PLC power line carrier-based guest control gateway device

Abstract

The utility model provides a guest control gateway device based on PLC power line carrier, guest control gateway device includes main control module, power line carrier PLC communication module, external network interface module, guest room equipment interface module and peripheral auxiliary equipment, wherein, the control signal output of main control module is connected with power line carrier communication module, external network interface module, guest room equipment interface module and peripheral auxiliary equipment's control signal input respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention proposes a guest control gateway device based on PLC power line carrier, belonging to the field of gateway control technology. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of hotel intelligence, centralized control and efficient management of guest room equipment have become key requirements for improving the guest experience and operational efficiency. Traditional hotel guest room control systems mostly use dedicated cabling (such as RS485 bus, Ethernet) to interconnect devices, but this has the following problems: High cabling costs: In new or renovation projects, dedicated cabling requires drilling through walls, which takes a long time and increases material and labor costs. Poor scalability: Adding new equipment requires additional wiring, making it difficult to adapt to the need for flexible adjustments to the guest room layout; Complex maintenance: Troubleshooting line faults is difficult, especially in older hotels where aging lines can lead to decreased system stability; Single communication method: Relying on a single wired network, if the line is interrupted, the equipment will go out of control, affecting service quality.

[0003] Based on the above problems, it is difficult to meet the requirements for long-term stable operation of guest room equipment. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a guest room control gateway device that utilizes existing infrastructure, has simple wiring, and provides stable communication. Utility Model Content

[0004] This utility model provides a customer control gateway device based on PLC power line carrier, which solves the technical problems existing in the prior art mentioned above: The guest room control gateway device based on PLC power line carrier includes a main control module, a power line carrier PLC communication module, an external network interface module, a guest room equipment interface module, and peripheral auxiliary equipment. The control signal output terminal of the main control module is connected to the control signal input terminals of the power line carrier communication module, the external network interface module, the guest room equipment interface module, and the peripheral auxiliary equipment, respectively.

[0005] Furthermore, the main control module adopts a 32-bit MCU chip; the MCU chip exchanges data with the power line carrier PLC communication module through an SPI or UART serial interface; the MCU chip connects to the external network interface module through an RMII or MII interface; the MCU chip connects to the guest room equipment interface module through a UART interface; and the MCU chip connects to peripheral auxiliary devices through I²C or SPI.

[0006] Furthermore, the power line carrier PLC communication module includes a PLC chipset and a coupling circuit; the PLC chipset is connected in parallel to the live wire and the neutral wire, and interacts with the power line with high-frequency signals through the coupling circuit.

[0007] Furthermore, the external network interface module includes an Ethernet chip, a network transformer, and an RJ45 interface; wherein, the Ethernet chip is connected to the MCU chip for data transmission, and the Ethernet chip is connected to a local area network switch through the network transformer and the RJ45 interface.

[0008] Furthermore, the Ethernet chip uses the LAN8720A to convert the MCU's digital signals into analog signals that conform to the Ethernet standard.

[0009] Furthermore, the guest room equipment interface module includes an RS-485 interface circuit and a dry contact circuit; wherein, the RS-485 interface circuit and the dry contact circuit are respectively connected to the UARTTX / RX pin and GPIO pin of the MCU chip; the RS-485 interface circuit and the dry contact circuit are connected to the guest room equipment through a terminal block.

[0010] Furthermore, the peripheral auxiliary devices include LED lights, indicator lights, buttons, and memory chips.

[0011] Furthermore, the passenger control gateway device also includes a power module, wherein the power module includes an AC-DC converter and an LDO linear regulator; the power module is used to convert 220V AC power into +5V and +3.3V voltages.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: This invention provides a guest room control gateway device based on PLC power line carrier communication. It utilizes existing guest room power lines as the communication medium, eliminating the need for additional dedicated control lines, reducing wall damage and material consumption. This is particularly suitable for the renovation of older hotels, shortening the construction period by over 50%. New devices only need to be connected to the power line to network, eliminating the need for rewiring, adapting to guest room equipment upgrades or layout adjustments, and reducing subsequent maintenance costs by over 30%. PLC power line carrier communication has strong anti-interference capabilities, unaffected by wall obstructions. Combined with Ethernet wired networking, it forms a dual communication guarantee of "power line + wired network," avoiding system paralysis caused by a single link failure. Through an RS-485 interface and dry contact circuit, it can connect to various devices such as lighting, air conditioning, curtains, and service panels, achieving unified management and improving the hotel's intelligent integration. The gateway collects real-time device operation data (such as power consumption and switch status) and uploads it to the cloud via an external network, supporting energy consumption analysis and remote control, enabling hotels to achieve energy savings (actual measurements show a 15%-20% reduction in guest room energy consumption). Peripheral auxiliary devices (indicator lights, buttons) can intuitively display the gateway's operating status (such as normal communication / fault), making it easier for maintenance personnel to quickly troubleshoot problems and shorten fault response time. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the passenger control gateway device described in this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0015] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

[0016] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and "vertical" 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.

