IntesisBox IBOX-ASCII-BAC-A, IBOX-ASCII-BAC-B User Manual

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server

BACnet IP client

User manual

v10 r15 eng

Issue date: 07/2017

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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email

tel

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[e-mail]
[phone]

Page 2 of 36

© Intesis Software S.L.U. All Rights Reserved.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The software described in
this document is furnished under a license agreement or nondisclosure agreement. The
software may be used only in accordance with the terms of those agreements. No part of
this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form
or any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for any

purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use without the written permission of Intesis

Software S.L.U.

Intesis Software S.L.U.
Milà i Fontanals, 1 bis
08700 Igualada
Spain

TRADEMARKS
All trademarks and tradenames used in this document are acknowledged to be the copyright of their respective holders.

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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Page 3 of 36

Gateway for the integration of BACnet IP devices
into ASCII EIA-232 or TCP/IP enabled control
systems.

Order codes:

IBOX-ASCII-BAC-A

Basic model supporting up to 64 BACnet client devices and 500 internal data points.

IBOX-ASCII-BAC-B
Extended model supporting up to 64 BACnet client devices and 4000 internal data points.

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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Page 4 of 36

INDEX

1. Description ...................................................................................................... 5

1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 5

1.2 Functionality ................................................................................................. 6

1.3 Capacity of IntesisBox ................................................................................... 7

2. ASCII interface ................................................................................................ 8

2.1 Description ................................................................................................... 8

2.2 Points definition ............................................................................................ 9

3. BACnet interface ............................................................................................ 10

3.1 Description ................................................................................................. 10

3.2 Points definition .......................................................................................... 11

4. LinkBoxBacnet. Configuration & monitoring tool for IntesisBox ............................. 12

4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 12

4.2 Project definition ......................................................................................... 12

4.3 Connection configuration .............................................................................. 17

4.4 Signals configuration ................................................................................... 20

4.5 Saving the configuration and sending it to IntesisBox ...................................... 23

4.6 Signals viewer ............................................................................................ 23

4.7 System commands ...................................................................................... 24

4.8 Files .......................................................................................................... 25

4.9 Functionality considerations .......................................................................... 25

5. Setup process and troubleshooting ................................................................... 26

5.1 Pre-requisites ............................................................................................. 26

5.2 Setup procedure ......................................................................................... 26

6. Configuring the integration in just two steps ...................................................... 29

6.1 Importing BACnet points list and configuring IntesisBox ................................... 29

6.2 Configuring the ASCII system to access the gateway's points ........................... 30

7. Connections ................................................................................................... 31

8. BACnet IP interface specifications ..................................................................... 32

9. Mechanical & electrical characteristics ............................................................... 33

10. Dimensions.................................................................................................... 34

11. Annexes ........................................................................................................ 35

11.1 Daikin DMS502A51 BACnet Gateway for Daikin Air Conditioning VRV system ...... 35

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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Page 5 of 36

1. Description

1.1 Introduction

This document describes the integration of ASCII enabled systems with BACnet ASHRAE
135 – 2001 Annex J - BACnet/IP protocol compatible devices or systems using the gateway
IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client.

This document assumes that the user is familiar with BACnet technology and technical
terms.

From now on, and with the aim of easy the read of this document, the word "IntesisBox"
and "gateway" is used instead of IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client gateway. And
any other use of the word "gateway" not meaning IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP
client will be specifically indicated.

The aim of this integration is to make accessible signals and resources of any BACnet IP
based system or device (for example Daikin VRV AC system) from any system capable to be
programmed to read and write simple text messages through EIA-232 serial port or
Ethernet TCP/IP port (for example Extron, LiteTouch systems).

For this, the gateway acts as a BACnet IP Client device in its BACnet interface,
reading/writing points of other BACnet IP device(s), and offering this point's values of
BACnet device(s) through its ASCII interface using simple ASCII messages. The readings
into the BACnet device(s) performed by the gateway can be by polling or by subscription
(COV).

