Heterochannel communication system, method and apparatus for power systems

Abstract

This application discloses a heterogeneous communication system, method, and device for power systems, belonging to the field of wireless communication technology. The system includes: multiple power devices, each including a WiFi module, and at least one gateway device among the power devices; the gateway device is used to cyclically switch between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period; wherein, when switching to the first target channel, at least a communication connection is established with a router; the first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band; and non-gateway devices among the power devices are used to communicate with the gateway device at least through the second target channel. This application reduces the purchase, deployment, and maintenance costs of additional hardware in combined communication schemes by enabling the gateway device to cyclically switch between two different target channels in the same frequency band with a set period and time ratio, thereby reducing the communication costs of the power system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular relates to a heterogeneous communication system, method and device for power systems. Background Technology

[0002] In a distributed system, a large number of devices need to form a mesh network via WiFi to achieve data interconnection. The gateway device then connects the entire network of data to the cloud platform or local monitoring system via a router.

[0003] In related technologies, there is a fixed architecture for achieving the above communication requirements. When a WiFi module operates, if it uses a specific frequency band for communication, each WiFi module needs to be configured with a set of radio frequency circuits to complete data transmission and reception. This prevents it from operating on two communication channels simultaneously, requiring the gateway device to simultaneously undertake the dual tasks of communicating with the router and with other devices within the WiFi network. Currently, the industry often uses a combination of WiFi and Bluetooth Mesh to solve this problem. However, compared to a single WiFi chip, this approach adds additional hardware costs related to Bluetooth. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes a heterogeneous communication system, method, and apparatus for power systems to reduce communication costs in power systems.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a heterogeneous communication system for a power system, including multiple power devices, each of which includes a WiFi module, and at least one gateway device among the multiple power devices; The gateway device is used to cyclically switch between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period; wherein, when switching to the first target channel, at least a communication connection is established with the router; the first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band; The non-gateway device among the plurality of power devices is used to communicate with the gateway device at least through the second target channel.

[0006] According to the heterogeneous communication system for power systems disclosed in this application, by adopting a WiFi networking architecture, the gateway device cyclically switches between two different target channels in the same frequency band at a set period and time ratio. It establishes a communication connection with the router on the first target channel and communicates with non-gateway devices through the other target channel. Without the need for additional Bluetooth-related hardware, the communication between the gateway device and the router, as well as the data interaction with non-gateway devices within the network, can be realized. Under the premise of ensuring the data interconnection and interoperability of distributed devices in the power system and the communication needs of the router, the purchase, deployment, and maintenance costs of additional hardware in the combined communication scheme are reduced, thereby reducing the communication costs of the power system.

[0007] According to one embodiment of this application, the gateway device is further configured to: If the router's communication channel changes during the first time window of switching to the first target channel, the changed communication channel of the router shall be used as the first target channel.

[0008] In this embodiment, by dynamically updating the communication channel, the utilization efficiency of communication resources is optimized, enabling the communication link between the gateway device and the router to maintain a stable connection and enhancing the reliability of power system communication.

[0009] According to one embodiment of this application, the gateway device is further configured to: The current time is obtained from the Internet by communicating with the router, and a time synchronization frame is sent to each non-gateway device; the time synchronization frame includes at least the data length of the time synchronization frame and the sending timestamp. The non-gateway device is further configured to: calculate the transmission delay of the time synchronization frame based on the data length, update the local time based on the transmission delay and the sending timestamp, and synchronize the time with the gateway device.

[0010] In this embodiment, by obtaining standard time from the Internet and sending time synchronization frames through the gateway device, and combining local time updates based on transmission delay and timestamps by non-gateway devices, errors caused by network transmission delay can be compensated, improving the consistency of time among devices and thus improving the accuracy of time synchronization. This allows the channel switching timing of the gateway device to be accurately matched with the communication timing of non-gateway devices, reducing communication interruptions and data packet loss caused by timing misalignment.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this application, the gateway device is further configured to: Obtain the transmission quality evaluation parameters of the communication link between the non-gateway device and the gateway device; The target time ratio is adjusted based on the transmission quality assessment parameters.

[0012] In this embodiment, by obtaining the transmission quality assessment parameters of the communication link with the non-gateway device through the gateway device and adjusting the target time ratio of channel switching, it is possible to dynamically adapt to changes in link transmission quality and improve the data interaction efficiency and data transmission quality between the non-gateway device and the gateway device.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this application, the communication with the gateway device at least through the second target channel includes: Based on the time synchronization result with the gateway device, align the second time window for the gateway device to switch to the second target channel; Communicate with the gateway device within the second time window.

[0014] In this embodiment, a second time window for the gateway device to switch to the second target channel is determined based on the time synchronization result with the gateway device. This ensures that non-gateway devices only initiate data interaction during the time period when the gateway device is on the second target channel, reducing the problem of communication request failure or invalid data transmission caused by channel mismatch.

[0015] According to one embodiment of this application, the communication with the gateway device at least through the second target channel includes: Based on the time synchronization result with the gateway device, align the first time window when the gateway device switches to the first target channel and align the second time window when it switches to the second target channel; Within the first time window, the communication channel is switched to the first target channel, and communication is conducted with the gateway device through the first target channel; Within the second time window, the communication channel is switched to the second target channel, and communication with the gateway device is achieved through the second target channel.

[0016] In this embodiment, by determining the first and second time windows based on the time synchronization results with the gateway device, the non-gateway device switches to the first and second target channels to communicate with the gateway device. This enables the time windows for switching channels between the non-gateway device and the gateway device to be aligned. At the same time, both the gateway device and the non-gateway device are on the same channel, which improves the stability of communication.

