Electric gateway equipment based on modular design

Abstract

The utility model relates to an electric gateway device based on modular design, comprising a master module and at least two slave modules, the master module comprises a control module, the control module is connected with a storage module, a maintenance module, a clock module, an indicating lamp module, a power supply module and a master module expansion interface module, and is used for core control, and the slave modules are connected with the storage module. The communication management module is used for processing data and managing communication of the slave module, the slave module comprises an uplink communication module and a downlink communication module, the uplink communication module and the downlink communication module adopt modular design, and different modules are selectively inserted according to different application scenarios. By adopting a modular design, different modules are selectively inserted according to different application scenes, so that the problems of fixed communication scheme and limited expandability of the traditional electric gateway equipment are solved, the flexibility and expandability of the equipment are improved, and the equipment can better adapt to different application scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of power gateway equipment technology, and specifically to a power gateway equipment based on modular design. Background Technology

[0002] As the communication "central hub" of centralized power metering solutions, power gateways need to be compatible with different types of concentrators and meters. Uplink communication with concentrators should support multiple mainstream communication methods, while downlink communication with meters should enable wireless / wired data reading, thus meeting the needs of AMI communication architectures in different regions and scenarios. Currently, dedicated power gateway devices are typically used depending on the application scenario, but these can only be used for specific uplink and downlink communication scenarios. Alternatively, general-purpose gateway devices can be used in diverse scenarios, but these require more circuit design, making the gateway device larger and less flexible, unable to be flexibly configured according to on-site requirements. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, this utility model provides a power gateway device based on a modular design, which can be flexibly configured according to site requirements. It includes a main module and at least two slave modules. The main module includes a control module connected to a storage module, a maintenance module, a clock module, an indicator light module, a power supply module, and a main module expansion interface module. This control module is used to control data processing and manage the communication of the slave modules. Each slave module includes an uplink communication module and a downlink communication module. The uplink and downlink communication modules are modularly designed, allowing for the selection and insertion of different modules based on different application scenarios.

[0004] Based on the above scheme, the slave module includes a first slave module, which is responsible for the uplink communication between the system and the master station, including a slave module 1 extended interface module, a slave module 1 uplink communication management module, and a slave module 1 uplink communication module.

[0005] Based on the above scheme, the slave module also includes a second slave module, which is responsible for downlink communication between the system and the electricity meter or data acquisition device. The second slave module includes a slave module 2 expansion interface module, a slave module 2 downlink communication management module, and a slave module 2 downlink communication module. The slave module 2 expansion interface module is connected to the slave module 1 expansion interface module.

[0006] Based on the above scheme, the wiring of the slave module includes a data transceiver line, a module reset line, and a module identification line. The uplink and downlink communication of the slave module adopts serial communication. The module reset line is used for resetting and restarting the module, and the module identification line is used to identify the insertion of different modules.

[0007] Based on the above scheme, the expansion interface module from module 1 and the expansion interface module from module 2 use surface mount pin headers on the front and surface mount female headers on the back, with through holes for through connection between the front and back.

[0008] Based on the above scheme, the modules are fixedly connected by snap-fit, and the main module expansion interface module is connected to the connectors of multiple slave modules through connectors.

[0009] Based on the above scheme, the uplink communication module includes a 4G module, an HPLC module, and a Wi-SUN module; the downlink communication module includes a PLC module, an RS485 module, an RF module, and a Bluetooth module; the storage module adopts an external FLASH with QSP communication mode; and the maintenance module includes wired and wireless maintenance methods for gateway device fault diagnosis, device upgrades, and log acquisition.

[0010] Based on the above scheme, the power module includes a power supply, an AC-DC module, a power failure detection module, a power conversion module, a charge / discharge management module, and a supercapacitor. The AC voltage generated by the power supply is output as DC voltage through the AC-DC module. One end of the DC voltage is connected to the control module through the power failure detection module, and the other end is connected to the power conversion module.

