Building automation management

Abstract

A method of building automation control from a computing device is provided and includes a computing device: accessing a building automation network through one or more network connections and identifying automated devices attached to that building automation network; determining a user interface structure for the automated devices and a device user interface for each automated device from device names of the automated devices on the building automation network; providing a user interface comprising the user interface structure and the device user interfaces on the computing device; and controlling one or more of the automated devices over one of the one or more network connections using instructions received over the user interface.

1 . A method of building automation control from a computing device, comprising the computing device:
 accessing a building automation network through one or more network connections and discovering automated devices attached to that building automation network and identifying device names for the automated devices on the building automation network;   determining a user interface structure for the automated devices and a device user interface for each automated device using said device names;   providing a user interface comprising the user interface structure and the device user interfaces on the computing device; and   controlling one or more of the automated devices over one of the one or more network connections using instructions received over the user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device name comprises a primary keyword representing a device location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device name comprises one or more secondary keywords representing a device control function. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the building automation network uses a BACnet protocol, and wherein said device name is an identification for a BACnet object. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying automated devices comprises identifying devices associated with one or more access nodes on the building automation network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein identifying automated devices comprises identifying devices associated with a plurality of access nodes, and wherein the user interface structure organises automated devices by location rather than by access node. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the user interface providing an option to apply default device settings for one or more of said locations. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the building automation network is adapted so that multiple computing devices can control the automated devices. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises providing user feedback from a user of the computing device to the building automation system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reporting changes to automated device state to the automated building network. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein there is an administration server associated with the building automation network, wherein changes made to automated device state from the user computing device are reported to the administration server. 
     
     
         12 . A computing device adapted to operate as a building automation controller, the computing device comprising a processor, a memory, a user interface means and a network communication means, wherein the processor is adapted to perform an application in the memory to carry out the functions of:
 accessing a building automation network through the network communication means and discovering automated devices attached to that building automation network and identifying device names for the automated devices on the building automation network;   determining a user interface structure for the automated devices and a device user interface for each automated device using said device names;   providing a user interface comprising the user interface structure and the device user interfaces on the user interface means; and   controlling one or more of the automated devices through the network communication means using instructions received over the user interface.   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the device name comprises a primary keyword representing a device location. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the device name comprises one or more secondary keywords representing a device control function. 
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the building automation network uses a BACnet protocol, and wherein said device name is an identification for a BACnet object. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein identifying automated devices comprises identifying devices associated with one or more access nodes on the building automation network. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein identifying automated devices comprises identifying devices associated with a plurality of access nodes, and wherein the user interface structure organises automated devices by location rather than by access node. 
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein there is an administration server associated with the building automation network, wherein the computing device is adapted to report changes made to automated device state from the computing device to the administration server. 
     
     
         19 . An administration server for use with a building automation network, wherein the administration server is adapted to communicate with one or more access nodes in the building automation network and is adapted to communicate with one or more computing devices adapted to access the building automation network and establish themselves as controllers for automated devices associated with the one or more access nodes, wherein the administration server is adapted to receive notification of changes made to automated device state from the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
         20 . The administration server of  claim 19 , wherein the administration server is further adapted to receive user feedback from users of the one or more computing devices.