Control device of snow melting system

Abstract

Provided is a control device for controlling a snow melting system. The control device comprises: a power input unit to which AC power is input; at least two relay terminals connected to a plurality of heating coils to turn on / off a current applied to the heating coils; a sensor connection terminal unit to which a plurality of environmental sensors are connected; and a communication unit for communicating with an external manager terminal, wherein a first heating coil unit, which is part of the plurality of heating coils, is connected to a first relay terminal among the at least two relay terminals, a second heating coil unit, which is the remaining part of the plurality of heating coils, is connected to a second relay terminal among the at least two relay terminals, and the control device is configured to heat the plurality of heating coils in a preheating operation mode, in which the first heating coil unit and the second heating coil unit alternately operate, or in a main operation mode, in which the first heating coil unit and the second heating coil unit operate together, by a relay operation of the at least two relay terminals.

Description

Control device for snow melting system

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device for a snow melting system, and more specifically, to a control device for a snow melting system that is installed on a road and a bridge and starts generating heat in conditions of freezing and snowfall, thereby preventing safety accidents of vehicles and pedestrians caused by snow and ice on a road in winter.

[0002] In general, among traffic accidents that occur on the road, the proportion of slipping accidents due to road ice in winter is high, and the frequency of accidents is high in areas with frequent ice formation, such as steep, curved roads, overpasses, bridge sections, and tunnel entrances and exits.

[0003]

[0004] The number of casualties and massive property damage caused by large and small traffic accidents due to road ice in winter is increasing every year, and although the initial work is very important for snow removal due to snowfall, if quick access to the site is impossible for various reasons such as slippery accidents late at night or during rush hour, the snow removal work is delayed, which significantly increases the risk of severe traffic congestion and traffic accidents.

[0005]

[0006] To prevent this, calcium chloride spraying, a de-icing agent, using snow removal vehicles is widely used, but the corrosion damage to road facilities and various negative impacts on the environment are constantly pointed out as serious problems by environmental groups and road officials, and research results have been reported that the lifespan of road facilities is shortened, such as the death of roadside trees and environmental pollution caused by calcium chloride spraying, and vehicle corrosion damage. In particular, research results have been reported that the welded areas of overpasses and bridges, which are steel structures, corrode 20 to 40 times faster.

[0007]

[0008] Recently, a method of preventing freezing on roads in winter by installing electric heating wires has been adopted. This method involves laying rebar mesh or securing strips before new paving. The wires are then laid, piped, and secured over this layer. This is then covered with asphalt or cement concrete.

[0009]

[0010] However, this method of burying electric heating wires has the problem that the amount of electricity used increases due to heat loss from the heating wires, which places a great burden on facility maintenance and management, resulting in significant economic losses. Therefore, there is a need for a method that can improve the efficiency of snow removal or anti-icing while reducing electricity usage.

[0011]

[0012] (Prior art literature)

[0013] (Patent Document)

[0014] 1. Korean Patent No. 10-2372904 (March 4, 2022)

[0015] The present invention is an invention devised based on the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a control device for a snow melting system having a function of preventing freezing of a road and removing snow loaded on the road through an electric heating wire or heating coil.

[0016] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, a control device is provided for controlling a snow melting system including a plurality of heating coils to remove snow accumulated on a road or prevent the road from freezing, wherein the control device comprises:

[0017] Power input section where AC power is input;

[0018] At least two relay terminals connected to the plurality of heating coils to turn the heating coils on / off;

[0019] A sensor connection terminal section to which multiple environmental sensors are connected; and

[0020] Includes a communication unit for communicating with an external administrator terminal,

[0021] A first heating coil unit, which is a part of the plurality of heating coils, is connected to a first relay terminal among the at least two relay terminals, and a second heating coil unit, which is a remaining part of the plurality of heating coils, is connected to a second relay terminal among the at least two relay terminals.

[0022] The above control device is configured to heat the plurality of heating coils in a preheating operation mode in which the first heating coil unit and the second heating coil unit alternately operate by relay operation of the at least two relay terminals, or in a main operation mode in which the first heating coil unit and the second heating coil unit operate together.

[0023]

[0024] In addition, in the aforementioned aspect, the sensor connection terminal section (23) of the control device is connected to an air temperature measuring sensor for measuring the ambient air temperature of the road on which a plurality of heating coils are buried; a road temperature measuring sensor for measuring the road surface temperature of the road on which a plurality of heating coils are buried; a rainwater measuring sensor for measuring the amount of rainwater on the road surface of the road on which a plurality of heating coils are buried; and a wind speed measuring sensor for measuring the wind speed around the road on which a plurality of heating coils are buried.