[0017] According to one embodiment of this application, the non-gateway device is further configured to: A channel quality detection cycle is entered at target time intervals; wherein, the channel quality detection cycle includes alternating channel detection windows and communication windows; When the channel detection window is in effect, the communication channel is switched to the channel to be detected in the same frequency band, and the channel quality detection result of the channel to be detected is determined; when the communication window is in effect, the communication channel is switched back to the second target channel. Once the detection of each channel to be detected in the same frequency band is completed, the channel quality detection results of each channel to be detected are sent to the host device; the host device is any one of the plurality of power devices. The host device is configured to select a target channel to be detected from each channel to be detected based on the channel quality detection result, and send a switching instruction to each power device. The switching instruction is used to instruct each power device to use the target channel to be detected as the second target channel at a target time.

[0018] In this embodiment, non-gateway devices enter a channel quality detection cycle that includes alternating channel detection and communication windows at target intervals. During the detection window, the device switches to the channel to be detected in the same frequency band to complete the quality detection, and during the communication window, it switches back to the second target channel to maintain normal communication. This ensures that regular data interaction between devices is not interfered with by the channel detection operation, and also enables periodic monitoring of the quality of each channel within the same frequency band. After the non-gateway devices report the detection results to the host device, the host device can select high-quality channels based on the detection results and issue switching commands, so that all devices uniformly update the high-quality channels to the second target channels, further improving the communication quality of each device in the power system.

[0019] According to one embodiment of this application, the non-gateway device is further configured to: If the communication link with the gateway device is interrupted and no switching instruction is received, the system will switch to each channel to be detected in the target order and initiate a handshake request with the gateway device. The channel to be detected corresponding to the handshake request responded by the gateway device is determined as the second target channel.

[0020] In this embodiment, when a non-gateway device does not receive a switching instruction and the communication link with the gateway device is interrupted, it can switch to each channel to be detected one by one in the target order to initiate a handshake request, thereby realizing the autonomous emergency switching of the second target channel and improving the reliability of communication.

[0021] Secondly, this application provides a method for heterogeneous communication in a power system, the power system including multiple power devices, the multiple power devices including a WiFi module, and the multiple power devices including at least one gateway device; Applied to the gateway device, the method includes: The system cycles between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period. When switching to the first target channel, a communication connection is established with the router at least once. When switching to the second target channel, communication is established with non-gateway devices in the power system. The first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band.

[0022] According to the heterogeneous communication method for power systems in this application, by adopting a WiFi networking architecture, the gateway device cyclically switches between two different target channels in the same frequency band at a set period and time ratio. It establishes a communication connection with the router on the first target channel and communicates with non-gateway devices through the other target channel. Without the need for additional Bluetooth-related hardware, the communication between the gateway device and the router and the data interaction with non-gateway devices in the network can be realized. Under the premise of ensuring the data interconnection and interoperability of distributed devices in the power system and the communication needs of the router, the purchase, deployment and maintenance costs of additional hardware in the combined communication scheme are reduced, thereby reducing the communication cost of the power system.

[0023] Thirdly, this application provides a method for heterogeneous communication in a power system, the power system including multiple power devices, the multiple power devices including WiFi modules, and at least one gateway device among the multiple power devices; the gateway device cyclically switches between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period; wherein, when switching to the first target channel, at least a communication connection is established with a router; the first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band; The method, applied to non-gateway devices among the plurality of power devices, includes: It communicates with the gateway device at least through the second target channel.

[0024] According to the heterogeneous communication method for power systems in this application, by adopting a WiFi networking architecture, the gateway device cyclically switches between two different target channels in the same frequency band at a set period and time ratio. It establishes a communication connection with the router on the first target channel and communicates with non-gateway devices through the other target channel. Without the need for additional Bluetooth-related hardware, the communication between the gateway device and the router and the data interaction with non-gateway devices in the network can be realized. Under the premise of ensuring the data interconnection and interoperability of distributed devices in the power system and the communication needs of the router, the purchase, deployment and maintenance costs of additional hardware in the combined communication scheme are reduced, thereby reducing the communication cost of the power system.

[0025] Fourthly, this application provides a power device, including a WIFI module and a controller; The controller is used to execute the above-mentioned heterogeneous communication method for the power system.

[0026] Fifthly, this application provides an electronic device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the above-mentioned heterogeneous communication method for a power system.

[0027] Sixthly, this application provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described inter-channel communication method for a power system.

[0028] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a chip, the chip including a processor and a communication interface, the communication interface being coupled to the processor, the processor being used to run programs or instructions to implement the above-mentioned inter-channel communication method for power systems.

[0029] Eighthly, this application provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described inter-channel communication method for a power system.

[0030] The above-described one or more technical solutions in the embodiments of this application have at least the following technical effects: According to the heterogeneous communication system for power systems disclosed in this application, by adopting a WiFi networking architecture, the gateway device cyclically switches between two different target channels in the same frequency band at a set period and time ratio. It establishes a communication connection with the router on the first target channel and communicates with non-gateway devices through the other target channel. Without the need for additional Bluetooth-related hardware, the communication between the gateway device and the router, as well as the data interaction with non-gateway devices within the network, can be realized. Under the premise of ensuring the data interconnection and interoperability of distributed devices in the power system and the communication needs of the router, the purchase, deployment, and maintenance costs of additional hardware in the combined communication scheme are reduced, thereby reducing the communication costs of the power system.

