Dynamic Building Network for Automated Heating Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current communication networks in buildings or groups of buildings lack centralized management and automation capabilities, leading to inefficient control of heating systems, where some areas are overheated due to conventional temperature adjustments based on the most disadvantaged room, and existing solutions like thermostats or thermostatic valves do not provide satisfactory independent control or billing accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A method for establishing a dynamic communication network between products in a building or group of buildings using radio modules and processing processors to automatically configure and manage data transmission, selecting the furthest product with the weakest signal quality for network establishment, allowing for centralized control and automation without dedicated infrastructure or IT specialists.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If centralized management and automation are implemented, then control efficiency and heating optimization are improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol efficiencyVSAvoidinfrastructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables products to automatically discover and register themselves with the central management unit. Each product autonomously transmits its identifier and determines its own reception area, eliminating the need for manual configuration or specialized IT infrastructure. This self-service mechanism resolves the contradiction by achieving centralized management without complex deployment infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The central management unit serves multiple functions: it receives product identifiers, determines reception areas, manages product registration, and coordinates communication between products. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple specialized systems into a single unit, reducing infrastructure complexity while maintaining centralized control efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If automatic network establishment is implemented, then ease of operation and deployment are improved, but reliability and control over network configuration decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeployment simplicityVSAvoidnetwork configuration control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where products transmit their identifiers to the central management unit, which then determines their reception areas and provides this information back to the products. This feedback loop ensures that automatic network establishment occurs within a controlled framework, maintaining reliability while achieving ease of deployment. The central management unit validates and coordinates each product's registration, preventing uncontrolled automatic configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3691190B1Communication method within a dynamic communication network between a plurality of products
Publication Date: 2021.10.06 OGGA
  • EP3691190B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3691190B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3691190B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a method of communication within a dynamic communication network between a plurality of products in the same building or group of buildings, the communication method comprising at least one step of establishing the network by propagation and a step of using the communication network enabling communication between the products.