IP Library Granted Patent US 11,768,473
Granted Patent B2
US 11,768,473 · App. 17/573,485 · Granted Sep 26, 2023

IoT network with BACnet communication for various sensors in a building management system (BMS) platform

Inventors: Arindam Chakraborty (Milwaukee, WI); Warren Anderson (Milwaukee, WI); Glen Trickle (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
G05B15/02F24F11/63G06F3/0481G06F3/0484G06F3/14H04L12/66H04L67/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,768,473
App. No.
17/573,485
Granted
Sep 26, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems of monitoring and managing a facility including a plurality of end point devices. One system includes a first gateway device. The first gateway device includes a first electronic processor configured to receive fixture data from at least one electro-mechanical element of a fixture associated with the facility, the fixture data related to an operation of the fixture, and enable transmission of the fixture data to a remote device for virtual processing. The system also includes a second gateway device communicatively coupled with the first gateway device. The second gateway device includes a second electronic processor configured to receive, from the first gateway device, the processed fixture data. The second electronic processor configured to convert the processed fixture data pursuant to a networking protocol associated with a building management system and transmit the converted fixture data for display via a visual dashboard associated with the building management system.

Claims (50)

1. A system for converting fixture data for building management solutions, the system comprising:

a fixture located within a facility and comprising an electro-mechanical (EM) element;

a remote server; and

an end-point device communicably coupled to the EM element and configured to:

receive, from the EM element when an action or an operation is detected, fixture data related to the action or the operation of the fixture;

convert the fixture data for transmission pursuant to a first networking protocol consistent with a first network connection with a facility gateway; and

provide, via the facility gateway, the fixture data to the remote server, wherein the remote server is configured to:

receive the fixture data from the end-point device via the facility gateway;

determine an environmental condition of the facility based on the fixture data;

generate an alert based on the determined environmental condition exceeding a threshold; and

provide, via a Building Automation and Control Network (BACnet) gateway, the alert to a building management system, wherein the BACnet gateway is configured to convert the alert pursuant to a second networking protocol consistent with a second network connection with the building management system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the end-point device is further configured to:

remain in a sleep mode until the action or the operation of the fixture is detected via the EM element.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second networking protocol is a BACnet protocol.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the alert is provided to the BACnet gateway via a Long Range (LoRa) protocol.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote server is further configured to:

provide the fixture data to the building management system via the BACnet gateway,

wherein the building management system is configured to:

provide the alert via a visual dashboard configured to integrate, as building data, the fixture data with additional data associated with a building sub-system.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the building sub-system includes a ventilation system, a lighting system, a power system, a fire system, or a security system.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the building management system is further configured to:

receive, via the visual dashboard, a user interaction associated with the building data, and

generate and transmit, based on the user interaction, a control signal associated with at least the building sub-system or the fixture.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture is a thermal mixing valve, a fire protection device, a drain, a contamination monitor, an air quality monitor, a door handle, or a waste receptacle.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the alert includes a contamination alert, a temperature alert, an indoor air pollutant alert, a fire alert, a waste alert, a maintenance alert, a water alert, or a low energy alert.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition comprises a scalding condition, a contamination condition, or a fire condition.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the end-point device is further configured to:

maintain a backlog of data packets comprising the fixture data until a connection of the facility gateway is available.

12. A computer-implemented method for converting fixture data for building management solutions, the method being executed by a processor and comprising:

receiving, from an electro-mechanical (EM) element, when an action or an operation is detected, fixture data related to the action or the operation of a fixture, wherein the fixture is located within a facility and comprises the EM element;

converting the fixture data for transmission pursuant to a first networking protocol consistent with a first network connection with a facility gateway; and

providing, via the facility gateway, the fixture data to a remote server configured to provide, to a building management system, an alert generated based on the fixture data.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

remaining in a sleep mode until the action or the operation of the fixture is detected via the EM element.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the alert is generated based on an environmental condition of the facility determined according to the fixture data.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the alert is provided via a Building Automation and Control Network (BACnet) gateway configured to convert the alert pursuant to a second networking protocol consistent with a second network connection with the building management system.

16. A computer-implemented method for converting fixture data for building management solutions, the method being executed by a processor and comprising:

receiving, from an end-point device via a facility gateway, fixture data related to an action or an operation of a fixture located within a facility, wherein the fixture data is converted for transmission pursuant to a first networking protocol;

determining an environmental condition of the facility based on the fixture data;

generating an alert based on the determined environmental condition exceeding a threshold; and

providing, via a Building Automation and Control Network (BACnet) gateway, the alert to a building management system, wherein the BACnet gateway is configured to convert the alert pursuant to a second networking protocol consistent with a second network connection with the building management system.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

providing the fixture data to the building management system via the BACnet gateway,

wherein the building management system is configured to:

provide the alert via a visual dashboard configured to integrate, as building data, the fixture data with additional data associated with a building sub-system.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the building sub-system includes a ventilation system, a lighting system, a power system, a fire system, or a security system.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the building management system is further configured to:

receive, via the visual dashboard, a user interaction associated with the building data, and

generate and transmit, based on the user interaction, a control signal associated with the building sub-system or the fixture.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the environmental condition comprises a scalding condition, a contamination condition, or a fire condition.

Assignments (5)
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY OF REEL/FRAME 066293/0879 Recorded Feb 20, 2026
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS PRIOR AGENT (F/K/A CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH)
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 074947/0479 →
CONVERSION Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 066336/0603 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN WATER, LLC
Reel/Frame 066337/0918 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: ZURN WATER, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066293/0879 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2022
From: CHAKRABORTY, ARINDAM; ANDERSON, WARREN; TRICKLE, GLEN
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 058630/0531 →