Patent Application
20120259594
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a computer-implemented method for generating visual representations of building modules and more particularly creating a computing dashboard for displaying 3-D visualization of building related data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Building Information Model (BIM) is a building design methodology characterized by the creation and use of coordinated, internally consistent computable information about a building project in design and construction. BIM methodology employs objects that may be abstract or conceptual, and produces data models that include building geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components.
Many BIM authoring tools or software tools are available to create the BIM data models for buildings. A building architect may use these tools to create modular objects representing building modules. For example, an architect may create a model object of a room in which the characteristics and attributes of the room need to be defined only once. Once defined, the model object can then be moved, used and re-used as appropriate. BIM design tools then allow for extracting different views from a building model for drawing production and other uses. These different views are automatically consistent—in the sense that the objects are all of a consistent size, location, specification—since each object instance is defined only once.
BIM data models are typically stored in Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) format to facilitate interoperability in the building industry. The IFC format is a data representation standard and file format used to define architectural and construction-related CAD graphic data as 3D real-world objects. The main purpose of the IFC format is to provide architects and engineers with the ability to exchange data between CAD tools, cost estimation systems and other construction-related applications. The IFC standard provides a set of definitions for some or all object element types encountered in the building industry and a text-based structure for storing those definitions in a data file. The IFC format also allows a BIM data model author to add locations and types of sensors in a building. Modern BIM systems are able to create rich internal representations on building components. The IFC format adds a common language for transferring that information between different BIM applications while maintaining the meaning of different pieces of information in the transfer. This reduces the need of remodeling the same building in each different application.
Although visualization techniques have been used to interpret BIM data models, such techniques have been limited to 2D graphs or abstract numerical outputs. In particular, existing building dashboard systems, that visualize information collected from sensors distributed throughout a building, typically show the raw data values as simple text labels on 2D floor plans, this reduction in data access makes it very difficult for users to understand complex interacting factors that effect overall building performance. Furthermore, current visualization techniques generally do not directly relate spatial and non-spatial data.
Another limitation of a typical building performance data visualization methodology is that occupants are generally treated as “passive participants” within an environment controlled through a centralized automation system, and the entire interior space is generally treated as a homogenous environment.
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a system and a computer implemented method of 3-D visualization of a building module is disclosed. The method includes receiving attributes of the building module from a building information model and receiving data inputs from a plurality of sensors located in the building module. Locations of at least a subset of the plurality of sensors in the building module and types and locations of physical objects in the building module are determined. Then, a 3-D visualization of the building module on a computer screen is generated based on the attributes of the building module, the locations of the physical objects, the locations of at least the subset of the plurality of sensors and the data inputs from the plurality of sensors.
In another embodiment, a computer generated visualization dashboard is disclosed. The dashboard includes a 3-D rendering of a building module that includes geometrical features of the building module and one or more moveable physical objects inside the building module. The dashboard also includes a graphical representation of a source of an environmental element inside the building module including a direction of flow of the environmental element and intensity of the environmental element corresponding to the flow.
In yet another embodiment, a method of generating a 3-D representation of a building module is disclosed. The method includes selecting the building module from a plurality of building modules through a user interface on a computer screen. A user may provide an input, through the user interface, to trigger the computer screen to display a 3-D representation of the building module. The 3-D representation of the building module includes geometrical features of the building module. The user may also provide an input, through the user interface, to trigger the computer screen to display a graphical representation of an environment element in the 3-D representation.
Other embodiments include, without limitation, a computer-readable medium that includes instructions that enable a processing unit to implement one or more aspects of the disclosed methods as well as a system configured to implement one or more aspects of the disclosed methods.
So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.
Reference throughout this disclosure to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
As shown, visualization processor 100 includes one or more processing units, such as central processing unit (CPU) 106, and a system memory 102 communicating via a bus path 128 that may include a memory bridge 108. CPU 106 includes one or more processing cores, and, in operation, CPU 106 is the master processor of visualization processor 100, controlling and coordinating operations of other system components. System memory 102 stores software applications (e.g., a visualization module 104, a simulation module 130 and a transformation module 132) and data for use by CPU 106. Simulation module 130 provides programming logic for calculating additional data points based on input data from sensors. Transformation module 132 is used to transform input data from sensors to conform to the requirements of visualization module 104, which renders 3-D visualization based on BIM data models, input data from sensors and additional data points generated by simulation module 130. CPU 106 runs software applications and optionally an operating system. Memory bridge 108, which may be, e.g., a Northbridge chip, is connected via a bus or other communication path (e.g., a HyperTransport link) 128 to an I/O (input/output) bridge 116. I/O bridge 116, which may be, e.g., a Southbridge chip, receives user input from one or more user input devices 114 (e.g., keyboard, mouse, joystick, digitizer tablets, touch pads, touch screens, still or video cameras, motion sensors, and/or microphones) and forwards the input to CPU 106 via memory bridge 108.
