JPH08237762A - Building management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To maintain the function of the system by degenerating functions of the system when part of equipments being components of the building management system is failed. CONSTITUTION: The building management system is made up of a system console 1, real time controllers 2A, 2B, and process input output devices 3A-3D interconnected via an information system network 10 and a control system network 20 in a hierarchical structure. When the entire system is normal, the real time controller controls building installation equipments allocated to itself via each process input output device. When either of the real time controllers is failed, the normal real time controller controls building installation equipments 5, otherwise to be controlled by the faulty controller. When no normal real time controller is available, the system console 1 controls the building installation equipment 5 via the information repeater 4. The system console 1 usually executes the monitoring of the normality of the entire system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a building management system, and more particularly, to hierarchically dividing devices constituting the system of the building management system according to their functions, and connecting them by a network. The present invention relates to a building management system that enables continuous functioning even when the system is abnormal and facilitates system expansion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a control system using a computer has a function of a plurality of computers, because the network technology has advanced along with the improvement of the processing performance of the arithmetic circuit in the computer and the progress of the downsizing and mounting of the device. It is possible to improve the system performance, reliability, etc. by dividing into two and connecting them by a network.

On the other hand, in the building management system using a computer, the system configuration is decentralized and hierarchized mainly in the large-scale building management system. These building management systems are configured by dividing a hierarchy for monitoring and controlling building equipment into control target areas, and include a real-time control device for monitoring and controlling building equipment and a process input / output device. A plurality of control target areas are provided and distributed control is performed for each control target area.

In the building management system having such a structure, when an abnormality occurs in the real-time control device or the process input / output device, the control of the corresponding control area is stopped, but the control of the entire system is not stopped. Has a dispersing effect. However, in such a building management system, control of the area to be controlled in which an abnormality has occurred is completely stopped, and control of that area cannot be resumed without waiting for the restoration of the abnormality-causing device.

[0005]

The building management system according to the above-mentioned prior art is a real-time control for monitoring and controlling building equipment by dividing a hierarchy for monitoring and controlling building equipment into control target areas. Since a plurality of devices and process input / output devices are provided for each control target area and distributed control is performed for each control target area, if an abnormality occurs in the real-time control device or process input / output device that controls a certain area, There is a problem that the control of the area cannot be resumed without waiting for the recovery of the abnormal device.

In general, the real-time control device has a complicated structure in both hardware and software, so that the probability of occurrence of abnormality is high. On the other hand, the process input / output device has a simpler hardware and software as compared with the real-time control device, and thus the probability of occurrence of abnormality is low. Further, since the control system network can also have a simple structure when it is limited to control, the probability of occurrence of abnormality can be suppressed to a low level.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art by utilizing the characteristics of the computer system described above, and when an abnormality occurs in a part of the real-time control device of the building management system, the process input / output device is If it is normal, provide a building management system that allows the functions of the entire system to be reduced while maintaining the functions, and for any of the system configuration devices, software development and maintenance can be performed from the system console device. It is in.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object is to maintain the function of a real-time control device that realizes the basic building equipment monitoring and control functions of a building management system when the abnormality occurs. The alternative function of the real-time control device in which the abnormality has occurred is achieved by using the system console device or another normal real-time control device.

That is, in the case where the building management system is provided with only one real-time control device, the above-mentioned object is to allow the system console device to substitute the function when an abnormality occurs in the real-time control device. It is achieved by doing so. Therefore, the building management system in this case is provided with an information relay device between the control network and the information network, and the process input / output device and the system console device connected to the control network via the information relay device. It is configured such that control input / output information can be transmitted and received between and. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in the real-time control device, this building management system can cause the system console device to perform a part of the function of the abnormal real-time control device.

Further, the above-mentioned object is that the building management system
When configured with multiple real-time controllers,
This is achieved by causing another normal real-time control device to substitute the function when a malfunction occurs in part of the real-time control device. Therefore, the building management system in this case causes all of the process input / output devices connected to the control system network to be shared by a plurality of real-time control devices, and the input / output control information from the process input / output devices is It is configured so that it can be taken in by all real-time control devices. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in a part of the real-time control devices, the building management system can cause the normal real-time control device to perform a part of the function of the abnormal real-time control device.

Further, the above object is achieved by configuring the system console device so that it can be connected to any of a real-time control device and a process input / output device via a network, and configuring a building management system in a hierarchical structure. It As a result, this building management system can efficiently perform software development and maintenance of lower-level devices, which were inefficient in the past, from the system console device because the lower-level devices are located far away from each other. it can.

