Distributed Intelligent Building Fixtures for Scalable Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centralized building control systems are prone to failures, are difficult to expand, and require excessive power, limiting their scalability and reliability, especially in emergency situations where decentralized control is necessary.
Innovation Solution
A distributed building control system where each fixture includes a controller and communication port, allowing for independent control and sharing of sensor or state information within logical groups, eliminating the need for a central control point and enabling easy expansion and redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a centralized control system is used, then control decisions can be made at a single point, but the system becomes vulnerable to complete failure if the central controller fails and requires excessive power to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized control system into multiple distributed intelligent fixtures, each with its own controller. Each fixture operates independently but can communicate with others, eliminating the single point of failure while maintaining coordinated control functionality across the building system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a communication network as an intermediary layer between fixtures, allowing distributed controllers to exchange information and coordinate actions without requiring a central controller. This mediator enables collaboration while preserving independence and reliability of individual units.
2Ease of operation
If a centralized control system is used, then all decision making occurs at the controller, but expansion of the system becomes expensive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into independent intelligent fixtures that can be individually added or removed from the network. Each fixture maintains autonomy and can function independently, allowing the system to scale organically without requiring complex reconfiguration or additional centralized infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Each intelligent fixture is designed with universal capabilities to operate independently, communicate with other fixtures, and perform multiple functions (lighting, sensing, control). This multi-functionality allows any fixture to assume various roles in the system, facilitating easy expansion and adaptation to different building configurations.
3Reliability
If redundant control points are introduced to improve reliability, then system reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding redundant control points to a centralized system, the patent segments the system into multiple independent intelligent fixtures. Each fixture serves as its own control point with full functionality, providing inherent redundancy without adding complexity to the overall control architecture. The distributed nature means failure of one fixture does not affect others.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatuses and systems of building control, are disclosed. One system includes a plurality of building fixtures and at least one sensor interfaced with at least one of the plurality of building fixtures. Further, each building fixture includes a communication port and a controller. For this embodiment, each controller is configured to independently control at least one of an environmental load or a security device, either receive or help designate the building fixture as belonging to a logical group of building fixtures, and share at least one of sensor or state information with other building fixtures within the logical group of building fixtures, through the communication port.