[0025]

[0026] Additionally, in any of the aforementioned aspects, the control device may further include a voltage setting dip switch for setting an input voltage and a communication setting dip switch for wired and wireless communication.

[0027]

[0028] In addition, in any one of the aforementioned aspects, the control device further includes a status display unit, and the status display unit may include a preheating operation status LED for indicating that the heating device is operating in a preheating operation mode, a main operation status LED for indicating that the heating device is operating in a main operation mode, a stop LED for indicating that the heating device is stopped, a communication link LED for indicating that the communication unit of the control device is operating normally, and a power LED for indicating a power status of the control device.

[0029]

[0030] Additionally, in any one of the aforementioned aspects, the status display unit may further include a first LED window for displaying the current road surface temperature and the preheating set temperature; a second LED window for displaying the current standby temperature and the main operation set temperature; and a third LED window for displaying the current rain value.

[0031]

[0032] In addition, in any one of the aforementioned aspects, the snowmelting system further includes an administrator terminal connected via the communication unit, and the administrator terminal is configured to access the control device via a web browser, and when the administrator terminal accesses the control device, the control device is configured to provide a web-based management interface to the administrator terminal via HTML, and the administrator terminal can be configured to change a preheating operation setting temperature used in a preheating operation mode used in the control device; a main operation setting temperature used in a main operation mode; and a rainfall reference amount via the web-based management interface.

[0033]

[0034] Additionally, in any of the aforementioned aspects, the web-based management interface can be configured to display information on the current air temperature; current road surface temperature; rainfall; and wind speed on the manager terminal.

[0035] According to the present invention, a control device capable of more efficiently controlling a snow melting system that functions to prevent freezing of a road and remove snow loaded on the road through an electric heating coil can be provided.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an example of a snow melting system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Fig. 2 is a drawing showing an example of a heating device installed on a road;

[0038] Figures 3 and 4 are drawings showing the configuration of a control device connected to a heating device;

[0039] Figure 5 is a drawing showing the process of establishing communication between an administrator terminal and a control device;

[0040] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the function of the control screen displayed on the administrator terminal;

[0041] Fig. 7 is a drawing showing an example of a login management unit;

[0042] Fig. 8 is a drawing showing an example of a preheating operation temperature setting unit;

[0043] Fig. 9 is a drawing showing an example of a main operation temperature setting unit;

[0044] Fig. 10 is a drawing showing an example of a superior setting section;

[0045] Figure 11 is a screen showing an example of a forced main operation time setting section;

[0046] Figure 12 is a drawing showing the screen configuration of the environmental monitoring department;

[0047] Fig. 13 is a drawing showing an example of a voltage warning unit;

[0048] Fig. 14 is a drawing showing an example of a communication abnormality display unit;

[0049] Fig. 15 is a drawing showing an example of a manual status display unit;

[0050] Fig. 16 is a drawing showing an example of an error display section;

[0051] Fig. 17 is a drawing showing an example of a system on / off section;

[0052] Fig. 18 is a drawing showing an example of an automatic and manual operation selection unit;

[0053] Figure 19 is a drawing showing an example of a field name input section;

[0054] Figure 20 is a diagram exemplarily showing the status of a communication LINK.

[0055] The advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the detailed embodiments described below, along with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms.

[0056]

[0057] The embodiments described herein are provided to ensure a complete disclosure of the present invention and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the present invention is defined solely by the scope of the claims. Accordingly, in some embodiments, well-known components, operations, and techniques are not specifically described to avoid ambiguity in the interpretation of the present invention.

[0058]

[0059] Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. Furthermore, the terms used (or referred to) in this specification are for the purpose of describing embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, singular forms also include plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the phrase "comprises (or comprises)" does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements and operations.

[0060]

[0061] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used in their common sense to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless otherwise defined.

[0062]

[0063] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0064]

[0065] Fig. 1 is a drawing showing an example of a snow melting system (1) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the snow melting system (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed on roads where vehicle accidents or pedestrian accidents may occur due to road ice or snow accumulation, such as steep, curved roads, overpasses, bridges, tunnel entrances and exits, and shaded roads (hereinafter referred to as roads expected to be icy).

