Electrical Control Signaling via Backup Beacon Alerts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In electrical installations, control devices become inoperable when the power supply is interrupted, requiring laborious and risky manual checks, especially in large systems with difficult access, necessitating innovative solutions for efficient fault detection and signaling.
Innovation Solution
A control device with a wireless transceiver unit that broadcasts beacon data packets using short-range protocols like Bluetooth or Zigbee, powered by a secondary supply when the primary power fails, allowing mobile devices to detect alerts and notify operators, reducing the need for direct access and enhancing monitoring and maintenance planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control devices are fed from the electric line, then they can perform control and monitoring functionalities, but they become inoperable when the power supply is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary actions by detecting power supply interruptions and activating the wireless transceiver unit before the system completely fails. The beacon data packets are prepared and transmitted in advance to alert operators about the fault condition, enabling proactive rather than reactive monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
A wireless transceiver unit acts as an intermediary between the control device and mobile devices. When the primary power supply fails, this intermediary component uses a secondary power supply to transmit fault information wirelessly, bridging the gap between the inoperable control device and the operator without requiring direct physical access.
2Loss of information
If manual checking is performed on site, then the actual operating status can be ascertained, but it is laborious and risky especially for difficult to access devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of physical inspection with wireless electronic communication. Instead of operators needing to physically access switching devices to check their status, the system uses wireless transceivers and mobile devices to transmit and receive operating status information remotely, eliminating the need for risky on-site manual checking.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device performs self-service by automatically detecting its own fault conditions and transmitting alert information about its operating status. The system monitors itself and communicates its state without requiring external inspection, enabling the device to inform operators of its condition autonomously.
3Productivity
If a large number of switching devices are installed, then the electrical installation capacity increases, but the time and risk for manual checking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback by having control devices continuously monitor their own operating status and automatically transmit alert information when faults are detected. This feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring of multiple switching devices, allowing operators to respond to issues as they arise rather than discovering them during manual inspections, thereby reducing fault detection time as the system scales.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a control device for electrical installations, which has improved signaling capabilities in alert conditions, particularly when said control device is no more fed by a power supply and it cannot carry out its control and monitoring functionalities. In a further aspect, the present disclosure relates to a computerized signaling system for an electrical installation, characterized in that it comprises one or more control devices having the above-mentioned improved signaling capabilities and a software application stored in one or more mobile computerized devices. Said software application is configured to make each mobile computerized mobile detect the beacon data packets broadcasted by said control devices in alert conditions.