A combustible gas detector with a communication board separated from a main board

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of combustible gas detectors of communication board and mainboard separation, including detector mainboard, it is equipped with main control module, gas sensor, audible and visual alarm module and power management module on it;With the communication board of detector mainboard pluggable connection, it is equipped with at least one of positioning module, and short distance communication interface and long distance communication module;Interface mode, including row pin mode and patch mode.The description is explained with row pin mode as example, row pin interface component contains two groups of row female arranged in mainboard and two groups of row pin arranged in communication board, and the row female is matched with row pin.The utility model belongs to gas detection technical field, specifically provides a kind of combustible gas detector of communication board and mainboard separation, for solving the problems of poor expandability, long development cycle, poor compatibility and high maintenance cost described above.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of gas detection technology, specifically referring to a combustible gas detector with a communication board and a motherboard that are separate. Background Technology

[0002] Combustible gas detectors are critical devices for ensuring safety in homes, commercial and industrial settings, and underground spaces. Different application environments and users have diverse functional requirements, especially in communication: some only require local alarm functionality, while others need support for protocols such as NB-IoT and LoRa for remote data reporting, and still others require 4G or Wi-Fi capabilities for remote interaction. Furthermore, to achieve smart gas applications such as linked valve shut-off and automatic ventilation, the detectors also need to be compatible with multiple protocols to connect and control external safety devices from different manufacturers, such as gas meters, solenoid valves, and exhaust fans.

[0003] Currently, most combustible gas detectors on the market adopt an integrated circuit board design, solidifying the communication module and core detection functions onto the same motherboard. Although some products have individual components (such as gas sensors or specific communication modules) that are pluggable, this is only an assembly design for a single function, not a modular, standardized architecture for flexible combination and expansion of communication functions. This results in significant limitations in the communication scalability of the products: to meet different needs, manufacturers must develop a new model for each communication combination, requiring a complete redesign and adjustment of the entire circuit board, which is not only costly and time-consuming to develop, but also unable to respond quickly to market changes.

[0004] In summary, traditional integrated designs have the following main drawbacks:

[0005] 1. Poor scalability; the communication and positioning modules are bound to the main control hardware and cannot be replaced as needed.

[0006] 2. The development cycle is long, and adapting to the new protocol requires redesigning the entire board;

[0007] 3. Poor compatibility, making it difficult to interface with external devices using different protocols;

[0008] 4. High maintenance costs; failure of a single module often requires replacement of the entire board.

[0009] Therefore, a new design is urgently needed to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0010] In view of the above situation, this utility model provides a combustible gas detector with a communication board and a motherboard that are separated, in order to solve the problems of poor scalability, long development cycle, poor compatibility and high maintenance cost.

[0011] The technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0012] This utility model discloses a combustible gas detector with a communication board and a main board that are separate, comprising:

[0013] The detector's mainboard includes a main control module, a gas sensor, an audible and visual alarm module, and a power management module, all connected to the main control module. The main control module is used for data acquisition, signal processing, threshold judgment, alarm logic control, and interaction with the communication board. The gas sensor is used to detect combustible gases, and when the detected gas concentration exceeds a preset threshold, the audible and visual alarm module triggers an audible and visual alarm signal.

[0014] A communication board that can be plugged into the detector motherboard, having a positioning module and at least one of a short-range communication interface and a long-range communication module.

[0015] The interface component used to connect the detector motherboard and the communication board. For the interface between the communication board and the motherboard, to ensure a strong and stable connection, a pin header interface component or a surface mount interface component is recommended.

[0016] Preferably, the pin header interface assembly includes two sets of female headers arranged on the motherboard and two sets of pin headers arranged on the communication board, wherein the female headers and pin headers are matched; the pin header interface assembly includes group A and group B, with a total number of pins ≤ 20 and a pin spacing of 2.54mm, to meet the needs of signal transmission and power supply, while maintaining the compactness of the interface, and the number of pins in group A and group B is asymmetrical to achieve foolproof design. Further, group A has 10 pins and group B has 9 pins, and the two sets of pin headers are respectively located at both ends of the communication board along its length.

[0017] Preferably, the communication board has its own main control module, which communicates with the detector motherboard via UART serial port. The pins include: power supply pin VCC_3V3, data transmission pin UART_TX / RX, and board type identification pin FUNC_ID.