[0066]

[0067] As shown, the snow melting system (1) is connected to an external network (60) through an AP (Access Point), and is further connected to an external administrator terminal device (40) to receive control commands from the administrator terminal device (40) or display current operating status data of the snow melting system (1) on the administrator terminal device (40).

[0068]

[0069] The control device (20) of the snow melting system (1) is provided with a communication module that supports wired and wireless networking, and the communication module may include a wireless communication module (e.g., a cellular communication module including 3G, 4G, and 5G, a short-range wireless communication module, or a GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (e.g., a LAN (local area network) communication module, or a power line communication module).

[0070]

[0071] Here, the communication module can communicate with an external administrator terminal or server via a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi direct or IrDA (infrared data association) and / or a long-range communication network such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN).

[0072]

[0073] Hereinafter, each component of the snow melting system (1) will be described in more detail. The snow melting system (1) is configured to include a heating unit (11, 12) including a plurality of heating coils installed on a road expected to be frozen; a plurality of sensor devices (30) installed on or around the road expected to be frozen to measure environmental factors affecting freezing of the road, such as air temperature, wind speed, amount of rain, and road surface temperature around the road expected to be frozen; and a control device (20) that controls the operation of the heating device (10) in response to environmental factor measurement values ​​measured from the plurality of sensor devices (30) and communicates with the aforementioned manager terminal.

[0074]

[0075] Fig. 2 is a drawing showing an example of a heating device (10) installed on a road. As shown, the heating device (10) includes a plurality of heating coils (11, 12). The plurality of heating coils are connected to a power line via a relay terminal (22 (22a, 22b)) of a control device (20) described below, and power is supplied to the heating coils (11, 12) by switching control of the relay terminal (22) of the control device.

[0076]

[0077] The relay terminal section (22) of the control device (20) is not limited thereto, but includes a first relay section (22a) and a second relay section (22b) that operate independently of each other, and each of the plurality of heating coils (11, 12) is connected to the first relay section (22a) or the second relay section (22b). Accordingly, the plurality of heating coils (11, 12) buried in the road can be operated in a preheating operation mode (or first operation mode) in which only some of them are operated by the relay control of the control device (20) under specific conditions, or in a main operation mode (or second operation mode) in which all of them are operated.

[0078]

[0079] The first operation mode or the second operation mode of the plurality of heating coils (11, 12) can be automatically selected and operated based on the setting value set in the control device (20), and can also be forcibly operated by the administrator terminal (40).

[0080]

[0081] In the first operation mode, the plurality of heating coils (11, 12) are sequentially operated at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 10-minute intervals or 20-minute intervals), but in the second operation mode, all of the plurality of heating coils (11, 12) can generate heat. In the second operation mode, all are turned on for a predetermined operation time (e.g., 20 minutes, 25 minutes, 30 minutes) to generate heat, and in order to prevent damage to the heating coils, they have an operation cycle in which all are turned off for a predetermined rest time (5 minutes) after the predetermined operation time.

[0082]

[0083] In this way, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of heating coils (11, 12) are configured to operate independently of each other, so that in an environment where snow or ice does not actually form on the road surface, the system can be operated at a minimum, thereby preventing unnecessary power loss.

[0084]

[0085] The sensor device (30) preferably includes an air temperature sensor (31), a wind speed sensor (32), a rainfall sensor (33), and a road surface temperature sensor (34) associated with road surface ice and snow accumulation.

[0086]

[0087] Preferably, the air temperature sensor (31) is configured to measure the ambient air temperature around the heating device (10) installed, and the control device (20) is configured to operate the heating device (10) in the second operating mode, which is the main operating mode, based on the ambient air temperature. For example, when the ambient air temperature measured by the air temperature sensor (31) is below a predetermined value (e.g., -15°C), the control device (20) operates the heating device (10) in the second operating mode, which is the main operating mode.

[0088]

[0089] The wind speed sensor (32) is configured to measure the wind speed around the heating device (10) installed, and the control device (20) is configured to change the set value of the first operation mode or the second operation mode in which the heating device (10) is automatically operated based on the wind speed. For example, the control device (20) is set to operate in the first operation mode when the road surface temperature is 3°C (preheating operation set temperature) or lower through the melting system set value setting, and to operate in the second operation mode when the road surface temperature is 1°C (main operation set temperature) or lower. However, when the wind speed value detected by the wind speed sensor (32) is higher than a predetermined reference value, the preheating operation set temperature and the main operation set temperature are configured to be changed. For example, the control device (20) can be operated to increase the preheating operation set temperature from 3°C to 4°C and the main operation set temperature from 1°C to 2°C when the wind speed is 30 m / s or 40 m / s or higher. This is because, even at the same temperature, when the wind blows strongly, the speed of road freezing increases due to the strong wind.