[0031] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1This is one of the schematic diagrams of the communication interaction process of the heterogeneous communication system of the power system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the working channel of the gateway device provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the time synchronization process between a gateway device and a non-gateway device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 This is the second schematic diagram of the communication interaction process of the power system heterogeneous communication system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is the third schematic diagram of the communication interaction process of the heterogeneous communication system of the power system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is a timing diagram of channel quality detection provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the channel quality detection and channel switching process provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is one of the flowcharts illustrating the heterogeneous communication method for a power system provided in this application embodiment; Figure 9 This is a second schematic flowchart of the heterogeneous communication method for a power system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0035] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0036] In related technologies, there is a fixed architecture to achieve the above communication requirements. That is, when the WiFi module is working, if it uses a certain frequency band for communication, each WiFi module needs to be configured with a set of radio frequency circuits to complete data transmission and reception. This makes it impossible for it to work on two communication channels at the same time. The gateway device needs to simultaneously undertake the dual tasks of communicating with the router and communicating with other devices in the WiFi network.

[0037] To address the aforementioned issues, several improvement solutions have been proposed. One approach uses a combination of WiFi and Bluetooth Mesh. While this method is simple to implement, compared to a single WiFi chip solution, it requires the integration of additional Bluetooth hardware modules, increasing the device's hardware cost. Furthermore, the low bandwidth of Bluetooth communication makes it difficult to support high data throughput requirements. Another approach deploys two independent WiFi modules in the gateway device, one handling interconnection with the router and the other handling communication with other devices within the network. These two modules can operate independently on different WiFi channels for parallel transmission; however, the additional WiFi module increases the overall production cost. A third approach uses a dual-band WiFi module that supports both 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands. By allocating fixed frequency bands, one band is dedicated to router connections, and the other to communication with other devices within the network. While this solution eliminates the need for additional module hardware, the hardware cost of a dual-band WiFi module is higher than that of a single-band module. Moreover, in scenarios involving communication through walls, the 5GHz signal experiences sharp attenuation after passing through walls, severely impacting the stability of the communication link.

[0038] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes a heterogeneous communication system, method, and device for power systems. The heterogeneous communication system, method, and device for power systems provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0039] The heterogeneous communication system for power systems provided in this application can be widely applied to various power systems related to power production, transmission, distribution, and monitoring and control, including new energy power generation systems, traditional power distribution systems, power storage systems, and integrated energy management systems. New energy power generation systems can include photovoltaic grid-connected power generation systems, wind power grid-connected power generation systems, and integrated photovoltaic-storage-charging systems. These power systems typically contain a large number of distributed devices, requiring data interaction between devices and information connectivity with the monitoring center. Traditional power distribution systems can include urban distribution network systems and industrial park distribution systems, involving communication needs of distributed terminals such as distribution switches, ring main units, and distribution transformer monitoring equipment. Of course, it can also be applied to other power systems, and this application does not limit this application.

[0040] The heterogeneous communication system for power systems provided in this application adopts a WiFi networking architecture. By optimizing the channel switching strategy, it achieves high communication between gateway devices and routers and non-gateway devices. It can meet the communication needs of power systems and reduce costs without the need for additional Bluetooth, WiFi modules and other communication hardware, and is suitable for scenarios with high data throughput.

[0041] The heterogeneous communication system for a power system provided in this application includes multiple power devices, each of which includes a WiFi module, and at least one gateway device among the multiple power devices. The gateway device is used to cyclically switch between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period; wherein, when switching to the first target channel, at least a communication connection is established with the router; the first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band; A non-gateway device among multiple power devices is used to communicate with a gateway device at least through a second target channel.

[0042] In the embodiments of this application, the power equipment can be of different types depending on the power system. For example, in a photovoltaic grid-connected power generation system, the power equipment may include photovoltaic inverters, photovoltaic module monitors, combiner boxes, grid-connected switches, etc.; in a wind power grid-connected power generation system, the power equipment may include wind turbine controllers, pitch system actuators, yaw system monitoring equipment, wind power combiner equipment, etc.; in a power energy storage system, the power equipment may include energy storage converters, battery management systems, energy storage battery pack monitoring units, energy storage system operation and maintenance terminals, etc.

[0043] All power equipment integrates a WiFi module, which is a standardized module with link-layer communication capabilities and a Mesh protocol stack integrated on top of the WiFi link layer. The role of the Mesh protocol stack is to enable power equipment integrating the same WiFi module and Mesh protocol stack to achieve self-organized networking communication. By leveraging the multi-hop transmission characteristics of the Mesh network, the coverage and stability of communication between devices in distributed power system deployment scenarios are improved.

