HVAC device registration in a distributed building management system

1. A method for registering a heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) device in a building management system (BMS), the method comprising:

obtaining a firmware token for the HVAC device at a registration service, wherein the firmware token establishes one or more permissions of the HVAC device;

authorizing the registration of the HVAC device using the firmware token;

registering the HVAC device into a database of the registration service using a unique device identifier;

determining credentials associated with the HVAC device in the database of the registration service based on the one or more permissions of the HVAC device established by the firmware token;

providing the credentials to the HVAC device for operation of the HVAC device in accordance with the one or more permissions;

generating a device shadow based on a device template and a role of the HVAC device, the role representing the one or more permissions of the HVAC device established by the firmware token, the device template comprising one or more data points associated with the HVAC device, wherein the device shadow provides a virtual representation of the HVAC device within the BMS; and

at least one of (i) reading, by a second device of the BMS, values of the one or more data points from the device shadow or (ii) writing, by the second BMS device, the values of the one or more data points to the device shadow.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device template is associated with the unique device identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the registration service is implemented using one or more cloud-based servers.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the one or more data points of the device template against one or more data points of the HVAC device and updating the device shadow with at least one data point of the HVAC device that is different from a data point of the device template.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the firmware token is only valid for a defined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising claiming, by a user, the HVAC device, wherein claiming the HVAC device allows the user to manage the HVAC device within the BMS.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more permissions of the HVAC device comprise one or more features accessible by the HVAC device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the HVAC device is configured to transmit time series data to the BMS upon the registration of the HVAC device.

9. A building management system (BMS), the system comprising:

a distributed BMS device comprising a processor, the processor configured to:

obtain a firmware token for a heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) device at a registration service, wherein the firmware token establishes one or more permissions of the HVAC device;

register the HVAC device into a database of the registration service using a unique device identifier;

determine credentials associated with the HVAC device in the database of the registration service based on the one or more permissions of the HVAC device established by the firmware token;

provide the credentials to the HVAC device for operation of the HVAC device in accordance with the one or more permissions;

generate a device shadow based on a device template and a role of the HVAC device, the role representing the one or more permissions of the HVAC device established by the firmware token, the device template comprising one or more data points associated with the HVAC device, the device shadow providing a virtual representation of the HVAC device within the BMS; and

at least one of (i) read, by a second device of the BMS, values of the one or more data points from the device shadow or (ii) write, by the second BMS device, the values of the one or more data points to the device shadow.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the device template is associated with the unique device identifier.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the device template is based on a device type of the HVAC device that is determined using the unique device identifier.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to compare data points of the device shadow against one or more data points of the HVAC device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the device shadow with the data points of the HVAC device that are different from data points of the device shadow.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the HVAC device is claimed by a user, and wherein claiming the HVAC device allows the user to manage the HVAC device within the BMS.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more permissions of the HVAC device comprise one or more features accessible by the HVAC device.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the unique device ID is one of a media access control address and a serial number of the HVAC device, and wherein the HVAC device is configured to transmit time series data to the BMS upon the registration of the HVAC device.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the distributed BMS device is one of a controller and a cloud-based server.

18. A method for registering an Internet of Things (IoT) heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) device in a building management system (BMS), the method comprising:

obtaining a firmware token for the IoT HVAC device at a registration service, wherein the firmware token establishes one or more permissions of the IoT HVAC device;

authorizing the registration of the IoT HVAC device using the firmware token;

registering the IoT HVAC device into a database of the registration service using a unique device identifier;

determining credentials associated with the IoT HVAC device in the database of the registration service based on the one or more permissions of the IoT HVAC device established by the firmware token;

providing the credentials to the IoT HVAC device for operation of the IoT HVAC device in accordance with the one or more permissions;

claiming, by a user, the IoT HVAC device, wherein claiming the IoT HVAC device allows the user to manage the IoT HVAC device within the BMS;

generating a device shadow based on a device template and a role of the IoT HVAC device, the role representing the one or more permissions of the IoT HVAC device established by the firmware token, the device template comprising one or more data points associated with the IoT HVAC device, wherein the device shadow provides a virtual representation of the IoT HVAC device within the BMS; and

passing values of the one or more data points from the device shadow to the IoT HVAC device to change one or more parameters within the IoT HVAC device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the device template is associated with the unique device identifier.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

comparing the data points of the device shadow against one or more data points of the IoT HVAC device; and

updating the device shadow with the data points of the IoT HVAC device that are different from data points of the device shadow.