[0018] Preferably, the communication board has no main control module. The main control module of the detector motherboard directly manages and controls the functional chips on the communication board through independent control signal lines. The pins include: the serial port pin LOC_TX / RX of the positioning module, the enable pin LR_CTRL of the long-range module, and the status feedback pin NP_STATUS of the short-range module.

[0019] Preferably, the short-range communication interface is an interface for outputting wired or wireless switch signals to link with external safety devices, such as switch signals, or integrating a Bluetooth module or a flash module. It is used to control external devices to achieve intelligent gas safety applications, such as the linkage response of gas meters (cutting off gas supply), solenoid valves (closing pipelines), exhaust fans (removing leaked gas), window openers (ventilation), etc.

[0020] Preferably, the long-distance communication module is one of a LoRa module, an NB-IoT module, an LTE Cat.1 module, or a WiFi module. Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) modules are suitable for low-power, wide-coverage scenarios; LTE Cat.1 (CAT1) modules provide medium-speed data transmission and are suitable for scenarios with high real-time requirements; LoRa modules are suitable for self-organizing networks and long-distance transmission scenarios; and WiFi modules are suitable for scenarios with WiFi networks in homes or businesses, providing high-speed data transmission and remote interaction.

[0021] Preferably, the pin header interface assembly includes group A and group B, with a total number of pins ≤ 20 and a pin spacing of 2.54 mm. The number of pins in group A and group B is asymmetrical to prevent mistaken identification.

[0022] Preferably, group A has 10 pins and group B has 9 pins, with the two groups of pins located at both ends of the communication board along its length.

[0023] Furthermore, the gas sensor employs semiconductor, catalytic combustion, infrared absorption, TDLAS laser, and other related signal conditioning circuits for real-time combustible gas detection. When the detected gas concentration exceeds a preset threshold, the mainboard will trigger an audible and visual alarm to alert personnel.

[0024] The beneficial effects of this utility model by adopting the above structure are as follows:

[0025] 1. Flexible adaptation to different communication needs. The core advantage of this utility model lies in its excellent flexibility, which can easily adapt to various complex and ever-changing communication expansion needs. This "configuration on demand" mode allows a basic combustible gas detector to evolve into a variety of products with different functions by replacing different communication boards, greatly expanding the product's applicability and market competitiveness.

[0026] 2. Improved Product Development Efficiency and Scalability. Because the communication function is independently designed on a pluggable communication board, the motherboard design can be relatively fixed and standardized. This means that when developing a series of detector products with similar functions but different communication methods, the basic hardware and software of the motherboard (such as gas detection algorithms, alarm logic, power management, etc.) can be reused, eliminating the need to redesign the entire detector for each communication method. Developers only need to focus on designing and validating different communication boards and interfacing them with the motherboard through standardized interfaces. This modular development approach significantly shortens the development cycle of new products and reduces development costs.

[0027] 3. Enhanced Equipment Compatibility and Application Diversity. By adopting a pluggable communication board design, this invention greatly enhances the compatibility of the combustible gas detector with external devices from different manufacturers and of different types, and expands the diversity of its application scenarios. The communication board can integrate multiple control interfaces and protocols as needed, enabling it to link with various external devices. This strong compatibility means that the combustible gas detector is no longer an isolated alarm device, but can be integrated into a wider range of smart security and IoT ecosystems. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to explain the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a combustible gas detector with a communication board and a main board separated, provided by this utility model;

[0030] Figure 2 Scheme 1 for the communication board: Interface definition diagram of the communication board's built-in main control module;

[0031] Figure 3 Scheme 2 for the communication board: Interface definition diagram of the communication board without a main control module;

[0032] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the communication process of Scheme 1 for the communication board;

[0033] Figure 5 The communication flowchart for implementing Scheme 2 on the communication board.

