Building network

Abstract

A tintable window is described having a tintable coating, e.g., an electrochromic device coating, for regulating light transmitted through the window. In some embodiments, the window has a transparent display in the window's viewable region. Transparent displays may be substantially transparent when not in use, or when the window is viewed in a direction facing away from the transparent display. Windows may have sensors for receiving user commands and/or for monitoring environmental conditions. Transparent displays can display graphical user interfaces to, e.g., control window functions. Windows, as described herein, offer an alternative display to conventional projectors, TVs, and monitors. Windows may also be configured to receive, transmit, or block wireless communications from passing through the window. A window control system may share computational resources between controllers (e.g., at different windows). In some cases, the computational resources of the window control system are utilized by other building systems and devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A distributed computing platform in a building, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of processors disposed within the building;   (b) a plurality of data storage devices disposed within the building; and   (c) a plurality of communication lines connecting the plurality of processors and the plurality of data storage devices, wherein   the plurality of communication lines and at least some of the plurality of processors or the plurality of data storage devices are at least partially disposed in or on one or more outer walls and/or one or more façades of the building.   
     
     
         2 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more outer walls and/or façades includes an optically switchable window. 
     
     
         3 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 1 , wherein the communication lines and at least some of the plurality of processors or the plurality of data storage devices are at least partially disposed in window mullions and/or transoms of the building, irrespective of whether or not the one or more outer walls or façade includes an optically switchable window or an optically switchable window controller. 
     
     
         4 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 1 , comprising a communications and power distribution infrastructure. 
     
     
         5 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 4 , wherein the communications and power distribution infrastructure is at least partially disposed in at least one of the one or more outer walls and/or one or more façades of the building. 
     
     
         6 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 5 , wherein the communications and power distribution infrastructure is at least partially disposed in mullions and/or transoms of the at least one of the one or more outer walls and/or one or more façades of the building. 
     
     
         7 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 6 , wherein the communications and power distribution infrastructure includes class 1 rated cable and/or class 2 rated cable. 
     
     
         8 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 6 , wherein the communications and power distribution infrastructure is configured to provide data distribution at data rates of at least 500 Mbs. 
     
     
         9 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 1 , configured to permit sharing, by two or more authorized users, of data files stored on remote computers on or connected to the distributed computing platform. 
     
     
         10 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 4 , wherein the communications and power distribution infrastructure comprises cellular communications infrastructure for communication in and/or around the building. 
     
     
         11 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 6 , wherein the communications and power distribution infrastructure comprises an antenna or a transceiver. 
     
     
         12 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of optically switchable windows that include or are associated with at least one transparent display and a logic configured to allocate and control system resources of the distributed computing platform made available to a user in the building. 
     
     
         13 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 12 , wherein the logic is configured to cause the at least one transparent display to display digital content. 
     
     
         14 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 13 , wherein the digital content is associated with a building occupant. 
     
     
         15 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 14 , wherein the logic is configured to cause the digital content to be displayed on a first display proximate to the building occupant. 
     
     
         16 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 15 , wherein, responsive to movement of the building occupant from a first location to a second location, the logic is configured to cause the digital content to be displayed on a second display proximate to the second location. 
     
     
         17 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 16 , wherein the logic is configured to authenticate the building occupant and cause the digital content to be displayed on a respective display proximate to the second location only after authenticating the building occupant. 
     
     
         18 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 3 , configured to communicatively couple an ultra-high speed external network to a plurality of intra-building high speed networks. 
     
     
         19 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 3 , configured to operate on a wireless communication protocol selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, ZigBee, Z-Wave, Neul, Sigfox, LoRaWaN, and ultra-wideband (UWB). 
     
     
         20 . The distributed computing platform of  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of sensors comprising a temperature sensor, an irradiance sensor, a humidity sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a motion sensor, an occupant tracking sensor, a biometric sensor, and/or a volatile organic compound sensor. 
     
     
         21 . A building façade of a building, the building façade comprising:
 a distributed computing platform including power and communication lines connecting a plurality of processors and a plurality of data storage devices, wherein the power and communication lines are at least partially disposed in or on the building façade, wherein 
 the computing platform is configured to provide an edge computing function. 
 
     
     
         22 . The building façade of  claim 21 , further comprising an optically switchable window. 
     
     
         23 . The building façade of  claim 21 , wherein the communication lines and at least some of the plurality of processors or the plurality of data storage devices are at least partially disposed in window mullions and/or transoms of the building façade, irrespective of whether or not the building façade includes an optically switchable window or an optically switchable window controller. 
     
     
         24 . The building façade of  claim 21 , wherein the distributed computing platform comprises a network configured to permit sharing, by two or more authorized users, of data files stored on remote computers on or connected to the distributed computing platform. 
     
     
         25 . The building façade of  claim 24 , wherein the network includes communications and power distribution infrastructure. 
     
     
         26 . The building façade of  claim 25 , further comprising a plurality of optically switchable windows that include or are associated with at least one transparent display and a logic configured to allocate and control system resources in the network made available to a user in the building. 
     
     
         27 . The building façade of  claim 26 , wherein the logic is configured to cause the at least one transparent display to display digital content. 
     
     
         28 . The building façade of  claim 27 , wherein the digital content is associated with a building occupant. 
     
     
         29 . The building façade of  claim 28 , wherein the logic is configured to cause the digital content to be displayed on a first display proximate to the building occupant. 
     
     
         30 . The building façade of  claim 29 , wherein, responsive to movement of the building occupant from a first location to a second location, the logic is configured to cause the digital content to be displayed on a respective display proximate to the second location. 
     
     
         31 . The building façade of  claim 30 , wherein the logic is configured to authenticate the building occupant and cause the digital content to be displayed on a respective display proximate to the second location only after authenticating the building occupant. 
     
     
         32 . The building façade of  claim 21 , wherein antennas or other communications components are provided on one or more optically switchable windows or associated lites or displays. 
     
     
         33 . A method of constructing a building, the building including a building façade, the method comprising:
 constructing or deploying a superstructure of the building; 
 installing a distributed computing platform including power and communication lines connecting a plurality of processors and a plurality of data storage devices, wherein:
 the power and communication lines are at least partially disposed in or on the building façade; and 
 the distributed computing platform is configured to provide an edge computing function. 
 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the building façade includes an optically switchable window. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the power and communication lines are at least partially disposed in window mullions and/or transoms of the building façade, irrespective of whether or not the building façade includes an optically switchable window or an optically switchable window controller. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein distributed computing platform comprises a network configured to permit sharing, by two or more authorized users, of data files stored on remote computers on or connected to the distributed computing platform. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the network includes communications and power distribution infrastructure. 
     
     
         38 . A system for a building, comprising:
 (a) one or more outer walls and/or one or more façades of the building   (b) a plurality of processors;   (c) a plurality of data storage devices;   (d) a plurality of sensors; and   (e) communication lines communicatively coupling one or more of the plurality of processors with one or more of the plurality of data storage devices and/or the plurality of sensors; wherein
 the communication lines and at least some of the plurality of processors or the plurality of data storage devices are at least partially disposed in window mullions and/or transoms of the building, irrespective of whether or not the one or more outer walls or the one or more façades include an optically switchable window or an optically switchable window controller; and 
 the system is configured to provide a personal computing service for a user. 
   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the user is an occupant of the building. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a temperature sensor, an irradiance sensor, a humidity sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a motion sensor, an occupant tracking sensor, a biometric sensor, and/or a volatile organic compound.