In one embodiment, visualization processing module 104 is stored in system memory 102. visualization processing module 104 may be any application that when executed on CPU 106 processes input data and generates 3-D visualization on a computer terminal. In alternative embodiments, visualization processing module 104 may be a Web application, that is stored on a remote server and accessed through network adapter 126.
One or more display processors, such as display processor 110, are coupled to memory bridge 108 via a bus or other communication path 128 (e.g., a PCI Express, Accelerated Graphics Port, or HyperTransport link); in one embodiment display processor 110 is a graphics subsystem that includes at least one graphics processing unit (GPU) and graphics memory. Graphics memory includes a display memory (e.g., a frame buffer) used for storing pixel data for each pixel of an output image. Graphics memory can be integrated in the same device as the GPU, connected as a separate device with the GPU, and/or implemented within system memory 104.
Display processor 110 periodically delivers pixels to a display device 112 (e.g., a screen or conventional CRT, plasma, OLED, SED or LCD based monitor or television). Additionally, display processor 110 may output pixels to film recorders adapted to reproduce computer generated images on photographic film. Display processor 110 can provide display device 112 with an analog or digital signal.
A system disk 118 may also connected to I/O bridge 116 and may be configured to store content and applications and data for use by CPU 106 and display processor 110. System disk 118 provides non-volatile storage for applications and data and may include fixed or removable hard disk drives, flash memory devices, and CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Blu-ray, HD-DVD, or other magnetic, optical, or solid state storage devices.
A switch 122 provides connections between I/O bridge 116 and other components such as a network adapter 126 and various add-in cards 120 and 124. Network adapter 126 allows computer system 100 to communicate with other systems via an electronic communications network, and may include wired or wireless communication over local area networks and wide area networks such as the Internet.
Other components (not shown), including USB or other port connections, film recording devices, and the like, may also be connected to I/O bridge 116. For example, an audio processor may be used to generate analog or digital audio output from instructions and/or data provided by CPU 106, system memory 102, or system disk 118. Communication paths interconnecting the various components in
In one embodiment, display processor 110 incorporates circuitry optimized for 3-D graphics simulations and video processing, including, for example, video output circuitry, and constitutes a graphics processing unit (GPU). In another embodiment, display processor 110 incorporates circuitry optimized for general purpose processing. In yet another embodiment, display processor 110 may be integrated with one or more other system elements, such as the memory bridge 108, CPU 106, and I/O bridge 116 to form a system on chip (SoC). In still further embodiments, display processor 110 is omitted and software executed by CPU 106 performs the functions of display processor 110.
Pixel data can be provided to display processor 110 directly from CPU 106. In some embodiments of the present invention, instructions and/or data representing a scene are provided to a render farm or a set of server computers, each similar to computer system 100, via network adapter 126 or system disk 118. The render farm generates one or more rendered images of the scene using the provided instructions and/or data. These rendered images may be stored on computer-readable media in a digital format and optionally returned to computer system 100 for display. Similarly, stereo image pairs processed by display processor 110 may be output to other systems for display, stored in system disk 118, or stored on computer-readable media in a digital format.
Alternatively, CPU 106 provides display processor 110 with data and/or instructions defining the desired output images, from which display processor 110 generates the pixel data of one or more output images, including characterizing and/or adjusting the offset between stereo image pairs. The data and/or instructions defining the desired output images can be stored in system memory 102 or graphics memory within display processor 110. In an embodiment, display processor 110 includes 3D rendering capabilities for generating pixel data for output images from instructions and data defining the geometry, lighting shading, texturing, motion, and/or camera parameters for a scene. Display processor 110 can further include one or more programmable execution units capable of executing shader programs, tone mapping programs, and the like.
