Controlling loads and collecting building information via IP networks
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods for controlling loads in an IP network that is divided into one or more zones and/or subzones. In one aspect, there is provided a method that can associate a plurality of controllers with one of a plurality of zones. Each controller can be connected to one or more loads. The method can associate each controller with an address. The address can include a network address and a host identifier. The network address for each controller in a first zone can be the same. The method can transmit over a network a control message to each controller in the first zone. The control message can cause one or more operational parameters of the loads connected to each controller in the first zone to change. Related apparatus, computer program products, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.
1. A system for controlling loads using an Internet Protocol (IP) network, comprising:
at least one host, wherein the at least one host is configured to transmit at least one control message over the IP network; and
a plurality of controllers, wherein:
each controller is connected to one or more loads,
each controller is associated with one of a plurality of building zones based on a floor plan of a building, and
each controller is associated with an IP address such that each controller has a unique IP address, and each unique IP address comprises a network address and a host identifier; and
wherein:
a first network address for each of one or more controllers in the first building zone is the same, and is different from at least one other network address of at least one controller not in the first building zone;
the first building zone is associated with at least first and second subzones, at least two controllers are associated with the first subzone, and at least one other controller is associated with the second subzone; and
a control message, which includes a first subzone parameter, transmitted over the IP network using a broadcast IP address having the first network address causes one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to each of the at least two controllers associated with the first subzone to change, and does not cause to change one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to the at least one other controller associated with the second subzone.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein another control message, which includes a second subzone parameter, transmitted over the IP network using a broadcast IP address having the first network address, causes one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to each of the at least one controller associated with the second subzone to change, and does not cause to change one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to the at least two controllers associated with the first building zone and not associated with the second subzone.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control message is based on environmental data.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the environmental data is detected by one or more sensors to connected to one or more respective controllers.
5. A method for controlling loads using an Internet Protocol (IP) network, comprising:
a host transmitting a control message, which control message includes a first subzone parameter, over the IP network to a plurality of controllers using a broadcast IP address, wherein:
each controller is connected to one or more loads, is associated with one of a plurality of building zones based on a floor plan of a building, and is associated with an IP address such that each controller has a unique IP address,
each unique IP address comprises a network address and a host identifier,
a first network address for each of one or more controllers in the first building zone is the same, and is different from at least one other network address of at least one controller not in the first building zone, and
the first building zone is associated with at least first and second subzones, at least two controllers are associated with the first subzone, and at least one other controller is associated with the second subzone, and the broadcast IP address has the first network address; and
each of the at least two controllers associated with the first subzone causes one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to each of the at least two controllers associated with the first subzone to change in response to the control message; and
the at least one other controller associated with the first building zone and not associated with the first subzone does not cause to change, in response to the control message, one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to the at least one other controller.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
the host transmitting another control message, which includes a second subzone parameter, over the IP network using a broadcast IP address having the first network address;
each of the at least one controller associated with the second subzone causes one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to each of the at least one controller to change in response to the control message; and
the at least two controllers associated with the first building zone and not associated with the second subzone do not cause to change, in response to the control message, one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to the at least two controllers.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the control message is based on environmental data.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the environmental data is detected by one or more sensors to connected to one or more respective controllers.