Power carrier intelligent distribution network method, device and hand-held terminal

Abstract

This invention provides a power line carrier intelligent distribution network method, device, and handheld terminal. The distribution network method includes the following processes: S1, network discovery to obtain a list of all node IDs; S2, synchronous broadcast phase, the master control node polls and broadcasts; S3, node execution process: when acting as a broadcast source, it sends a probe signal; when acting as a listener, it records the signal quality to a local list; S4, distributed voting, where each node autonomously selects the node with the best signal as the cluster head; S5, cluster head reporting, where all nodes report the selected cluster head ID to the master control; S6, global decision, where the master control counts all reported cluster head IDs and announces the node with the most votes as the final gateway. This invention utilizes the existing power line network as a data transmission carrier, automatically senses the line environment, and adaptively forms a network. Simultaneously, through point-to-point NFC interaction between the handheld terminal and the device, it achieves zero-configuration, accurate, and reliable parameter writing and identity authentication.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of smart distribution network technology, specifically to a power line carrier smart distribution network method, device, and handheld terminal. Background Technology

[0002] Power line carrier smart distribution network is a technology that uses existing power lines as a communication medium to modulate data signals onto the power grid, enabling information exchange and intelligent control between power distribution equipment. It transforms each power node into a smart terminal on the network without requiring additional communication lines, supporting functions such as meter data acquisition, fault location, and load management.

[0003] In existing technologies, when implementing power distribution networks, equipment must rely on an existing and stably connected 220V AC power grid to operate. This makes it unsuitable for use in situations where the power grid is not energized, nodes are not powered on, or only individual offline devices need to be pre-configured (such as equipment factory inspection, warehouse pre-commissioning, or individual on-site node commissioning). This limits the versatility of the tools and the flexibility of the workflow. Power line carrier networking relies on human experience and lacks intelligent decision-making: the network topology of existing solutions (such as the role allocation of gateways and nodes, the number and location of nodes) is mainly statically planned based on site layout or implementation experience. It fails to dynamically optimize based on real-time environmental parameters such as power line channel quality and signal attenuation, resulting in high network deployment costs, low efficiency, and difficulty in guaranteeing optimal final communication performance.

[0004] On the other hand, existing technologies lack power line channel assessment tools, leading to blind deployment: existing distribution network tools generally lack quantitative testing and evaluation functions for power line link signal strength. Construction personnel cannot easily measure the channel quality between the "test point and gateway" before or after deployment, making it difficult to scientifically determine the rationality of equipment placement and affecting network reliability and stability. Furthermore, the NFC distribution network process is not closed-loop, resulting in insufficient configuration reliability assurance: traditional NFC configuration processes are typically "single writes," lacking a closed-loop verification mechanism of "read-write-read again for verification." This open-loop operation cannot immediately and proactively confirm the correctness of parameter writing after configuration, making it difficult to prevent configuration errors caused by communication interference or equipment malfunctions, thus creating potential risks for subsequent network failures. NFC interaction relies on external triggers, resulting in low efficiency in batch operations: in existing solutions, initiating NFC read / write operations usually requires additional manual triggering actions such as device button presses or screen touches. In scenarios requiring batch configuration of a large number of devices, operators must perform a cumbersome process of "finding - aligning the NFC area - manually triggering" for each device individually, severely restricting the efficiency of large-scale deployment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a power line carrier-based intelligent distribution network method, device, and handheld terminal to solve the problems mentioned in the background. The present invention utilizes the existing power line network as a data transmission carrier, automatically senses the line environment, and adaptively forms a network. At the same time, through point-to-point NFC interaction between the handheld terminal and the device, it achieves zero-configuration, accurate and reliable parameter writing and identity authentication.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for intelligent network distribution via a handheld terminal accessing a multi-node PLC network, comprising the following steps:

[0007] S1. Network discovery: Obtain a list of all node IDs;

[0008] S2, Synchronous Broadcast Phase: The master control node polls and broadcasts.

[0009] S3, Node execution flow: When acting as a broadcast source, it sends a probe signal; when acting as a listener, it records the signal quality to a local list.

[0010] S4. Distributed voting allows each node to autonomously select the node with the best signal as the cluster head.

[0011] S5. Cluster Head Reporting: All nodes report the selected cluster head ID to the master controller.

[0012] S6. The global decision-making master counts all reported cluster head IDs and announces the one with the most votes as the final gateway.

