Electric Blanket Control Circuit With Split Main and Handheld Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric heating products, such as electric blankets, have bulky controllers that are cumbersome and inconvenient to use, affecting the user experience and the aesthetics of the blanket.
Innovation Solution
A control circuit for electric blankets that includes a main control circuit and a sub-control circuit, exchanging state and control information through serial port circuits to enable interactive heating control, reducing the weight and complexity of the control system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional controller with internal control circuit is used, then heating control function is achieved, but the controller becomes bulky and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit is divided into two independent parts: a main control circuit embedded in the blanket and a sub-control circuit in a portable controller. This segmentation allows the heavy power conversion and control components to remain in the blanket while the user interface is minimized in the handheld controller, reducing its weight and bulk.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulky power conversion circuit and main control logic are extracted from the portable controller and placed into the blanket's main control circuit. This extraction leaves only the essential communication and interface components in the controller, dramatically reducing its size and weight while maintaining full control functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a conventional controller is used, then heating control is achieved, but it affects the aesthetics of the blanket
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the control system into embedded (main) and portable (sub-control) parts, the aesthetic impact on the blanket is minimized. The main control circuit can be integrated into the blanket's fabric or housing, while the portable controller serves as a discrete accessory, preserving the blanket's visual appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The sub-control circuit is nested within the main control system through wireless or wired communication links, allowing the controller to be detached and portable. This nesting enables the control functionality to be distributed, with the aesthetic-sensitive portions embedded in the blanket and the user interface in a separate unit.
3Adaptability or versatility
If main control circuit and sub-control circuit exchange information through serial port circuits, then interactive heating control is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The serial port circuits are designed to handle multiple functions: data transmission, control commands, status reporting, and power management. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated circuits for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity despite the added interactive capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a control circuit for an electric blanket. The control circuit includes a main control circuit composed of a relatively low voltage power conversion circuit, a heating main loop, a micro control unit (MCU) main control circuit, an active/passive protection circuit and a main power carrier serial port circuit. The control circuit further includes a sub-control circuit. The sub-control circuit is composed of an auxiliary power carrier serial port circuit, a sub-control power extraction circuit, an MCU sub-control circuit, a function key input circuit and a display circuit. The main control circuit and the sub-control circuit exchange operating state information and user control information through the main power carrier serial port circuit and the auxiliary power carrier serial port circuit to implement heating control of the electric blanket in a mutually cooperative control mode.