Communication Slave ID Setting via Capacitive Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication network systems with a daisy-chain configuration require switches with low on-resistance to set ID values, leading to increased dimensions of both the slaves and the entire network.
Innovation Solution
A communication slave system that includes a control device, capacitive element, voltage determining portion, and time measuring portion, allowing ID values to be set without inserting a switch into the bus, using voltage thresholds and time measurements to determine unique IDs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a switch is inserted into the bus to set ID values, then the master can perform serial communication with slaves in daisy-chain configuration, but the on-resistance of the switch increases the dimension of the slave and the whole communication network system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the switch component from the bus configuration by implementing ID value setting through capacitive coupling between slaves. Instead of requiring physical switches in the bus, the system uses capacitance values to encode ID information, thereby removing the switch-related volume increase while maintaining ID setting functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter used for ID identification from switch resistance values to capacitive coupling values. By measuring the capacitance between adjacent slaves in the daisy-chain configuration, the system determines ID values without requiring low on-resistance switches, thus reducing the dimensional requirements.
2Reliability
If switches with low on-resistance are used in the bus, then effective communication can be maintained, but the dimension of the switch and slave increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the mechanical/electrical switch system with a capacitive coupling system. Instead of using switches that require low on-resistance for effective signal transmission, the system uses capacitive coupling to transmit communication signals and determine ID values, eliminating the need for low on-resistance switches and their associated dimensional constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces capacitance as an intermediary element between slaves in the daisy-chain configuration. The capacitive coupling serves as a mediator that enables both communication signal transmission and ID value determination without requiring direct low-resistance electrical connections, thus reducing the dimensional requirements of individual components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the reduction in dimensions of both the communication slaves and the network system while maintaining effective ID value setting, without the need for low on-resistance switches.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive element coupled between the high-potential side bus and the low-potential side bus
Implementation Method 2
a voltage determining portion that determines whether a voltage between the high-potential side bus and the low-potential side bus exceeds a threshold voltage
Data Source
AI summary
A communication slave used in a communication network system includes a control device, a capacitive element, a voltage determining portion, and a time measuring portion. The control device controls communication with a master. The capacitive element is coupled between a high-potential side bus and a low-potential side bus. The voltage determining portion determines whether a voltage between the buses exceeds a threshold voltage. The time measuring portion measures a time from when a charge of the capacitive element through the buses is started to when the voltage determining portion determines that the voltage exceeds the threshold voltage. The control device sets an ID value for communicating with the master based on a length of the time measured by the time measuring portion.