JP3762322B2 - Object-use gateway device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the setting and use of an intermediate object used for connecting a plurality of different network systems to each other and exchanging data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a network that monitors and controls commands for building equipment such as air conditioning and lighting installed in buildings, etc., and a higher-level building management system that collectively monitors and controls those devices, and other differences There is a gateway device that is placed between a plurality of network systems having protocols and interconnects them. In this gateway device, the setting of objects that handle both systems and the setting of mapping to objects that are mutually associated are set and retained uniquely for each system in the software produced for each applicable property. Or, it takes a form in which some setting information is stored and selected from among them. Therefore, it is necessary to rewrite the software to change the setting information.
[0003]
In order to solve such inconvenience, as a second conventional example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-173795 provides a relationship management object for managing bidirectional relationship information between a plurality of objects. Attempts have also been made to maintain mapping between objects by operating on managed objects.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Setting of mapping information in a conventional gateway apparatus is made as described above, and it takes a lot of cost and time to change the configuration of the connected system, etc., or to change the mapping specification (correspondence). There was a problem.
Furthermore, mapping needs to be done with a good understanding of both connected systems and a good understanding of the interrelationships between the objects that handle the system. .
According to the second conventional example, since the relationship management object has mapping information between both objects, the mapping setting operator must be familiar with both systems that perform mapping at the same time. When this system change occurs, there is a problem that it is necessary to re-set the mapping while considering the situation of the other system again.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and in a system for interconnecting heterogeneous network systems A and B operated by different protocols by performing mutual mapping of objects representing the respective systems. An association device in a gateway device that can set a mapping without knowing each other's network system and does not affect the setting information of the other network system even if a change occurs in one network system. The purpose is to obtain.
Furthermore, the development for setting work, monitoring and control is made easy using the view and easy to understand for the user.
Another object is to generate a more accurate and valid mapping.
In addition, it is an object to obtain an apparatus that can easily follow a change in a network system accompanying operation.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The object use gateway device according to the present invention is an object use gateway device that mediates data of each item included in the object to a different system, using elements constituting the system as objects.
The object use gateway device includes a memory in which an intermediate model is set as a virtual model based on one system and another system different from the one system, and an intermediate component that is a component of the intermediate model in the intermediate model Provide multiple objects, each provided intermediate object has multiple properties,
The object-use gateway device associates each property included in the single intermediate object with each item included in the object that is the element constituting the one system on the memory, and yet another single correspondence with each of the properties included in the intermediate object, and each item included in the object is an element constituting the other systems on the memory of,
Object usage gateway device, the names of a plurality of configuration properties that the names of a plurality of configurations of the property with the above intermediate object associated with said one system, another intermediate object associated with the other systems with Is matched to a predetermined ratio or more, the intermediate object having the matching name property is regarded as the same intermediate object, the properties of the intermediate object regarded as the same , the one system, and the other When an item of an object that is an element constituting the other system is requested from the other system, the system is regarded as the same when the object item that is a component of the system is associated with the item. Obuji associated in the properties of the intermediate object The data of the defect entry and to forward to the fields of the object is an element constituting the other system as data of the other systems.
[0009]
Furthermore, the object use gateway device adds incidental information to the objects constituting the system, and when each system associates the item of the object constituting the system with the property of the intermediate object , refer to the incidental information. As a result, the properties of intermediate objects are associated .
[0010]
Furthermore, when the system and the intermediate model are associated with each other, the intermediate model , the intermediate object constituting the intermediate model , and the system and the object that is an element constituting the system are displayed on the same screen.
Furthermore, in the object use gateway device, each system includes a BACnet system and an LON system.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiment 1 FIG.
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. FIG. FIG. 1 shows an explanatory configuration diagram of a method for realizing mapping between different networks according to the present invention.
Here, the BACnet system 105 and the LON system 107 are shown as examples of interconnected networks, and these are objects that exist as entities.
To map and connect these systems to each other, that is, an inter-object mapping 111 that is a correspondence relationship between the BACnet object 106 defined in the BACnet system 105 and the LON object 108 defined in the LON system 107. Is to set.