[0012]

According to the present invention, which comprises only one real-time control device, the control system network and the information system network are connected by the information relay device, and when the real-time control device is abnormal, the process input / output device is If normal, the process input / output device can be connected to the system console device higher than the real-time control device via the information relay device, and the process input / output device can be controlled by the system console device. Building management can be continued without stopping the function of.

Further, according to the present invention, which comprises a plurality of real-time control devices, since the process input / output devices are shared by the plurality of real-time control devices by the control system network, the abnormal real-time control devices are separated and controlled. The building management can be continued without stopping the function of the system.

Further, according to the present invention having a hierarchical structure, since the system console device is configured to be connectable to either the real-time control device or the process input / output device via a network, the devices lower in the hierarchy are connected. Since the installation locations are far apart, it is possible to efficiently perform software development, maintenance, and the like of a lower-level device, which has conventionally been inefficient, from the system console device.

The building management system according to the present invention, even if it has any of the configurations described in each claim of the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in a constituent device, the system constituent devices are connected by a network and mutual information is provided. Since it is possible to transfer and receive a part of the functions between devices, it is possible to continue building management without stopping the function of the system.

[0016]

Embodiments of a building management system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a building management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the construction of a real-time control device, and FIG. 3 is a block showing the construction of a process input / output device. 4 and 5 are block diagrams showing the configuration of the information relay device. 1 to 4,
Reference numeral 1 is a system console device, 2A and 2B are real-time control devices, 3A to 3D are process input / output devices, 4 is an information relay device, 5 is a building equipment group, 10 is an information network, 20 is a control network, and 21 is a network. Main control unit,
Reference numeral 22 is a main storage unit, 23 is an information system network control unit, 2
4 is a control system network control unit, 25 is an external auxiliary storage unit, 26 is a man-machine control unit, 27 is a direct input / output unit, 2
Reference numeral 8 is a direct communication unit, 31 is an input / output control unit, 32 is an input / output storage unit, 33 is a control system network control unit, and 34 to 38 are interface units between process input / output devices and building equipment. Level input, output,
Analog level input section, output section, other input / output section,
41 is a relay control unit, 42 is a relay storage unit, 43 is an information system network control unit, and 44 is a control system network control unit.

The building management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG.
As the highest-level component device, the system console device 1, a plurality of real-time control devices 2A, 2B, and
The information relay device 4 and the information relay device 4 are connected to each other by an information network 10, and these real-time control devices 2A, 2B,
In addition, the information relay device 4 and the plurality of process input / output devices 3A which are the lowest-level constituent devices for controlling the building equipment group 5
3D and 3D are connected to each other by a control system network 20.

In the building management system configured as described above, the system console device 1 has a man-machine function, a file management function, and a form output function in the building management system. Since the system console device 1 is an information processing system device, the system console device 1 is configured by a workstation, a personal computer or the like having an operating system for information processing.

The real-time control devices 2A and 2B are provided with a function of monitoring the state of building equipment to be controlled, a schedule control function, and the like. Real-time controller 2A,
2B is a device that plays a central role in the building management system configured as a control-dedicated device equipped with an operating system for real-time control because it needs to control the building equipment group continuously in real time for 24 hours. Due to its complexity, both hardware and software are large in scale.

Further, the process input / output devices 3A to 3D are
It is a device that directly inputs and outputs control signals to and from building equipment in the building. These process input / output devices 3A
In 3D, since the building equipments to be controlled are distributed in the building, they are distributed in order to reduce the wiring work amount and the work amount. The building facility equipment group 5 includes power receiving and transforming equipment, air conditioning equipment, elevated water tank, and the like in the building.

The information system network 10 is a network for connecting the system console device 1 having an information processing function as a center and the real-time control devices 2A and 2B having a center of building facility control, and the system console device 1 is a standard. A network based on a standard such as an Ethernet network is used because it is composed of a workstation based on the network. On the other hand, the control system network 20 is a network that connects the real-time control devices 2A and 2B to the process input / output devices 3A to 3D, and exchanges status information and control output information of building equipment. Since this control system network 20 is used for control, it is necessary to guarantee the transmission delay time, and it is required that the transmission control does not stop due to an abnormality in some devices connected to the network. For this reason, a carrier sense multi-access type transmission system, a token ring type transmission system, etc. modified for control are used.

The information relay device 5 is the information network 1.
0 has a function of connecting the control system network 20. The information relay device 5 is connected to the control system network 2
The process input / output devices 3A to 3D on 0 relay and transfer the state information of the building equipment devices fetched from the building equipment devices to the information network 10, and at the same time, from the system console device 1 to the process input / output devices 3A to 3D. Control output information and software maintenance information can be transferred.