[0017] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0018] Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "multiple", "multiple groups", and "multiple roots" mean two or more.

[0019] Unless otherwise specified, the materials, instruments and methods used in the following embodiments are all conventional materials, instruments and methods in the art and can be obtained through commercial channels.

[0020] Example 1 This embodiment proposes a guest control gateway device based on PLC power line carrier, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the guest room control gateway device includes a main control module, a power line carrier PLC communication module, an external network interface module, a guest room equipment interface module, and peripheral auxiliary devices. The control signal output terminal of the main control module is connected to the control signal input terminals of the power line carrier communication module, the external network interface module, the guest room equipment interface module, and the peripheral auxiliary devices, respectively. The peripheral auxiliary devices include LED lights, indicator lights, buttons, and memory chips.

[0021] The main control module employs a 32-bit MCU chip. This MCU chip exchanges data with the power line carrier PLC communication module via an SPI or UART serial interface; it connects to an external network interface module via an RMII or MII interface; it connects to the guest room equipment interface module via a UART interface; and it connects to peripheral auxiliary devices via I²C or SPI. The 32-bit MCU chip, as the core, receives guest room equipment status data from the PLC communication module via the SPI / UART interface, interacts with the external network interface module via the RMII / MII interface (e.g., receiving control commands from the cloud or front desk), sends control signals to the guest room equipment interface module via UART and GPIO interfaces, and interacts with peripheral auxiliary devices (indicator lights, memory chips, etc.) via the I²C / SPI interface to achieve status display and data storage.

[0022] Specifically, the power line carrier PLC communication module includes a PLC chipset and a coupling circuit. The PLC chipset is connected in parallel to the live wire and the neutral wire, and interacts with the power line via the coupling circuit to exchange high-frequency signals. The PLC chipset is connected to the power line (live wire and neutral wire) through the coupling circuit, modulates the MCU's digital signal into a high-frequency carrier signal, and transmits it to the terminal equipment (such as smart switches and thermostats) using the existing power line in the guest room. At the same time, it demodulates the device feedback signal on the power line and sends it back to the MCU, realizing bidirectional data interaction of "power line as communication line".

[0023] The external network interface module includes an Ethernet chip, a network transformer, and an RJ45 interface. The Ethernet chip connects to the MCU chip for data transfer and is connected to a local area network (LAN) switch via the network transformer and RJ45 interface. Specifically, the Ethernet chip is a LAN8720A, used to convert the MCU's digital signals into analog signals conforming to the Ethernet standard. The Ethernet chip (such as the LAN8720A) converts the MCU's digital signals into standard Ethernet signals, which, after isolation and protection by the network transformer, are connected to the LAN switch via the RJ45 interface. This enables wired communication between the gateway and the cloud platform and the hotel front desk system, supporting remote monitoring and command issuance.

[0024] Meanwhile, the guest room equipment interface module includes an RS-485 interface circuit and a dry contact circuit. The RS-485 interface circuit and the dry contact circuit are respectively connected to the UARTTX / RX pins and GPIO pins of the MCU chip. The RS-485 interface circuit and the dry contact circuit are connected to the guest room equipment via a terminal block. The RS-485 interface circuit connects to the MCU via UART and is used to interface with devices such as thermostats and curtain motors that have RS485 interfaces. The dry contact circuit connects to the MCU via GPIO and is used to control switching devices such as lights and service indicator lights. Both are physically connected to the guest room equipment via a terminal block.

[0025] The passenger control gateway device also includes a power module, which comprises an AC-DC converter and an LDO linear regulator. The power module converts 220V AC power into +5V and +3.3V voltages. The AC-DC converter converts 220V AC power to +5V, and the LDO linear regulator outputs +3.3V, providing a stable DC power supply for the MCU, PLC module, Ethernet chip, etc., while also ensuring safe isolation between strong and weak current circuits through an isolation design.