[0090]

[0091] The rain sensor (31) is configured to measure the amount of rainwater or rainfall on the road where the heating device (10) is installed, and the control device (20) is configured to operate the heating device (10) in a first operation mode or a second operation mode based on the amount of rainfall. For example, the rain sensor (33) measures the amount of rainwater accumulated on the road, and when the amount of rainwater is equal to or greater than a set amount, the heating device (10) can be operated in the main operation mode even though the road surface temperature is a preheating operation mode operation condition.

[0092]

[0093] The road surface temperature sensor (34) is configured to measure the road surface temperature of the road on which the heating device (10) is installed, and the control device (20) is configured to operate or stop the heating device (10) based on the road surface temperature, or to operate the heating device (10) in a first operation mode or a second operation mode.

[0094]

[0095] In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensor device (30) may further include an illuminance sensor (not shown). The illuminance sensor is provided to distinguish between a shaded area and a sunny area of ​​the road surface where the heating device (10) is installed. That is, it is possible to distinguish between a shaded area and a sunny area of ​​the road surface based on the measurement value measured by the illuminance sensor, and accordingly, it is possible to set the operating times of the first heating coil and the second heating coil differently. For example, by allocating more operating time to a heating coil installed under a road surface with low illuminance (a shaded road surface) compared to a heating coil installed under a sunny road surface where the illuminance is not low, the temperature of the road surface can be prevented from dropping more efficiently with the same power.

[0096]

[0097] As described above, the operating conditions of the heating device (10) using multiple sensors will be described in more detail below.

[0098]

[0099] Figures 3 and 4 are drawings showing the configuration of the control device (20) as described above. As shown in Figure 3, the control device (20) is configured to include an AC power input section (21); a relay terminal section (22a, 22b); a sensor connection terminal section (23); an operation section (24); a status display section (25); a dip switch (26); and a communication section (27).

[0100]

[0101] The control device (20) is connected to a distribution board (not shown), and the power supplied to the distribution board is connected to the buried heating coils (11, 12). The power supply from the distribution board to the heating coils (11, 12) is configured to be turned on or off by the switching operation of the first and second relays provided in the control device (20).

[0102]

[0103] As illustrated, the control device (20) includes a sensor connection terminal (23) to which a plurality of environmental sensors, for example, an air temperature sensor, a wind speed sensor, a rain sensor, and a road surface temperature sensor, are connected, and the values ​​of temperature, wind speed, rain, and road surface temperature detected from the sensors can be input to the control device (20) through the sensor connection terminal (23).

[0104]

[0105] The control circuit of the control device (20) is further provided with a distribution board connection part (29). The distribution board connection part (29) receives a selected signal from the distribution board, for example, a signal of manual mode and an automatic mode, and when a manual mode signal is input, the control device (20) operates the heating device (10) based on a stop or operation signal of an operation switch of the distribution board. On the other hand, when an automatic mode signal is input from the distribution board, the control device (20) operates the heating device (10) in a preheating operation mode or a main operation mode according to specific conditions by a program input to the control device (20).

[0106]

[0107] The control device (20) includes an operation unit (24) composed of a plurality of operation switches. The user is provided with the ability to set values ​​necessary for automatic operation of the control device, such as a preheating operation set temperature (road temperature), a main operation set temperature (road temperature), a preheating operation time, an operation cycle, an air temperature setting, a wind speed reference value, and a rainfall reference value, by operating the switches provided in the operation unit (24). The values ​​set through the control device are stored in a storage unit (28) and can be displayed on an administrator terminal through a communication unit (27).

[0108]

[0109] For example, a user can enter the setting mode by pressing the operation switch to change the preheating operation set temperature or the main operation set temperature, and change the preheating operation set temperature or the main operation set temperature saved in the setting mode. The setting mode can be entered by pressing the up switch and the down switch simultaneously for more than 5 seconds as shown in Fig. 4, and at this time, the set preheating mode set value and the set main operation mode set value are displayed on the left and right LED (FND: Flexible Numeric Display) modules, and the user can select the desired temperature set value through the left and right switches, select the temperature through the up and down switches, and change the set value by pressing the set button provided in the operation switch section.

