Embodiments of a software defined automation system that provides a reference architecture for designing, managing and maintaining a highly available, scalable and flexible automation system. In some embodiments, an SDA system can include a localized subsystem including a system controller node and multiple compute nodes. The multiple compute nodes can be communicatively coupled to the system controller node via a first communication network. The system controller node can manage the multiple compute nodes and virtualization of a control system on a compute node via the first communication network. The virtualized control system includes virtualized control system elements connected to a virtual network that is connected to a second communication network to enable the virtualized control system elements to control a physical control system element via the second communication network connected to the virtual network.

A hierarchical resource management system for a building includes one or more processors. The processors implement a plurality of agents that each monitor sensed values, and generate operating scenarios based on the sensed values for corresponding resources. The processors also implement a coordinator that filters the operating scenarios to remove the operating scenarios that violate internal laws of the agents to form an aggregate validated set of operating scenarios. The processors further implement a supervisor that, responsive to receipt of target conditions for the zones and the aggregate validated set of operating scenarios from the coordinator, selects a combination of the operating scenarios from the aggregate validated set of operating scenarios that achieves target conditions and minimizes overall energy consumption by the resources such that some of the operating scenarios of the combination do not minimize energy consumption of the resources corresponding to the some of the operating scenarios.

A controller that is configured to control operation of a building component may be programmed using a programming tool to build a controller logic that utilizes sub-structures organized within a hierarchal tree, which may then be downloaded to the controller. The controller is operated via the controller logic such that the controller controls operation of the building component. The programming tool may subsequently be used to update one or more of the sub-structures. The one or more updated sub-structures may be downloaded to the controller while not downloading one or more of the sub-structures that were not updated. The method includes continuing to control operation of the building component using the controller logic that now includes the one or more updated sub-structures.

A human-machine interface device can be arranged on a building. The device can include a communication device, a recording device, an optical projection module and a control device. The communication device sends and receives data signals via a communication network, and the recording device records data relating to a user. The control device is configured to transmit user data recorded by the recording device to a control system of a building system and to control the optical projection module based on routing information. The optical projection module is configured to project routing information relating to the user and visible to the user onto a projection surface.

The present disclosure describes one or more communities of components (e.g., comprising one or more sensors and/or transceivers) that are configured to automatically locate and/or self-locate their members. The community of components includes a plurality of stationary components, and may include at least one transitory component.

A control method according to the present disclosure is executed by a first server of servers in a system including one or more IoT devices and the servers. The method includes: obtaining first transaction data including malfunction information indicating that one of the IoT devices is malfunctioning, and time information indicating a time when the IoT device has obtained the malfunction information; transferring the obtained first transaction data to second servers different from the first server; executing, together with the second servers, a first consensus algorithm for an agreement on an authenticity of the first transaction data; and recording a block containing the first transaction data in a distributed ledger of the first server, when the authenticity of the first transaction data is verified by the first consensus algorithm.

A building system comprises a camera system and an image processing device, which generates a real-time face template for facial features of the user from a camera capture of a user when the user is in a building zone. A control and processing device searches a storage device for a reference face template that matches the real-time face template to a specified degree, wherein the user is a registered user if there is a match. A bidirectional communication channel for private communication between the building system and a mobile phone of the user is determined from the user profile of the user.

A building management system includes a communications bus, and devices coupled to the communications bus. The devices are coupled to the communications bus and configured to communicate on the communications bus using a master-slave token passing protocol. A first one of the devices has an active node table stored therein. The active node table includes multiple nodes. Each node represents one of the devices participating in a token passing ring used to exchange information among the devices via the communications bus using the master-slave token passing protocol. The first device is configured to monitor the active node table for new nodes and to identify a new device communicating on the communications bus in response to a determination that the active node table includes a new node.

A method of commissioning a plurality of controllers includes identifying a plurality of controllers that are operably coupled to a network in a building management system. Each of the plurality of controllers are configured to control one or more of a plurality of building management system components within a building management system. A first controller is selected as a source controller. Two or more of the remaining controllers are selected as target controllers. A synch operation is initiated that synchs the control logic of the source controller with each of the two or more target controllers over the network, resulting in each of the two or more target controllers having the control logic of the source controller. The source controller and the two or more target controllers are subsequently used to control one or more respective building management system components of the building management system.

Methods and systems are described for robot transportation of objects into or out of a home automation system. One example may include determining, by a mobile robotic device, that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system. The method may include deactivating at least a portion of the home automation system. The method also include retrieving, by the mobile robotic device, the object and transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the object across the boundary. The method further includes leaving, by the mobile robotic device, the object at a drop-off location. The method may also include reactivating at least the portion of the home automation system.