[0044] In the network architecture composed of the aforementioned power equipment, based on their functional positioning, the power equipment can be divided into two categories: gateway equipment and non-gateway equipment. Gateway equipment is the core hub of the communication network, serving as a communication bridge between the network equipment and external routers. Its role is to enable communication access between the power equipment within the network and the upper-level cloud platform or local monitoring system, ensuring the upload of power equipment operation data to the monitoring system and the distribution of control commands from the monitoring system to each power equipment. Specifically, gateway equipment establishes a communication connection with the router, constructing a data transmission channel between the power equipment within the network and the upper-level system. This allows non-gateway equipment to indirectly communicate with the upper-level system through the gateway equipment, reducing the complexity of network deployment. Non-gateway equipment refers to the remaining power equipment within the network, excluding gateway equipment. Its function is to complete its corresponding power system business logic, such as power conversion control of photovoltaic inverters, battery status monitoring, and collection of distribution network operation parameters. It interacts with the gateway equipment through the network to upload business data and receive control commands.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the gateway device cycles between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period. The first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels within the same frequency band. This same frequency band can be a standardized communication frequency band supported by the WiFi module, such as the 2.4GHz band, the 5GHz band, etc., or other frequency bands; this embodiment does not limit this. The first target duration can be a preset duration, such as 500ms, 800ms, 1000ms, etc., and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0046] When switching to the first target channel, a communication connection is established with the router to provide a channel for data transmission between the gateway device and the upper-level cloud platform or local monitoring system, enabling the uploading of aggregated data from power equipment within the network to the upper-level system and the reception of unified control commands from the upper-level system. When the gateway device switches to the second target channel, a communication link is established with non-gateway devices within the network to complete data interaction with them.

[0047] The working channel of the gateway device is as follows Figure 2 As shown, within one cycle w, according to the target time ratio, the duration of the first target channel is w1, and the duration of the second target channel is w2. It should be noted that the configuration of the target time ratio can be dynamically adjusted according to the communication needs of the power system. For example, during peak data upload periods, the proportion of time the gateway device spends on the first target channel can be appropriately increased; in scenarios with frequent data interaction between power devices within the network, the proportion of time spent on the second target channel can be appropriately increased to ensure that communication needs are met preferentially.

[0048] The communication process of non-gateway devices relies on a self-organizing network built by the Mesh protocol stack integrated into the power equipment's WiFi module. Since both non-gateway devices and gateway devices integrate the same WiFi module and Mesh protocol stack, the non-gateway devices can identify the gateway device's communication signal on the second target channel through the Mesh network's self-discovery mechanism and establish a stable Mesh communication link with the gateway device. During communication, the non-gateway device can transmit its own business data, such as operating status parameters, fault alarm information, and collected data, to the gateway device through the second target channel. It can also receive control commands or network configuration commands from the upper-layer system issued by the gateway device.

[0049] For some power systems with a wide distributed deployment range, when the distance between non-gateway devices and gateway devices exceeds the coverage of single-hop communication, other non-gateway devices can be used as relay nodes. By leveraging the multi-hop transmission function of the Mesh protocol stack, indirect communication with gateway devices can be achieved, further improving the coverage and stability of the communication network.

[0050] According to the heterogeneous communication system for power systems disclosed in this application, by adopting a WiFi networking architecture, the gateway device cyclically switches between two different target channels in the same frequency band at a set period and time ratio. It establishes a communication connection with the router on the first target channel and communicates with non-gateway devices through the other target channel. Without the need for additional Bluetooth-related hardware, the communication between the gateway device and the router, as well as the data interaction with non-gateway devices within the network, can be realized. Under the premise of ensuring the data interconnection and interoperability of distributed devices in the power system and the communication needs of the router, the purchase, deployment, and maintenance costs of additional hardware in the combined communication scheme are reduced, thereby reducing the communication costs of the power system.

[0051] In some embodiments, the gateway device is further configured to: If the router's communication channel changes within the first time window of switching to the first target channel, the router's changed communication channel will be used as the first target channel.

[0052] In real-world power system communication scenarios, the network environment can be affected by various factors, such as interference from surrounding wireless signals and changes in the communication needs of other devices, which may lead to changes in the router's communication channel. If the gateway device cannot detect and adapt to these changes in a timely manner, it may result in communication interruptions or degraded communication quality, thereby affecting the power system's data transmission and monitoring functions.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first time window is a continuous window during which the gateway device stays on the first target channel and engages in communication activities after switching to it. By detecting changes in the router's communication channel within the first time window and using the changed channel as the new first target channel, the gateway device can continuously communicate with the router.

[0054] Specifically, after switching to the first target channel, the gateway device continuously monitors the communication status with the router within the first time window, such as detecting the channel signal strength, communication quality, and whether there are signals of channel change. When a change in the router's communication channel is detected, the gateway device initiates a channel switching procedure, using the changed channel as the new first target channel, and re-establishes the communication connection with the router. Based on the updated first target channel, the gateway device continues to execute the periodic switching logic between the new first target channel and the second target channel according to the period of the first target duration and the target time ratio.

[0055] In this embodiment, by dynamically updating the communication channel, the utilization efficiency of communication resources is optimized, enabling the communication link between the gateway device and the router to maintain a stable connection and enhancing the reliability of power system communication.

[0056] In some embodiments, the gateway device is further configured to: The current time is obtained from the Internet by communicating with the router, and time synchronization frames are sent to each non-gateway device; the time synchronization frame includes at least the data length of the time synchronization frame and the sending timestamp. Non-gateway devices are also used to: calculate the transmission delay of time synchronization frames based on data length, update local time based on transmission delay and sending timestamp, and synchronize time with gateway devices.

[0057] To improve time consistency between gateway devices and non-gateway devices and further optimize the performance and coordination capabilities of the communication system, a time synchronization mechanism based on time synchronization frames has been introduced.

[0058] In this embodiment, such as Figure 3As shown, the gateway device has the ability to communicate with the router, thus enabling it to access the Internet and obtain the current time from the Internet as the time reference for all devices in the network. After obtaining the current time, the gateway device generates a time synchronization frame periodically according to a preset cycle and broadcasts the time synchronization frame to non-gateway devices in the network through a second target channel. To improve the accuracy of time synchronization and the uniqueness of device identification, the time synchronization frame may include the gateway device's device identifier, the data length of the time synchronization frame, and a transmission timestamp. The device identifier may include information such as the device serial number, media access control address, and device number; the transmission timestamp is the current time obtained from the Internet when the gateway device sends the time synchronization frame; and the data length is the complete data byte length of the time synchronization frame.