[0012]
In the present embodiment, a common concept or nature of systems existing as these entities, or an original model is used / introduced to construct an intermediate model 102 as a virtual model having no entity, and each network system The mapping setting of the object is not performed directly between the BACnet object 106 or the LON object 108 which are actual entities, but is performed on the intermediate model object 103 defined in the intermediate model 102. For example, the BACnet object 106 is not directly mapped to the LON object 108, but is mapped to the intermediate model object 103 (step 109) (hereinafter, this operation is expressed in steps). The LON object 108 is also directly mapped to the BACnet object 106. Rather than mapping to the intermediate model object 103 (step 110). Here, for the first time, the setting is 111, in which the BACnet object 106 and the LON object 108 are mapped to each other, which are the actual system objects mapped to the common intermediate model object 103.
[0013]
Next, FIG. 2 shows a very simple example.
The actual systems are the BACnet system 207 and the LON system 214 as described above. The intermediate model 201 constructed from these is a unique model although it has a configuration close to an object of the LON system because it is conscious of the substance of the device.
First, it is assumed that mapping from the BACnet system 207 to the intermediate model 201 is performed. One of the BACnet objects, a binary output object 208 with ID = 10, maps the present value property 209 to the operation state property 203 of the air conditioner 202 of the intermediate model object at the property level (step 220). Similarly, PresentValue 211 of Binary Output object 210 with ID = 11 maps to operation state 206 of lighting device 205 (step 221), and PresentValue 213 of Multistate Output object 212 maps to operation mode 204 of air conditioning device 202 (step 222). ). This completes the setting on the BACnet side.
[0014]
Next, mapping from the LON system 214 to the intermediate model 201 is performed. One of the LON objects, the air conditioner object 215 with ID = 5001 is mapped to the air conditioner 202 of the intermediate model object at the object level (step 223). Similarly, the LON object illuminator 218 maps to the intermediate model object illuminating device 205 at the object level (step 224).
When performing mapping at the object level, mapping at the property level within the object is performed collectively. As a result, the operation / stop property 216 and the operation mode property 217 of the air conditioner 215 of the LON object are mapped to the operation state property 203 and the operation mode property 204 of the air conditioner 202 of the intermediate model object, respectively. Similarly, the lighting / extinguishing property 219 of the illuminator object 218 is mapped to the operation state property 206 of the lighting device object 205 (step 224). This completes the setting on the LON side.
[0015]
After both settings are completed, a mapping setting between the actual object, that is, the BACnet object and the LON object is obtained from the setting status on the intermediate model 201. In the air conditioner 202 of the intermediate model object, a present value property 209 of the binary output 208 of the BACnet object and an operation / stop property 216 of the air conditioner 215 of the LON object are mapped to the operation state property 203. As a result, the PresentValue property 209 of the Binary Output 208 of the BACnet object and the operation / stop property 216 of the air conditioner 215 of the LON object are substantially mapped (step 225). Similarly, the PresentValue 211 of the Binary Output 210 is substantially mapped to the on / off property 219 of the illuminator 218 (Step 226), and the PresentValue 213 of the Multistate Output 212 is mapped to the operation mode property 217 of the air conditioner 215 (Step 227). )
[0016]
Such a mapping setting may be performed via a setting screen 301 as shown in FIG. 3 as an example.
That is, in the figure, an intermediate model list 302, a BACnet object list 306, and a LON object list 309 are displayed, from which a corresponding object (which may be mapping at the instance level or class level) or property is selected. The method of going is conceivable. For example, the BACnet object 308 is mapped to the intermediate model object 304, and the LON object 310 is mapped to the intermediate model object 304. As a result, the BACnet object 308 and the LON object 310 are mapped as a result. The mapping setting screen 301 may display the objects of both network systems to be mapped at the same time as shown in the example shown here, or display them one by one, and each engineer of each network system can perform the setting work. It may be easy to perform. In addition to the setting screen using GUI as shown here, an input method using a table format or the like may be used.
[0017]
The intermediate model according to the present invention may be installed inside the gateway device so that the intermediate model is also used when the gateway function is executed, but various settings of the gateway device prepared separately from the gateway device are performed. It is possible to provide a high-performance gateway device at a lower cost if the gateway device itself is mounted with only the minimum necessary functions for executing the gateway function.
