Building equipment with embedded connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chillers lack direct communication capabilities with external networks, requiring additional controllers and gateways to establish connectivity with building management systems, which is time-consuming and error-prone, and provides limited data transfer.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the provision of a communications board to a chiller before delivery, which is electronically communicable with the main control board, and configured for remote connectivity, allowing automatic establishment of a connection between the chiller and a remote server upon installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional controllers and gateways are installed to enable connectivity between chiller and building management system, then connectivity capability is improved, but device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the communication functionality into the existing chiller control system by integrating a communication module with the main control board. This merging eliminates the need for separate controllers and gateways, reducing device complexity while maintaining connectivity capability. The communication board includes processors, memory, and communication interfaces that are directly integrated into the chiller's control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The control board is designed to perform multiple functions including both temperature control and communication operations. By making the control board universal, the system eliminates dedicated separate controllers for communication purposes, thereby reducing overall device complexity while preserving full connectivity capabilities to building management systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional controllers and gateways are installed to enable connectivity, then connectivity capability is improved, but installation time and error rate increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication module is pre-integrated into the chiller during manufacturing, with all necessary communication interfaces, protocols, and configuration settings prepared in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for field technicians to install and configure separate controllers and gateways, significantly reducing installation time and minimizing configuration errors.
3Device complexity
If conventional control circuitry is used without external communication devices, then device complexity is reduced, but data transfer capability between chiller and external systems is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The communication interfaces are merged into the main control board, allowing the system to maintain simplicity while achieving comprehensive data transfer capabilities. The control board includes multiple communication interfaces (wired and wireless) that enable robust data exchange with building management systems without requiring additional external communication devices.
4Ease of operation
If communication interfaces are integrated into the chiller before delivery, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control board is designed as a universal platform that handles both traditional temperature control functions and modern communication requirements. This multi-functionality allows the chiller to operate seamlessly with building management systems without requiring separate dedicated communication hardware, thereby improving ease of operation while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through consolidation.
Data Source
AI summary
A chiller includes cooling components configured to chill a fluid, a housing coupled to the cooling components, an antenna positioned at an exterior of the housing, a circuit board positioned in the housing and comprising a plurality of mounting points, an antenna mount fastened to the plurality of mounting points such that the antenna mount is disposed over a portion of the circuit board, and a cable extending from the antenna mount to the antenna via a hole in the housing.