Electrical Control System Loop Wiring for Appliance Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical control systems for homes, such as the C-BUS system, require significant amounts of cable for wiring and are cumbersome to reconfigure, especially for lighting circuits, leading to increased installation time and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An electrical control system featuring a central control unit connected to switch units in series, which measure electrical parameters to generate control codes for appliance controllers, reducing the need for multiple cables and allowing easier reconfiguration by routing a single core intrinsically safe cable to each switch unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate Category 5 control cable is wired to each switch from a central location, then intrinsically safe connection to the switch is provided, but significantly more cable is required to wire up an average sized home
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control cable and power cable into a single integrated cable system. The control cable is integrated into the existing power cable infrastructure, eliminating the need for separate control cabling to each switch location. This merging approach maintains the intrinsically safe connection requirement while dramatically reducing the total cable quantity needed in the home.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more cable is routed from a central location, then control functionality is achieved, but installation complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the power cable serve multiple functions by integrating control capabilities into it. The existing power cable infrastructure is used for both power delivery and control signal transmission, eliminating the need for separate control cabling. This multi-functionality approach maintains full control functionality while significantly reducing installation time and complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If switches are reconfigured to control different lights, then lighting control flexibility is improved, but new wiring installation is required which is more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic reconfiguration capability where the control system can be reprogrammed to assign different switches to control different lights without physical rewiring. The system allows users to change switch-light associations through software configuration, providing flexible adaptability while eliminating the need for difficult new wiring installation in wall cavities.
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 reduces cable requirements, simplifies installation, and allows for efficient reconfiguration of lighting circuits, decreasing installation time and complexity while maintaining safety and versatility in controlling various appliances.
Implementation Method 1
a constant current of the constant current source is passed through the resistance which induces a voltage across the loop and hence each of the one or more voltages is measured at the first end of the loop
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling an appliance enables electrical circuits to be wired up more quickly, and electrical circuits to be reconfigured more easily. The electrical control system including a central control unit; one or more switch units connected in series forming a loop, the loop including a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end of the loop are connected to the central control unit; and one or more appliance controllers connected to a respective appliance and in communication with the central control unit; wherein one or more electrical parameters are measured at the first end of the loop, and the central control unit sends a control code associated with the one or more electrical parameters to the one or more appliance controllers.