Environment control system and air conditioner or air-conditioning system
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In environment control systems, if one device malfunctions and fails to establish communications via a serial communication bus, it leads to communication failures among the remaining devices, causing the control unit to lose control over electronic equipment, such as air conditioners, which cannot continue air conditioning operations.
Innovation Solution
The control unit identifies and disconnects the failed device by sequentially opening and closing switching units on sub communication lines, allowing normal devices to continue operating and maintaining communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices are connected in series via a serial communication bus, then communication between control unit and devices is established, but if one device malfunctions, communication with all remaining devices fails
Solution Approach 1:
The serial communication bus is segmented into multiple independent communication paths by introducing switching units at each device. Each switching unit can independently connect or disconnect its device from the communication bus, transforming a single failure-prone series connection into multiple isolated communication segments. This allows normal devices to maintain communication even when one device fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system transitions from a static series connection to a dynamic reconfigurable network. Switching units enable the communication bus topology to change dynamically based on device status, allowing the system to adapt when devices are added, removed, or fail, thereby maintaining communication reliability without increasing overall system complexity.
2Productivity
If a malfunctioning device remains connected to the serial communication bus, then the device structure is simple, but communication with normal devices fails and air conditioning operation stops
Solution Approach 1:
Switching units are pre-installed at each device location before any malfunction occurs. These switching units remain in a default connected state during normal operation but can be rapidly activated to isolate failed devices. This preliminary preparation enables immediate fault isolation without requiring complex real-time decision-making or system reconfiguration, maintaining productivity while adding minimal control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Switching units act as intermediary components between devices and the serial communication bus. They mediate the connection status, allowing the control unit to maintain communication with normal devices by instructing switching units to disconnect failed devices. This intermediary layer protects the communication bus from failures without requiring the control unit to directly manage complex fault isolation logic.
3Reliability
If switching units are added to each sub communication line, then failed devices can be isolated, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Each device is equipped with its own switching unit that can be independently controlled to connect or disconnect from the communication bus. This self-service capability allows individual devices to isolate themselves from the network when failures occur, eliminating the need for centralized complex switching infrastructure. The system achieves high reliability through simple, distributed switching units that add minimal structural complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An environment control system includes: a control unit (10); a serial communication bus (20) including a main communication line (ML) having a first end connected to the control unit (10) and first to Nth (N: an integer of 2 or more) sub communication lines (SL1 to SL3) branched off from a second end of the main communication line (ML); devices (21 to 26) connected to the first to Nth sub communication lines (SL1 to SL3); and switching units (SW1-1, SW1-2, SW2-1, SW2-2, SW3-1, SW3-2) disposed on all the first to Nth sub communication lines (SL1 to SL3) and configured to connect and disconnect the devices (21 to 26) to and from the control unit (10). Each of the first to Nth sub communication lines (SL1 to SL3) is connected to one or more of the devices (21 to 26).