It will be appreciated that the system shown herein is illustrative and that variations and modifications are possible. The connection topology, including the number and arrangement of bridges, may be modified as desired. For instance, in some embodiments, system memory 102 is connected to CPU 106 directly rather than through a bridge, and other devices communicate with system memory 102 via memory bridge 108 and CPU 106. In other alternative topologies display processor 110 is connected to I/O bridge 116 or directly to CPU 106, rather than to memory bridge 108. In still other embodiments, I/O bridge 116 and memory bridge 108 might be integrated into a single chip. The particular components shown herein are optional; for instance, any number of add-in cards or peripheral devices might be supported. In some embodiments, switch 122 is eliminated, and network adapter 126 and add-in cards 120, 124 connect directly to I/O bridge 116.
Visualization processor 100 and sensors 212 may be coupled together through a network 208. In one embodiment, sensors 212 includes necessary logic to couple directly with network 208. In an alternative embodiment, sensors 212 are coupled to network 208 through sensor readers (not shown). Sensor readers may be placed at various locations in the building to receive data inputs from sensors 212. Sensor readers may also include logic to convert data inputs from sensors 212 to a format that is suitable for network 208 and/or visualization processor 100. In yet another embodiment, some sensors may couple directly to network 208 and others may couple to network 208 through one or more sensor readers. Some types of sensors may require sensor readers. For example a RFID tag may need a RFID reader. Visualization processor 100 may include processing logic to calculate and determine locations of sensors 212 based on triangulation and/or geolocation methods. In other embodiments, a BIM data model corresponding to building module 210 may include sensor and physical object location attributes and visualization processor 100 may receive sensor locations from BIM system 204 based on the locations of physical objects to which the sensors are attached. In one embodiment, if a BIM data model or BIM data model does not include locations and types of some or all sensors 212, the BIM data model may be edited in a BIM authoring tool to include the necessary sensor location and type information. Furthermore, if the BIM data model includes a sensor which does not physically exist in the building or building module 210, the data related to this non-existent sensor may either be removed by editing the BIM data model or the sensor in question may be marked inactive.
In one example, building module 210 is an employee workspace (e.g., a cube or an office). In other examples, building module 210 could be any area of the building as long as BIM system 204 provides a corresponding BIM models or objects. In other embodiments, if BIM system 204 does not include an object representation of a particular part of the building, a BIM data model may be created in BIM system 204 based on the specifications of the particular part of the building. Visualization processor 100 leverages the semantic data available in a BIM data model to simulate and represent data in the 3D context. In one aspect, system 200 semantically links objects in the real world, such as sensors or cubicles, to objects found in BIM system 204. System 200 is not merely configured to display the data collected from sensors 212. System 200 is configured to aggregate and process the data collected from sensors 212 and simulate 3D data representation models.
In one embodiment, sensors 212 may be placed at random locations in building module 210. In another embodiment, sensors 212 are placed strategically in building module 210. For example, power sensors, current sensors and voltage sensors may be placed near electrical sources or coupled to electrical sources. Sensors 212 include different types of sensing and data collection devices. For examples, sensors may include one or more of temperature sensors, humidity sensors, voltage sensors, power sensors, gas sensors, air flow sensors and light sensors, location sensors. It should be noted that other types of sensors that can provide data related to one or more aspects of building monitoring are also within the scope of this disclosure. As noted above, at least some of sensors 212 may be embedded in physical objects inside building module 210. For example, sensors 212 may be embedded in chairs, tables, computers, electrical outlets, light sources, etc.
