Galvanic Bus Coupler for Fault Isolation and Power Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bus systems face operational reliability issues due to damage from installation work, leading to potential short circuits and failure of the entire system, especially since decentralized power management with IEEE Power over Ethernet (PoE) Standard 802.3af only allows one bus participant per secondary bus line, limiting system resilience.
Innovation Solution
A bus coupler with an isolating device for galvanic decoupling and control electronics that manage power supply via control pulses on one of the bus lines, allowing decentralized voltage feeding and active switching or reduction of bus voltage, ensuring high operational reliability and reducing energy consumption by switching off or minimizing power when not needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bus subscribers are connected directly to the fieldbus, then system simplicity is maintained, but operational reliability deteriorates due to potential short circuits from installation work affecting the entire system
Solution Approach 1:
The bus system is segmented into multiple independent sub-areas through bus couplers that galvanically decouple secondary bus lines from the primary fieldbus. Each sub-area can fail independently without affecting other parts of the system, thus improving reliability while maintaining overall system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Bus couplers serve as intermediary devices between the primary fieldbus and secondary bus lines. These couplers provide galvanic decoupling through isolating devices, acting as mediators that protect the main system from faults in individual sub-areas while maintaining system integrity.
2Reliability
If decentralized power supply is implemented on secondary bus lines, then operational reliability improves by isolating faults, but device complexity increases due to required power management control
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is made dynamic through control electronics that can switch between different operating states (full power, minimum power, off) based on control pulses. This dynamic power management enables fault isolation while adapting power consumption to actual system needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus voltage parameter is dynamically changed based on system state. The power supply can output full bus voltage for normal operation, minimum bus voltage for standby, or zero voltage when off. These parameter changes enable reliable fault isolation while optimizing power consumption.
3Ease of operation
If IEEE Power over Ethernet Standard 802.3af is used for decentralized power management, then power control capability is improved, but adaptability deteriorates because only one bus participant can be connected per secondary bus line
Solution Approach 1:
The bus coupler design provides universal power supply capability to multiple bus participants on the same secondary bus line. Unlike the IEEE 802.3af standard that limits to one device per line, this invention can supply power to multiple devices simultaneously while maintaining individual control through control pulses, thus enhancing both power control and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical limitation of one device per line in IEEE 802.3af is replaced by electronic control mechanisms. Control electronics use control pulses to manage power distribution to multiple devices on the same secondary bus line, substituting the mechanical/physical constraint with an electronic control system that provides greater flexibility.
4Reliability
If continuous power supply is maintained, then operational readiness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous power supply, the system uses periodic control pulses to manage power state. The power supply operates in discrete states (on/off or full/minimum) based on received control pulses, reducing energy consumption while maintaining operational readiness when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The power management system can autonomously switch between full power, minimum power, and off states based on control pulses and system conditions. This self-service capability allows the system to optimize energy consumption automatically while maintaining the ability to restore full operation when required.
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
The solution ensures that a fault in one sub-area of the bus system does not affect other areas, maintains system reliability by isolating faulty branches, and optimizes energy use by controlling power supply based on current detection and pulse analysis, thereby preventing damage to other parts of the system.
Implementation Method 1
an isolating device for galvanic decoupling of the bus subscriber from the primary bus line
Implementation Method 2
a voltage supply for feeding a bus voltage in the secondary bus line
Implementation Method 3
control electronics for controlling the power supply and the bus voltage of the secondary bus line as a function of control pulses which are transmitted to the control electronics via one of the two bus lines
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a bus coupler (3) for connecting at least one bus participant (4, 4a, 4b) for building automation, which receives power via a bus line (6), to a primary bus line (2), and to an isolating device (8) for galvanic isolation of the bus participant (4, 4a, 4b) from the primary bus line (2), wherein the bus participant (4, 4a, 4b) can be connected to the bus coupler (3) via a secondary bus line (6). The bus coupler (3) has a power supply (10) for supplying a bus voltage to the secondary bus line (6) and control electronics (9) for controlling the power supply (10) and the bus voltage of the secondary bus line (6), wherein the power supply (10) and the control electronics (9) form a single unit.The power supply (10) can be controlled by the control electronics (9) depending on control pulses that can be transmitted to the control electronics (9) via one of the two bus lines (2, 6). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a bus system (1) with a bus coupler (3) of the type mentioned, wherein the power supply (10) feeds the bus voltage into the secondary bus line (6) and a control electronics unit (9) of the bus coupler (3) controls the power supply (10) and the bus voltage of the secondary bus line (6) depending on control pulses that are transmitted to the control electronics unit (9) via one of the two bus lines (2, 6).