[0013] Furthermore, after the handheld device connects to the multi-node network, it controls each node to poll and broadcast. The nodes collect RSSI and SNR information of the broadcast signal sources of other nodes to form a local list. After the handheld device control point completes the polling and broadcasting, it broadcasts a vote to all nodes. Each node selects a cluster head ID and reports it. The handheld device selects the cluster head with the most votes and assigns it the role of gateway.

[0014] Furthermore, this also includes methods for selecting cluster heads:

[0015] Based on a comprehensive assessment of RSSI intensity and SNR quality, the priority is as follows:

[0016] Prioritize selecting the node with the largest RSSI value, i.e., the node closest to 0;

[0017] If RSSI are the same, then select the node with the largest SNR value;

[0018] Each node can be configured to vote and report 1 to 4 cluster head candidate IDs. The master controller uses these to perform comprehensive statistics to improve the fault tolerance and flexibility of gateway allocation.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes a pre-defined node location validity assessment process:

[0020] When a new node device is added to the PLC network, the handheld device is connected to the preset node location to evaluate the communication quality between the preset node location and the gateway. The handheld device will send evaluation data to the gateway n times, and the gateway will reply with response data. The reliability of communication is judged by checking the check value of the response data, and combined with the RSSI signal strength value and SNR signal-to-noise ratio value carried in the response, the "test point-gateway" link is comprehensively scored, and the location validity level is output to determine whether the location of the distribution network node is reasonable.

[0021] A power line carrier intelligent distribution network device includes a core control unit, buttons, a screen, a PLC module, an NFC module, an MCU UART, and a power supply component. Based on the core control unit, the device interacts with the buttons and the screen to control an analog switch to switch the PLC module or the NFC module to communicate with the MCU UART, and to select PLC single-point / multi-point distribution network or NFC single-point distribution network.

[0022] A power line carrier intelligent distribution network handheld terminal is provided. The handheld terminal is a dual-mode coupling circuit. It is connected to the 220V AC power grid through a plug to communicate with the entire PLC network. Alternatively, it can switch the internal 12V voltage to output 12V to power the node / gateway in the single-point distribution network connection state, while simultaneously conducting carrier communication on the 12V DC line to support offline pre-configuration or single-point debugging of nodes in environments without 220V AC power grid access.

[0023] Furthermore, the handheld terminal's screen menu is set with three modes: AUTO, DC12, and AC220. In AUTO mode, after AC220V is connected, it is triggered by an optocoupler, detects the AC_IN level signal to identify the external 220V power supply, and the MCU switches relay K1 to select the 220V coupling network.

[0024] Furthermore, the NFC pairing function of the handheld terminal supports two working modes: manual operation mode and automatic sensing read / write mode. The NFC automatic sensing read / write mode and the button manual trigger read / write mode can be switched between each other. The read / write process is automatically started by detecting the NFC field entry event. In NFC Write Auto mode, no manual triggering is required. The write process is automatically executed when the device is brought close. It is divided into NFC Read Auto mode and NFC Write Auto mode.

[0025] Furthermore, in the NFC Read Auto mode, the device automatically reads valid data when it is near the node's NFC field, requiring no additional operation; in the NFC Write Auto mode, the following steps are performed on the NFC data sequentially:

[0026] (1) Read the currently stored data; (2) Modify the target parameter field; (3) Write the modified data; (4) Read it again and compare it with the written value to verify that the writing is successful. Otherwise, report an error and retry.

[0027] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0028] 1. This invention breaks through the limitation that traditional tools must rely on the AC power grid. By integrating a dual-mode (AC220V / DC12V) coupling circuit, the same handheld terminal can be connected to the existing AC power grid for network-level operation and maintenance, and can also be used for offline or pre-debugging of nodes at a single point through DC power supply and carrier. This realizes full life cycle support from production and warehousing to field deployment and subsequent operation and maintenance.

[0029] 2. This invention achieves intelligent optimization of network topology: Based on the real-time power line channel environment, this invention can dynamically and adaptively allocate network roles and plan deployment locations, solving the problem of static planning that relies on human experience, thereby reducing deployment costs while ensuring optimal network communication performance.

[0030] 3. This invention provides data support for deployment decisions: By integrating power line channel assessment functions, this invention can provide construction personnel with quantitative signal quality data, enabling the selection of node locations to shift from experience-based judgment to scientific decision-making, fundamentally enhancing the rationality of network deployment and the stability of final operation.

[0031] 4. This invention constructs a closed-loop guarantee for configuration reliability: This invention introduces a closed-loop process of "read-write-read verification", which can actively verify the correctness of parameter writing immediately after configuration is completed, effectively preventing configuration errors caused by interference or anomalies, and greatly improving the reliability and success rate of network configuration.