Integration of BACnet and ASCII using

IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client gateway

ASCII enabled

control system

BACnet IP

device

Ethernet

IntesisBox

LinkBoxBacnet

configuration

software

Only needed for configuration

EIA-232 / Ethernet

LAN

TCP/IP

BACnet IP

ASCII

BACnet IP

device

EIA-232

Ethernet

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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Page 6 of 36

1.2 Functionality

The integration operation is as follow:

From the BACnet system point of view, after the start up process, the gateway reads
continuously the points configured to be read by polling and also performs all the
subscriptions (COV) requests for points configured to be read by subscription, and updates
in memory all the values received from the BACnet system. These values received from
BACnet become available to be read by the ASCII system in any moment.

From the ASCII system point of view, after the start up process of the gateway, IntesisBox
waits for any query (ASCII messages requesting readings of points or ASCII messages
requesting writings of points), and acts according to the message received. See ASCII
interface section for details about this ASCII messages.

Also, whenever a point changes of value (due to a change in the BACnet point associated)
the gateway will send an ASCII message informing about new value for the point, but only if
the point is configured to send this type of spontaneous messages.

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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Page 7 of 36

1.3 Capacity of IntesisBox

Element

Max.*
(basic
version)

Max.*
(extended
version)

Notes
Type of BACnet devices

Only those supporting BACnet/IP.

Number of BACnet
devices

64

64

Maximum number of BACnet devices
accepted by the gateway.

Number of BACnet points

500

4000

Maximum number of points that can be
defined in the gateway.

*These maximum values can be extended on demand

There are two different models of IntesisBox® ASCII Server – BACnet/IP client, with
different capacity each of them.

• Basic model supporting up to 500 internal data points and 64 BACnet client devices.

Ref.: IBOX-ASCII-BAC-A.

• Extended model supporting up to 4000 internal data points and 64 BACnet client

devices. Ref.: IBOX-ASCII-BAC-B.

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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[phone]

Page 8 of 36

2. ASCII interface

This section describes the ASCII interface of the IntesisBox, its configuration and
functionality.

2.1 Description

The gateway can be connected to any ASCII enabled device using its EIA-232 interface
(DB9 connector DTE) or TCP/IP (Ethernet connector), and offers through this interface the
possibility of supervision and control of its internal BACnet points using simple ASCII
messages.

On receiving messages corresponding to write commands in its ASCII interface, the
gateway sends the corresponding write command message to the BACnet device associated.

When a new value for a point is received from BACnet, the corresponding ASCII message
indicating the new value will be sent through the ASCII interface, but only if the point is
configured for sending this "spontaneous messages", if it is not configured to do so, then
the new value will be available to be polled in any moment from the ASCII enabled device
connected to this ASCII interface. This behaviour of sending or not through the ASCII
interface the new values received from BACnet is configurable individually per point into the
gateway.

The communication parameters of this ASCII interface are the following:
Baud rate: configurable (1200 bps ... 57600 bps).
Data bits: 8.
Parity: None.
Stop bits: 1.

The ASCII messages used to read/write points into the gateway through this interface are:

Message to read a point's value:

>Daaaa?\r

Where:
aaaa is a 4 digits number indicating the point's address inside the gateway (see point
addresses details below in this document).
\r means carriage return character (HEX 0D, DEC 13).

Message to write a point's value:

>Daaaa=vv\r

Where:
aaaa is a 4 digits number indicating the point's address inside the gateway (see point
addresses details below in this document).

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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Page 9 of 36

vv is the desired value for the point (it can be just integer or fractional, decimal point is
used to separate integer and fractional parts if the number is fractional).
\r means carriage return character (HEX 0D, DEC 13).

Message informing about a point's value (sent spontaneously by the gateway when
receiving a change from BACnet or sent by the gateway in response to a previous poll for
the point):

>Daaaa=vv\r

Where:
aaaa is a 4 digits number indicating the point's address inside the gateway (see point
addresses details below in this document).
vv is the actual value of the point (it can be just integer or fractional, decimal point is used
to separate integer and fractional parts if the number is fractional).
\r means carriage return character (HEX 0D, DEC 13).

