Aircraft EMS Signal Modulation for Device-Level Power Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In systems with flexible power devices, such as aircraft, the Energy Management System (EMS) lacks individual oversight of each device, leading to mismanagement and inefficiencies, as it can't distinguish which devices are on or off, resulting in ineffective power consumption control.
Innovation Solution
An energy management method that involves determining a control signal for flexible power devices, modulating it with a unique identification signal, and receiving an aggregate power consumption signal to identify whether the device is on or off, allowing the EMS to accurately manage power usage and reduce unnecessary reductions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the EMS monitors only aggregate power consumption of zones, then the system complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of individual device status is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the aggregate power consumption signal into individual device contributions by modulating each device's power consumption with a unique identification signal. This allows the EMS to detect individual device status within the aggregated zone signal, resolving the contradiction between simplified monitoring and precise measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
Each flexible power device is assigned a unique identification signal characteristic (e.g., specific frequency or modulation pattern), creating local quality differences in the power consumption signal. This enables the EMS to distinguish individual device status from the aggregate zone consumption while maintaining system-level monitoring.
2Ease of operation
If the EMS issues control signals to all devices in a zone, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of information about individual device status causes ineffective power management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by modulating device power consumption with identification signals and detecting these signals in the aggregate consumption. This provides continuous feedback on individual device status to the EMS, enabling informed control decisions while maintaining simple zone-level operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The identification signal acts as an intermediary that carries individual device information through the aggregate power consumption channel. This mediator enables the EMS to obtain individual device status information without requiring separate communication channels, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and information availability.
3Loss of time
If the EMS reduces power consumption without identifying individual devices, then the response time is improved, but the productivity of power management is reduced due to ineffective interventions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by continuously monitoring identification signals in aggregate power consumption to determine individual device status before issuing control signals. This preliminary knowledge enables targeted interventions that are both rapid and effective, resolving the contradiction between response time and management effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
An energy management method. The energy management method includes: determining a control signal for a flexible power device of a plurality of flexible power devices; modulating the control signal with an identification signal; providing the control signal to the flexible power device of the plurality of flexible power devices; receiving an aggregate power consumption signal of the plurality of flexible power devices from the plurality of flexible power devices; and determining whether the identification signal is present in the aggregate power consumption signal. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the energy management method is also provided. The method can be performed by an energy management system for an aircraft.