[0011] Based on the above scheme, the power conversion module includes DC-DC and LDO power conversion circuits. The power conversion module is connected to the charge and discharge management module and various loads. The charge and discharge management module is responsible for the charge and discharge management of the supercapacitor. The control module controls the charge and discharge management module by reading the output signal of the power failure detection module.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: the uplink communication module and the downlink communication module adopt a modular design, and different modules can be selected and inserted according to different application scenarios. This solves the problem of fixed communication schemes and limited scalability of traditional power gateway equipment, improves the flexibility and scalability of the equipment, and can better adapt to different application scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structural design of this utility model;

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the modular structure of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the power management module of this utility model;

[0016] Figure 4 This is a wiring diagram of the main module expansion interface module of this utility model;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a wiring diagram of the first slave module expansion interface module of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 6 This is a wiring diagram of the second slave module expansion interface module of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0020] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0021] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "left", "right", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0022] This utility model embodiment provides a power gateway device based on modular design, the structural design of which is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it includes a main module, which is used for core control and data processing, as well as managing the communication of slave modules; and at least two slave modules, one for uplink communication and one for downlink communication. In practical applications, it can be configured according to the needs of special scenarios, including "single uplink + dual downlink", "dual uplink + single downlink", "multiple uplink" or "multiple downlink".

[0023] The module includes an uplink communication module and a downlink communication module. The uplink and downlink communication modules adopt a modular design and are connected by snap-fit ​​connections. Different modules can be selected and inserted according to different application scenarios.

[0024] The uplink communication module is responsible for communicating with the master station. It supports two modes: direct communication with the master station and indirect communication with the master station. It can select uplink communication methods such as 4G, HPLC, and WI-SUN. In the direct communication mode, the 4G module is used to enable the master module to establish a direct connection with the master station. In the indirect communication mode, the master module acts as an intermediate node and communicates with the master station through the uplink concentrator.

[0025] The downlink communication module is used to communicate with electricity meters or data acquisition devices. It supports multiple downlink communication protocols, including PLC, RS485, radio frequency and Bluetooth, ensuring the applicability and flexibility of the device.

[0026] According to another embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the main module 1 includes a control module 15, which is connected to the storage module 11, the maintenance module 12, the clock module 13, the indicator light module 14, the power module 16, and the main module expansion interface module 17. The power module is connected to the main module expansion interface module.

[0027] Specifically, the control module, as the core of the system, is responsible for data and information processing of the gateway device, managing the extension interfaces of each slave module, data pass-through and forwarding, and human-machine interaction management. The storage module adopts an external FLASH using QSP communication, solving the problems of complex hardware design and fixed pins of parallel memory in engineering applications, and further improving read and write speeds. The external FLASH is used to store system operation logs, debugging logs, meter reading data, etc., and can also record the operating status of the gateway device, special events, and key information. It can also store the daily and monthly curves of the downlink communication device, facilitating data pass-through and later problem localization by developers.

[0028] The maintenance module includes both wired and wireless maintenance methods for gateway device fault diagnosis, device upgrades, and log acquisition. The wireless maintenance circuit is used for gateway devices in complex usage scenarios, such as utility poles and complex power distribution rooms, while the wired maintenance serves as a backup maintenance method when the wireless method fails.

[0029] The clock module is equipped with a high-precision clock chip, providing a more accurate clock source for the control module to ensure precise communication with uplink and downlink signals. It also features a clock battery to maintain clock speed even when power is lost. Furthermore, the clock module incorporates anti-interference technology, employing signal processing and filtering to maintain accuracy even in complex electromagnetic environments.

[0030] The indicator module includes operation indicators, alarm indicators, and communication indicators. The operation indicators show the equipment's operating status, the alarm indicators show equipment event alarms, and the communication indicators show the transmission and reception status of various communication modules.