[0034] In the diagram: 100, Detector mainboard; 101, Communication board interface busbar A group; 102, Communication board interface busbar B group; 103, Mainboard main control module; 104, Mainboard power management module; 105, Mainboard gas sensor; 106, Mainboard audible and visual alarm module;

[0035] 200. Communication sub-board; 201. Communication board interface pin header group A; 202. Communication board interface pin header group B; 203. Communication board positioning module; 204. Communication board short-range communication module; 205. Communication board long-range communication module;

[0036] 300. Schematic diagram of communication board implementation scheme 1; 301. Interface pin header group A of communication board scheme 1; 302. Interface pin header group B of communication board scheme 1; 303. Schematic diagram of communication interface definition of communication board scheme 1;

[0037] 400. Schematic diagram of communication board implementation scheme two; 401. Interface pin header group A of communication board scheme two; 402. Interface pin header group B of communication board scheme two; 403. Schematic diagram of positioning interface definition of communication board scheme two; 404. Schematic diagram of long-distance communication interface definition of communication board scheme two; 405. Schematic diagram of short-distance communication interface definition of communication board scheme two. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0039] like Figure 1 The diagram shows the overall structure of a combustible gas detector with a separate communication board and main board. It describes the core functional definitions of the main board and communication sub-board, as well as the physical connection diagram between them. The core functions of the main board include: 103, main board control module; 104, main board power management module; 105, main board gas sensor; 106, main board audible and visual alarm module. Optional functions of the communication sub-board include: 203, communication board positioning module; 204, communication board short-range communication module; 205, communication board long-range communication module.

[0040] As an independent functional module, the core value of the communication board lies in its versatility and configurability. Therefore, the functionality of the communication board can be designed and combined according to market needs, incorporating different features. For example, for home users, an affordable local alarm version or a version with smart home integration capabilities can be launched; for industrial and commercial users, a professional version supporting remote monitoring, data logging, and multi-device linkage can be offered. This "basic platform + configurable communication module" model greatly enriches the product line, reduces development costs, and enables rapid response to market changes.

[0041] The key to this separate design is that the communication board, as an independent physical module, can be easily installed or removed from the detector body. The mainboard has a reserved standard interface through which the communication board electrically connects and exchanges data with the mainboard. This separation significantly improves the detector's adaptability to different communication needs. For example, for scenarios requiring only local alarm functionality, a communication board is unnecessary; for scenarios requiring remote monitoring and data reporting, a communication board integrating NB-IoT or LoRa wireless communication modules can be selected; for scenarios requiring precise positioning, a communication board integrating BeiDou or GPS modules can be selected; and for scenarios with high real-time requirements, such as real-time monitoring and remote interaction, a communication board integrating CAT1 or higher-speed wireless communication modules or WiFi modules can be selected.

[0042] For the physical connection between the communication board and the motherboard, pin headers or surface mount technology (SMT) are recommended. Pin headers are easy to insert and remove, inexpensive, and have strong current carrying capacity, but they take up slightly more space; surface mount technology offers high space utilization, superior high-frequency performance, and strong vibration resistance, but is not easy to disassemble. The choice between these two methods should be based on the product design requirements.

[0043] This manual uses a pin header configuration as an example, primarily implemented through pin headers and female headers. The communication board integrates two sets of male pin headers, which are respectively positioned at both ends of the communication board along its length or width (e.g., ...). Figure 1 As shown: 201, Communication board interface pin header group A; 202, Communication board interface pin header group B). Correspondingly, the motherboard has two sets of female headers that perfectly match the position and number of the male headers on the communication board (e.g., Figure 1 As shown: 101, Communication board interface busbar group A; 102, Communication board interface busbar group B).

[0044] This pin header layout with groups at both ends significantly improves the structural strength and stability of the connection compared to a single row or centralized layout, especially in applications subject to vibration or mechanical stress. For example, a dual-row pin header with a 2.54mm pitch can be selected, with 9 to 10 pins per group, keeping the total number of pins below 20 to meet the needs of signal transmission and power supply while maintaining a compact interface.

[0045] In terms of electrical interfaces, the pin definitions of the header need to be carefully designed to ensure correct and efficient data exchange and power transmission between the communication board and the motherboard. Typical pin definitions should include: at least one pair of power supply pins (VCC and GND) for powering the communication board; one or more sets of communication bus pins (such as SPI, I2C, UART, or a parallel bus with specific functions) for data interaction between the main control chip and various functional modules on the communication board (such as positioning modules, wireless communication modules, device control interfaces, etc.); and several control signal pins for implementing functions such as module enable, interrupt request, and status indication.

[0046] To ensure reliable connection, pin headers and female headers should be selected based on their quality, low contact resistance, and long mating life. Appropriate fixing or support structures should also be designed around the connectors to prevent them from loosening or falling off.