[0110]

[0111] The control device (20) includes a status display unit (25). The status display unit includes an LED light-emitting unit that indicates various statuses of the device, such as a preheating status LED, a main operation status LED, a stop LED, a communication link LED, and a power on / off LED; and an LED display unit (FND) that indicates road surface temperature, air temperature, preheating temperature, main operation temperature, and rainfall values.

[0112]

[0113] The user can check whether the device is operating in preheating mode or main operation mode, whether the device is stopped, and whether communication is operating normally through the status LED light, and can check the various temperatures (road temperature, preheating temperature, air temperature) and rain values ​​displayed through the LED display (FND).

[0114]

[0115] In addition, the control device (20) includes a dip switch (26) that can change voltage and communication settings. The dip switch includes a voltage switch section provided to set the voltage to 200 V, 380 V, and 440 V, and a wired / wireless communication switch section that can set the communication of the control device (20) to wireless or wired. The user can set the voltage (220 V, 380 V, 440 V) used to generate heat in the heating device through the voltage switch section. The heating device allows various types of input voltages to be set according to the installation location. The voltage set through the dip switch can be displayed on the administrator terminal as described below.

[0116]

[0117] As described above, the control device (20) provides both a wired communication interface such as a LAN and a wireless communication interface such as WIFI. Depending on the installation environment of the control device (20), either a wired communication interface or a wireless communication interface may be used, and this may be preferably selected through the wired / wireless communication switch section provided in the dip switch (26) as described above.

[0118]

[0119] Referring again to FIG. 3, the control device (20) further includes a storage unit (28). In addition to values ​​set by the user through the control device (20), the storage unit (28) stores communication information required for communication of the control device (20). The communication information includes IP information, gateway information, and subnet information assigned to the control device (20), and when WIFI is used, information such as the WIFI SSID value and WIFI password may be included.

[0120]

[0121] Additionally, it is desirable that the storage unit (28) further include HTML files such as a login page, a main screen page, and a settings page to support external web access of the administrator terminal (40).

[0122]

[0123] Referring again to FIG. 1, the control device (20) is configured to communicate with the administrator terminal (40) via a network (60). The administrator terminal (40) includes a web browser to connect to the control device (20). The administrator can establish a connection with the control device (20) by entering the IP address of the control device (20), which is the connection target, into the web browser provided on the administrator terminal (40).

[0124]

[0125] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a communication establishment process between an administrator terminal (40) and a control device (20). When an administrator terminal (40) attempts to connect to the control device (20) by entering an IP address in the address input field of the web browser of the control device (20), the control device (20) displays a login page stored in the storage unit (28) described above on the administrator terminal (40). A user enters an ID and password on the login page, and if the ID and password match the values ​​stored in the storage unit (28), the main screen page is transmitted to the user's web browser and displayed (provision of a web-based management interface).

[0126]

[0127] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the function of the control screen (web-based management interface) displayed on the administrator terminal (40) as described above. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the control screen includes a login management unit (410) for login management, a preheating operation temperature setting unit (415) for setting a preheating operation temperature, a main operation temperature setting unit (420) for setting a main operation temperature, a rainfall setting unit (425) for setting a rainwater amount, a forced main operation time setting unit (430) for setting a forced main operation time, an environment monitoring unit (435) for monitoring a value measured from a sensor, a voltage warning unit (440) for displaying a voltage warning, a communication error display unit (445) for displaying a communication error, a manual status display unit (450) for displaying that the heating device is being operated manually, an error display unit (455) for displaying an error of the device, a system on / off unit (460) for turning the snowmelting system on / off, and an automatic / manual operation selection unit (465) for selecting automatic or manual operation of the heating device.

[0128]

[0129] Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a login management unit (410). As illustrated in Fig. 7, a login management screen can be displayed on the administrator terminal by pressing the ID / PW change button provided on the main screen displayed after a user logs in. The user can then input the current ID and current password through the login management screen, and then create a new ID or change the current password.

[0130]

[0131] Fig. 8 is a drawing showing an example of a preheating operation temperature setting unit (415). As shown in Fig. 8, the temperature setting unit of the preheating road surface sets the preheating operation temperature through the preheating temperature setting field. The set preheating operation temperature cannot be set lower than the main operation temperature, and the set preheating operation temperature is stored in the control device. As shown in the drawing, the preheating operation temperature setting unit displays the road surface temperature and the preheating operation temperature together on the screen, and when the heating device is currently in preheating operation, the corresponding menu may blink or be displayed in color so that the user can see at a glance that the preheating operation is in progress. Preferably, the preheating operation temperature may be 3℃.