[0031] The power module consists of a power supply, an AC-DC module, a power failure detection module, a power conversion module, a charge / discharge management module, and a supercapacitor, such as... Figure 3As shown, the power supply uses a single-phase, two-wire 220V AC power supply. After passing through an AC-DC module, it outputs 12V DC power. One path connects to the control module via a power failure detection module, which uses changes in the high and low levels of the IO pins to determine if the 220V AC power has failed. The other path outputs to the power conversion module. The power conversion module includes DC-DC and LDO power conversion circuits, capable of outputting power at voltage levels such as 5V and 3.3V. The power conversion module is also connected to the charge / discharge management module and various levels of electrical loads. The charge / discharge management module is responsible for the charging and discharging management of the supercapacitor. The control module manages the charging and discharging of the supercapacitor by detecting whether the high-voltage power has failed. When the high-voltage power is normal, the supercapacitor charges; when the high-voltage power is interrupted, the supercapacitor switches to backup power mode and reports the power outage event. Furthermore, charging protection is added by using an ADC analog-to-digital converter to collect the supercapacitor voltage. Once the upper charging threshold is reached, charging stops.

[0032] The main module expansion interface module is used for the interface expansion of the uplink and downlink communication slave module. All external signals are connected to the slave module via connectors. Furthermore, interface protection design is implemented to prevent hot-plugging from affecting the system. Specifically, external signals are connected to the slave module's connectors via plugs.

[0033] According to this utility model, the interface protection design includes adding TVS diodes to the power lines and signal lines to prevent excessive transient voltage from impacting the circuit; designing a soft-start circuit to ensure a smooth power transition during insertion and removal, avoiding instantaneous current surges; adding electrostatic discharge protection components, such as TVS diodes or ESD protection chips, at the interface to prevent electrostatic damage to the circuit; and using optocouplers or transformers for signal isolation to prevent noise and interference on the signal lines from affecting the system.

[0034] like Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment of this utility model, there are six slave modules. The signal lines and power lines of all slave modules are connected to the main module 1 through the expansion interface module of the main module. The wiring of each slave module mainly includes a data transceiver line, a module reset line, and a module identification line, which are used for data exchange, module reset and restart, and identification of different module access, respectively. In order to save interfaces and increase product versatility, all uplink and downlink communication adopts serial communication.

[0035] Furthermore, such as Figure 2As shown, the slave module includes a first slave module (i.e., slave module 1) 2 and a second slave module (i.e., slave module 2) 3. The first slave module is responsible for the uplink communication between the system and the master station, including slave module 1 expansion interface module 21, slave module 1 uplink communication management module 22, and slave module 1 uplink communication module 23. The second slave module is responsible for the downlink communication between the system and the meter, including slave module 2 expansion interface module 31, slave module 2 downlink communication management module 32, and slave module 2 downlink communication module 33.

[0036] Specifically, the expansion interface module 21 from module 1 uses surface mount pin headers on the front and surface mount female headers on the back, with vias connecting both sides to ensure signal integrity. For example... Figure 5 As shown, all signals are output from the main module's expansion interface. Different slave modules only have the necessary power and signal lines brought out, ensuring that changing the insertion and removal order of slave modules will not affect communication.

[0037] The uplink communication management module 22 of the slave module 1 is used for the management of the uplink communication slave module 23, including module identification and module initialization. When the system identifies the insertion of different slave modules, it will call different module initialization functions to reduce system resource consumption. The uplink communication module of the slave module 1 is the main component of the first slave module, and different uplink communication modules can be selected to be inserted according to different application scenarios.

[0038] Similarly, the expansion interface module 31 of module 2 uses surface mount pin headers on the front and surface mount female headers on the back, with vias connecting both sides to ensure signal integrity. For example... Figure 6 As shown, all signals are output from the main module's expansion interface. Different slave modules only have the necessary power and signal lines output, ensuring that changing the insertion and removal order of slave modules does not affect communication. Slave module 2's downlink communication management module 32 is used for the management of downlink communication slave modules, including module identification and module initialization. When the system identifies the insertion of different slave modules, it will call different module initialization functions to reduce system resource consumption. Slave module 2's downlink communication module 33 is the main component of the second slave module and can select different downlink communication methods according to different application scenarios.

