BACnet/IP Protocol for LabVIEW

User manual

Ovak Technologies
2016
Contents
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Definitions and Acronyms ............................................................................................................ 3
1.1. Purpose.......................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2. Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 4
2. BACnet Background ........................................................................................................................... 5
3. BACnet/IP ............................................................................................................................................ 5
4. BACnet Client and Server .................................................................................................................. 6
5. BACnet Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS) .............................................. 6
6. Transfer Library and License Files to NI Linux RT ....................................................................... 7
7. BACnet/IP Protocol Palettes .............................................................................................................. 8
8. Examples .............................................................................................................................................. 9
9. System Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 12
10. References ...................................................................................................................................... 12
11. Support Information ..................................................................................................................... 12

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1. Introduction
1.1. Definitions and Acronyms
Device Instance – this is the logical address that matters to BACnet. Whether on an MS/TP link
or IP network, the device instance is unique across all subnets and routed links.
Object – the general reference to sensors, actuators, and other functional elements that make up a
BACnet device. The objects fall into categories specified by BACnet protocol. Analog input object
and analog output object are a couple of the most commonly used objects.
Object Property – each object has several properties required by BACnet protocol. The most
commonly used property is Present Value.
BACnet – Building Automation and Control Networks
HVAC&R – Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
ASHRAE – American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers
ANSI – American National Standards Institute
OSI model – Open Systems Interconnection model
PICS – Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement
AI – Analog Input
AO – Analog Output
AV – Analog Value
BI – Binary Input
BO – Binary Output
BV – Binary Value
RP – ReadProperty
WP – WriteProperty
RF – ReadFile
WF – WriteFile
IP – Internet Protocol
UDP – User Datagram Protocol
PICS – Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement
DVR – Data Value Reference
OSI – Open Systems Interconnection

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SO – Shared Object
RT – Real Time
1.1. Purpose
This document is designed to guide the LabVIEW developers in using “BACnet/IP protocol for
LabVIEW” toolkit. In addition, there are PICS documents included for both BACnet client and
server.
1.2. Overview
The BACnet is a communication protocol that defines the services used to communicate between
building automation end-devices and building control systems. The BACnet protocol specification
like all protocol specification defines both how details represented on the network and the services
that are used to move data from one BACnet node to another. There are no proprietary chip sets
or special electronics required to implement. Thus, BACnet meets the needs of users, integrators,
and equipment vendors.
Historically, building automation and control systems have used proprietary communication
networks. In this kind of closed system, building automation equipment supplied from different
manufacturers cannot communicate with each other. Building owners and facility managers were
forced to rely on products from a single vendor. Modern building automation and control systems
provide a variety of building services such as heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC),
lighting, fire and life safety systems, security, and vertical transportation. There can be significant
safety and operational advantages to combine these building services through integrated control
networks. Closed network systems provide a major barrier to integrated building facilities with the
kind of flexibility and expandability that building owners want. In order to solve these problems,
ASHRAE developed BACnet, the only consensus developed communication protocol standard in
the world specifically designed to meet the needs of building automation and control networks.
BACnet defines a set of standard objects whose properties represent the information that is
exchanged between components of the building automation system and an application layer
protocol that is used to access and manipulate this information. It also provides a way to convey
the information across a variety of local and wide-area networks that may be interconnected to
form an internetwork.

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2. BACnet Background
BACnet is a four layer collapsed architecture that corresponds to the physical, data link, network
and application layers of the OSI model.

Figure 1 BACnet architecture

1. The application layer and simple network layer are defined in the BACnet standard.
BACnet of version 1, revision 14 (ANSI/ASHRAE 135-2012) is implemented in
BACnet/IP Protocol for LabVIEW toolkit.
2. The physical layer provides a means of connecting the devices and transmitting the
electronic signals that convey the data. There may be a virtual physical layer that supports
IP.
3. The data link layer organizes the data into frames or packets, regulates access to the
medium, provides addressing, and handles some error recovery and flow control. These are
all functions that are required in a BACnet protocol.
The functions provided by the network layer include translation of global addresses to local
addresses, accommodating differences in network types and in the maximum message size
permitted by those networks, sequencing, flow control, error control.
4. The application layer of the protocol provides the communication services required by the
applications to perform their functions, in this case monitoring and control of HVAC&R
and other building systems. It is clear that the application layer is needed in the protocol.

3. BACnet/IP
BACnet/IP network is a collection of one or more IP sub networks (IP domains) that are assigned
to a single BACnet network number. BACnet internetwork consists of two or more BACnet
networks. In the case of B/IP networks, there are six octets consisting of the four-octet IP address
followed by two-octet UDP port number (both of which shall be transmitted most significant octet
first). This address shall be referred to as a B/IP address. The default UDP port for both directed
messages and broadcasts shall be X’BAC0’ and B/IP devices shall support it.

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4. BACnet Client and Server
As BACnet is based on a "client-server" model, BACnet messages are called "service requests".
A client machine sends a service request to a server machine that performs the service and reports
the result to the client. BACnet defines 35 message types that are divided into 5 groups or classes.
For example, one class contains messages for accessing and manipulating the properties of the
objects described above. A common one is the "ReadProperty" service request. This message
causes the server machine to locate the requested property of the requested object and sends its
value back to the client.

