Building control device with peer-to-peer communication for enhanced functionality
The health status of each of a plurality of services running on a building control device of a building control system may be monitored. The health status of each of the plurality of services may be selected from two or more predetermined health status conditions including a normal health status and a hung health status, wherein the hung health status indicates that the corresponding service is currently down and/or otherwise non-responsive. The building control device determines the health status of each of the plurality of services running on the building control device. The building control device wirelessly transmits the health status of at least those services running on the building control device that are determined to have the hung health status, if any.
1 . A method for monitoring a health status of each of a plurality of services running on a building control device of a building control system comprising a central controller, wherein the building control device is operatively coupled to the central controller via a first network, wherein the health status of each of the plurality of services is selected from two or more predetermined health status conditions including a normal health status and a hung health status, wherein the hung health status indicates that the corresponding service is currently down and/or otherwise non-responsive, the method comprising:
establishing a peer-to-peer communication path between the building control device and a neighboring building control device of the building control system, wherein the peer-to-peer communication path is separate from the first network;
the building control device determining the health status of each of the plurality of services running on the building control device;
the building control device sending the health status of at least those services running on the building control device that are determined to have the hung health status to the neighboring building control device via the peer-to-peer communication path; and
in response to receiving from the building control device the health status of at least those services running on the building control device that are determined to have the hung health status, the neighboring building control device reporting an alert to the central controller via the first network that indicates that at least one service of the building control device has the hung health status.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the building control system comprises a video monitoring system, and the building control device comprises a video camera.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first network is a wired network; and
the peer-to-peer communication path is a wireless communication path.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a neighboring building control device of the building control system is also operatively coupled to the central controller via the first network, the method further comprising:
the building control device configured to wirelessly transmit a health message to the neighboring building control device via a peer-to-peer communication path during a predetermined time window; and
the neighboring building control device reporting an alert to the central controller via the first network when the building control device fails to wirelessly transmit the health message via the peer-to-peer communication path during the predetermined time window.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the health message includes the health status of at least those services running on the building control device that are determined to have the hung health status, if any.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of services comprises a video analytics service that applies one or more video analytics to a video stream captured by the video camera.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of services comprises a camera control service that controls a pan, a tilt, a zoom, a focus, and or an iris of the video camera.
8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of services comprises a streaming service that controls streaming of a video stream captured by the video camera.
9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of services comprises a network service that controls network communication between the building control device and one or more other devices of the building control system.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of services correspond to one or more application programs running on the building control device, wherein the one or more application programs are separate from and are supported by an operating system of the building control device.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the building control system comprises:
a video monitoring system, and the building control device comprises one of a video camera, an intrusion sensor, and an access control device; and/or
a Heating, Ventilation and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, and the building control device comprises an HVAC device.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeatedly determining the health status of each of the plurality of services running on the building control device.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising taking action to correct the one or more of the plurality of services of the building control device that have a hung status.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein taking action comprises rebooting the building control device.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein taking action comprises restarting the one or more of the plurality of services of the building control device that have a hung status.