Snowmaking automation system and modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional snowmaking automation systems at ski resorts are costly, labor-intensive, and inflexible, relying on fixed electrical infrastructure, requiring manual operation, and are often proprietary, limiting their adaptability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A battery-powered, wireless snowmaking automation system that includes modular actuators and communication modules for remote control of snowmaking guns and hydrants, allowing for flexible deployment and maintenance, and compatibility with various snowmaking technologies, eliminating the need for fixed electrical infrastructure and reducing labor costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional snowmaking automation systems use fixed electrical infrastructure, then they can provide stable power supply, but they increase installation cost and reduce deployment flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fixed electrical infrastructure with a wireless communication system. The automation modules communicate with the central control system via wireless signals, eliminating the need for physical electrical connections at remote snowmaking locations. This substitution maintains system reliability through stable wireless communication while dramatically improving deployment flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wireless communication as an intermediary between the central control system and remote snowmaking equipment. This intermediary enables data and control signal transmission without physical electrical connections, resolving the contradiction between needing stable power supply (reliability) and flexible deployment (adaptability).
2Device complexity
If conventional snowmaking systems require manual operation, then they reduce automation complexity, but they increase labor costs and reduce operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation where the snowmaking system automatically monitors conditions, receives control commands, and adjusts operation without manual intervention. The automation modules at each snowmaking location independently execute control decisions received via wireless communication, enabling autonomous operation that improves productivity while keeping automation complexity manageable through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the snowmaking automation system into independent modular units distributed at each snowmaking location. Each module handles local control functions, and the system as a coordinate through wireless communication. This segmentation enables automated operation improving productivity while keeping individual module complexity low.
3Reliability
If conventional snowmaking equipment uses proprietary systems, then they ensure vendor-specific reliability, but they reduce compatibility and increase maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs automation modules with universal interfaces and standardized communication protocols that can work with different snowmaking equipment from various manufacturers. The modular architecture allows the same automation module to control different types of snowmaking guns and hydrants, achieving multi-functionality that improves compatibility while maintaining reliable control through standardized interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is a snowmaking automation system and snowmaking automation modules for use with snowmaking guns and hydrants. Embodiments of the snowmaking automation modules described herein may be battery powered, and thus do not require fixed electrical infrastructure, but are designed to use such infrastructure if present on the mountain. In some embodiments, various components of the snowmaking automation system may be wireless and thus do not require hard-wired communications, for example between base stations, servers, databases, repeater nodes and remotely controlled snowmaking guns and hydrants with their snowmaking automation modules installed.