The real-time control devices 2A and 2B are shown in FIG.
As shown in the internal structure thereof, the main control unit 21 of the real-time control device, the main storage unit 22 for storing programs, control data / files, etc., and the information system network control unit which is an interface unit with the information system network 23. 23, a control system network control unit 24 that is an interface unit with the control system network, an external auxiliary storage unit 25 such as a hard disk, a man-machine control unit 26 including a CRT and the like, and a built-in real-time control device. Direct input / output unit 27 at the contact level with building equipment,
Direct communication unit 28 for serial communication level with building equipment
And is configured.

The process input / output devices 3A to 3D have an input / output control unit 31 of the process input / output device and an input / output storage unit 32 for storing programs and control data / files, as shown in the internal structure of FIG. , A control system network control unit 3 which is an interface unit with the control system network
3, a contact level input unit 34 which is an interface unit between the process input / output device and the building equipment, and an output unit 3
5, an analog level input section 36, an output section 37, and other input / output sections 38.

The information relay device 4 has a relay controller 41 for controlling the information relay device, as shown in the internal structure of FIG.
A relay storage unit 42 that stores programs and control data / files, an information network control unit 33 that is an interface unit with the information system network, and a control system network control unit 44 that is an interface unit with the control system network. It is equipped with.

Next, the control operation of the building management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention constructed as described above will be explained mainly with reference to FIG.

In the building management system shown in FIG. 1, when all the devices constituting the system are normal, each device of the building equipment device group 5 to be controlled and the real-time control devices 2A and 2B for controlling the devices The association is determined in advance. Then, the real-time control devices 2A, 2
When an abnormality occurs in any of the devices of B, the normal real-time control device expands its control range, and also controls the building equipment that was outside the control target at the normal time.
However, the expansion of the control range causes degeneration of the function due to the restriction of the control performance of the real-time control device.

The process input / output devices 3A to 3D periodically take in the status information of each device of the building equipment group 5, and send the taken building equipment status information to the control system network 20. In this case, the process input / output devices 3A to 3D send the building equipment status information to the real-time control equipment without sending a destination to a specific real-time control equipment, and send it to the control system network 20 as building equipment status information. Done by.

In the data transmission format of the building equipment state information, the number of the source process input / output device of the data is given, and this corresponds to the building equipment device and the process input / output device number. It is designed so that you can see the attachment. Real-time controller 2A, 2B,
Building equipment state information is taken in from all the process input / output devices 3A to 3D connected to the control system network 20, but it is determined whether or not the state information is linked to control depending on the state of the system. The control process is performed only for the necessary status information.

For example, when the entire system is normal, only real-time control device 2A is assigned as building equipment to be controlled through process input / output devices 3A and 3B, and real-time control device 2B is controlled. Process input / output device 3 as the target building equipment
Those assigned via C to 3D are assigned. In this case, the real-time control devices 2A and 2B have all the process input / output devices 3A to 3A when the entire system is normal.
Although the state information is fetched from the 3D, the real-time control device 2A only controls the state information from the process input / output devices 3A and 3B, and the real-time control device 2B processes the process input / output devices 3C to 3C. Perform control on state information from 3D.

When an abnormality occurs in the real-time control device 2B, the real-time control device 2A controls the status information from the process input / output devices 3C to 3D which were controlled by the real-time control device 2B until then. Also run.

In the above-described first embodiment of the present invention, the real-time control device does not perform the main control of the transmission control when sending the status information of the building equipment from the process input / output device to the real-time control device. Even if an error occurs in the real-time control device, the status information of the building equipment is not stopped from the process input / output device, and some of the real-time control device errors affect the system operation. There is no such thing.

The real-time control devices 2A and 2B create control output information for the building equipment under a predetermined control schedule, etc., based on the taken-in state information of the building equipment, and control network. 20
Send to the top. When sending the control output information for the process input / output devices 3A to 3D to the control system network 20, the real-time control devices 2A and 2B send the information without attaching the destinations of the process input / output devices 3A to 3D. All the control output information sent to the control system network 20 is received by the process input / output devices 3A to 3D. Each of the process input / output devices 3A to 3D
Based on the above-mentioned control output information sent from the real-time control devices 2A and 2B, the control output is performed to the building equipment controlled by the own device.

Further, the real time control devices 2A, 2B
2, each of the direct input / output unit 27 and the direct communication unit 28 that directly interface with each device in the building equipment device group 5 by a contact level or serial communication, as described with reference to FIG. It has, and can control each device in the building equipment device group 5 via these. However, as described above, it is not possible to substitute the function when a failure occurs in the real-time control device in the system for the building equipment device that the real-time control device directly interfaces to control.