[0059] After receiving a time synchronization frame from the gateway device, the non-gateway device performs operations such as time parsing, latency calculation, and local time update to achieve time synchronization with the gateway device. Specifically, the non-gateway device receives the time synchronization frame through its integrated WiFi module and Mesh protocol stack, parses the frame data, extracts information such as the gateway device's device identifier, the time synchronization frame data length, and the sending timestamp, and verifies the legitimacy of the time synchronization frame through the device identifier to reduce time synchronization errors caused by receiving illegal data.

[0060] The non-gateway device calculates the transmission delay from the gateway device to itself based on the parsed time synchronization frame data length and the transmission rate parameters of the current communication link. Specifically, based on the correspondence between transmission delay and data length / transmission rate in the communication field, the theoretical transmission time is obtained by dividing the data length by the transmission rate. This is then corrected for minor losses in the link environment to determine the transmission delay. Based on the calculated transmission delay and the parsed sending timestamp, the current standard time corresponding to the current moment, based on the current time obtained from the Internet, is calculated: Current Standard Time = Sending Timestamp + Transmission Delay. The non-gateway device updates its local time system with the calculated current standard time, overwriting the original local time, thus completing time synchronization with the gateway device.

[0061] Through this synchronization process, non-gateway devices can accurately align their working windows with the first and second target channels of the gateway device.

[0062] To improve the time synchronization coverage and efficiency of large-scale distributed power systems, for non-gateway devices that have completed time synchronization with gateway devices, if there are unsynchronized next-hop child node devices (i.e., secondary non-gateway devices) within the network range, the synchronized non-gateway device can send time synchronization frames to the next-hop child node device by referring to the time synchronization frame sending method of the gateway device. The next-hop child node device can complete time synchronization with the non-gateway device by referring to the calculation method of the non-gateway device.

[0063] In this embodiment, by obtaining standard time from the Internet and sending time synchronization frames through the gateway device, and combining local time updates based on transmission delay and timestamps by non-gateway devices, errors caused by network transmission delay can be compensated, improving the consistency of time among devices and thus improving the accuracy of time synchronization. This allows the channel switching timing of the gateway device to be accurately matched with the communication timing of non-gateway devices, reducing communication interruptions and data packet loss caused by timing misalignment.

[0064] In some embodiments, the gateway device is further configured to: Obtain transmission quality assessment parameters for the communication link between non-gateway devices and gateway devices; Adjust the target time ratio based on transmission quality assessment parameters.

[0065] In the heterogeneous communication architecture of this application, non-gateway devices maintain a consistent operating channel, eliminating time window limitations for communication and allowing data transmission at any time. However, data sent from a non-gateway device to a gateway device must be transmitted via a second target channel. If the time a non-gateway device sends data happens to fall within the first time window when the gateway device is on the first target channel, the gateway device cannot receive data on the second target channel, resulting in data loss. Therefore, in this embodiment, the target time ratio between the first and second target channels of the gateway device is dynamically adjusted to mitigate the aforementioned problem.

[0066] In this embodiment, during the communication interaction between the gateway device and each non-gateway device, the gateway device can collect parameters that reflect the transmission quality of the communication link between the two parties, namely transmission quality evaluation parameters, such as packet loss rate, signal strength indication, link transmission delay, bit error rate, etc.

[0067] A quality score is calculated by evaluating transmission quality parameters; a higher score indicates better communication quality. One or more adjustment thresholds of varying sizes can be preset. When the quality score falls below the adjustment threshold, the time allocation of the second target channel is increased within the target time proportion. The lower the quality score, the larger the time allocation of the second target channel.

[0068] Of course, the target time ratio can also be adjusted directly based on the values ​​of the transmission quality assessment parameters. Taking packet loss rate as an example, one or more packet loss thresholds of different sizes can be set. When the packet loss rate is greater than the packet loss threshold, the time proportion of the second target channel in the target time ratio is increased. The higher the packet loss rate, the larger the time proportion of the second target channel. For example, if the initial target time ratio is 40% for the first target channel and 60% for the second target channel, when a packet loss rate greater than 10% is detected, it can be adjusted to 30% for the first target channel and 70% for the second target channel. This extends the dwell time of the gateway device in the second target channel, increases the probability that the gateway device is in the second target channel window when non-gateway devices send data, and thus reduces the packet loss rate caused by channel window mismatch.

[0069] In this embodiment, by obtaining the transmission quality assessment parameters of the communication link with the non-gateway device through the gateway device and adjusting the target time ratio of channel switching, it is possible to dynamically adapt to changes in link transmission quality and improve the data interaction efficiency and data transmission quality between the non-gateway device and the gateway device.

[0070] In some embodiments, communication with the gateway device is at least via a second target channel, including: Based on the time synchronization results with the gateway device, align the second time window for the gateway device to switch to the second target channel; Communicate with the gateway device within the second time window.

[0071] In this embodiment, after the non-gateway device completes time synchronization with the gateway device, it maintains a first time window and a second time window locally, aligned with the gateway device, based on the ratio of the gateway device's channel switching cycle to the target time. The second time window is a continuous window during which the gateway device, after switching to the second target channel, continuously resides on the second target channel and engages in communication activities. It should be noted that the non-gateway device maintains the first and second time windows to sense the gateway device's channel switching status; the non-gateway device's own operating channel remains on the second target channel, and it does not perform a switching operation between the first and second target channels.