[0132]

[0133] Meanwhile, although not shown, the preheating operation temperature setting unit (415) may be configured to further set the operating times of the plurality of heating coils used for preheating operation. As described above, when the heating device is operating in the preheating operation mode, the plurality of heating coils constituting the heating device are configured to be grouped into at least two pairs so that the first heating coil and the second heating coil alternately operate for heating. In this case, the user can set the operating times of the first heating coil and the second heating coil through the heating time setting. For example, if the operating times of the first heating coil and the second heating coil are each set to the same value of 10 minutes, the preheating operation mode is such that the first heating coil is first operated for 10 minutes and then the second heating coil is operated alternately for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, if the operating times of the first heating coil and the second heating coil are set to different values ​​of 5 and 10 minutes, the first heating coil is heated for 5 minutes and the second heating coil is operated for 10 minutes after the operation of the first heating coil is finished.

[0134]

[0135] Setting the operating times of the first and second heating coils differently can vary depending on the road's shading conditions. For example, by allocating more operating time to heating coils installed beneath the road surface, which are exposed to a greater amount of shade due to the surrounding environment, compared to coils that are not exposed to shade, the road surface temperature can be prevented from dropping more efficiently with the same amount of power.

[0136]

[0137] Next, the main operation temperature setting unit (420) will be described. Fig. 9 is a drawing showing an example of the main operation temperature setting unit (420). Similar to the preheating operation temperature setting unit illustrated in Fig. 8, the main operation temperature setting unit sets the main operation temperature through the main operation temperature setting field. The set main operation temperature cannot be set higher than the preheating operation temperature, and the set main operation temperature is stored in the control device. As illustrated, the main operation temperature setting unit displays the road surface temperature and main operation temperature together on the screen, and when the heating device is currently in main operation, the corresponding menu may blink or be displayed in color so that the user can see at a glance that the heating device is in main operation. Preferably, the main operation temperature may be 1℃.

[0138]

[0139] Meanwhile, although not shown, the main operation temperature setting unit (415) may be configured to further set the operating times of the multiple heating coils used in the main operation. For example, the main operation temperature setting unit (415) may set the operating time and the rest time for the coils used in the main operation, and if the operating time is set to 20 minutes and the rest time is set to 5 minutes, during the main operation, the multiple heating coils will all have an operating cycle of operating for 20 minutes and resting for 5 minutes.

[0140]

[0141] Fig. 10 is a screen showing an example of a rainfall setting unit (425). The user can set a rainfall reference value through the rainfall setting of the rainfall setting unit (425). The rainfall reference value set through the rainfall setting unit (425) is stored in the control device. The rainfall reference value set in the rainfall setting unit (425) is displayed on the screen together with the rainfall measured from the rainfall sensor. The control device (20) determines the operation mode (preheating operation mode, main operation mode) of the heating device (10) according to the set rainfall reference value. For example, if the measured road surface temperature is lower than the set preheating operation temperature but the measured rainwater amount is higher than the set rainwater reference value, the control device (20) operates the heating device in main operation mode without preheating, and if the road surface temperature is lower than the main operation temperature, the heating device operates in main operation mode regardless of the rainwater amount.

[0142]

[0143] Fig. 11 is a screen showing an example of a forced operation time setting unit (430). The forced operation time setting unit (430) sets the heating device to be forcibly operated in the main operation mode. The user sets the desired forced operation time through the manual time setting screen provided on the screen. In order to forcibly operate the heating device (10) for the time set in the main operation time setting unit (430), as shown in Fig. 11, the automatic mode must be switched to manual mode, and when switching to manual mode, the set manual time is simultaneously displayed on the screen, and it is configured to display to the user that the time is decreasing as time passes.

[0144]

[0145] Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the screen configuration of the environmental monitoring unit (435). As shown in Fig. 12, the environmental monitoring unit (435) is configured to display the current road surface temperature, current rainfall, current air temperature, and current voltage measured from environmental sensors on the screen. In addition, the environmental monitoring unit (435) is configured to further display whether the current system is on or off, and to display whether the current heating device is in preheating operation or in full operation, and is further configured to display the current communication status (Link) and voltage warning status.