The status information of the building equipment sent from the process input / output devices 3A to 3D to the real-time control devices 2A and 2B is simultaneously sent to the data between the control system network 20 and the information system network 10 by the information relay device 4. Information network 1 after transmission protocol conversion
Sent to 0. As described above, since the state information of the building equipments from the process input / output devices 3A to 3D is sent out without giving the destination, the information relay apparatus 4 causes the information relaying device 4 to obtain the state information of the building equipments on the control network 20. Is simply passed through the device and sent to the information network 10 without any destination.

The system console device 1 fetches the status information of the building equipment equipment sent through the information relay equipment 4 on the information system network 10 to obtain the same status of the building equipment equipment as for the real-time control equipment. Information can be captured at about the same time as the real-time controller.

As described above, the real-time control devices 2A and 2B periodically create control output information based on the taken-in state information of the building equipment and send it to the control system network 20. , At the same time,
This control output information and the state information of the building equipment used to create this control output information are sent to the information network 10.

The system console device 1 includes the information relay device 4 and the process input / output devices 3A to 3D in a state in which the control output to the building equipment is performed in a prescribed control cycle.
The status information (monitor information) of the building equipment and the process input / output devices 3A to 3D, which are taken in through the information network 10 and sent to the information network 10 by the real-time control devices 2A and 2B as described above, are directly sent. The control status of the real-time control devices 2A and 2B and the interface with the control system network 20 are diagnosed by comparing with the status information of the building equipment.

Further, the system console device 1 creates a part of the control output information by using the state information of the building equipment, and the real time control device 2A which takes in this control output information and the information system network 10, The control function of the real-time control devices 2A and 2B is also diagnosed by comparing the control output information from 2B.

Furthermore, when the system console device 1 detects an abnormality in the real-time control devices 2A and 2B, it issues an alarm to the operator and outputs a control stop command to the real-time control device in which the abnormality has occurred. Stop the control.

This control stop command is given to the real-time control device via the information network 10 as control stop command information. The real-time control device to which this is given stops the control by the real-time control device when it judges that it is an abnormality of the self-device by the majority decision together with the diagnosis result of the other real-time control device. Whether to stop the control, including the system console device 1,
All devices are treated equally. That is, since the system console device 1 is composed of a general-purpose personal computer or workstation, the reliability of the device cannot be highly evaluated.

When the control output of the abnormal real-time control device does not stop due to the above-mentioned control stop command, the abnormal real-time control device operates according to the control signals from the system console device 1 and other normal real-time control devices. It is also possible to separately provide a means for stopping the operation by hardware.

Further, each of the real-time control devices 2A and 2B monitors the control state of the other real-time control device and creates the diagnostic result information, and at the same time, the system console device 1 and the other real-time control devices respectively System status information consisting of diagnostic result information is given,
The control output range of its own device is determined by the majority of all the system status information.

When the system console device 1 reports the occurrence of an abnormal device, if a normal real-time control device exists, the normal real-time control device changes the control range and degenerates some functions. As a result, the function of the abnormal real-time control device is replaced.

Since the system console device 1 is connected to the control system network 20 from the information system network 10 via the information relay device 4, the process input / output devices 3A to 3A developed in the system console device 1 are connected.
D internal control program to process input / output device 3A ~
It can be downloaded into 3D, and the above-mentioned route enables remote maintenance of the internal programs of the process input / output devices 3A to 3D.

The above-described first embodiment of the present invention is an example of a building management system having two real-time control devices and constructed in a hierarchical structure. However, the present invention includes more real-time control devices. The configuration can be expanded, and multiple real-time control devices and process input / output devices can be connected to an information system network in units of subsystems that are connected to a control system network that is not shown in the figure, and the configuration can be changed. It can be extended.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the construction of a building management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The reference numerals in FIG. 5 are the same as those in FIG.

The second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5 is an example of the minimum structure to which the present invention is applied, and is an example in which only one real-time control device is provided. In the case of this example, since only one real-time control device 2A is provided as a real-time control device, when an abnormality occurs in this real-time control device 2A, another normal real-time control device that substitutes the function thereof is used. It doesn't exist.

In such a case, the second embodiment of the present invention further reduces the function of the system. However, the system console device 1 itself outputs the control output via the information relay device 4 to process input / output. By giving the devices 3A to 3D, the control function of the system can be continued.

In the above-described first embodiment of the present invention, an abnormality occurs in the two real-time control devices,
When there is no real-time control device that should be replaced with a function, the system console device 1 can replace those functions as described above.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the construction of a building management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The reference numerals in FIG. 6 are the same as those in FIG.