[0032] 5. This invention achieves efficient batch operation: by supporting point-to-point NFC interaction with automatic sensing, it eliminates the external manual triggering (such as button pressing or alignment) required in traditional solutions, enabling batch configuration to be executed continuously and automatically, greatly improving the operational efficiency of large-scale equipment deployment. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the connection method and circuit structure of the handheld distribution network device of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the automatic detection process for power transmission lines provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 The 220V detection circuit diagram provided by this invention;

[0036] Figure 4This refers to the intelligent configuration gateway location scheme in this invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the node location validity evaluation method of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the NFC automatic sensing read / write mode of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0040] Please see Figures 1 to 6 This invention provides the following technical solution: a power line carrier intelligent distribution network method, device, and handheld terminal. This invention uses the existing power line network as the data transmission carrier, automatically sensing the line environment and adaptively forming the network. Simultaneously, through point-to-point NFC interaction between the handheld terminal and the device, it achieves zero-configuration, accurate, and reliable parameter writing and identity authentication. This innovative model combining "wide-area intelligent power line networking" and "NFC near-field point-to-point precise matching" greatly simplifies the distribution network process, reduces the professional requirements for the field environment and operators, and provides an efficient and reliable unified technical means for the deployment and maintenance of large-scale, multi-category IoT devices.

[0041] This embodiment provides a connection method and circuit structure for handheld network distribution equipment:

[0042] Based on the NRF 52832 MCU, the PLC or NFC module communicates with the MCU via buttons and an OLED screen. It can also select between single-point / multi-point network distribution of the PLC or single-point network distribution of the NFC module. Power is provided by two 18650 battery packs and a voltage regulator circuit.

[0043] This implementation also provides a dual-mode coupling design.

[0044] Employing dual-mode coupling circuits, such as Figure 1 The handheld device can be connected to a 220V AC power grid via a plug, just like a traditional PLC device, and communicate with the entire PLC network. It can also switch to an internal 12V voltage, outputting 12V to power nodes / gateways in single-point distribution network connection mode, while simultaneously conducting carrier communication on a 12V DC line to support offline pre-configuration or single-point debugging of nodes in environments without 220V AC power grid access.

[0045] Methods such as Figure 2 As shown, the handheld device's OLED menu has three modes: AUTO, DC12, and AC220. The AUTO mode uses... Figure 3The circuit, after AC220V is connected, is triggered by an optocoupler. It detects the AC_IN level signal to identify the external 220V power supply, and the MCU switches relay K1 to select the 220V coupling network.

[0046] Smart distribution network assigns network node roles

[0047] This embodiment can dynamically and adaptively allocate network roles and plan deployment locations based on the real-time power line channel environment. The specific implementation process is as follows: Figure 4 As shown.

[0048] After the handheld device connects to the multi-node network, it controls each node to poll and broadcast (probe information). The nodes collect RSSI and SNR information of the broadcast signal sources of other nodes to form a local list. After the handheld device control point completes the polling and broadcasting, it broadcasts a vote to all nodes. Each node selects a cluster head ID and reports it. The handheld device selects the cluster head with the most votes and assigns it the role of gateway.

[0049] The method for selecting the cluster head is as follows:

[0050] Based on a combination of RSSI (Intensity) and SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio), the priority is as follows:

[0051] Prioritize selecting the node with the largest RSSI value (closest to 0);

[0052] If RSSI are the same, then select the node with the largest SNR value.

[0053] The number of cluster heads can be configured, meaning that nodes can vote for and report 1 cluster head, or 2-4.

[0054] This embodiment also provides a preset node location validity evaluation:

[0055] When a new node device needs to be added to a PLC network, a handheld device can be connected to a preset node location to assess the communication quality between that location and the gateway. The connection method and assessment method are as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the handheld device sends evaluation data to the gateway n times, and the gateway replies with response data. The reliability of communication is judged by checking the check value of the response data, and the RSSI signal strength value and SNR signal-to-noise ratio value carried in the response are combined to give a comprehensive score to the "test point-gateway" link and output the location validity level to determine whether the location of the distribution network node is reasonable.

[0056] This embodiment also provides NFC automatic sensing and read / write functionality for network pairing:

[0057] When the handheld device selects NFC pairing, in addition to manually operating the read / write function via buttons, this design also includes an NFC automatic sensing read / write mode (e.g., ...). Figure 6 )

[0058] In NFC Read Auto mode, the device can directly read valid data by bringing it close to the NFC field of the node.