[0047] In addition, the interface design should also consider foolproof measures, such as using an asymmetrical pin header layout or setting a positioning key, to prevent incorrect insertion of the communication board and subsequent device damage. This implementation case describes an asymmetrical pin header layout method, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, group A has 10 needles and group B has 9 needles. This design can prevent 180° misinsertion.

[0048] Communication board implementation scheme one:

[0049] The communication daughterboard has its own main control module, which is responsible for managing various functional modules (such as GPS, LoRa, BLE, etc.) and executing protocol stack processing, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the daughterboard and the motherboard are connected via a UART serial port. Detailed pin definitions are illustrated in Table 1 below.

[0050] Table 1 Pin Definitions of the Communication Board with Built-in Main Control Module

[0051] 1 VCC_3V3 Digital power supply Powering the digital circuitry on the daughterboard 2 VCC_5V Boost / Relay Power Supply Powering the boost circuit and relay 3 GND public land Common ground for signal and power 4 GND Additional Reduce ground impedance to reduce EMI 5 UART_TX Daughterboard → Motherboard Data Serial port data transmission 6 UART_RX Motherboard → Daughterboard Data Serial port data reception 7 FUNC_ID Function group type identification Identifying the daughterboard type using ADC 8 STATUS Operation / Fault Indication Indicator board working status 9 BOOT_MODE Upgrade / burning mode Control board startup mode 10 NC reserve Unused 11 NC reserve Unused 12 NC reserve Unused 13 NC reserve Unused 14 NC reserve Unused 15 NC reserve Unused 16 NC reserve Unused 17 NC reserve Unused 18 NC reserve Unused 19 RESET Low-level reset board Reset board control

[0052] The communication process of Option 1 is as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the details are as follows:

[0053] 1. Power-on identification. After the motherboard powers on, it provides VCC_3V3 and VCC_5V power to the communication daughterboard. The daughterboard outputs voltage divider signals with different resistance values ​​through the FUNC_ID pin, and the motherboard reads this signal to identify the daughterboard type.

[0054] 2. Handshake Negotiation. The motherboard sends a handshake request frame to the daughterboard at a baud rate of 9600bps. The daughterboard sends a response frame to the motherboard according to its highest supported baud rate (maximum 115200bps). The motherboard adjusts its baud rate according to the response frame, and the two sides complete the handshake and establish a communication link.

[0055] 3. Data communication, such as gas concentration, location information, network status, etc. The motherboard sends commands to the daughterboard via the UART serial port according to the preset reporting cycle or trigger event, thereby expanding functionality from local alarms to remote data reporting and remote control. Example data frame format: 1 start bit (0xAA), 1 command bit (e.g., 0x01 indicates data reporting), 1 length bit (indicating data length), N data bits, and 1 CRC8 checksum. For example, a gas concentration data frame of 0xAA0x010x020x100x20CRC8 indicates a concentration of 0x1020 (4128) ppm.

[0056] 4. Status Feedback. After receiving the command from the motherboard, the daughterboard executes the corresponding operation and sends the execution result back to the motherboard via the STATUS pin. Simultaneously, it sends a detailed execution result frame via the UART serial port. Example execution result frame format: Start bit (0xBB), Command Response bit (e.g., 0x66 for response), Status bit (e.g., 0x00 for success), Data bits (if any error codes are present), CRC8 checksum. For example, the response frame for successfully closing the gas valve is 0xBB 0x66 0x000x00 CRC8.

[0057] 5. Error Handling. During communication, if a data verification error occurs or a timeout occurs without a response, the motherboard will resend the data or command. If the resend attempt fails more than three times, the motherboard will pull down the RESET pin to trigger a daughterboard reset, and communication will be re-established after the reset.

[0058] Communication board implementation scheme two:

[0059] The communication daughterboard has no main control module, only communication chips (such as BDS, NB-IoT, NearLink modules, etc.) and their auxiliary circuitry. The daughterboard is directly connected to the motherboard via multiple signal lines. The motherboard is responsible for all data processing and protocol stack management, such as... Figure 3 As shown in Table 2, specific pin definitions are illustrated below:

[0060] Table 2 Pin Definitions for Communication Boards Without a Main Control Module

[0061]

[0062] The communication process of Scheme 2 is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, it is largely similar to Scheme 1, as detailed below:

[0063] 1. Power-on identification. After the motherboard is powered on, it sends an initialization sequence to each communication module by controlling the LOC_CTRL, LR_CTRL, and NP_CTRL pins. The modules then provide feedback on their status through the LOC_STATUS, LR_STATUS, and NP_STATUS pins.