[0146]

[0147] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a voltage warning unit (440). The voltage warning unit (440) functions to display a voltage warning on the screen when the current voltage deviates from the reference voltage (e.g., 220 V, 380 V, 440 V) set via a dip switch and a predetermined voltage range (±20 V). When the current voltage deviates from the set reference voltage range, the voltage warning display unit may blink or light up in red, and may also sound a small warning alarm audibly. Even if a voltage warning occurs, it does not affect the control or other systems, but the manager can check the need for inspection through this.

[0148]

[0149] Fig. 14 is a drawing showing an example of a communication abnormality display unit (445). As shown in Fig. 14, when the connection between the control device (20) and the administrator terminal is lost, the color of the entire main screen changes and a notification window notifying that the connection with the device has been lost is displayed on the user screen.

[0150]

[0151] Fig. 15 is a screen showing an example of a manual status display unit (450). As illustrated in Fig. 15, the manual status display unit (450) is provided to display whether the switch of the distribution panel where the control device (20) is installed is automatic or manual. If the switch of the distribution panel is set to automatic, the main screen page is normally displayed on the administrator terminal, but if the switch of the distribution panel is manually operated, the main screen page changes to gray. More specifically, if the switch of the distribution panel is manually operated and the operation button is pressed, the main screen page changes to gray and at the same time, a local operation is in progress and a panel on status window is displayed on the user screen, and if the switch of the distribution panel is manually operated and the stop button is pressed, the main screen page changes to gray and at the same time, a local operation is in progress and a panel off status window is displayed on the user screen, so that the administrator can determine whether the current snow melting system is automatic, manually operated, or manually stopped.

[0152]

[0153] Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of an error display unit (455). The error display unit (455) functions to notify a remote administrator when an error occurs in the snow melting system. For example, if an error occurs in a locally installed control device (20), an error code and a corresponding description are provided on the administrator screen.

[0154]

[0155] Fig. 17 is a drawing showing an example of a system on / off unit (460). As illustrated, an administrator can forcibly turn the system on or off through the system on / off unit (460). When system ON is selected, the system operates in automatic mode, and when system OFF is selected, the system is forcibly turned off when the system is operating in automatic or manual mode. Even when the system is OFF, the environmental monitoring unit operates, so the sensor values, communication connection status, and voltage acquired from the environmental sensor are measured, and the measured sensor values, communication connection status, and voltage are displayed through the environmental monitoring unit (435).

[0156]

[0157] Fig. 18 is a diagram showing an example of an automatic and manual operation selection unit (465). As shown in Fig. 18, the automatic and manual operation selection unit (465) can select whether to operate the snowmelting system in automatic mode or manual mode. This is done through the automatic / manual changeover switch provided on the screen. When automatic is selected, the system operates in preheating operation or main operation mode according to road surface temperature, rain amount, and air temperature conditions, and when manual is selected, the system outputs main operation regardless of road surface temperature, rain amount, and air temperature conditions. When the manual operation selection unit (465) is selected, the system operates manually for the manual setting time as described above.

[0158]

[0159] In addition, the web-based control screen according to the present invention may further include a site name input section for entering and storing the name of the location where the control device (20) is installed. As illustrated in FIG. 19, the site name input section has the function of clicking on a corresponding item displayed on the main screen, entering a name, and storing it. This can facilitate management when snow melting systems are provided in multiple locations by allowing the administrator to enter the site name.

[0160]

[0161] In addition, the web management-based control screen according to the present invention is provided so that the user can easily check the communication status by changing the letters of the LINK window in real time (Link -> lInk -> link -> linK -> Status ->) or lighting up in color when the control device (20) and the administrator terminal (40) are connected to each other through communication, as shown in FIG. 20.

[0162]

[0163] According to the present invention, a control device capable of more efficiently controlling a snow melting system that functions to prevent freezing of a road and remove snow loaded on the road through an electric heating coil can be provided.

[0164]

[0165] The devices described above may be implemented as hardware components, software components, and / or a combination of hardware components and software components. For example, the devices and components described in the embodiments may be implemented using one or more general-purpose computers or special-purpose computers, such as, for example, a processor, a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic unit (PLU), a microprocessor, or any other device capable of executing commands and responding to them. The processing device may execute an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications running on the operating system. In addition, the processing device may access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to the execution of the software. For ease of understanding, the processing device is sometimes described as being used alone; however, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the processing device may include multiple processing elements and / or multiple types of processing elements. For example, a processing unit may include multiple processors, or a processor and a controller. Other processing configurations, such as parallel processors, are also possible.