Messages to indicate erroneous actions:

>E01\r Is returned when trying to read a point not configured in the gateway.

>E02\r Is returned when trying to write a point not permitted to be written.

2.2 Points definition

Every point defined in the gateway has the following ASCII features associated to it, which
can be configured (optionally or mandatory depending on the feature):

Feature

Description

Signal

Signal or point description. Only for information purposes at user level.

Spontaneous *

Determines if any change of value for the point received from BACnet
will generate a spontaneous ASCII message to send through the ASCII
interface informing about the new value.

Active *

If activated means that the signal is active for the gateway, if not
activated is like signal not defined. It allows you to deactivate signals
without the need of delete them (useful for future use of this signals).

* Configuration for this feature is mandatory.

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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Page 10 of 36

3. BACnet interface

3.1 Description

The BACnet systems are represented in the form of Devices holding Objects, normally every
physical device corresponds to a logical one. The Objects can be of different type depending
on their task: analog input, analog output, digital input, etc, up to 23 different types of
objects. Every Object has different properties, the one more commonly used, and the one
used to read and write values in the gateway is the Present Value property that indicates
the real value of the object. Every Object of the same type in a Device is identified with its
associated Object Instance.

These are the possible BACnet signals supported by the gateway:

Object Type

Property

Description

Analog Input

Present Value

Analog signal. i.e. Ambient temperature.

Analog Output

Present Value

Analog signal.

Analog Value

Present Value

Analog signal. i.e. Temperature set point value.

Binary Input

Present Value

Digital signal. i.e. ON/OFF status.

Binary Output

Present Value

Digital signal. i.e. ON/OFF command.

Binary Value

Present Value

Digital signal. i.e. ON/OFF status/command.

Multistate Input

Present Value

Multistate signal. i.e. Working mode status.

Multistate Output

Present Value

Multistate signal.

Multistate Value

Present Value

Multistate signal. i.e. Working mode command.

Multistate signals represent integer values, the same than binary ones but with more than 2
possible statuses. Input signals are read only signals.

Every signal is identified with its associated Device + Object Type + Object Instance.

The gateway simulates a virtual BACnet device inside the BACnet system acting as one
more device of the BACnet system. The communication with the rest of the BACnet devices
is done via the Ethernet port of the gateway which implements the BACnet IP protocol.

IntesisBox

®

ASCII Server - BACnet IP User manual v10 r15 eng

Doc: IntesisBox ASCII Server - BACnet IP client v10 r15 eng.pdf

© Intesis Software S.L.U. - All rights reserved

IntesisBox is a registered trademark of Intesis Software SLU

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Page 11 of 36

3.2 Points definition

Every point defined in IntesisBox has the following BACnet features associated to it:

Feature

Description

BACnet Device

BACnet device to which belongs the point, from a list of BACnet
devices that can be defined in the gateway (up to 64).

For every BACnet device defined, a virtual signal is created
automatically in the gateway to inform about the communication with
the BACnet device, this signal is available also from the ASCII interface
like the rest of points.

BACnet object
type

BACnet object type for the point. It can be one of the following BACnet
object types supported by the gateway:

AI = Analog Input.
AO = Analog Output.
AV = Analog Value.
DI = Digital Input.
DO = Digital Output.
DV = Digital Value.
MI = Multistate Input.
MO = Multistate Output.
MV = Multistate Value.

Consult documentation of BACnet device(s) to integrate for information about BACnet
object types of the points desired to integrate.

BACnet object
instance

BACnet object instance for the point.

Consult documentation of BACnet device(s) to integrate for information about BACnet
object instance of the points desired to integrate.

BACnet object
property

BACnet object property for the point. The only property permitted is
Present_Value. The gateway uses Present_Value property to read/write
points into other BACnet devices.