5. BACnet Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS)

The server in “BACnet/IP protocol for LabVIEW” toolkit supports the following methods:
 Broadcasting “I-Am” on start;
 Receiving “Who-Is” and sending “I-Am” unconfirmed request;
 Receiving “ReadProperty” and sending “ReadPropertyACK” complex ACK or error if
there is any;
 Receiving “WriteProperty” and sending “WritePropertyACK” complex ACK or error if
there is any;
 Receiving “CreateObject” and sending “CreateObjectACK” complex ACK or error if
there is any;
 Receiving “DeleteObject” and sending “DeleteObjectACK” simple ACK or error if there
is any.
Please find below the link for PICS document for Server:
http://ovaktechnologies.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/BACnet_IP%20PICS%20server.pdf
The client in “BACnet/IP protocol for LabVIEW” toolkit supports the following methods:
 RP
 WP
 Who is
 Who has
Please find below the link for PICS document for Client:
http://ovaktechnologies.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/BACnet_IP%20PICS%20client.pdf

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6. Transfer Library and License Files to NI Linux RT
There are many ways of transferring .so and license files to NI Linux RT. For example SSH,
WebDAV and FileZilla.
The NI Linux Real-Time OS offers full Linux shell support so you can perform complex
administrative tasks to manage real-time targets more easily. To access the shell, you need a
terminal client. If you use Windows 7 and later, then PuTTY is a popular and free client.
In addition to a terminal client, you must select the Enable Secure Shell Server (sshd) option on
the real-time target running the NI Linux Real-Time OS. You can use NI Measurement &
Automation Explorer (MAX).
NI real-time targets support WebDAV file transfer. WebDAV is an industry-standard protocol that
is based on top of HTTP. You can easily secure it to transfer libBACnetIP_Client.so.
libBacnetIP.so and BacnetIP_license.ini files. WebDAV is the default file transfer mechanism for
real-time targets running NI Linux Real-Time.
After installing package the libBACnetIP_Client.so. libBacnetIP.so libraries you can find in
C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2013\vi.lib\Ovak
Technologies\BACnet_IP Protocol for LabVIEW\BACNet_IP Client_LinuxRT\Supporting
files and C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2013\vi.lib\Ovak
Technologies\BACnet_IP Protocol for LabVIEW\BACnet_IP_Server_LinuxRT\Supporting
files path. We recommend to transfer these libraries and BacnetIP_license.ini files to
/usr/local/natinst/lib/ then reboot the controller. You need to initialize in your program server and
client side library and license file paths. For deployment license you need target's Serial Number.

Figure 2 Initialize Library and License file path

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7. BACnet/IP Protocol Palettes
“BACnet/IP protocol for LabVIEW” toolkit palette consists of client and server.
The client contains one VI for each service: Who-Is, Who-Has, ReadProperty, WriteProperty.
The server palette enables to set APDU timeout (ms), Vendor_ID, Device_ID, the Stack,
functions for stopping all stack loops and for initializing BACnet objects. Either when running
“Stack.vi” it can broadcast “I-Am” request by local network or not, it depends on “Send I-Am”
parameter. The next input for the stack is the data value reference on array of BACnet_Object
objects.
Read Property Value.vi and Write Property Value.vi are polymorphic VIs for getting and setting
properties of BACnet objects.
The BACnet Array palette is included to enable the developer create, read and write data of
BACnetArray type.

Figure 3 Client palette

Figure 4 Server palette

Figure 5 BACnetARRAY palette

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8. Examples

Figure 6 Example Block Diagram

Figure 7 Server Example Front Panel

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The “Server” example functions as a BACnet server. First, there are three objects initialized, there
is a data value reference created for array of that objects, then the values of apdu timeout, vendor
ID, Device ID are set, BACnet loops function FGV is reset. Before Stack is run, “Send “I am””
parameter is decided. The monitoring loop continuously reads data from DVR, for each object
reads its object name, object type, object identifier, and present value if its type of AI of AO or
AV. The write loop shows using the functionality of writing data on property of a BACnet object.
In this case there is a random number written on the AI, 11 Present_Value every half a second.
Similarly, any property can be read and written for any BACnet object. The developer should
clearly understand the hierarchy of BACnet objects to avoid unwanted errors while reading and
writing properties (watch the figure “BACnet class hierarchy”).

Figure 8 BACnet class hierarchy

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 Figure 9 Client Example Front Panel

Figure 10 Example Client Block Diagram

The “Client” example functions as a BACnet client. Three BACnet services are used in this
example: Who-Is, WriteProperty and ReadProperty. First, the example VI discovers all BACnet
devices in the network. If any is found, then the device with the first Device_ID is chosen, the
specified property is written, acknowledged, then the same property of the same device is read
using ReadProperty.vi.

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Pay attention, that the client and the server of this toolkit don’t work locally, that means that you
cannot successfully use both example VIs on the same device.

9. System Requirements
 LabVIEW Base, Full, or Professional Development System.
 Windows XP, vista, 7, 8, 10.
 NI Linux RT

10.References
1. http://www.bacnet.org/
2. "Standard 135-2012-- BACnet--A Data Communication Protocol for Building
Automation and Control Networks (ANSI Approved)". 2012.

11.Support Information
For technical support, please, contact Ovak Technologies at:
Phone: + 374 10 21-97-68
Email: support@ovaktechnologies.com
Web: www.ovaktechnologies.com

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