Appliance Wireless Communication Temperature Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Home appliances with wireless communication capabilities experience performance degradation and communication failures due to significant temperature fluctuations, leading to increased packet loss and retry rates, as their data communication components' physical and electrical properties change with temperature.
Innovation Solution
Appliances monitor temperature conditions and communication failures over time, identify temperature ranges associated with increased failures, and adjust communication settings such as retry periods and packet loss handling to compensate for these fluctuations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data communication components operate in appliances subjected to temperature fluctuations, then wireless communication capabilities are enabled, but communication reliability deteriorates due to physical and electrical property changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of communication parameters (data rate, power level, modulation scheme) based on real-time temperature monitoring. The system transitions from static fixed parameters to dynamic adaptive parameters that change with temperature conditions, resolving the contradiction between maintaining communication capability across temperature ranges and ensuring reliable communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the communication system based on temperature. Temperature sensors monitor conditions and trigger adjustments to communication parameters such as data rate, power level, and modulation scheme. This parameter adaptation compensates for the physical and electrical property changes in communication components caused by temperature fluctuations.
2Device complexity
If communication settings remain fixed, then device complexity is reduced, but communication quality deteriorates under varying temperature conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system performs self-adjustment based on temperature conditions without requiring external intervention or complex configuration. The microcontroller automatically monitors temperature via integrated sensors and adjusts communication parameters accordingly, enabling the system to serve itself and maintain optimal performance across temperature ranges while avoiding the need for manual reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where temperature sensors continuously monitor thermal conditions and provide input to the control system. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts communication parameters to compensate for temperature-induced performance degradation. This closed-loop feedback mechanism maintains communication quality without requiring complex pre-programming for each temperature scenario.
3Reliability
If temperature compensation is implemented, then communication reliability improves, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring and adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines temperature sensing and communication parameter control into a single integrated system managed by the existing microcontroller. Rather than adding separate independent compensation devices, the temperature sensor and communication controller are merged into one unified system, allowing the microcontroller to perform both temperature monitoring and communication management functions, thereby minimizing additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes to achieve compensation with minimal hardware addition. By adjusting software-controlled communication parameters (data rate, power, modulation) based on temperature sensor input, the system achieves reliable compensation without adding complex hardware circuits. The approach leverages existing programmable capabilities to implement temperature adaptation.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for updating appliance communication settings to compensate for temperature fluctuations are provided. In particular, an appliance that includes one or more data communication components that provide wireless communication functionality can monitor one or more characteristics describing data communication failures experienced by the one or more data communication components. When the monitored characteristics indicate that the appliance is experiencing an increased rate of communication failure, the appliance can log the temperature conditions at the data communication components. Periodically, the appliance can analyze the logged temperatures to identify one or more temperature ranges associated with increased communication failure. The appliance can then update one or more communication settings associated with such temperature ranges so as to compensate for anticipated temperature fluctuations.