Sensors 212 may be coupled to one or more data collection modules (not shown). Sensors 212 and data collection modules may be placed at appropriate locations in or outside of building module 210 based on sensing ranges of data collection modules and sensors 212. In one embodiment, sensors 212 may be coupled to network 208 through wires. In another example, sensors 212 may include wireless transmitters and can transmit data over the air to one or more data collection modules in the vicinity of building module 210. In yet another embodiment, some sensors 212 may be wired and others may be wireless. Building module 210 may also include a local data collector which can be configured to collect data from some or all sensors 212 in building module 210. The local data collector may then be coupled to network 208 through global data collectors that are placed in the vicinity of building module 210. In one embodiment, the X, Y, Z coordinates of sensors 212 are manually entered in visualization processor 100, which processes the data collected by data collection modules and renders the 3-D visualization of building module 210 based on the data collected from sensors 212. In another embodiment, the X, Y, Z coordinates of sensors 212 are calculated by either data collectors in the vicinity of building module 210 or visualization processor 100 based on location data provided by data collectors or the corresponding BIM data model. In one embodiment, if sensor locations are not provided by corresponding BIM data models, a Wi-Fi triangulation method may be employed to calculate the X, Y, Z coordinates of sensors 212. In other embodiments, other geolocation methods and tools (e.g., GPS) may be employed. Geolocation is the identification of the real-world geographic location of an Internet-connected computer, mobile device, website visitor or other. In some embodiments, even if BIM models provide sensor locations and types, this information may still be collected using methods such as Wi-Fi triangulation and data type inputs form respective sensors because at least some sensors may be attached to moveable objects in building module 210 or in the building. Since visualization processor 100 is configured to associate locations of sensors 212 with BIM data model(s) of building module 210, visualization processor 100 is able to generate building module visualization significantly accurately compared to existing 2-D visualizations.
In one embodiment, a fault tolerance feature is employed in that if some sensors 212 fail or their connectivity to network 208 is disrupted, visualization processor 100 may interpolate or extrapolate data from other sensors 212 of similar types. In other embodiments, visualization processor 100 may be configured to maintain a value ranges for some or all types of collected data based on historical data collection. visualization processor 100 may be configured to disregard out of band values received from sensors 212 based on the previously determined value ranges for each type of collected data.
In one embodiment, visualization terminal 202 is a computing system that interfaces with visualization processor 100 to provide a visual 3-D representation of building module 210 and environmental conditions therein. Visualization terminal 202 receives display data from visualization processor 100 and displays the 3-D visualization of the received display data based on user configurations. Visualization terminal 202 may also be a computer terminal that is configured to be a graphical user interface to visualization processor 100. Visualization terminal 202 may be configured to present the received visualization data in different visual and/or textual forms on a display screen based on system and user configurations. The system and user configurations may include parameters to direct visualization terminal 202 to display the received visualization data using various color schemes, labels, sounds, alerts, graphs and other types of graphical representations. Visualization terminal 202 may also be configured to switch among different visual representations of the same visualization data according to user inputs.
Traditionally, data collected through sensors is displayed using 2-D graphs. These graphs facilitate the study of certain trends over time, but do not explain, for example, why the values of, for example, light sensor A and light sensor B, which are incorporated in a same building module, are so different from each other. However, by correlating the values to features found in a 3D visualization model of the building module, it becomes evident that, for example, one side of the building module is more exposed to direct sun light coming from the windows.
Data acquired from sensors or through data simulations based on input data from sensors can be described as either logical, scalar, vector or semantic. Logical data (typically, true or false) can be used to describe the presence or absence of certain object in a visualization. Scalar data pertains to continuous on-dimensional real values (e.g., temperature and energy usage). Vector data pertains to real values, with direction and magnitude (e.g., air velocity). Semantic data is used for tags and properties which identify geometry as building elements, such as walls, structure, HVAC, chairs, desks, windows, etc.
In one embodiment, a surface shading technique is used to calculate data values of some attributes in a space. Given a scalar field, a gradient shading can be applied to surfaces which attenuate with the distance and intensity of nearby data points. A sparse 3D scalar field can be visualized on surface geometry by computing an inverse distance weighted-sum between surface points and all the data points in the field. In one embodiment in which the visual representation include color shading, this sum is then mapped to color and used to shade the corresponding point. Temperature readings, for example, can be taken from different areas in the office and then mapped to provide an approximate visualization of temperature changes across the office (as represented by arrow in
The simplest implementation of this group of methods is in the form of glyphs. Glyphs are symbolic representations of single data points, such as an arrow. Arrow glyphs can be used to represent discrete vector data samples making it is possible to visualize complex phenomenon, such as air movement through a space. Glyphs can also be used as an alternative to direct rendering methods of displaying logical data. For example, point marker glyphs can be used to mark particular points of interest in 3D space. In particular glyphs can be used to mark points whose data originated from a sensor reading. This differentiates mark points from points whose data values have been interpolated. Similarly, occupancy can also be visualized using glyphs. Using simple motion sensors and a small set of video cameras, building occupancy can be monitored. This data can then be represented using peg-like glyphs, which provide an abstract representation of occupants in a space. The combination of base and stem parts ensure that pegs are always visible from a variety of viewing directions, including head-on or from the top. Their abstract nature avoids conveying potentially misleading information about which direction the occupant is facing (this is not the case when representing occupants with human-like billboards). To reduce visual clutter, pegs are aggregated when they are within a certain radius of one another. Aggregated pegs are distinguished from single pegs by using a combination of colouring, text and segmentation of the inner ring.
