Distributed Service Unit Network Data Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing and controlling a network of distributed service units is complex due to the need to handle vast amounts of diverse configurable data while maintaining operational efficiency, ensuring equipment reliability, and meeting varying customer demands.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a plurality of service units with sensors that detect operational parameters and secondary control units that generate unstructured inputs. A remote primary control unit aggregates and structures these inputs into a structured data package, which is then transmitted back to the secondary control units for selective implementation of operational adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a network of distributed service units is expanded to meet varying customer demands, then service coverage and adaptability are improved, but data management complexity and system control difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice coverageVSAvoiddata management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments data management into two levels: local secondary control units that collect and pre-process data from sensors at individual service units, and a centralized primary control unit that aggregates and analyzes data from all service units. This segmentation allows the network to expand to meet varying customer demands while maintaining manageable data complexity at each level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Secondary control units act as intermediaries between sensors at distributed service units and the primary control unit. These intermediaries collect unstructured inputs from multiple sensors, structure the data locally, and transmit only essential information to the primary control unit, thereby reducing the overall data management complexity in the expanded network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If diverse configurable data from multiple sensors is collected to enhance operational efficiency, then decision-making quality is improved, but data processing difficulty and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoiddata processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Secondary control units perform preliminary data structuring and filtering at the source before transmitting data to the primary control unit. By pre-organizing unstructured sensor inputs into structured formats locally, the system enhances operational efficiency through comprehensive data collection while minimizing data processing time at the centralized level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and separates essential operational parameters from the diverse configurable data at the secondary control unit level. By taking out only the critical information needed for decision-making and transmitting it to the primary control unit, the system maintains high operational efficiency while reducing overall data processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of information

If unstructured sensor data is transmitted to a centralized system for processing, then comprehensive analysis capability is improved, but communication data volume and processing load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomprehensive analysis capabilityVSAvoidcommunication data volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Secondary control units serve as intermediaries that structure unstructured sensor data into standardized formats before transmission. This intermediary processing maintains the primary control unit's comprehensive analysis capability while significantly reducing the communication data volume by eliminating redundant and raw unstructured data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of data structure from unstructured to structured format at the secondary control unit level. This parameter transformation preserves all essential information for comprehensive analysis while reducing communication overhead and processing load through efficient data organization and compression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12211325B1System and methods for managing and controlling a network of distributed service units

Publication Date: 2025.01.28 QUICK QUACK CAR WASH HLDG LLC

AI summary

A system for managing and controlling a network of distributed service units, comprising service units, each includes sensors, each configured to detect operational parameters, and a secondary control unit configured to generate unstructured inputs containing digital signals related to the detected operational parameters, and a remote primary control unit communicatively connected to the secondary control units of the service units, wherein the remote primary control unit is configured to communicate with the secondary control units to receive the generated unstructured inputs, process the unstructured inputs by aggregating the unstructured inputs. The aggregation involves structuring the unstructured inputs to generate a structured data package. The remote primary control unit is further configured to transmit the structured data package to the secondary control units for a selective implementation of one or more operational adjustments based on the structured data package.