[0018]
For example, when there are two systems A and B, when mutual data exchange is performed, the A system first converts the data into an intermediate object of an intermediate model and transfers the data, which is used unilaterally by other B systems. This mode is also conceivable, and is effective when the lower system uses data of the higher system. Furthermore, there may be a time lag between setting and use, not at the same time. Still further, the intermediate object set from the A system may be set to be used in advance by the B system side or may be set to be used later, and the item data may be transmitted immediately after the data setting.
Furthermore, in the above description, the case where the intermediate object is set from the system side has been described. However, first, the intermediate model is set, and the intermediate model is mapped to the A and B systems, that is, the two systems are associated in advance. There is also. In this way, data is exchanged via an intermediate model at the time of setting, but data can be exchanged directly between systems during system operation.
In this case, if you want to exchange data directly or simply import an intermediate object, the gateway device may have a simple configuration such as preparing a table. Just do it.
[0019]
As described above, in this method for realizing mapping between different types of networks, modeling is performed using the common concepts and properties of the network systems 105 and 107 to be mapped, or an intermediate model 102 using an original model is constructed. Each network system 105 and 107 performs mapping to the intermediate model 102 only. As a result, the BACnet object 106 of the BACnet system 105 that is one network system mapped to the object 103 of the common intermediate model and the LON object 108 of the LON system 107 that is the other system are mapped as a result. In this way, mapping can be set even if the engineer is not familiar with both of the network systems to be mapped.
Even if a change occurs in one network system, the setting information of the other network system is not affected.
In addition, mapping is further facilitated by preparing a view of the intermediate model 102 and constructing and associating the views of the networks 105 and 107 with each other.
[0020]
Embodiment 2. FIG.
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Here, as in the first embodiment, the BACnet system 408 and the LON system 410 are taken as examples of the actual network system.
In the first embodiment, when the BACnet object 409 and the LON object 411 are mapped to the intermediate model 402, the mapping is performed when the mapping is performed on the common intermediate model object. Rather than mapping between entities only by mapping to a common intermediate model object that is completely matched, that is, different intermediate model objects are set once, and these intermediate model objects are combined using their mapping information. It is also possible to perform mapping between entities after the connection.
[0021]
In other words, even if the intermediate models do not match completely, for example, associations between those having a common class as a parent class and those having property configurations that match at a certain ratio (for example, 80% or more), etc. It can be realized by performing. For example, assuming that the intermediate model objects 403 and 405 and 404 and 406 are mapped to each other because the property configurations match at a certain ratio or more, the BACnet object 409 mapped 412 to the intermediate model object 403, The LON object 411 mapped to the intermediate model object 405 is mapped 414 to each other after the intermediate model objects 404 and 406 and the intermediate model objects 403 and 405 are combined.
[0022]
As described above, the method for realizing the mapping between different types of networks is based on the object of each network system mapped to the different intermediate model objects 403 and 405 when the actual network systems 408 and 410 perform mapping to the intermediate model 402. Even between 409 and 411, mapping is performed according to the similarity between the intermediate model objects 403 and 405, so that the setting operation can be performed more easily and the engineering cost can be reduced.
[0023]
Embodiment 3 FIG.
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Here, as in the first and second embodiments, the BACnet system 505 and the LON system 510 are taken as examples of actual network systems.
In the first and second embodiments, when the BACnet object 506 and the LON object 511 are mapped to the intermediate model 502 and the mapping 517 in the entity is obtained, it is mapped to the common intermediate model object, or the objects are Mapping information was sought because it was mapped to a different intermediate model object that was mapped. However, in this embodiment, in addition to these, incidental information given to each object of the actual network system is used. The intermediate model may be handled by either the method of the first embodiment or the method of the second embodiment, but FIG. 5 shows the case of the method of the first embodiment. This incidental information is defined as information used to characterize the substance of each object and associate each network system with each other.
[0024]
For example, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the installation location information is supplementary information. With this supplementary information, the object to be combined is identified as to which object should be combined at which location. As incidental information of the BACnet object 506, the installation location 507 has a value of “conference room A”. Similarly, the installation location 509 of the BACnet object 508 is “conference room B”, the installation location 512 of the LON object 511 is “conference room A”, and the installation location 514 of the LON object 513 is “corridor”. In addition to the method similar to the method in the first embodiment, these pieces of information are taken into account to obtain mapping information between actual objects. In FIG. 5, it is considered that the BACnet object 506 and the LON object 511 mapped to the common intermediate model object 503 are mapped, but the incidental information is obtained and the installation location is “meeting room A”. From this, it can be seen that this mapping is valid.