In one embodiment, visualization terminal 202 may be configured to display some parameters using arrows or other types of visual objects that may provide similar representations. Color schemes may also be used in other embodiments. For example, a visual representation using a text label may be provided to real time display power usages associated with an electrical outlet 402. Alternatively and based on system and user configurations, an arrow may be used to indicate the same data. In other embodiments the color of electrical outlet 402 may be changed corresponding to power usages. For example, a green color may represent power usage within 0-20 W, orange for power usage within 21-50 W and so on.
Similarly, arrows may be used to represent heat sources and sinks. For example, a computer 404 is an exemplary heat source in
In one embodiment, the visual representations, as described above, may be calculated based using mathematical models. For example, a heat dissipation mathematical model may take into consideration the locations of heat sensors, data inputs from these heat sensors, ambient temperature and humidity conditions and presence of heat sinks (such as furniture, etc. in building module 210) to provide a visual representation of temperature gradients in building module 210. For example, if building module 210 has one heat source, the temperature sensors at the heat source and in the vicinity can provide temperature readings at the sensor locations. Since the locations of these sensors are known, a temperature at any point in the space in building module 210 may be calculated using a heat dissipation mathematical model based on distance, humidity and other ambient environmental conditions inside and around building module 210. Such mathematical data modeling and grandient shading methods are well known in the art, hence a detailed disclosure is being omitted.
In one embodiment, sensors 212 may not be embedded in the objects inside building module 210. For example, in one embodiment, there may be no heat sensor directly attached to computer 404. In such embodiments, visualization processor 100 is configured to process the data from various heat sensors in and around building module 210 and information provided by BIM system 204 regarding object families to determine the location of heat sources.
In another embodiment, the objects in building module 210 may include identification tags (e.g. RFID tags). Building module 210 may be equipped with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers to determine the identification of a particular object (e.g. computer 404) and the location thereof. The location of computer 404 may be determined using methods such as triangulation and geolocation. A use of RFID identification tags and readers enables moving the objects in and out of building module 210 without disrupting the functioning of system 200.
As noted above, visualization processor 100 is configured to process the data collected by a plurality of sensors 212, for example temperature sensors, and determine the heat sources and sinks in building module 210 based on determined locations of sensors 212 and physical objects (e.g., computers, chairs, light sources, etc.) in building module 210. For example, in
Additional data that cannot be displayed meaningfully within the original 3-D geometry may also be introduced in a corresponding 3-D visualization. For example, text and char information may be displayed orthogonally to the view direction and can be contextually attached to objects within the 3D visualization. For example, text labels may be attached to power outlets to display real time power use, etc.
In one embodiment, a user interface is provided to enable a user to select a building module from a plurality of building modules presented to the user on a computer screen. Upon selection, a 3-D visualization of the building module is displayed on the computer screen. The user may also select one or more environmental elements, such as temperature, air flow, light, etc. to be displayed on the computer screen in context of the displayed 3-D representation of the selected building module. A graphical representation of more than one environmental elements may be displayed through overlapping layers or using different colors, textures, shades, etc. Furthermore, the user may also select a second building module to view the graphical representations of environmental elements side-by-side.
While the forgoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. For example, aspects of the present invention may be implemented in hardware or software or in a combination of hardware and software. One embodiment of the invention may be implemented as a program product for use with a computer system. The program(s) of the program product define functions of the embodiments (including the methods described herein) and can be contained on a variety of computer-readable storage media. Illustrative computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to: (i) non-writable storage media (e.g., read-only memory devices within a computer such as CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive, flash memory, ROM chips or any type of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory) on which information is permanently stored; and (ii) writable storage media (e.g., floppy disks within a diskette drive or hard-disk drive or any type of solid-state random-access semiconductor memory) on which alterable information is stored. Such computer-readable storage media, when carrying computer-readable instructions that direct the functions of the present invention, are embodiments of the present invention.
