Communication System Centralized Control Unit Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current smart building systems lack integration of telecommunications and home automation, leading to inefficiencies in energy management, security, and user comfort, as they operate as independent systems without centralized control.

Innovation Solution

A communication system that integrates telecommunications and home automation through a distributed intelligence platform with a centralized control unit (CDC) and local control units (P), using non-telecommunications signals to control both systems, optimizing comfort, security, and energy management while minimizing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If telecommunications system and home automation system operate as independent systems, then each system can be controlled separately, but integration and coordination between systems is lost leading to inefficiencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem integrationVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the telecommunications system and home automation system into a unified communication system with a common control unit that manages both subsystems, enabling integrated control and coordination while maintaining functional separation through modular architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit is designed with multi-functionality to handle both telecommunications operations and home automation control tasks, allowing a single device to perform diverse functions across different system domains through standardized interfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If centralized control is implemented to integrate systems, then coordination and efficiency improve, but system complexity and control overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control functionality is segmented into a centralized control unit for high-level coordination and distributed local control units for specific subsystem management, allowing efficient centralized oversight while distributing operational complexity to specialized modules

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces communication interfaces and protocols as intermediaries between the centralized control unit and various subsystems, enabling efficient coordination without requiring the central unit to directly manage every component, thus reducing control overhead

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If non-telecommunications signals are used to control telecommunications processes, then system coordination and energy management improve, but control mechanism complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem coordinationVSAvoidcontrol mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit is designed to process multiple types of signals (telecommunications and non-telecommunications) through unified control logic and standardized interfaces, enabling diverse signal types to coordinate system operations without requiring separate control mechanisms for each signal type

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2367321B1Communications system and method
Publication Date: 2014.01.22 TELEVES
  • EP2367321B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2367321B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2367321B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a communication system comprising at least one radio antenna (ANT) and/or one television antenna, and/or at least one cable (CAB) that transmits radio and/or television signals to the communication system; with radio receivers (TR) and/or television receivers (TV) connected to at least one first control unit (CDC); according to the invention, the communication system comprises both a telecommunications system and a home automation system. The telecommunications system and the home automation system share at least one common component, namely the first control unit (CDC), and optionally at least one second control unit (P). Both control units (CDC) and P execute processes of the telecommunications system and the home automation system. The system allows for the management of the building's electrical energy consumption, monitoring the consumption of all systems within a building.