[0026] This embodiment provides a PLC power line carrier-based guest room control gateway device that utilizes existing guest room power lines as the communication medium, eliminating the need for additional dedicated control lines, reducing wall damage and material consumption. It is particularly suitable for the renovation of older hotels, shortening the construction cycle by more than 50%. New devices only need to be connected to the power line to network, eliminating the need for rewiring, adapting to guest room equipment upgrades or layout adjustments, and reducing subsequent maintenance costs by more than 30%. PLC power line carrier communication has strong anti-interference capabilities, unaffected by wall obstructions. Combined with Ethernet wired networking, it forms a dual communication guarantee of "power line + wired network," avoiding system paralysis caused by a single link failure. Through an RS-485 interface and dry contact circuit, it can connect to various devices such as lighting, air conditioning, curtains, and service panels, achieving unified management and improving the hotel's intelligent integration. The gateway collects real-time device operation data (such as power consumption and switch status) and uploads it to the cloud via an external network, supporting energy consumption analysis and remote control, enabling hotels to achieve energy savings and consumption reduction (actual measurements show a 15%-20% reduction in guest room energy consumption). Peripheral auxiliary devices (indicator lights, buttons) can intuitively display the gateway's operating status (such as normal communication / fault), making it easier for maintenance personnel to quickly troubleshoot problems and shorten fault response time.

[0027] Meanwhile, this PLC power line carrier-based guest room control gateway device significantly improves the real-time performance and accuracy of guest room control. Since PLC power line carrier communication requires no additional signal transmission path, data transmission latency in the power line is low. The main control module can quickly receive status feedback from guest room equipment and promptly issue control commands. For example, when a guest adjusts the air conditioning temperature via the control panel in the guest room, the gateway can respond quickly and complete precise control of the air conditioning, avoiding the problem of untimely control caused by communication delays in traditional systems. Furthermore, this device combines communication and power supply via power lines, reducing the number of wires in the guest room, making the guest room environment cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing, reducing the impact of messy wiring on the overall decoration style of the guest room, and improving the guest's stay experience. In addition, its modular design allows each module to be upgraded and replaced independently. When a module experiences technical iteration or failure, This eliminates the need to replace the entire gateway device; only this module needs to be addressed, significantly reducing system upgrade costs and maintenance complexity, and extending the overall lifespan of the device. Furthermore, by connecting to the cloud platform via the external network interface module, hotel managers can centrally analyze and statistically process equipment operation data from all guest rooms through the backend system. This provides data support for hotel operational decisions, such as optimizing energy allocation based on different guest room electricity usage patterns and developing more reasonable maintenance plans based on equipment failure rates, further enhancing the hotel's refined management level. Additionally, the power module in this device uses an AC-DC converter and an LDO linear regulator, providing stable voltage output and reducing damage to modules and guest room equipment caused by voltage fluctuations. This ensures long-term stable system operation, reduces equipment failure rates, and indirectly reduces the hotel's equipment maintenance and replacement costs.

[0028] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this utility model and their equivalents, this utility model also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A customer control gateway device based on PLC power line carrier, characterized in that, The guest room control gateway device includes a main control module, a power line carrier PLC communication module, an external network interface module, a guest room equipment interface module, and peripheral auxiliary equipment; wherein, the control signal output terminal of the main control module is connected to the control signal input terminals of the power line carrier communication module, the external network interface module, the guest room equipment interface module, and the peripheral auxiliary equipment, respectively; The power line carrier PLC communication module includes a PLC chipset and a coupling circuit; the PLC chipset is connected in parallel to the live wire and the neutral wire, and interacts with the power line with high-frequency signals through the coupling circuit; The external network interface module includes an Ethernet chip, a network transformer, and an RJ45 interface; the Ethernet chip is connected to the MCU chip for data transfer, and the Ethernet chip is connected to a local area network switch through the network transformer and the RJ45 interface. The Ethernet chip used is LAN8720A, which is used to convert the MCU's digital signals into analog signals that conform to the Ethernet standard. The guest room equipment interface module includes an RS-485 interface circuit and a dry contact circuit; the RS-485 interface circuit and the dry contact circuit are respectively connected to the UARTTX / RX pin and GPIO pin of the MCU chip; the RS-485 interface circuit and the dry contact circuit are connected to the guest room equipment through a terminal block.

2. The passenger control gateway device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control module uses a 32-bit MCU chip; the MCU chip exchanges data with the power line carrier PLC communication module through an SPI or UART serial interface; the MCU chip connects to the external network interface module through an RMII or MII interface; the MCU chip connects to the guest room equipment interface module through a UART interface; and the MCU chip connects to peripheral auxiliary devices through I²C or SPI.

3. The passenger control gateway device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The peripheral auxiliary equipment includes LED lights, indicator lights, buttons, and memory chips.

4. The passenger control gateway device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The passenger control gateway device also includes a power module, which includes an AC-DC converter and an LDO linear regulator; the power module is used to convert 220V AC power into +5V and +3.3V voltages.

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