Functions

Functions Overview

Features LOYTEC offers a wide range of products for various applications in building automation. Those application-centric products often combine an entire set of different functions on one single device (L-INX Automation Servers, IP-capable L-IOB I/O Modules and Controllers, L-ROC Room Controllers, L-GATE Gateways, L-VIS Touch Panels). This enables a given product to be used for different tasks. For example, the L-GATE as a typical gateway also has the ability to host a graphical user interface to dynamically visualize a site or record historic data in trend logs. L-INX Automation Servers are primarily programmable controllers but can also be used as gateways depending on the available protocols.

We have high quality standards in research, development, and production of our products. In order to offer the same high standards to our customers, the programmable controllers may only be purchased by trained staff of companies that are enrolled in the LOYTEC Competence Partner Program.

For all functions, LOYTEC ensures common workflows for configuration and operation. The workflow for configuration of certain functions is the same, regardless which device is used. This applies for integration in different communication network technologies, creating schedules, alarm conditions, trend logs, and even for the design of graphical projects. For an efficient workflow the user can — depending on the network technology — create single data points or entire device templates via a network scan or file import. The use of a single configuration tool for a range of product models such as the L-INX Automation Servers, L-IOB I/O Modules, L-IOB I/O Controllers, and L-GATE Gateways, reduces the learning curve notably when working with LOYTEC products.

The combination of different functions on a single device and the common workflows for configuration and operation offer a maximum of flexibility when selecting LOYTEC products for various application requirements. On the following pages we give an overview on the offered functions. For more detailed information on the presented functions please refer to the respective product manuals, which are available for download on our web site. The functions are represented by symbols, which are referred to by the respective product descriptions later in the product's description.

AST™-Functions

The acronym AST™ stands for the combination of alarming (alarm management), scheduling, and trending (historic data recording) functions, which are available as automation functions on LOYTEC devices (L-INX Automation Servers, IP-capable L-IOB I/O Controllers, L-ROC Room Controllers, L-GATE Gateways, L-VIS Touch Panels). The AST™ functions can therefore be distributed into the field and are available exactly where they are needed in a building automation system. AST™ functions can be seamlessly integrated with the L-WEB building management software. Also graphical user interfaces like LWEB-802/803, the building management system LWEB-900 and the L-VIS Touch Panels provide access to the distributed AST™ functions.

Alarming (Alarm Management)

Alarming On a LOYTEC device it is possible to define alarm conditions for each data point. This can be done independently of the underlying communication technology (CEA-709, BACnet, DALI, M-Bus, Modbus, KNX, etc.) or the underlying, physical data point of a L-IOB I/O Module.

Alarms generated by these alarm conditions are reported to a generic alarm server, which is also independent of the network technology. The alarm server collects alarm records and is the interface for remote access to those local alarms. Alarm records contain information on the alarm source data point, the alarm value, an alarm message, alarm type (off-normal, limit, fault), alarm priority, and alarm state (alarm active, acknowledged, inactive). The alarm message of the record can be user-defined and extended by variable placeholders.

LOYTEC devices with a BACnet interface support BACnet alarms with intrinsic reporting. BACnet alarm servers are mapped to BACnet notification class (NC) objects. Alarm conditions can be defined for analog input, output, and value objects (AI, AO, AV), for binary input, output, and value objects (BI, BO, BV) and for multi-state input, output, and value objects (MSI, MSO, MSV). More than this, alarm records from generic alarm servers can be reported to BACnet alarm servers and can be exposed to notification class objects. This allows the reporting of alarm conditions from other communication technologies to BACnet. Using client mappings, LOYTEC devices can also access remote BACnet notification class objects, for instance to receive alarms from third-party devices.

LOYTEC devices for LonMark Systems (CEA-709) support the transmission of alarms via the LonMark node object’s nvoAlarm (SNVT_alarm) and nvoAlarm_2 (SNVT_alarm_2). This allows other devices that support the LonMark alarm notifier profile to receive alarms sent by LOYTEC devices. The acknowledgement of alarms in the LonMark alarm server is defined in the LonMark specification and works with the RQ_CLEAR_ALARM mechanism. Alarms from generic alarm servers can be reported to the LonMark alarm server (mapped to the LonMark node object). This way alarm conditions of data points from other network technologies can be reported to a LonMark System.

Alarms of the different alarm servers can be displayed in LWEB-900, LWEB-800/802, L-VIS Touch Panels or in the device’s integrated Web interface using the built-in Web server.

The alarming feature also includes the recording of alarm transitions in an alarm log on the LOYTEC device. The alarm log works as a ring buffer and its size can be configured. The alarm log can be viewed on the Web interface of the LOYTEC device and be exported to a CSV file. The alarm log can also be transmitted as a CSV file e-mail attachment or be downloaded from the device via FTP access.

