Ventilation Duct Wireless Link for Long-Range Component Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ventilation and air-conditioning systems with wireless radio links face significant limitations due to short range and interference from building structures, making it difficult to connect components across different rooms or floors.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes the flow channel for wireless transmission by having transmitters protrude into the flow channel to guide waves and receivers to receive them, allowing for extended range communication, enabling components to connect directly and coordinate temperature and volume flow requirements both centrally and decentralally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If conventional radio links are used for wireless communication between ventilation components, then communication is possible within limited range, but the connection range is severely restricted by building structures such as walls and ceilings
Solution Approach 1:
The flow channel acts as an intermediary medium for wave transmission. Instead of relying on radio waves propagating through air and being blocked by building structures, the transmitter sends waves that are guided through the flow channel (which contains air or gas) to the receiver. The flow channel serves as a dedicated transmission path that is not affected by external building structures, thus extending reliable communication range throughout the building's ventilation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow channel, which originally serves only for air transport, is utilized for dual purposes: maintaining fluid flow and serving as a waveguide for wireless communication. This multi-functional use of existing infrastructure eliminates the need for separate communication pathways and overcomes the limitations of conventional radio links without requiring additional building infrastructure.
2Ease of operation
If transmitters and receivers are positioned outside the flow channel, then wireless communication is possible, but the communication range is limited and requires direct line of sight
Solution Approach 1:
The solution transitions the communication medium from three-dimensional space (radio waves through air) to a confined one-dimensional path (waves guided through the flow channel). By confining the wave propagation to the flow channel's interior, the system achieves extended communication distance along the channel's length, overcoming the line-of-sight limitations of conventional wireless communication.
3Extent of automation
If a central building management system is used to coordinate ventilation components, then centralized control is achieved, but system complexity and dependency on central infrastructure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the control architecture into distributed intelligent components, each equipped with its own transmitter and receiver. Instead of a single central control point, multiple autonomous nodes communicate directly with each other through the flow channel, enabling decentralized coordination. This segmentation reduces system complexity and eliminates single points of failure while maintaining automated control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Each ventilation component is equipped with communication capabilities (transmitter and/or receiver), enabling it to autonomously exchange information with other components. The system components serve themselves by directly coordinating temperature and volumetric flow requirements without requiring intermediary central management infrastructure, thus simplifying the overall system architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for reliable communication across large distances within the system, overcoming structural obstacles and enabling energy-optimized operation by allowing direct communication between components, including decentralized devices, without the need for a central building management system.
Implementation Method 1
the waves emitted by this transmitter are essentially guided through the flow channel
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the receivers, at least with a partial area, protrudes so far into the interior of the flow channel so that it can essentially receive waves conducted through the flow channel
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a ventilation and air-conditioning system with at least one flow channel for a medium flowing in it and with at least two ventilation components, wherein at least one component of the ventilation and air-conditioning system has a receiver and at least one component has a transmitter and both components via a wireless Connection, in particular via a radio link, are connected to each other. In order to specify a ventilation and air conditioning system that can be used independently of the structural conditions of the building in which the system is installed, at least one of the transmitters should protrude at least with a partial area into the interior of the flow channel so that the Waves emitted by the transmitter are essentially passed through the flow channel and/or at least one of the receivers protrudes at least in part with a portion into the interior of the flow channel so that it can essentially receive waves passed through the flow channel.