;   the supervisor controller is configured to transfer the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers; and   the one or more site controllers are configured to automatically initiate and manage transfer of the new version firmware to the one or more field devices.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the supervisor controller is configured to query the one or more site controllers for an inventor of the one or more field devices to determine which field devices, if any, are appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a field device appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware has a present version firmware which is upgradeable or replaceable with the new version firmware. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the field device, appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware, reports to a site controller a status of a transfer of the new version firmware. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a site controller reports a status of transfer operations of the new version firmware to the supervisor controller so that a user can monitor the status and progress of the transfer operations via the user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more site controllers are located at one or more locations removed from the supervisor controller. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the site controller is configured to transfer the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers until virtually all of the one or more field devices determined as appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware, have been installed with the new version firmware unless interrupted by a user via a user interface to the system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a user interface permits a user to load the new version firmware, configure and initiate a deployment job for the new version firmware, and monitor the deployment job. 
     
     
         9 . An energy management and control system, comprising:
 an enterprise supervisor controller including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to configure and monitor a versioning process;   one or more site controllers connected to the enterprise supervisor, the one or more site controller positioned at a remote location from the enterprise supervisor; and   one or more field devices connected to the one or more site controllers; and   wherein:   the one or more field devices comprise firmware that controls an operation of the one or more field devices, respectively;   the enterprise supervisor controller is configured to automatically detect new version firmware for the one or more field devices;   the enterprise supervisor controller is configured to transfer the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers upon user initiation; and   the new version firmware is transferred by the one or more site controllers to virtually all of the appropriate field devices.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a transfer of the new version firmware replaces or upgrades the firmware in the appropriate field devices. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the enterprise supervisor controller queries the one or more site controllers for an inventory of appropriate field devices qualified to receive the new version firmware. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more site controllers update the enterprise supervisor controller with a status of a transfer of the new version firmware. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein upon transfer of the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers from the enterprise supervisor controller, the new version firmware is then automatically transferred to the appropriate field devices. 
     
     
         14 . An energy management and control system comprising:
 an enterprise supervisor having a first versioning service component;   at least one site controller connected to the enterprise supervisor, the at least one site controller having a second versioning service component; and   one or more field devices connected to the at least one site controller; and   wherein:   when the first versioning service component detects new version firmware, the first versioning service component configured to automatically initiate and manage transfer of the new version firmware to the second versioning service component; and   the second versioning service component transfers the new version firmware to replace or upgrade firmware in the one or more field devices and updates the enterprise supervisor with a status of a transfer of the new version firmware.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first versioning service is configured to provide information about receipt and transfer of new version software to a versioning history log. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first versioning service component comprises:
 a user interface;   a first query engine;   a first file transfer engine; and   a first versioning job processor connected to the first file transfer engine.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second versioning service component comprises:
 a second query engine connected to the first query engine;   a second file transfer engine connected to the first file transfer engine;   a second versioning job processor connected to the first versioning job processor; and   a file transfer manager connected to the second versioning job processor and the second file transfer engine.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein a query is made by the first versioning service component to the second versioning service component for an inventory of the one or more field devices to determine which field devices, if any, are appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the one or more field devices comprise input/output modules, electronic thermostats, and/or lighting control units;   the one or more field devices comprise one or more model types;   firmware for one model type can be different than firmware for another model type; and   the new version firmware can be an acceptable version for firmware of just one model type of field devices.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein a user interface permits a user to load the new version firmware, configure and initiate a deployment job for the new version firmware, and monitor the deployment job.