Vehicle Fire System Slave Unit Addressing via Bit-Reversed Serial Numbers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire system addressing methods face challenges such as data collisions and inefficiency due to serial number clustering and imprecise collision detection, particularly in vehicle fire systems where DIP or rotary switches are impractical and dynamic addressing methods are inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The method involves isolating slave units by reversing bits in broadcast serial numbers to create a more sparse distribution, allowing for efficient assignment of working addresses by identifying unique serial numbers and confirming responses to prevent data collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If dynamic addressing method using serial number scanning is employed, then address assignment is automated, but data collisions occur due to serial number clustering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter being scanned from sequential serial numbers to reversed-bit serial numbers. By reversing the bits of the serial number before comparison, the patent transforms the distribution pattern of serial numbers, causing clustered values to be spread out. This parameter transformation maintains automation while reducing collisions, as slave units with clustered serial numbers (e.g., 100, 101, 102) will have widely dispersed reversed values, allowing the master module to isolate and address them individually without data collisions.
2Productivity
If conventional serial number scanning is used, then address assignment can be performed, but the number of search iterations increases due to serial number clustering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies bit reversal to the serial number parameter to transform its distribution characteristics. This transformation causes sequentially clustered serial numbers to map to widely spaced reversed values, enabling the master module to quickly isolate individual slave units with fewer broadcast iterations. The parameter change directly reduces the time loss associated with multiple search iterations while maintaining efficient automated addressing.
3Measurement precision
If DIP or rotary switches are used for address assignment, then precise address control is achieved, but physical access is required which is impractical in potted vehicle fire systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical switching system (DIP or rotary switches requiring physical access) with an electronic/digital system based on bit-reversed serial number comparison. This substitution eliminates the need for physical access to switches while maintaining precise address control through automated digital identification. The master module can now assign addresses remotely by broadcasting reversed serial numbers, which slave units compare against their own reversed serial numbers stored in memory, achieving both precision and accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for assigning working addresses to slave units in a vehicle fire system. Slave units responding to a default address are identified along with available working addresses. Individual slave units are isolated at the default address by instructing the slaves to compare their serial numbers to a broadcast serial number until only a single slave responds, wherein bits in the serial numbers are reversed to create a more sparse distribution of the serial numbers of the slave units, and assigning the slave units, which responded to the default address, to the available working addresses.