Scheduling

Scheduling refers to changing the value of data points on a timely basis using a time schedule. The schedule contains a weekly schedule, exception days (e.g. holidays), and date periods (e.g. vacation time). The scheduling feature works locally on LOYTEC devices and can be enabled depending on an enable data point.

All LOYTEC devices supporting the scheduling function feature a built-in battery buffered Real Time Clock (RTC). Schedules can change the state of a binary data point or the value of an analog data point. This occurs independently of the underlying communication technology (CEA-709, BACnet, DALI, M-Bus, Modbus, KNX, etc.) or the underlying, physical data point of a L-IOB I/O Module.

Generic schedulers – like generic trends and alarms – can be created, that are neither CEA-709 nor BACnet objects. They are beneficial for creating technology-independent applications. Generic schedulers can write to any technology as well as data point favorites and are the ideal solution if configured via LWEB-900 only.

LOYTEC devices with a BACnet interface use the standardized BACnet schedule and calendar object to map the schedule. A separate BACnet schedule object is created for each schedule. BACnet calendar objects are used for defining exception days. The BACnet schedule object allows scheduling of a single value at a time (multistate, analog, or binary). More than one scheduled value or different data types at a time are not possible. Using the client mapping function, it is possible to access remote BACnet scheduler objects. This allows reading and modifying schedules of third-party devices.

LOYTEC devices for LonMark Systems (CEA-709) support CEA-709 schedulers and CEA-709 calendars via standard LonMark objects. For CEA-709 schedules, more than one data point can be configured, possibly of different data type, for which a set of different values can be scheduled at a time.

Schedules are executed autonomously on LOYTEC devices. The schedules and scheduled values can be viewed and configured in LWEB‑900, LWEB‑802/‌803, L-VIS Touch Panels, or on the device’s Web interface using the built-in web server. The distributed schedules on LOYTEC devices can be managed by the LWEB‑900 Building Management System. LWEB‑900 allows grouping schedules, building a hierarchical structure, and configuring schedules efficiently.

Trending (Historic Data Logging)

Trending Generic trend logs are technology-independent and allow the recording of historic data values over time. The recording of data point values occurs at fixed intervals, on a defined change-of-value, or is triggered by a trigger data point. Recording intervals can be aligned to the wall-time. For example, different trend logs with 15 minutes intervals can record synchronously aligned to the top of the hour. For each data point, a change-of-value condition can be defined on the LOYTEC device. Trends operate independently of the underlying communication technology (CEA-709, BACnet, DALI, M-Bus, Modbus, KNX, etc.) or the underlying, physical data point of a L-IOB I/O Module. Trend logs can record local and remote data points of other, distributed devices. The capacity of a trend log and the storage mode (linear or ring buffer) can be configured. Devices that support SD cards and have a USB port also allow the storage of trend log data on external memory. The time of backing up trend logs can be triggered by the user on the LCD display or by defined, automatic trigger conditions.

LOYTEC devices with a BACnet interface can also use BACnet trend log objects for historic data recording. These objects can be accessed over the BACnet network and expose trend data to other BACnet devices and operator workstations (OWS). Each BACnet trend log object can record data for a single data point only. The recorded data point is limited to the BACnet technology, either to a local BACnet object or to a remote BACnet object (configured by a client mapping).

LOYTEC devices for LonMark Systems (CEA-709) use generic trend logs. There exists no LonMark functionality that allows transparent LonMark access to trend log data.

Trend log data of the different trend log objects can be displayed by LWEB‑900, LWEB‑802/‌803 and L-VIS. Trend data can be viewed either in a table view or in a trend graph. In addition, the LWEB‑900 server allows long-term storage of the historic trend data. For doing so, the recorded data is periodically read out from the device and stored in a database. If no permanent IP connection should exist between the L-WEB server and the respective LOYTEC devices, the devices can be configured to send trend data automatically as an e-mail attachment to the L-WEB server. Trend data can also be exported as a CSV file (via FTP access), or stored to SD card or USB memory, if the device supports it.

For certain applications, historic values of a given base data point, both recent and far into the past, can be of interest. This can be accomplished with historic filters. They allow processing historic values of the base data point according to a filter function. One or more such functions can be defined per base data point. The result of the historic filter is written to “historicFilter” property relations. For each historic filter function, a time period can be defined at which the base value is sampled, e.g., every first of the month at midnight, and how many samples ago. Historic filters can be created for any analog, binary, or multi-state data point. It is not necessary to create a trend log.