[0039] Through the above design, the first and second slave modules not only achieve efficient communication with the master station and the meter, but also possess high flexibility and scalability. Whether for uplink or downlink communication, the modular design allows the system to easily replace and configure different communication modules according to actual needs, while ensuring signal integrity and communication stability.

[0040] In addition, the equipment structure incorporates a waterproof and moisture-proof design, avoiding the need to disassemble the cover for wiring, thus reducing maintenance costs and risks.

[0041] In summary, the modular power gateway device provided by this utility model can effectively realize uplink communication with the master station and downlink communication with the electricity meter. Through modular design, appropriate uplink and downlink communication modules can be selected according to different application scenarios and business needs. Furthermore, the device is highly flexible, scalable, and easy to maintain.

[0042] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles and main features of this utility model. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that this utility model is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments. Therefore, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-limiting. The scope of this utility model is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Therefore, it is intended to include all changes that fall within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the claims within this utility model.

[0043] 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 gateway device based on modular design, characterized in that, It includes a main module and at least two slave modules. The main module includes a control module, which is connected to a storage module, a maintenance module, a clock module, an indicator module, a power module, and a main module expansion interface module. It is used to control data processing and manage the communication of the slave modules. The slave modules include an uplink communication module and a downlink communication module. The uplink and downlink communication modules adopt a modular design, and different modules are selected and inserted according to different application scenarios.

2. The power gateway device based on modular design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slave module includes a first slave module, which is responsible for uplink communication between the system and the master station. The first slave module includes a first slave module extension interface module, a first slave module uplink communication management module, and a slave module 1 uplink communication module.

3. A power gateway device based on modular design according to claim 2, characterized in that, The slave module also includes a second slave module, which is responsible for downlink communication between the system and the electricity meter or data acquisition device. The second slave module includes a slave module 2 expansion interface module, a slave module 2 downlink communication management module, and a slave module 2 downlink communication module. The slave module 2 expansion interface module is connected to the slave module 1 expansion interface module.

4. A power gateway device based on modular design according to claim 3, characterized in that, The wiring of the slave module includes a data transceiver line, a module reset line, and a module identification line. The uplink and downlink communication of the slave module adopts serial communication. The module reset line is used for resetting and restarting the module, and the module identification line is used to identify the insertion of different modules.

5. A power gateway device based on modular design according to claim 3, characterized in that, The expansion interface modules from module 1 and module 2 use surface mount pin headers on the front and surface mount female headers on the back, with through holes connecting the front and back sides.

6. A power gateway device based on modular design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The modules are fixedly connected by snap-fit ​​fasteners, and the main module expansion interface module is connected to multiple slave modules via connectors.

7. A power gateway device based on modular design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The uplink communication module includes a 4G module, an HPLC module, and a Wi-SUN module; the downlink communication module includes a PLC module, an RS485 module, an RF module, and a Bluetooth module; the storage module uses an external FLASH with QSP communication; and the maintenance module includes wired and wireless maintenance methods for gateway device fault diagnosis, device upgrades, and log acquisition.

8. A power gateway device based on modular design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power module includes a power supply, an AC-DC module, a power failure detection module, a power conversion module, a charge / discharge management module, and a supercapacitor. The AC voltage generated by the power supply is output as DC voltage through the AC-DC module. One end of the DC voltage is connected to the control module through the power failure detection module, and the other end is connected to the power conversion module.

9. A power gateway device based on modular design according to claim 8, characterized in that, The power conversion module includes DC-DC and LDO power conversion circuits. The power conversion module is connected to the charge and discharge management module and various loads. The charge and discharge management module is responsible for the charge and discharge management of the supercapacitor. The control module controls the charge and discharge management module by reading the output signal of the power failure detection module.

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