[0025]
In addition to the installation location (room name, room number, space name (corridor, landing, common space, etc.), floor number, division number, direction, etc.) shown in FIG. It is also effective to use a name, model number, scene to be used (normal time, fire, failure, etc.), a specific symbol or ID number defined in accordance with the property.
[0026]
As described above, the method for realizing the mapping between different types of networks defines incidental information for mapping between objects in both network systems 505 and 510, and the incidental information for each object in each network system 505 and 510. Since the mapping is performed in consideration of the accompanying information, more accurate mapping can be generated, and the validity of the mapping is also determined. In addition, incidental information is attached to each object, and mapping is performed based on this information. Therefore, mapping with the intermediate model 502 that was originally constructed by changing the network systems 505 and 510 accompanying the operation can be performed. Even if it disappears and is separated from the intermediate model, analogy is possible with the accompanying information. Therefore, the mapping relationship between the network systems 505 and 510 can be analogized and maintained, so that the engineering cost can be reduced.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, an intermediate model accessed by another system is provided, and each system transfers data by associating its own element with an intermediate object corresponding to an element in the intermediate model. Since the element data of the other system is obtained from the intermediate object, it is easy to use the element data of the other system, and there is an effect of minimizing the influence of the item change in each system on the other system.
[0028]
Furthermore, since the incidental information is added, there is an effect that more accurate association can be performed when using element data of another system.
[0029]
Furthermore, since the intermediate model and the constituent intermediate object, and the system and the elements constituting the system are displayed on the same screen, there is an effect that the association becomes easier.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating intermediate model association between systems in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a specific inter-use system and an intermediate model in the first embodiment.
3 is a diagram showing a display screen for associating intermediate object elements according to Embodiment 1. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a specific inter-use system and an intermediate model in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a specific inter-use system and an intermediate model in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
102 intermediate model, 103 intermediate model object, 105 BACnet system, 106 BACnet object, 107 LON system, 108 LON object, 109 mapping from BACnet object to intermediate model object, 110 mapping from LON object to intermediate model object, 111 BACnet object , 202 intermediate model air conditioner object, 205 intermediate model lighting apparatus object, 208 BACnet system _{binary output} object, 215 LON system air conditioner object, 301 mapping setting screen example, 507 additional information (installation location).

Claims (4)

An object-use gateway device that mediates the data of each item included in the object to a different system using the elements constituting the system as an object,
The object using gateway device includes a memory in which an intermediate model is set as a virtual model based on one system and another system different from the one system, and is a component of the intermediate model in the intermediate model providing a plurality of intermediate object, each said respective intermediate object provided has a plurality of properties,
The object usage gateway device correspondence, further single and the properties contained in single said intermediate object, and each item included in the object is the element constituting the single system on the memory correspondence with each of the properties included in one intermediate object, and each item included in the object is an element constituting the other systems on the memory,
The object usage gateway device, the name of a plurality of configuration properties that the names of a plurality of configurations of the property with the above intermediate object associated with said one system, another intermediate object associated with the other systems with When bets meets or exceeds a predetermined ratio, an intermediate object with properties name constituting that match該合regarded as the same intermediate objects, properties of intermediate objects were considered of identity one and the one system and the other To match the item of the object that is a component of the system,
When the data of the object item that is an element constituting the other system is requested from the other system, the data of the object item associated with the property of the intermediate object of the one system regarded as the same Is transferred to an item of an object which is an element constituting the other system as data of the other system . The object use gateway device adds incidental information to the objects constituting the system. When each system associates the item of the object constituting the system with the property of the intermediate object, the intermediate object is referred to the incidental information. object usage gateway device according to claim 1, characterized in that as associating properties. When the system and the intermediate model are associated with each other, the intermediate model, the intermediate object that is a component of the intermediate model, and the system and the object that is a component of the system are displayed on the same screen. 2. The object use gateway device according to claim 1, wherein Each system includes a BACnet system, the object usage gateway device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a LON system.

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