[0059] In NFC Write Auto mode, when a device is near the node's NFC field, it completes the write operation by using a closed-loop process of read-modify-write-verify NFC data.

[0060] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles and main features of the present invention and its advantages. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic features of the present invention.

[0061] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A power line carrier intelligent distribution network method, characterized in that, Intelligent power distribution is achieved by connecting a handheld terminal to a multi-node PLC network, including the following process: S1. Network discovery: Obtain a list of all node IDs; S2, Synchronous Broadcast Phase: The master control node polls and broadcasts. S3, Node execution flow: When acting as a broadcast source, it sends a probe signal; when acting as a listener, it records the signal quality to a local list. S4. Distributed voting allows each node to autonomously select the node with the best signal as the cluster head. S5. Cluster Head Reporting: All nodes report the selected cluster head ID to the master controller. S6. The global decision-making master counts all reported cluster head IDs and announces the one with the most votes as the final gateway.

2. The power line carrier intelligent distribution network method according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the handheld device connects to the multi-node network, it controls each node to poll and broadcast. The nodes collect RSSI and SNR information of the broadcast signal sources of other nodes to form a local list. After the handheld device control point completes the polling and broadcasting, it broadcasts a vote to all nodes. Each node selects a cluster head ID and reports it. The handheld device selects the cluster head with the most votes and assigns it the role of gateway.

3. The power line carrier intelligent distribution network method according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes methods for selecting cluster heads: Based on a comprehensive assessment of RSSI intensity and SNR quality, the priority is as follows: Prioritize selecting the node with the largest RSSI value, i.e., the node closest to 0; If RSSI are the same, then select the node with the largest SNR value; Each node can be configured to vote and report 1 to 4 cluster head candidate IDs. The master controller uses these to perform comprehensive statistics to improve the fault tolerance and flexibility of gateway allocation.

4. The power line carrier intelligent distribution network method according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a preset node location validity assessment process: When a new node device is added to the PLC network, the handheld device connects to the preset node location to evaluate the communication quality between the preset node location and the gateway. The handheld device will send evaluation data to the gateway n times, and the gateway will reply with response data. Communication reliability is determined by checking the verification value of the response data. Combined with the RSSI signal strength value and SNR signal-to-noise ratio value carried in the response, the "test point-gateway" link is comprehensively scored, and the location validity level is output to determine whether the location of the distribution network node is reasonable.

5. A power line carrier intelligent distribution network device, characterized in that: The power distribution device includes a core control unit, buttons, a screen, a PLC module, an NFC module, an MCU UART, and a power supply component. Based on the core control unit, the device interacts with the buttons and the screen to control the analog switch to switch the PLC module or the NFC module to communicate with the MCU UART, and select PLC single-point / multi-point power distribution or NFC single-point power distribution.

6. A handheld terminal for intelligent power distribution network using power line carrier communication, characterized in that: The handheld terminal is a dual-mode coupling circuit. It can be connected to the 220V AC power grid via a plug to communicate with the entire PLC network. Alternatively, it can switch the internal 12V voltage to output 12V to power the node / gateway in the single-point distribution network connection state, while simultaneously conducting carrier communication on the 12V DC line to support offline pre-configuration or single-point debugging of the node in an environment without 220V AC power grid access.

7. The handheld terminal according to claim 6, characterized in that: The handheld terminal's screen menu is set to three modes: AUTO, DC12, and AC220. In AUTO mode, after AC220V is connected, it is triggered by an optocoupler, detects the AC_IN level signal to identify the external 220V power supply, and the MCU switches relay K1 to select the 220V coupling network.

8. The handheld terminal according to claim 6, characterized in that, The NFC pairing function of the handheld terminal supports two working modes: manual operation mode and automatic sensing read / write mode. The NFC automatic sensing read / write mode and the button manual trigger read / write mode can be switched between each other. The read / write process is automatically started by detecting the NFC field entry event. In NFC Write Auto mode, no manual triggering is required. The write process is automatically executed when the device is brought close. It is divided into NFC Read Auto mode and NFC Write Auto mode.

9. The handheld terminal according to claim 8, characterized in that: In the NFC Read Auto mode, the device automatically reads valid data when it is near the NFC field of the node, without any additional operation; in the NFC Write Auto mode, the following steps are performed on the NFC data sequentially: (1) Read the currently stored data; (2) Modify the target parameter field; (3) Write the modified data; (4) Read it again and compare it with the written value to verify that the writing is successful. Otherwise, report an error and retry.

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