[0072] Since the non-gateway device and the gateway device have achieved time alignment, the non-gateway device can determine whether the current time is within the second time window. For example, if the switching cycle is 100ms and the first time window accounts for 60%, the non-gateway device can determine the second time window from the 41ms to the 100ms within each 100ms cycle based on the synchronized local time.

[0073] like Figure 4As shown, after determining the second time window, non-gateway devices can control the timing of communication with the gateway device, communicating only within the second time window through the second target channel. Specifically, when a non-gateway device needs to send data to the gateway device, it first checks its local time to see if it is within the second time window. If it is, it initiates the data transmission process, sending the data to the gateway device through the second target channel. At this time, the gateway device is on the second target channel and can receive and parse the data in real time, thus reducing packet loss caused by the gateway device being on the second target channel. If the current time is not within the second time window, the non-gateway device temporarily stores the data in its local cache module, waiting to enter the next second time window before performing the transmission operation. Non-gateway devices can communicate with each other using the second target channel at any time.

[0074] In this embodiment, a second time window for the gateway device to switch to the second target channel is determined based on the time synchronization result with the gateway device. This ensures that non-gateway devices only initiate data interaction during the time period when the gateway device is on the second target channel, reducing the problem of communication request failure or invalid data transmission caused by channel mismatch.

[0075] In some embodiments, communication with the gateway device is at least via a second target channel, including: Based on the time synchronization results with the gateway device, align the first time window when the gateway device switches to the first target channel and align the second time window when it switches to the second target channel. Within the first time window, the communication channel is switched to the first target channel, and communication with the gateway device is carried out through the first target channel; Within the second time window, the communication channel is switched to the second target channel, and communication with the gateway device is carried out through the second target channel.

[0076] In this embodiment, after completing time synchronization with the gateway device, the non-gateway device maintains a first time window and a second time window locally aligned with the gateway device, referring to the channel switching cycle and target time ratio of the gateway device. It then synchronously executes the same channel switching operation as the gateway device.

[0077] like Figure 5 As shown, when a non-gateway device detects that its local time has entered the first time window, it initiates a channel switching process, switching its communication channel from the current channel to the first target channel, maintaining consistency with the gateway device's working channel within the first time window. When it detects that its local time has entered the second time window, it synchronously switches to the second target channel, aligning with the gateway device's working channel. In this way, at any given time, both the gateway device and the non-gateway device are on the same channel, allowing for communication between the devices at any time.

[0078] In this embodiment, by determining the first and second time windows based on the time synchronization results with the gateway device, the non-gateway device switches to the first and second target channels to communicate with the gateway device. This enables the time windows for switching channels between the non-gateway device and the gateway device to be aligned. At the same time, both the gateway device and the non-gateway device are on the same channel, which improves the stability of communication.

[0079] In some embodiments, the non-gateway device is further configured to: The channel quality detection period is entered at target time intervals; the channel quality detection period includes alternating channel detection windows and communication windows. When within the channel detection window, the communication channel is switched to the channel to be detected in the same frequency band, and the channel quality detection result of the channel to be detected is determined; when within the communication window, the communication channel is switched back to the second target channel. Once the detection of each channel under test in the same frequency band is completed, the channel quality detection results of each channel under test are sent to the host device; the host device can be any one of multiple power devices. The host device is used to select the target channel to be detected from each channel to be detected based on the channel quality detection results, and send a switching instruction to each power device. The switching instruction is used to instruct each power device to use the target channel to be detected as the second target channel at the target time.

[0080] In this embodiment, in order to improve the communication quality between devices, non-gateway devices periodically enter the channel quality detection cycle according to the target time interval. The target time can be set according to the complexity of the power system's operating environment and the communication stability requirements, such as 10 min, 12 min, 15 min, etc.

[0081] like Figure 6 As shown, after entering the channel quality detection period, the non-gateway device sequentially experiences multiple consecutive time windows. Each time window N is divided into alternating channel detection and communication windows. The duration n1 of the channel detection window and the duration n2 of the communication window can be preset. Figure 6 It includes 14 channel detection windows, corresponding to 14 WiFi channels to be detected in the 2.5G frequency band.

[0082] like Figure 7As shown, when in a channel detection window, the non-gateway device switches its current communication channel from the second target channel to a channel under test within the same frequency band (each channel detection window corresponds to a unique channel under test, and all channels under test are traversed sequentially). It then collects the quality parameters of the channel under test using the channel scanning function of the WiFi module, generating a channel quality detection result. The channel quality detection result includes, but is not limited to, indicators such as channel signal strength indication, signal-to-noise ratio, channel occupancy, transmission delay, and packet loss rate. When in a communication window, the non-gateway device switches its communication channel back to the original second target channel, resuming normal Mesh communication with the gateway device and other non-gateway devices, reducing the impact on data transmission during the detection period. This process is repeated until all channels under test within the same frequency band have been detected. The non-gateway device then exits the current channel quality detection cycle and resumes normal communication mode.

[0083] After a non-gateway device completes a round of channel testing, it uploads the recorded quality test results for each channel to be tested to the host device. The host device can be any of the multiple power devices; for example, it could be a gateway device or any non-gateway device.