The second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6 is shown in FIG.
The system console device according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above is eliminated, and the function of the system console device is provided in one of the plurality of real-time control devices. In the case of this embodiment, the first aspect of the present invention shown in FIG.
As in the case of the above embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in one real-time control device, the normal real-time control device replaces the function of the abnormal real-time control device and continues the control function as the system. Then, when the entire system is normal, mutual diagnosis is executed by exchanging state information of building equipment devices between the real-time control devices.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in a part of the equipment constituting the building management system, the function of the apparatus in which the abnormality occurs can be performed without stopping all the functions in charge. It is possible to maintain the function of building management while degrading. The function degeneracy level has two levels, that is, a real-time control device level for actually controlling and a system console level.

Further, according to the present invention, means such as device multiplexing, which has been conventionally taken as a method for improving the reliability of the system, is not required. The reliability of the system can be improved without providing it.

Further, according to the present invention, since the networks in the building management system are connected and the software of each device such as the real-time control device and the process input / output device can be maintained from the system console device, the distributed type It is possible to improve the maintenance efficiency of the software of the device in the lower layer of the system.

As described above, according to the present invention, in the system console device installed in a place where the environment is good, all the devices can be maintained, the working environment and work efficiency of the maintenance staff can be improved, and the maintenance staff can be improved. The number of can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a building management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a real-time control device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a process input / output device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information relay device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a building management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a building management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 System console device 2A, 2B Real-time control device 3A-3D Process input / output device 4 Information relay device 5 Building equipment device group 10 Information system network 20 Control system network 21 Main control unit 22 Main storage unit 23, 43 Information system network control unit 24, 33, 44 Control system network control unit 25 External auxiliary storage unit 26 Man-machine control unit 27 Direct input / output unit 28 Direct communication unit 31 Input / output control unit 32 Input / output storage unit 34 Contact level input unit 35 Contact level output Part 36 Analog level input part 37 Analog level output part 38 Other input / output part 41 Relay control part 42 Relay storage part

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A system console device having a man-machine, a file management function, etc., at least one real-time control device having a monitoring and control function for a building facility device to be controlled, and a building facility device to be controlled. And a plurality of process input / output devices that directly interface with the device and output status information and perform control output. One of the real-time control devices is a function division in which building equipment to be controlled during normal operation is predetermined. In the building management system of the configuration, an information network connecting the system console device and the real-time control device,
A real-time control device is provided with a control network that connects the real-time control device and the process input / output device, and an information relay device that connects the networks. A building management system characterized in that an abnormal real-time control device controls a building equipment device to be controlled via a corresponding process input / output device. 2. The system console device monitors, via the information relay device, the status information of the building facility equipment that is taken in by the process input / output device and is sent to the real-time control device, and the building management system is configured. When the equipment is operating normally, part of the control output information is created in parallel with the real-time control equipment from the status information of the building equipment equipment that was imported at the same time as the real-time control equipment, and the real-time control equipment transmits it via the information network. By detecting the control status of the real-time control device by comparing it with the status input information and control output information of the building equipment sent to the system console device, it is possible to detect the abnormality of the real-time control device. The building management system according to claim 1, wherein the building management system is a building management system. 3. When an abnormality occurs in a part of the real-time control device by allocating the allocation of the building equipment equipment controlled by each of the real-time control devices at the time of normal and abnormal of the system, 3. The building management system according to claim 1, wherein the remaining normal real-time control device controls the building equipment to be controlled by the abnormal real-time control device. 4. The system console device receives status information of a building equipment device from a process input / output device via the information relay device when a normal real-time control device no longer exists, and controls the building equipment device. The building management system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein 5. The system console device develops and maintains a control program of a real-time control device via an information system network, and controls a process input / output device via an information relay device and a control system network. The building management system according to claim 1, wherein the program is developed and maintained. 6. The system console device uses a computer equipped with an information processing operating system that executes man-machine interface processing and data processing, and the information network easily connects to the information processing computer. 2. An information processing network is used, and the control system network uses a control network that does not have a main control station for transmission control, such as a token rig system and a carrier sense multi-access system. 1. The building management system according to 1 to 5. 7. A control target scale by adding a device by connecting a subsystem having a building equipment control function, which is composed of a real-time control device, a control system network, and a process input / output device, to the information system network as a unit. The building management system according to claim 1, wherein the building management system can be expanded. 8. A man-machine interface function, a file management function can be expanded, and a multiple system can be realized by connecting a system console device to the information network. The building management system described in 1. 9. The function of the system console device,
Provision in a real-time control device.
The building management system described in 1.