[0064] 2. Data Communication. The daughterboard and the motherboard communicate via the LOC_TX / RX, LR_TX / RX, and NP_TX / RX pins.

[0065] 3. Status feedback. Each communication module sends status information to the motherboard via the LOC_STATUS, LR_STATUS, and NP_STATUS pins.

[0066] 4. Anomaly Handling. Anomaly handling is mainly the responsibility of the motherboard, which monitors and manages the communication sub-board to ensure the stable operation of the system. This mainly includes: (1) Data verification error: After receiving data, the motherboard performs verification. If an error is found, the data is discarded and the communication sub-board is requested to retransmit it; (2) Receive timeout: After the motherboard sends data or a command, it starts a timer. If no response is received after the timeout, the data is retransmitted. If the number of retransmissions exceeds the threshold, the sub-board is considered to be faulty; (3) Command execution failure: After the communication sub-board executes the command, it feeds back the result through the status pin. The motherboard takes measures based on the feedback, such as retransmitting the correct command or recording the error information and notifying the user. When the motherboard detects that the communication sub-board is faulty or the communication link cannot be restored, it will record detailed error information and notify the user in a timely manner to facilitate the user's repair or replacement of parts, ensuring the reliability and availability of the system.

[0067] This implementation case provides a reference for selecting key components:

[0068] Main control module: GD32L235CBT6. This is a low-power MCU based on the Cortex-M23 core, featuring rich peripheral interfaces and powerful processing capabilities, suitable for motherboard control of communication modules and data processing.

[0069] Long-distance communication module (CAT1): China Mobile IoT ML307R. This module features deep cost and power consumption optimization, excellent compatibility and scalability, and supports multiple interface expansions to meet the needs of home, industrial and commercial, and underground space scenarios.

[0070] Bluetooth Module: HC-05. This is a classic Bluetooth serial module that supports Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, offering stable connectivity and low power consumption, making it suitable for short-range communication.

[0071] Pin headers and female headers: Molex 10P and 9P pin headers with a pitch of 2.54mm can be used.

[0072] Finally, it should be noted that the above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the utility model. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A combustible gas detector with a communication board and a main board separated, comprising a detector main board, on which a main control module and a power management module are provided, characterized in that: The detector motherboard also includes a gas sensor and an audible and visual alarm module connected to the main control module; Also includes: A communication board that can be plugged into the detector motherboard, having a positioning module and at least one of a short-range communication interface and a long-range communication module. An interface component used to connect the detector's mainboard and the communication board.

2. A combustible gas detector with a communication board and motherboard separated according to claim 1, characterized in that: The communication board has its own main control module, which communicates with the main control module of the detector motherboard via UART serial port. The pins include: power supply pin VCC_3V3, data transmission pin UART_TX / RX, and board type identification pin FUNC_ID.

3. A combustible gas detector with a communication board and motherboard separated according to claim 1, characterized in that: The communication board has no main control module. The main control module of the detector motherboard directly manages and controls the functional chips on the communication board through independent control signal lines. The pins include: the serial port pin LOC_TX / RX of the positioning module, the enable pin LR_CTRL of the long-range module, and the status feedback pin NP_STATUS of the short-range module.

4. A combustible gas detector with a communication board and motherboard separated according to claim 1, characterized in that: The short-range communication interface is used to output wired or wireless signals to link with external safety devices, such as switch signals or an interface that integrates a Bluetooth module or a flash module.

5. A combustible gas detector with a communication board and motherboard separated according to claim 1, characterized in that: The long-distance communication module is one of LoRa, NB-IoT, LTE Cat.1, or WiFi modules.

6. A combustible gas detector with a communication board and motherboard separated according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The interface component is a pin header interface component or a surface mount interface component.

7. A combustible gas detector with a communication board and motherboard separated according to claim 6, characterized in that: The pin header interface assembly includes two sets of female headers arranged on the motherboard and two sets of pin headers arranged on the communication board. The female headers and pin headers are matched. The pin header interface assembly includes Group A and Group B, with a total number of pins ≤ 20 and a pin spacing of 2.54mm, to meet the needs of signal transmission and power supply, while maintaining the compactness of the interface. The number of pins in Group A and Group B is asymmetrical to achieve foolproof design.

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