[0084] exist Figure 7 Taking a gateway device as the host device as an example, after receiving channel quality detection results uploaded by non-gateway devices within the network, the host device performs a comprehensive evaluation based on a preset filtering strategy to select the target channel that is optimal for the overall communication of the entire Mesh network. The filtering strategy considers both the channel quality of individual devices and the overall compatibility of the network. For example, it prioritizes channels with high signal strength, low packet loss rate, and low channel occupancy among the detection results of most devices, ensuring that the channel can meet the communication needs of the vast majority of devices within the network, thereby improving the overall stability of network communication.

[0085] To reduce communication interruptions caused by asynchronous channel switching, after determining the target channel to be detected, the host device can send a switching command to all power devices (including gateway devices and all non-gateway devices). The switching command must include at least the identification information of the target channel to be detected (such as channel number CH1) and a unified target switching time T1. The selection of the target switching time must comprehensively consider the number of devices in the Mesh network and communication latency, ensuring that the host device can successfully send the switching command to all normally communicating power devices before the target switching time arrives. When the local time reaches the target switching time, the power devices that have received the switching command will synchronously switch from their original second target channel to the selected target channel to be detected, using the target channel to be detected as the new second target channel.

[0086] In this embodiment, non-gateway devices enter a channel quality detection cycle that includes alternating channel detection and communication windows at target intervals. During the detection window, the device switches to the channel to be detected in the same frequency band to complete the quality detection, and during the communication window, it switches back to the second target channel to maintain normal communication. This ensures that regular data interaction between devices is not interfered with by the channel detection operation, and also enables periodic monitoring of the quality of each channel within the same frequency band. After the non-gateway devices report the detection results to the host device, the host device can select high-quality channels based on the detection results and issue switching commands, so that all devices uniformly update the high-quality channels to the second target channels, further improving the communication quality of each device in the power system.

[0087] In some embodiments, the non-gateway device is further configured to: If no switching instruction is received, and a communication link interruption with the gateway device is detected, the system will switch to each channel to be detected in the target order and initiate a handshake request with the gateway device. The channel to be detected corresponding to the handshake request responded by the gateway device is determined as the second target channel.

[0088] Considering the extreme scenario where non-gateway devices do not receive the switching command, an autonomous reconnection mechanism after disconnection is designed to improve the self-healing capability of the network.

[0089] If a non-gateway device fails to receive a switching command from the host device due to communication interference, offline status, or device malfunction, and subsequently detects an interruption in the communication link with the gateway device (i.e., it cannot establish a connection with the gateway device through the original second target channel), then the channel switching and handshake process is initiated.

[0090] Specifically, such as Figure 7 As shown, non-gateway devices switch to each previously detected channel in a preset target order, such as ascending or descending channel number. After switching to each channel, a handshake request is sent to the gateway device. If the handshake request for a certain channel CH1 is successfully responded to by the gateway device, it means that the channel to be detected is the new second target channel after the network has been uniformly switched. The non-gateway device then identifies the channel to be detected as the second target channel, performs autonomous reconnection, and returns to the Mesh network.

[0091] In this embodiment, when a non-gateway device does not receive a switching instruction and the communication link with the gateway device is interrupted, it can switch to each channel to be detected one by one in the target order to initiate a handshake request, thereby realizing the autonomous emergency switching of the second target channel and improving the reliability of communication.

[0092] This application also provides a method for heterogeneous communication in a power system. The power system includes multiple power devices, each of which includes a WiFi module, and at least one gateway device among the multiple power devices.

[0093] The heterogeneous communication method for power systems can be applied to gateway devices in power systems, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the heterogeneous communication method of the power system includes step 810.

[0094] Step 810: Using the first target duration as a period, cyclically switch between the first target channel and the second target channel according to the target time ratio; wherein, when switching to the first target channel, at least a communication connection is established with the router; when switching to the second target channel, communication is established with non-gateway devices in the power system; the first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band.

[0095] The specific implementation process of the heterogeneous communication method in the power system can be referred to the introduction of the heterogeneous communication system in the power system, and will not be repeated here.

[0096] According to the heterogeneous communication method for power systems in this application, by adopting a WiFi networking architecture, the gateway device cyclically switches between two different target channels in the same frequency band at a set period and time ratio. It establishes a communication connection with the router on the first target channel and communicates with non-gateway devices through the other target channel. Without the need for additional Bluetooth-related hardware, the communication between the gateway device and the router and the data interaction with non-gateway devices in the network can be realized. Under the premise of ensuring the data interconnection and interoperability of distributed devices in the power system and the communication needs of the router, the purchase, deployment and maintenance costs of additional hardware in the combined communication scheme are reduced, thereby reducing the communication cost of the power system.

[0097] This application also provides a method for heterogeneous communication in a power system. The power system includes multiple power devices, each of which includes a WiFi module. At least one gateway device is included among the multiple power devices. The gateway device cycles between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period. When switching to the first target channel, at least a communication connection is established with a router. The first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band.

[0098] The heterogeneous communication method for power systems can be applied to non-gateway devices in the power system, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the heterogeneous communication method of the power system includes step 910.

[0099] Step 910: Communicate with the gateway device at least through the second target channel.

[0100] The specific implementation process of the heterogeneous communication method in the power system can be referred to the introduction of the heterogeneous communication system in the power system, and will not be repeated here.

