Home Automation Synchronization Channel Preamble

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Solution Overview

Problem

Home automation systems face challenges in energy-efficient data transmission, particularly in battery-operated devices, where high power consumption limits device longevity and requires continuous listening for data, leading to increased latency and energy waste.

Innovation Solution

The method involves storing two fixed synchronization channels in both the transmitter and receiver, allowing the receiver to listen on these channels during a scan interval and the transmitter to send a preamble twice as long as the scan interval to ensure data transmission without knowing the current data channels, enabling efficient event-controlled data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the receiver remains permanently switched on to detect data transmissions, then data transmission reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver is switched on only periodically at fixed time intervals (e.g., every 15 minutes) to check for data transmissions, rather than remaining permanently on. This periodic activation maintains the ability to detect data while significantly reducing overall power consumption during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the receiver uses polling to check for data at fixed intervals, then power consumption is reduced, but data transmission latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddata transmission latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The transmitter sends a wake-up call message to the receiver before the actual data transmission. This preliminary action alerts the receiver to activate its receiver before the data arrives, ensuring timely data reception without requiring the receiver to remain permanently on, thus balancing power consumption with reduced latency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If the receiver activates at fixed intervals to check for data, then power consumption is reduced, but spontaneous data transmission capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidspontaneous data transmission capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The transmitter sends a wake-up call message before the actual data transmission. This preliminary action enables spontaneous data transmission by alerting the receiver to activate before the data arrives, rather than requiring the receiver to continuously monitor or wait for fixed interval polling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A wake-up call message acts as an intermediary signal between the transmitter and receiver. This intermediate message triggers the receiver's activation, enabling efficient communication without requiring the receiver to remain permanently on or wait for fixed interval polling, thus maintaining spontaneous data transmission capability while reducing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2629489B1Method for transmitting data to a receiver
Publication Date: 2014.08.20 RWE EFFIZIENZ GMBH
  • EP2629489B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2629489B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2629489B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The method involves storing fixed synchronization channels (40a-40d) in a transmitter i.e. sensor (2), and a receiver i.e. actuator. The receiver is listened to the fixed synchronization channels within scan intervals (42a-42d). A preamble (46) following user data is transmitter-side, event-controlled transmitted to one of the synchronization channels. The preamble has double length of the scan intervals. Two channels used for inclusion of devices in a home automation system are determined at the synchronization channels. An independent claim is also included for a home automation system.