Distributed Flow-Generation Control Using Local Network Groups
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow-generation systems face challenges in managing complex control tasks due to limited computing power, leading to high costs and the need for internet-based services that may not be reliable or secure, especially in installations with unstable internet connections.
Innovation Solution
A flow-generation system comprising multiple units connected via a communication network, each with a local controller and processor, forms temporary network groups to distribute complex control tasks, using a superordinate scheduler to divide and process sub-tasks independently, eliminating the need for central servers or cloud services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If computing power in flow-generation units is increased to handle complex control tasks, then control capability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control task is divided into multiple sub-tasks that are distributed across different flow-generation units. Each unit processes only the sub-tasks assigned to it, reducing the computing burden on individual units while maintaining overall system capability to handle complex control tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple flow-generation units are merged into a network group that collectively processes control tasks. The combined computing power of all units in the network group enables handling of complex control tasks that would be too demanding for a single unit, without requiring each unit to have high computing power individually.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a central server or cloud service is used to process complex control tasks, then control capability is improved, but dependency on internet connection and additional costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow-generation units themselves perform the control task processing by forming network groups and executing distributed computation. The system serves its own control needs internally without requiring external central servers or cloud services, eliminating dependency on internet connectivity while maintaining the ability to handle complex control tasks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If computing power in flow-generation units is increased to handle complex control tasks, then control capability is improved, but data security risks increase when using internet-based services
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the control task processing function from external internet-based services and implements it locally within the flow-generation units themselves. By taking out the dependency on external services, the system maintains control capability while eliminating the data security risks associated with cloud-based processing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a flow-generation system and to a method for its operation. The flow-generation system has a plurality of flow-generation units, which are each configured to generate an individual fluid flow, in particular an air flow. For this purpose, the flow-generation unit can comprise an electromotively operated fan, for example. A local controller has a processor, a working memory, and a process scheduler, and is connected to a communication network for communication via a communication interface. A control task can be processed in parallel by a network group by means of a plurality of local controllers of the flow-generation units belonging to the network group when one single local controller does not have enough computing power and/or memory capacity for processing the control task. In this case, complex control tasks can also be processed without an internet-based service (cloud service) connected to the flow-generation system or a server or increased computing and memory capacity of the local controllers necessarily being required for this purpose.