[0101] According to the heterogeneous communication method for power systems in this application, by adopting a WiFi networking architecture, the gateway device cyclically switches between two different target channels in the same frequency band at a set period and time ratio. It establishes a communication connection with the router on the first target channel and communicates with non-gateway devices through the other target channel. Without the need for additional Bluetooth-related hardware, the communication between the gateway device and the router and the data interaction with non-gateway devices in the network can be realized. Under the premise of ensuring the data interconnection and interoperability of distributed devices in the power system and the communication needs of the router, the purchase, deployment and maintenance costs of additional hardware in the combined communication scheme are reduced, thereby reducing the communication cost of the power system.

[0102] This application also provides a power device, including a WIFI module and a controller; The controller is used to execute the aforementioned heterogeneous communication method for the power system.

[0103] like Figure 10 As shown, this application embodiment also provides an electronic device 1000, including a processor 1001, a memory 1002, and a computer program stored in the memory 1002 and executable on the processor 1001. When the program is executed by the processor 301, it implements the various processes of the above-described embodiment of the inter-channel communication method for power systems and can achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0104] Electronic devices can be the aforementioned power devices, such as gateway devices or non-gateway devices, or they can be components within power devices, such as integrated circuits or chips.

[0105] This application also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the various processes of the above-described embodiment of the inter-channel communication method for power systems and achieves the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0106] The processor is the processor in the electronic device described in the above embodiments. The readable storage medium includes computer-readable storage media, such as computer read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0107] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described inter-channel communication method for power systems.

[0108] The processor is the processor in the electronic device described in the above embodiments. The readable storage medium includes computer-readable storage media, such as computer read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0109] This application also provides a chip, which includes a processor and a communication interface. The communication interface and the processor are coupled. The processor is used to run programs or instructions to implement the various processes of the above-described embodiments of the inter-channel communication method for power systems, and can achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0110] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as a system-on-a-chip, system chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0111] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0112] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a computer software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0113] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

[0114] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0115] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A heterogeneous communication system for a power system, characterized in that, It includes multiple power devices, the multiple power devices include a WiFi module, and the multiple power devices include at least one gateway device; The gateway device is used to cyclically switch between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period; wherein, when switching to the first target channel, at least a communication connection is established with the router; the first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band; The non-gateway device among the plurality of power devices is used to communicate with the gateway device at least through the second target channel.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gateway device is also used for: If the router's communication channel changes during the first time window of switching to the first target channel, the changed communication channel of the router shall be used as the first target channel.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gateway device is also used for: The current time is obtained from the Internet by communicating with the router, and a time synchronization frame is sent to each non-gateway device; the time synchronization frame includes at least the data length of the time synchronization frame and the sending timestamp. The non-gateway device is further configured to: calculate the transmission delay of the time synchronization frame based on the data length, update the local time based on the transmission delay and the sending timestamp, and synchronize the time with the gateway device.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gateway device is also used for: Obtain the transmission quality evaluation parameters of the communication link between the non-gateway device and the gateway device; The target time ratio is adjusted based on the transmission quality assessment parameters.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication with the gateway device at least through the second target channel includes: Based on the time synchronization result with the gateway device, align the second time window for the gateway device to switch to the second target channel; Communicate with the gateway device within the second time window.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication with the gateway device at least through the second target channel includes: Based on the time synchronization result with the gateway device, align the first time window when the gateway device switches to the first target channel and align the second time window when it switches to the second target channel; Within the first time window, the communication channel is switched to the first target channel, and communication is conducted with the gateway device through the first target channel; Within the second time window, the communication channel is switched to the second target channel, and communication with the gateway device is conducted through the second target channel.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The non-gateway device is also used for: A channel quality detection cycle is entered at target time intervals; wherein, the channel quality detection cycle includes alternating channel detection windows and communication windows; When the channel detection window is in effect, the communication channel is switched to the channel to be detected in the same frequency band, and the channel quality detection result of the channel to be detected is determined; when the communication window is in effect, the communication channel is switched back to the second target channel. Once the detection of each channel to be detected in the same frequency band is completed, the channel quality detection results of each channel to be detected are sent to the host device; the host device is any one of the plurality of power devices. The host device is configured to select a target channel to be detected from each channel to be detected based on the channel quality detection result, and send a switching instruction to each power device. The switching instruction is used to instruct each power device to use the target channel to be detected as the second target channel at a target time.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The non-gateway device is also used for: If the communication link with the gateway device is interrupted and no switching instruction is received, the system will switch to each channel to be detected in the target order and initiate a handshake request with the gateway device. The channel to be detected corresponding to the handshake request responded by the gateway device is determined as the second target channel.

9. A method for heterogeneous communication in a power system, characterized in that, The power system includes multiple power devices, each of which includes a WiFi module, and at least one of the power devices includes a gateway device. Applied to the gateway device, the method includes: The system cycles between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period. When switching to the first target channel, a communication connection is established with the router at least once. When switching to the second target channel, communication is established with non-gateway devices in the power system. The first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels in the same frequency band.

10. A method for heterogeneous communication in a power system, characterized in that, The power system includes multiple power devices, each of which includes a WiFi module. At least one gateway device is included among the multiple power devices. The gateway device cycles between a first target channel and a second target channel according to a target time ratio, with a first target duration as the period. When switching to the first target channel, at least a communication connection is established with a router. The first target channel and the second target channel are different communication channels within the same frequency band. The method, applied to non-gateway devices among the plurality of power devices, includes: It communicates with the gateway device at least through the second target channel.

11. An electrical device, characterized in that, Includes WIFI module and controller; The controller is configured to perform the method as described in claim 9 or 10.

12. An electronic device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the program, it implements the method as described in claim 9 or 10.

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