[0166]

[0167] Software may include a computer program, code, commands, or a combination of one or more of these, and may configure a processing device to perform a desired operation or command the processing device, either independently or collectively. The software and / or data may be embodied in any type of machine, component, physical device, virtual equipment, computer storage medium, or device to be interpreted by the processing device or to provide commands or data to the processing device. The software may be distributed over networked computer systems and stored or executed in a distributed manner. The software and data may be stored on one or more computer-readable recording media.

[0168]

[0169] The method according to the embodiment may be implemented in the form of program commands that can be executed through various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, etc., alone or in combination. The program commands recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the embodiment or may be those known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program commands such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memories. Examples of program commands include not only machine language codes generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0170]

[0171] Although the embodiments described above have been described by way of limited examples and drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made based on the above teachings. For example, appropriate results can still be achieved even if the described techniques are performed in a different order than described, and / or components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc. are combined or combined in a different manner than described, or are replaced or substituted with other components or equivalents.

[0172]

[0173] Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims should also be construed as falling within the scope of the claims described below.

[0174]

[0175] (Explanation of symbols)

[0176] 10: Heating device 20: Control device

[0177] 30: Sensor device 40: Administrator terminal device

[0178] 50: Access Point 60: Network

[0179] 31: Air temperature sensor 32: Wind speed sensor

[0180] 33: Rain sensor 34: Road temperature sensor

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a snow melting system including a plurality of heating coils to remove snow accumulated on a road or prevent the road from freezing, The above control device, Power input section where AC power is input; At least two relay terminals connected to the plurality of heating coils to turn the heating coils on / off); A sensor connection terminal section to which multiple environmental sensors are connected; and Includes a communication unit for communicating with an external administrator terminal, A first heating coil unit, which is a part of the plurality of heating coils, is connected to a first relay terminal among the at least two relay terminals, and a second heating coil unit, which is a remaining part of the plurality of heating coils, is connected to a second relay terminal among the at least two relay terminals. The control device is characterized in that it heats the plurality of heating coils in a preheating operation mode in which the first heating coil unit and the second heating coil unit operate alternately by relay operation of the at least two relay terminals or in a main operation mode in which the first heating coil unit and the second heating coil unit operate together. Control device for snow melting system.

2. In paragraph 1, The sensor connection terminal of the above control device is characterized in that an air temperature measuring sensor for measuring the ambient air temperature of a road where a plurality of heating coils are buried; a road temperature measuring sensor for measuring the road surface temperature of the road where a plurality of heating coils are buried; a rain measurement sensor for measuring the amount of rainwater on the road surface of the road where a plurality of heating coils are buried; and a wind speed measuring sensor for measuring the wind speed around the road where a plurality of heating coils are buried are connected. Control device for snow melting system.

3. In paragraph 2, The control device is characterized in that it further includes a voltage setting dip switch for setting the input voltage and a communication setting dip switch for wired and wireless communication. Control device for snow melting system.

4. In paragraph 2, The above control device further includes a status display unit, The above status display section Preheating status LED to indicate that the heating device is operating in preheating mode; A main operation status LED to indicate that the heating device is operating in main operation mode. A stop LED to indicate that the heating device is stopped; Communication link LED to indicate that the communication unit of the control unit is operating normally; characterized in that it includes a power LED for indicating the power status of the control device. Control device for snow melting system.

5. In paragraph 4, The status display unit is characterized in that it further includes a first LED window for displaying the current road surface temperature and the preheating set temperature; a second LED window for displaying the current standby temperature and the main operation set temperature; and a third LED window for displaying the current rain value. Control device for snow melting system.

6. In paragraph 1, The snow melting system further includes an administrator terminal connected through a communication unit of the control device, wherein the administrator terminal is configured to access the control device through web browsing, When the above administrator terminal connects to the above control device, the above control device is configured to provide a web-based management interface to the above administrator terminal via HTML. The above administrator terminal is characterized in that it can change the preheating operation setting temperature used in the preheating operation mode used in the control device; the main operation setting temperature used in the main operation mode; and the good quality standard amount through the web-based management interface. Control device for snow melting system.

7. In paragraph 6, The above web-based management interface is characterized in that it is configured to display information on the current air temperature; current road surface temperature; rainfall; and wind speed on the administrator terminal. Control device for snow melting system.

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